Video Game Industry Thread: August's done, go to the new one

Wordherder

Hi! Welcome to the sales thread. Here we talk about how games have sold, marketing, PR comments, analysis of analysts and all kinds of other business-related stuff. Occasionally we make poop jokes.

Here's a summary of what you missed since last time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMSHvgaUWc8

And now, August's info.

Data care of NPD Group

Xbox 360 -- 356,700
Nintendo DS -- 342,700
Wii -- 244,300
PlayStation 3 -- 226,000
PSP -- 79,400

1) Madden NFL 11 (360) -- 920,800
2) Madden NFL 11 (PS3) -- 893,600
3) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) - 124,600
4) Mafia 2 (360) -- 121,600
5) New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS) -- 110,400
6) New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
7) Mafia 2 (PS3)
8) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360)
9) NCAA Football 11 (360)
10) Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
11) Just Dance (Wii)
12) Red Dead Redemption (360)
13) Pokemon SoulSilver (Nintendo DS)
14) Madden NFL 11 (PS2)
15) NCAA Football 11 (PS3)
16) Wipeout: The Game (Wii)
17) Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
18) Dragon Quest IX (Nintendo DS)
19) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
20) Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)

Undead Scottsman

Things that suck: I won't be home for another 12+ hours, and Dead Rising 2: Case Zero is waiting on my 360.

Santa Claustrophobia

Gibbs wrote: »

I know that when you use the play and charge cord with the 360 that your controller still functions wirelessly, but I've had two seperate people tell me that they still work with your PC through the USB cord.

Did they change the cords at some point?

Did you actually see a wireless controller work with the charge cable?

Capt Howdy

When do the Aug numbers drop? I'm curious to see if Lego HP stays in the top 10.

Two Headed Boy

Santa Claustrophobia wrote: »

Gibbs wrote: »

I know that when you use the play and charge cord with the 360 that your controller still functions wirelessly, but I've had two seperate people tell me that they still work with your PC through the USB cord.

Did they change the cords at some point?

Did you actually see a wireless controller work with the charge cable?

You can plug the play and charge cable into your PC USB port and it will charge. It will not, however, install Windows drivers and/or function as a PC gamepad without the wireless dongle.

Wordherder

Capt Howdy wrote: »

When do the Aug numbers drop? I'm curious to see if Lego HP stays in the top 10.

Second Thursday in August.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Lego games, while still selling well, don't seem to be selling quite as well as they used to when Lego Star Wars was a fun new novelty.

SyphonBlue

Two Headed Boy wrote: »

Santa Claustrophobia wrote: »

Gibbs wrote: »

I know that when you use the play and charge cord with the 360 that your controller still functions wirelessly, but I've had two seperate people tell me that they still work with your PC through the USB cord.

Did they change the cords at some point?

Did you actually see a wireless controller work with the charge cable?

You can plug the play and charge cable into your PC USB port and it will charge. It will not, however, install Windows drivers and/or function as a PC gamepad without the wireless dongle.

That's because the P&C cable is ONLY an electrical cable, it is not a data cable.

fragglefart

Doooooooooom made me LOL.

So, from the last thread, that new 360 controller, my thoughts;

-Do like the new D-Pad.
-Don't like the colour-less buttons.
-Don't like the fact it's silver/grey.

I want to get the new S model 360 before Xmas with Kinect. Figured I'd end up buying a bunch of matching 'black' stuff and move my old 360 to another room. Knowing that there are new pads on the cards complicates matters somewhat, but Major Nelson said they will not come to Europe until February. And they are silver. And the buttons have no colour (WTF smiley). So I guess I'll go with the regular black S controllers come Chrimbo time since I want it all to match (gonna buy a whopping great new telly too).

Hope they make it in black with coloured buttons. Then they could lay claim to even moar of mah monies.

Two Headed Boy

SyphonBlue wrote: »

Two Headed Boy wrote: »

Santa Claustrophobia wrote: »

Gibbs wrote: »

I know that when you use the play and charge cord with the 360 that your controller still functions wirelessly, but I've had two seperate people tell me that they still work with your PC through the USB cord.

Did they change the cords at some point?

Did you actually see a wireless controller work with the charge cable?

You can plug the play and charge cable into your PC USB port and it will charge. It will not, however, install Windows drivers and/or function as a PC gamepad without the wireless dongle.

That's because the P&C cable is ONLY an electrical cable, it is not a data cable.

Right, like I said earlier.

Those wireless dongles are only $20 on Amazon now, too.

Sipex

To be fair, I can see colour and I don't use the colour as a queue anymore. It was good at the very start until about 30 minutes later when my hands learned the controller.

That said, it helps some people, like kids. Having colour coded buttons really helps them learn the controller at first.

Two Headed Boy

Sipex wrote: »

To be fair, I can see colour and I don't use the colour as a queue anymore. It was good at the very start until about 30 minutes later when my hands learned the controller.

That said, it helps some people, like kids. Having colour coded buttons really helps them learn the controller at first.

Agreed. I'm definitely going to keep one "classic" controller around for my girlfriend, who does the common "look down at controller" thing when playing.

Xagarath

I have a suspicion that the Scott Pilgrim game did better at making a profit than the film.

Wordherder

Xagarath wrote: »

I have a suspicion that the Scott Pilgrim game did better at making a profit than the film.

In the short-term, there's a very real chance you're right.

Capt Howdy

cloudeagle wrote: »

Capt Howdy wrote: »

When do the Aug numbers drop? I'm curious to see if Lego HP stays in the top 10.

Second Thursday in August.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Lego games, while still selling well, don't seem to be selling quite as well as they used to when Lego Star Wars was a fun new novelty.

We'll have to wait a while to know. Lego games define "having legs". I do think Lego Indy 2 didn't do nearly as well as the 1st. But that probably should have been expected.

vsove

Oh shoot, is Case Zero out today?

That's good news. Though I spent most of my points on Duke Nukem 3D yesterday. Prooobably should've waited.

Gibbs

Santa Claustrophobia wrote: »

Gibbs wrote: »

I know that when you use the play and charge cord with the 360 that your controller still functions wirelessly, but I've had two seperate people tell me that they still work with your PC through the USB cord.

Did they change the cords at some point?

Did you actually see a wireless controller work with the charge cable?

No, but that's why I'm asking. One of these people is my roommate, so I'll check that out later.

Sipex

Capt Howdy wrote: »

cloudeagle wrote: »

Capt Howdy wrote: »

When do the Aug numbers drop? I'm curious to see if Lego HP stays in the top 10.

Second Thursday in August.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Lego games, while still selling well, don't seem to be selling quite as well as they used to when Lego Star Wars was a fun new novelty.

We'll have to wait a while to know. Lego games define "having legs". I do think Lego Indy 2 didn't do nearly as well as the 1st. But that probably should have been expected.

Lego HP will definitely do better than Indy 2 in my opinion. It's based on a popular and relatively fresh franchise while Lego Indy depended on those who had seen the classics or had gone to see the Crystal Skull which didn't do nearly as well as anticipated.

It's also incredibly well built and far less buggy than the past lego games (still buggy but less so, also only has the one vehicle part)

Wordherder

Back to 3D for a minute, I found this fascinating:

Just five months into the launch of the first 3D TV sets, and with some market watchers estimating collective U.S. factory sales of a little over 220,000 3D TV units, both Samsung and Panasonic unveiled somewhat surprising new products that lower the price of adoption for a 3D-capable set.

Samsung’s move was the most aggressive: It brought out a 50-inch 3D plasma display with 720p resolution (instead of the customary FullHD 1080) that is already seeing sub- $1,000 prices at retail. The PN50C490 features 3D capability and 1,365 by 768p resolution.

Though not as aggressive as Samsung, Panasonic, which has been a market leader in 720p plasma sets, answered last week by launching its lower-priced GT25 FullHD 1080p 3D plasma series. The new line consists of a 42-inch model at $1,700 and a 50-inch model at $2,100, which both have a number of step-up features also present in the pricier VT25 series, including VieraCast Internet content services, THX certification and Skype video calling with an optional camera.

The move makes sense: Recent second quarter market research studies (see the related story on this page) showed consumers in general stepped away from 19- through 26-inch screen sizes in 2D models while stepping up activity in the 40- to 42-inch segment. (The 32- and 37-inch screen sizes also continued to show growth.)

Many of those purchases were for basic bargain models, such as 720p plasma sets and CCFL-based LCD TVs.

According to NPD sell-through activity for last year, the two top-selling large-area flat-panel TVs were basic 50- and 42- inch 720p plasma models from Panasonic.

Growing popularity of basic featured goods could be a troublesome trend when trying to launch a new category of 3D TVs carrying more than a $300 premium.

http://www.twice.com/article/456468-Manufacturers_Lower_3D_TV_Prices.php

Interesting that prices are plunging THIS fast with 3D... I wonder if sales are weaker than they anticipated or the industry is VERY anxious to get a lot of 3D sets out there quickly, or both? Will this actually give Sony's push for 3D in the PS3 a boost?

Also, I had no idea 720p sets were still selling in significant numbers, though I guess it makes sense with the recession.

And cameras on TVs? Good goddamn, TVs are getting features added to them at a dizzying pace.

Two Headed Boy

Christ, a sub-1000 3D set is pretty cool, but I'm so spoiled by 1080p these days I still can't see myself getting one.

Sipex

Two Headed Boy wrote: »

Christ, a sub-1000 3D set is pretty cool, but I'm so spoiled by 1080p these days I still can't see myself getting one.

I turn on my Wii and my eyes weep.

It's not even bad just, so damn spoiled.

Warlock82

vsove wrote: »

Oh shoot, is Case Zero out today?

That's good news. Though I spent most of my points on Duke Nukem 3D yesterday. Prooobably should've waited.

Is this true? I know it got delayed in Japan but I never heard whether that would be the case for us as well. As if I don't have enough XBLA games to play right now.... :P

Also, new 360 controller rox my sox, though I agree I miss the colored buttons. But seriously, I will take form over aesthetics any day. An actual, functional D-Pad is going to be awesome.

RainbowDespair

Warlock82 wrote: »

vsove wrote: »

Oh shoot, is Case Zero out today?

That's good news. Though I spent most of my points on Duke Nukem 3D yesterday. Prooobably should've waited.

Is this true? I know it got delayed in Japan but I never heard whether that would be the case for us as well. As if I don't have enough XBLA games to play right now.... :P

Also, new 360 controller rox my sox, though I agree I miss the colored buttons. But seriously, I will take form over aesthetics any day. An actual, functional D-Pad is going to be awesome.

I download Case Zero this morning before heading to work, so yes, it's true. And yes, quality XBLA games are coming too quickly for me to keep up.

I'll probably pick up one of the new 360 controllers for myself and then pick up a regular controller for the family (for whom, the lack of color-coded buttons is a dealbreaker).

LewieP

Even if you do get a 1080p 3DTV, it's not like any current consoles will be able to output 3D at 1080p.

IIRC, most 3D PS3 games can't even manage 720p 3D without a serious hit to framerate.

mere_immortal

I'm still waiting on that Razer controller, haven't heard about it since January.

Couscous

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/38459/Gamelofts-first-half-profits-up-140-year-on-year

Gameloft has reported a net profit of €5.3 million for the first half of 2010, up 140% from the same period last year.

That's based on revenues of €66.6 million for the first six months of this year - up 11% year-on-year. The publisher's operating income was €4.7 million for the period.

Apple's App Store is certainly one reason for the growth - Gameloft's App Store revenues grew by 82% during the first half of this year, and in Q2 21% of its revenues came from iOS devices.

However, the publisher says it is also seeing good results from its legacy Java and BREW business, and expects to continue gobbling up market share as more rivals pull out of that market.

Gameloft's equity was worth €69.6 million at the end of Q2, while its net cash and cash equivalents totalled €25.9 million.

Undead Scottsman

I still can't believe they managed to swing Case Zero for $5. I would have expected it for $15 or at least $10.

Orochi_Rockman

I can't wait to get home and download the Bioshock 2 Minerva's Den DLC. Apparently it's a better game then Bioshock 2 itself.

Dritz

Hopefully the new 360 classic controller means there will still be some traditionally controlled games on the 360.

Bad joke sorry

LewieP

Undead Scottsman wrote: »

I still can't believe they managed to swing Case Zero for $5. I would have expected it for $15 or at least $10.

You mean you think it is good that a demo for a game costs money?

jothki

Sipex wrote: »

Capt Howdy wrote: »

cloudeagle wrote: »

Capt Howdy wrote: »

When do the Aug numbers drop? I'm curious to see if Lego HP stays in the top 10.

Second Thursday in August.

Maybe I'm wrong, but Lego games, while still selling well, don't seem to be selling quite as well as they used to when Lego Star Wars was a fun new novelty.

We'll have to wait a while to know. Lego games define "having legs". I do think Lego Indy 2 didn't do nearly as well as the 1st. But that probably should have been expected.

Lego HP will definitely do better than Indy 2 in my opinion. It's based on a popular and relatively fresh franchise while Lego Indy depended on those who had seen the classics or had gone to see the Crystal Skull which didn't do nearly as well as anticipated.

It's also incredibly well built and far less buggy than the past lego games (still buggy but less so, also only has the one vehicle part)

I dunno, the Complete Saga never permanently locked a section of the world away in one of my save files, while Harry Potter did.

It is fun, though.

Undead Scottsman

LewieP wrote: »

Undead Scottsman wrote: »

I still can't believe they managed to swing Case Zero for $5. I would have expected it for $15 or at least $10.

You mean you think it is good that a demo for a game costs money?

I wouldn't call it a demo, considering it's entirely original content that isn't a part of the full game, complete with it's own unique location, story and even psychopaths.

I mean, look at the Dead Rising 1 demo. It lasted 15 minutes and took place in a single section of the mall, and every time you played through it, you started back at square one. Case Zero lasts an hour, has actual stats that are saved (which gives more weight to playing through it again.), and can even be used to unlock stuff in DR2.

It's an XBLA title, not a demo.

Brainiac 8

LewieP wrote: »

Undead Scottsman wrote: »

I still can't believe they managed to swing Case Zero for $5. I would have expected it for $15 or at least $10.

You mean you think it is good that a demo for a game costs money?

Hey, it worked for Gran Turismo 5.

LewieP

It's basically pre-release DLC that doesn't require you to own the game to purchase. They decided to sell a chunk of the game separately so that they could make more money. Having only played the demo of Case Zero, is there anything about the rest of it that means it couldn't have been included on the disc?

I remember when you got the full game/story just by buying the game.

Edit: It did work for GT, but that's a bit of an exception. EA talked about doing a similar thing a while back.

Cameron_Talley

Xagarath wrote: »

I have a suspicion that the Scott Pilgrim game did better at making a profit than the film.

If they would put it on the Wii then it would probably make even more.

But NO....We can't have nice things.

/Bitter

Couscous

I just want it for the PC. If it is piracy that is the concern, then just wait a while before releasing it so the sales are mostly over with on the consoles.

Undead Scottsman

LewieP wrote: »

It's basically pre-release DLC that doesn't require you to own the game to purchase. They decided to sell a chunk of the game separately so that they could make more money. Having only played the demo of Case Zero, is there anything about the rest of it that means it couldn't have been included on the disc?

I thought you were complaining about paying for a demo; not about paying for something that should be on the disc?

Sheep

Cameron_Talley wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

I have a suspicion that the Scott Pilgrim game did better at making a profit than the film.

If they would put it on the Wii then it would probably make even more.

But NO....We can't have nice things.

/Bitter

At least if it were on the Wii the lack of online multiplayer wouldn't be as dumb of a decision.


Also...


Those top 10 numbers.


Crackdown 2 didn't really do that well did it...

LewieP

Undead Scottsman wrote: »

LewieP wrote: »

It's basically pre-release DLC that doesn't require you to own the game to purchase. They decided to sell a chunk of the game separately so that they could make more money. Having only played the demo of Case Zero, is there anything about the rest of it that means it couldn't have been included on the disc?

I thought you were complaining about paying for a demo; not about paying for something that should be on the disc?

Both are bad.

Undead Scottsman

LewieP wrote: »

Undead Scottsman wrote: »

LewieP wrote: »

It's basically pre-release DLC that doesn't require you to own the game to purchase. They decided to sell a chunk of the game separately so that they could make more money. Having only played the demo of Case Zero, is there anything about the rest of it that means it couldn't have been included on the disc?

I thought you were complaining about paying for a demo; not about paying for something that should be on the disc?

Both are bad.

But they're not the same thing. Which is it? Demo or "should be on the disc" DLC?

Cade

A hotel offering you time to spend with your virtual girl from Love Plus, you know it's gotta be Japan.

Long a favorite of lovers and honeymooners, a Japanese beach town with fading sparkle has found a new tourism niche in the wired age by drawing young men and their virtual girlfriends.

One recent sweltering summer's day, a tour bus from Tokyo pulled up at a sun-kissed beach at Atami, a Pacific coast resort southwest of the metropolis, and disgorged more than a dozen excited, iPhone-clutching young men.

The determined youngsters, paying scant attention to the bikini-clad girls frolicking on the sand, instead headed straight for a bronze statue that depicts Kanichi and Omiya, a couple from an old love story set in Atami.

The focus of the men's attention -- and of their smartphone cameras -- was a tiny black and white square, a two-dimensional barcode that, thanks to "augmented reality" (AR) software, brought to life the object of their desire.

"Look, it's like I'm in a snapshot with her," said Shu Watanabe, 23, as he showed off his iPhone display, featuring himself next to the image of a doe-eyed cartoon character named Rinko, a smiling high school girl.

Rinko may only be digital, but try telling that to Watanabe or the legions of other fans of "Love Plus," a dating sim or simulation game that is played on handheld Nintendo DS consoles and also boasts AR applications for iPhones.

Its creators, Konami Digital Entertainment, have long thrilled young men obsessed with high-tech, manga and anime, known as "otaku," by letting them chase virtual girls in the alternative universe of their digital dreams.

The hit video game made headlines when a 27-year-old Japanese man known only as "Sal 9000" staged a tuxedo wedding late last year, which was watched by thousands online, with his favorite cartoon girl, Nene Anegasaki.

But in the latest edition, game makers have gone a step further and teamed up with the very real city of Atami, an onsen or hot spring town 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of the Japanese capital.

They have selected 13 romantic locations which can be overlaid with images of Rinko or her teenage friends Manaka and Nene, who have all swapped their usual sailor-style school uniforms for casual summer wear.

Local souvenir shops in the resort town have caught on and capitalized on the love-struck new clientele, selling Love Plus-themed souvenirs, from good-luck charms to steamed buns and fish sausages.

The local Ohnoya hotel even offers traditional rooms to the unusual couples, which feature two sets of futon beds and another barcode panel that allows the men to visualize their girlfriends in a flattering summer kimono.

Love Plus, released only on the Japanese market, has become the country's most popular dating game since its release last September, selling nearly 430,000 copies, according to research firm Enterbrain.

The secret is that the dating game goes a step beyond the genre's usual boy-meets-girl script and asks players to build long-term relationships.

"In conventional love games, you went up stages to make a virtual girl fall in love with you, so that she would accept you as a boyfriend or express her love for you," said Konami spokesman Kunio Ishihara. "But players of Love Plus are in a scenario where they are a high school boy who is already dating one of the virtual girls. The goal is to see how good you can be to her and to build a relationship."

Love Plus is an open-ended "communication game" with basic voice recognition software and a screen clock that keeps real time to make players feel like they are really sharing their life with a girlfriend, Ishihara said.

That means that the girl can get moody when neglected by a player who is not sufficiently committed, and that she demands attention when she feels unwell.

The popularity of Love Plus has been a welcome shot in the arm for Atami, which has seen visitors decline some 40 percent since its 1970s heyday.

More than 200 Love Plus fans have stayed at the Ohnoya hotel alone, while well over 2,000 have visited the resort town for the campaign, which kicked off on July 10 and runs until the end of August.

It's such stories like this that makes those unsatisfied sex lives in Japan statistics come into perspective.

It brings up the question.

Can virtual children run Japan in a few decades.

Undead Scottsman

Only if they evolve into virtual adults.