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GameCube (Games) PlayStation (Games) XBox (Games) Entertainment Games

Nintendo Claims No.2 Spot, PS2 Sales Down Year-On-Year 92

Posted by simoniker from the statistics-are-complicated dept.
jkcity writes "In an interview with Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan on IGN Cube, she claims: 'We basically won 2003 [in the U.S.] and moved ourselves to the number two spot, and Microsoft's Xbox to number three', also noting: 'Year-on-year we were up 68.5% [in December] based on units sold. We sold about 1.1 million GameCubes in December... For the whole year we were up 35%. Our competitors were both in the negative.' But an analyst quoted in an [overly harsh?] BBC News story is less impressed, suggesting the console 'did not do as well as I would have expected'." Elsewhere, a Reuters story notes that PlayStation 2 sales in the U.S. "fell 27 percent to 2.94 million units in November and December from four million units a year earlier", but the console still seems to be outselling the GameCube's increased Xmas volume.
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Nintendo Claims No.2 Spot, PS2 Sales Down Year-On-Year More

Nintendo Claims No.2 Spot, PS2 Sales Down Year-On-Year

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  • Makes Sense to this Panda (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Ultra_Panda_Bear ( 741863 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @12:31PM (#7986372) Homepage
    Well of course the PS2 sales are starting to drop. The unit is coming close to saturating the market and the product is nearing the end of its lifetime. Most people who want a PS2, have a PS2.

    With the huge market of PS2 owners this Christmas [who have had their consoles for awhile], a $100 second console was very attractive, I assume. Furthermore, the Gamecube seems to compliment the PS2 better than the XBox compliments the PS2 - meaning that there seems to be a lot of games for the Gamecube that can't be found on the PS2 whereas most of the games of the XBox can be found on the PS2 in some form or another. When looking to add a second console to my entertainment setup, I look for unique play experiences, not just better graphics.

    • I agree. This year I got a GameCube for Christmas. I love my PS2, but the GG just really appealed to me for several reasons:
      1) Multiplayer titles - I was looking for some games that I could play with the kids. Mario Kart DD and Smash Bros. Melee fit the bill perfectly
      2) As the parent said some titles simply aren't available on other consoles.(Metroid Prime and Zelda in particular)
      3) No multitap needed for 4 player games. Give the kids the wired controllers and I sit back in the recliner with the

  • Third Party Helps A Lot (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Enrico Pulatzo ( 536675 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @12:38PM (#7986456)
    In addition to the dirt cheap price of the gamecube, third parties are really starting to come around and produce the same titles as for the Xbox and PS2. For me, that was the biggest annonyance of the first year the gamecube was released.

  • BBC Article (Score:4, Informative)

    by erasmus_ ( 119185 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:01PM (#7986815)
    It is very dangerous to understand Nintendo. It has been profitable games company for a long time. - David Cole, DFC Intelligence

    It's puzzling how BBC could mess up this quote underneath the picture, when they get it right in the actual body of the article (where it says "underestimate" instead of "understand"). All they had to do was copy and paste!

  • pr is a fun game (Score:3, Interesting)

    by *weasel ( 174362 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:18PM (#7987026)

    these kinds of press releases are primarily for stockholders, analysts, and 3rd party developers. even though fanboys may love to use this crap for their pissing contests, it isn't aimed at them.

    of course, analysts don't really care about market share won by severely cutting prices. particularly if the increased market share doesn't result in significantly increased software sales. (which is yet to be seen despite the quantity of GC's sold)

    The interesting part though is how console installed base correlation to total software sales tapers off more quickly than hardware sales.

    Every ps2 game released should outsell every GC or xbox title 5 to 1 at least due the sheer size of the installed base. but the monthly numbers haven't shown that to be a trend over the last two years. Just as the monthly numbers haven't shown a significant increase in GC game sales due their new, larger, installed base. It just seems the new price is pulling in people who are only buying 1 or 2 of the already existing superhits (prime, wind waker, sunshine).

    and so long as console makers lose money on each box - analysts by and large won't care about installed base. they only follow 3rd party developer movement and software sales. (nintendo may have been making money on each GC at $200, but it's extremely doubtful they still did at $150, let alone $100).

    so the question is: are third party developers going to throw more titles toward nintendo now that they have a larger installed base? and, will the lower price actually result in significant software sales growth?

    If not, then this article only tries to put up a rosy picture for the shareholders, though it'll have no real effect on the existing trends. ( sony > ms > nintendo )

    • Re:pr is a fun game (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Gr33nNight ( 679837 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:39PM (#7987305)
      Try researching your comments before you make them. Nintendo is losing money on each GameCube sold, but it is a very very thin margin. Here is a quote from an interview at igncube.com

      IGNcube: Okay. Now GameCube is selling for $99 and it's doing great. But is Nintendo losing money on each unit sold?

      Perrin: I would say that our losses are really negligible. It's such a small amount. Plus with the amount of software that's being sold we're still definitely in a solid profit situation. We're not in the position that I know that Microsoft has been in with the loss Xbox hardware.

      Anyways, they make so much money on their GBA (its selling at the same price as the GameCube, even tho it is old hardware), that it makes up for any losses they take on GameCube hardware (and then some!) Nintendo is doing pretty good, regardless of how the media spins it.

      • Re:pr is a fun game (Score:3, Interesting)

        by *weasel ( 174362 )
        I never attacked Nintendo, I was just pointing out that the press release isn't for you and me, it doesn't say anything, and that no considerable changes in the trends have resulted from the increased market-share.

        Yes, Nintendo is well-above 'healthy' as a corporation because of it's complete and utter dominance of the portable market and solid sales of excellent first-party games.

        and the simple fact that Nintendo is losing money on each console (regardless of whether it's a penny or a dollar or a hundred

        • Re:pr is a fun game (Score:3, Informative)

          by Ondo ( 187980 )
          third party developers (who've been announcing they're no longer making GC games in no small number).

          In very, very small number, actually. Eidos has done so. I'm pretty sure that's it. Acclaim was reportedly dropping support, but later clarified they were not and a quick glance at their website shows they still make GameCube games.

    • of course, analysts don't really care about market share won by severely cutting prices. particularly if the increased market share doesn't result in significantly increased software sales.

      The only two things that matter:
      1. Sales of games goes up to match increased console sales (as you say, that pretty much hasn't been the case :/ )
      2. Losing money on each console sold does not make selling a whole lot more of them necessarily great. To counter this, you need...ta da, software sales!

      • Of course, the problem with all of the analyst bs is that you also deal with questions like this, in the real world:
        Would Mario Kart be the fastest selling GC game if they hadn't dropped the price?
        Would GC software sales have increased year-over-year if the GC hadn't dropped in price?

        But that's all hypothetical anyway, and each press release chooses it's numbers carefully. Sony releases November+December sales data because their December hardware sales were lower than Nintendo's December sales. Microsoft r
      • 2. Losing money on each console sold does not make selling a whole lot more of them necessarily great. To counter this, you need...ta da, software sales!

        True. Microsoft has shown this is spades.

        Home and Entertainment Division: -$2.135 Billion + since the launch of the Xbox, with the Xbox being the cause of most of that loss. Seems software sales aren't helping them out in regards to making any money on the Xbox.

        So, while they claim to have this huge attach ratio of games to the Xbox, it doesn't l

        • i don't think strength of first-party titles have anything to do with how well third-party titles will sell. I don't believe Halo's strength as a FPS has dampened the market for other xbox FPS, nor will Wind Waker's sales affect square's new rpg on the GC. (i can't honestly name a first-party sony title. they have a few notable exclusives, but that's not quite the same thing)

          The factors that repel third parties from Nintendo are their tendency toward content control (they've made positive changes on this
    • of course, analysts don't really care about market share won by severely cutting prices. particularly if the increased market share doesn't result in significantly increased software sales. (which is yet to be seen despite the quantity of GC's sold)
      Perrin: GameCube software sales for the year were up 53% over 2002 and for the December period in particular they were up 41%.

      Errr....ohhh-kayyy...
      • Time to retake your maths. A yearly and a monthly sales number in year-to-year comparisons doesn't yield similar numbers unless the increase/decrease is flat across the year. Of course, there is no such thing as flat growth across a year, or even a quarter.

        The quoted numbers show that GameCube sales were strong overall, which lead to 53% overall yearly growth, while specific December sales (a peak holiday period) were up 41%. This could be explained as pay-off for the $99 price slash combined with small

  • Overly critical (Score:5, Interesting)

    by DrDoombender ( 681389 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:19PM (#7987039)
    The article that talks about the Gamecube not doing very is overly critical. They make is sound as if Nintendo is on its last legs, nobody likes them anymore and about to go bankrupt.

    "Does it want to be in the handheld, the kiddie market or compete more externally in the wider market?"

    first and foremost, this part of the article is totally ridiculous. A console can be many many things. In fact, Nintendo has had the opportunity of a lucrative handheld market, while also being a console business. Why do you have to cater to one and only one market? Obviously you don't. I think if anything there are two things that Nintendo is doing wrong. The first is their image, people DO still think of the gamecube as primarily for kids. I do, but I also own the Mature titles. So perhaps their image needs to be dealt with. The other thing is with their lack of cheaper titles. I can play $15 greatest hits PS2 titles and $20 PS2 GH games. While it usually costs around $25-$30 for a GH equivalent on the gamecube. Who cares if the GC is cheaper, the games are often more expensive when it comes to older titles. Perhaps Nintendo should consider making more of their titles around the $20-$25 mark.

    Also in the market, it talks about how the PS2 had a year's headstart over Microsoft and Nintendo. However, the first year the PS2 was out, lots of gamers were dissappointed with the lack of titles. I think having a headstart doesn't necessarily give a company an advantage. Nintendo and Microsoft have some great titles, but yes, I am aware that the PS2 has a huge selection of titles (but is that due to them being Sony, or having a headstart, and could you say the same if we were talking about Nintendo or Microsoft?).

    I do agree however that Nintendo should not be underestimated. They don't have the resource of Sony or Microsoft, but they do have experience. I think that they will be around for along time.

    The only other problem I have, is that at this point I see no reason for Nintendo to make a next gen console. The GC still has alot of potential left in it, and it seems absurd to make gamers buy a new console, and new games for it. Also, it might be good to see what Sony, and Microsoft come out with so they can top those consoles. All the while, continuing to increase the number of the titles for the GC. On the otherhand, it makes perfect sense that the PS2 be phased out to the PS3 since the PS2 is seeing its age.

    In any case, don't count Nintendo out just because they don't have the buy power of Sony and Microsoft. Money doesn't bring success, talent does.

    • Re:Overly critical (Score:5, Insightful)

      by PainKilleR-CE ( 597083 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:55PM (#7987537)
      first and foremost, this part of the article is totally ridiculous. A console can be many many things. In fact, Nintendo has had the opportunity of a lucrative handheld market, while also being a console business. Why do you have to cater to one and only one market? Obviously you don't.

      Exactly. Most investors talk about diversifying their investments, so why should a company be any different? At least Nintendo has some similarity in their markets so that they can learn from one category and use that knowledge in another, not to mention product leveraging like GBA-GC connectivity. Additionally, the BBC story was very light on actual facts and numbers. They didn't talk about Nintendo's sales, or even discuss their handheld position in the least. Maybe the GC is in a significantly worse position in the UK, but there aren't any numbers on the page to prove their points.

      I think if anything there are two things that Nintendo is doing wrong. The first is their image, people DO still think of the gamecube as primarily for kids. I do, but I also own the Mature titles. So perhaps their image needs to be dealt with.

      The problem is finding a way to deal with that image. They've been working on this problem since it first came up in the 16-bit console wars with Sega. So far they've had very limited success, at best.

      The other thing is with their lack of cheaper titles. I can play $15 greatest hits PS2 titles and $20 PS2 GH games. While it usually costs around $25-$30 for a GH equivalent on the gamecube. Who cares if the GC is cheaper, the games are often more expensive when it comes to older titles. Perhaps Nintendo should consider making more of their titles around the $20-$25 mark.

      My only comment on this is that most of the GC titles I've purchased have been in the $20-25 range, although some of them were used titles. I can find a lot more PS2 titles in that price range, but then there are a lot more PS2 titles in general, and I can't necessarily find titles I want, for any console, in that range now that I have a similar number of titles for each system. At worst, I'd say that Nintendo's top-tier 1st party titles stay at the $50 price longer than most PS2 titles, but I can't say the same in comparison with the XBox, where Halo sat at $50 for 2 years.

      Also in the market, it talks about how the PS2 had a year's headstart over Microsoft and Nintendo. However, the first year the PS2 was out, lots of gamers were dissappointed with the lack of titles. I think having a headstart doesn't necessarily give a company an advantage.

      The Dreamcast had a year's head start on the PS2, and in many ways had titles that showed off the hardware better at launch, but it didn't help them against Sony. The PS2 wasn't even widely available for 6 months after it's US launch, and it still pulled ahead mostly on the strength of Sony's marketing and the PS1's titles and reputation.

      Nintendo and Microsoft have some great titles, but yes, I am aware that the PS2 has a huge selection of titles (but is that due to them being Sony, or having a headstart, and could you say the same if we were talking about Nintendo or Microsoft?).

      It's due to Sony's reputation among developers for allowing a lot of freedom in content (even if it's no longer true that they have any more freedom there than anywhere else), plus the head start, and their dominance in the previous console generation. Currently, there are more multi-platform releases than exclusives for any of the consoles, at least as far as I've been able to tell, which is probably the reason for Sony's recent whining about the quality of multi-platform titles on their console (and it's generally accepted that a good multi-platform title isn't going to look as good on a PS2, which may be an image problem for Sony's entry for the next console generation).

      I do agree however that Nintendo should not be underestimated. They don't have the resource of Sony or Microsoft, but they do have exper

      • Personally, I just hope that the GC's successor is backwards compatible with GC games. It makes a nice item on the checklist that is important in the first year or so of a console's life, and at the same time saves me some space in my living room ;) Despite what some people seem to think today, I believe that the PS2's backwards compatibility was a strong part of it's early success, especially since the PS1 titles plunged in price shortly after the PS2's launch (many PS1 titles are more expensive today than

    • Re:Overly critical (Score:5, Interesting)

      by cgenman ( 325138 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @02:11PM (#7987810) Homepage
      You forgot one.

      "If you ask me if they are still going to be in the console business in 2008, I would say no," he said

      Interesting theory, and would be accurate if mindshare equaled success, but in the larger business world, you have to make money to stay afloat. If the XBox continues to hemmorage money indefinitely, Microsoft will cut it. If Sony's games division lost lots of money (ha ha), Sony would eventually cut it. If NEC's TurboDuo was still profitable, it would still be around. Nintendo is making money, by all accounts in quantity, and would be ludicrous to get out of the business that has served it so well for... Four generations of hardware.

      Furthermore, with Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony all buying chips from IBM and ATI, development costs can be kept in line. Nintendo, having developed more gaming systems than all of their rivals combined (and having taught Sony how to build theirs), is in a pretty good position to create something amazing on a realistic budget. They do need to stop hiring case designers from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, but overall they are in a good position to make good hardware. Remember, the GameCube is comparable in power to the XBox at a significantly lower price, and unlike Sony their designers have spent their time creating the next generation of system, rather than revising the old one so that it doesn't break every 6 months.

      The market might be ripe for another console in 2 - 3 years, but we're getting to the point of diminished returns. With actual collision detection and *gasp* 64 colors, the Genesis was a significant jump over the NES in terms of graphics and gameplay. The PS1 jumped beyond that to actual, though extremely blocky, 3D, and unlimited CD storage. The PS2 smoothed out those hard edges into tasty NURBS and boosted storage again to DVD, while making gameplay far more fluid. And the next generation of consoles? You can always keep boosting draw distance, pushing poly performance, and making the world more persistent, but are those enough? The only things that I could see as compelling enough for an upgrade would be a return to VR (there's finally the power, you know), or a really good Havoc based physics co-processor. Even then it would be a tough sell.

      Well see. We always do.

      • Re:Overly critical (Score:5, Insightful)

        by *weasel ( 174362 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @03:26PM (#7988824)
        the idea that Nintendo will leave the hardware business comes from the common belief that if trends continue the way they're going, Nintendo will decide the money spent developing and marketing a console just isn't worth it. Not when they could theoretically sell their fantastic 1st party games to both leading console vendors and more than triple their potential market.

        analysts look at the potential profits of a cross-platform Sunshine, Kart, Metroid or Wind Waker -- and note that the profit margin for Nintendo would be much much higher.

        it isn't actually based on whether Nintendo can reverse the trends - it's all just armchair-commentary on what looks like a sure thing on paper.

        As for the next console generation, it will definitely be based around the tried-and-true 'bigger better faster more'. More polygons, more color depth, more memory, and more storage.

        On top of that, they're most likely going to roll in more online capabilities, more network integration capabilities, and quite possibly PVR capability.

        You can get a gist of what MS has planned by taking a preview of the feature list for DirectX Next.

        There's at least another generation (after the upcoming) or two of simply upselling graphics. Perhaps someone will go for an even bigger optical disc (like blu-ray or some such) next generation, but that's not likely.

        VR will be a pipe-dream alongside flying cars for a long time yet.

        i don't really know or care who's going to be winning the race in 5 or even 10 years. but i don't see any reason to think the overall trends in console hardware advancement won't continue for as long as they can. no-one has really done anything but pump graphics and move to bigger/cheaper storage for the past 20 years. the only real innovation has been sony's dual-function ps2, that provided cheap dvd capability to a market that was ready for it.

        which is very similar to the situation if someone released a console/pvr in 05/06. Which is the basis for why i think that's even possible to begin with. Sony has to recognize that if MS tries it, they might usurp market control. So Sony has to match it (or call them on it, and hope they're bluffing).

        Judging by the creation and sales-rate of the PSX, it looks like Sony is matching.
        • no-one has really done anything but pump graphics and move to bigger/cheaper storage for the past 20 years. the only real innovation has been sony's dual-function ps2, that provided cheap dvd capability to a market that was ready for it.

          True, but bigger / faster has allowed for obvious, radical jumps in gameplay. Without that many jumps on the horizon, one would expect each generation of hardware to last progressively longer. I'm not saying this generation will last forever, I'm just saying it may last
          • Why must this remain a pipe dream?
            Maybe cause no matter what you will look like a tool when you wear said aparatus?

            Gaming has finally gotten 'cool' don't spoil it by making VR a reality. ;)

        • I don't really know or care who's going to be winning the race in 5 or even 10 years. but i don't see any reason to think the overall trends in console hardware advancement won't continue for as long as they can. no-one has really done anything but pump graphics and move to bigger/cheaper storage for the past 20 years.

          In an article posted yesterday, Nintendo president said that just pumping grpahics isn't working as well as it used to, and implied that he wants to take Nintendo away from that direction. T

        • analysts look at the potential profits of a cross-platform Sunshine, Kart, Metroid or Wind Waker -- and note that the profit margin for Nintendo would be much much higher.

          The brand of Nintendo is so strong because of the hardware, and this hype surrounding every single little stuff Nintendo does comes from the role of hardware maker big N plays.
          I mean if Nintendo says there's something new coming next year rumors start spreading instantaniously, if for instance Capcom tries something like that reactions

    • Re:Overly critical (Score:5, Insightful)

      by unclethursday ( 664807 ) on Thursday January 15, 2004 @03:48PM (#7989188)
      The only other problem I have, is that at this point I see no reason for Nintendo to make a next gen console. The GC still has alot of potential left in it, and it seems absurd to make gamers buy a new console, and new games for it.

      The problem here, though, is the perception of being left behind in the race.

      Don't think Sony and Microsoft (especially Microsoft) wouldn't immediately capitalize on the abiltiy to claim that Nintendo has fallen behind if they aren't ready with another console when Sony and Microsoft are.

      I actually think that both the GC and Xbox have a lot of untapped potential that could take another 4-5 years to fully maximize... but if Sony has a new console, it won't matter. The masses always want something new; and with the hype machine Sony has, don't think that if Nintendo and Microsoft waitied a year after the launch of the PS3 that what we see in this generation (Sony overwhelmingly controlling console marketshare) wouldn't happen again. Even if the PS3 had only 1 launch title, if it was out a year before the others, it would just sell more.

      So, while it shortens the GC's and Xbox's lifespans, both companies need to be ready to launch within just a few months of Sony; just to be able to try and compete. IF all three companies release right around the same time, the fight for marketshare will come down to the games, more than 'w3 pwnz0r j00 w17h 0ur h4rdw4r3!!!!!'

      Besides, nothing is stopping Nintendo, and others, from releasing GC games into the life of the N5. People were still making games for the NES long into the SNES' life, and SNES games long into the N64's life (ok, N64 games weren't as big in the GC's life). Hell, Nintendo only just stopped making replacement parts for the NES this year.

    • Money doesn't bring success, talent does.
      Like any other industry money buys talent though.

  • Lies, big lies and statistics... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Gadzinka ( 256729 ) <rrw@hell.pl> on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:38PM (#7987282) Journal
    There was a marketing campaign couple of years ago in Poland. One of three GSM operators finally received licence for 900MHz (previosly they only had 1800, so they covered only major cities) and put major buzz into their slogan ``fastest growing coverage''.

    Lots of people had fun about marketing a shortcoming as an advantage. I mean, the other two operators had 99.x% coverage, so their coverage grew by 0.03% annually, and the newcommer had sth like 40% annual rate ;)

    So, if your market grows from one unit to ten units you can make a lot of buzz about 1000% annual rate ;)

    Robert

  • A Gamecube Christmas (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Prien715 ( 251944 ) <agnosticpope@@@gmail...com> on Thursday January 15, 2004 @01:44PM (#7987374) Journal
    Statistics about sales are all well and good, but sometimes they don't paint a realistic picture. I got a 'cube for X-mas with no memory card, so I attempted to find one.

    My first stop was my local Walmart. Despite the large volume of games for PS2 and X-Box, the gamecube shelf was completely bare, not a single game was left. Needless to say, they didn't have any memory cards.

    I went to my local mall and visited every store that carried the cube and found similar situations. I finally stopped at EB Games who had 3rd party cards (the Nintendo brand was sold out).

    If anyone asks why weren't 'cube sales weren't higher in my area, it's pretty simple. No one had any left. I suspect other people in other areas may have similar stories, but at this point, Nintendo beat the sales predictions of every retail chain to the point of clearing their inventory. And that's a good season.
    • I also found this to be true leading up to christmas. For the last two weeks before christmas I rarely remember ever seeing a cube on the shelf. I was at gamestop the other day and they're still sold out of them.

      I remember a little bit ago when microsoft reported [reuters.com] that xbox sales where greater then gamecube sales for the last two weeks in december. I find it amusing that in the IGN interview Perrin seems to agree with this statement, it's because a lot of the retailers didn't have any more left!

    • But at least you dont really need a memory card with the Xbox. Sure it is nice to have (I dont have a memory card and have had my Xbox since almost day 1), but it isnt a big necessity unless you are downloading a lot with Xbox Live. Also since Sony is dominating the market currently in such force, does it matter who is in 2nd/3rd? Both are very far behind at this point in the game.
      • I don't know if this is the right place for the 'we have features you do not' discussion...

        But regarding Xbox memory cards- I bought one when I bought my Xbox. I put it in the controller at the very beginning. After about 2 days I finally took it out, and I haven't seen it, or missed it in the year or so since.

        • I wish the memory cards for the Xbox were less expensive. I only bought one so I can bring my Live account to friends' houses. The Live account takes up 1 measly block on the memory card, and I'll never use it for anything else besides bringing my account to friend's houses.

          I kind of kick myself for it, being that I spent over $20 to bring a super tiny file around, but being able to use my voice and such at friends' houses is worth it when we go online at their places.

    • This could be a bad presumption though...

      To me, it seems like the stores in your area must've seen bad GC sales the rest of the year prior to Christmas, or else they should've had some idea on what they needed to keep around for restocking the shelves.
      It seems like, instead, they kept little around to fill the shelves because they probably weren't selling much of it before the holiday season.

      Normally they'd bring in a lot more product for the holidays...if they are running out of it completely, they
      • I had a similar experience, though, with some better anecdotal evidence to show an increase in sales.

        I didn't buy Super Mario Advance 4 until after Christmas because most of the people shopping for gifts for me knew I wanted it. Besides, the game was everywhere, at every store I went to, and they all had a rather large stock of the game on their shelves (or behind the counter as the case may be). I didn't receive the game as a gift, and started looking for it 2 days after Christmas. I couldn't find it for
    • Well, the reason Walmart was bare was because they were selling the 'Cube at $80 w/ the free Zelda game! In my town there were lines at 6 am to grab those, and when they sold out, they shipped more in ASAP! It was in the local paper, totally nuts.
    • Me too. I checked Wal-Mart, EB Games, Software Etc., and Fred Meyer, eventually getting one after the new year (I think) at a small-town Wal-Mart. (251, $20)
    • I saw shortages here in Canada as well. Mario Kart was sold out at many stores before X-mas that I went to.
  • According to Forbes [forbes.com], Banc of America expects Sony and Microsoft to cut prices on their respective PlayStation 2 and Xbox videogame consoles to $149 (or even $129) from $179 prices ahead of the E3 trade show in May 2004, a reduction that is "long overdue." Such a move would be "a major catalyst" for videogame sales and videogame stocks.

    And in keeping with the current topic, this bodes to be yet another nail in the GameCube's pending coffin... especially if the prices are cut to $129. To stay competitive,

    • 'Banc of America expects Sony and Microsoft to cut prices on their respective PlayStation 2 and Xbox videogame consoles to $149 (or even $129) from $179 prices ahead of the E3 trade show in May 2004, a reduction that is "long overdue." '

      Yeah, "long overdue" meaning everyone from retailers to the consumer was waiting for them to drop the price during Christmas. By the time E3 2004 comes around, the price wars of this generation of consoles will be over. The PS2 dropping to $129 or $149 would be a mere dent b

  • First, I would like to point out that Nintendo isn't goin anywhere fast. As much as the Gamecube has been a disappointment to them in the console area, they own the handheld market. Nintendo as a company will not go belly-up any time soon.

    Second, Nintendo has shown, through last years sales strategy, that they will not go quietly into the night. Even if they do give up in the console department(which I doubt they will) they will take as much of the market share as they can. They have proven that they can
  • Im beginning to get tired of the Nintendo is going down Anti N media and the Nintendo is going up PR nonsense i>Nintendo is going nowhere they are making a profit with things just the way they are, they know it and they are not doing anything about it, either positive or negative, nothing.
    Everybody holding their breathe for the "surprise device" or should I say "ad stunt" they are suposed to show this year, can relax right now is Nothing interesting, even themselves have mentioned is not going to bring
  • Nothing new here but braindead media outlets speculating on everything from Nintendo's dog dieing to Peach getting pregnant with Bowser's child along with Nintendo dieing. All misinformation and lies.

    Move along, move along.
  • I love my GCN and will never own an X-Box, but to keep things in perspective you should see that MS has a different spin [xbox.com]
    on the year. What they don't tell you is how my new console, the 3Dudeboxcubemegastation, has outsold all others by 999999999% and I am now the the leader in 3rd party titles too. Damn, I love marketing :P

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