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PlayStation (Games) XBox (Games) Entertainment Games

Xbox Gains Ground, Outsells PS2 In U.S.? 103

Posted by simoniker from the offer-good-one-month-only dept.
Thanks to Reuters for its story noting that Microsoft's Xbox is "expected to have outsold Sony's PlayStation 2 for the first time on a monthly basis in April" , apparently helped "by a price cut that made the Xbox cheaper than the PS2" - though a PlayStation 2 price cut to $149 is seemingly rumored for announcement at E3. The rise of the Xbox-exclusive title is also noted: "Titles like 'Ninja Gaiden' and 'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow' rode rave reviews to big sales, both finishing among the top five titles in sales for March, according to the NPD Group." Elsewhere in the same article, Dan Hsu of EGM comments on Xbox 2's possible showing at E3, commenting: "I think it'd be very strange for them to announce anything like that, because it would only hurt this holiday season for them... Even if this thing is not coming out for a year or two years, that still gives the impression that [the Xbox] is outdated technology."
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Xbox Gains Ground, Outsells PS2 In U.S.? More

Xbox Gains Ground, Outsells PS2 In U.S.?

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  • Wait a minute... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 09, 2004 @05:01PM (#9102035)
    We like Microsoft when it comes to the xbox, right?
    • "We like Microsoft when it comes to the xbox, right? "

      Only if you can install Linux on it even though there's little reason to do so.
    • Sort of... more importantly, we just hate Sony so much, anyone beating them is good news!
    • We never "like" Microsoft, but the X-Box makes it somewhat bearable to have them around

    • Re:Wait a minute... (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Actually, Sony can be even nastier than Microsoft when it comes to licensing games for their platform. They can stonewall you indefinitely by nitpicking the TRC (Technical Requirement Certification) if they decide they just don't want your game to come out--and that decision can be entirely political, not based upon the quality of your game. They also insist that the PS/2 title have more features than competing consoles, even though the PS/2 is long in the tooth, and had major design flaws right from the ou

      • Re:Wait a minute... (Score:1, Interesting)

        by Anonymous Coward
        Indeed. A few weeks ago there was an interview over the bringing over of more SNK games onto the console (I believe it was on Gamespot but I don't remember exactly nor do I have the link, someone check it out?) and one of the representatives pointed out that they COULDN'T bring Metal Slug 3 to the PS2 because Sony refused to allow it. (Even though Metal Slug 3 is considered to be the last high point of 2 side-shooting scrollers to date.)
    • No, we don't, didn't you get the memo? You're supposed to back Nintendo in the console wars! :)

      That said, I do find the whole Xbox concept revolting. Build a computer, brand it as a console, use your monopoly in other markets to dump it at ridiculous loss just to force yourself into the market? No thanks. Even if the machine itself appealed to me (too big, too noisy, too fragile, and... all those moving parts? m-m-mad, i tell you) I wouldn't touch it with a 3.048m pole. The idea sickens me and I'd rather

      • Re:Wait a minute... (Score:2, Informative)

        by bkakes ( 676404 )
        too big
        Because this really matters? It fits in perfectly with my receiver and, cable box, and DVD player. On the other hand, my Gamecube doesn't fit into the entertainment cabinet quite correctly.


        too noisy
        Mine's much quieter than my PS2. Lest you think it's a fluke, we have 3 Xboxes in our house and two PS2s, so I've got a good basis for comparison.


        too fragile
        Huh? Ours has been running fine for well over a year with no problems. That includes the controller. My old PS2, on the other h
      • Do you really know what you're talking about?

        I used to sound like you, until I actually got an Xbox. It has a ton of great games, the Controller S is a dream to play with (Racing Games especially), Xbox Live is great (as far as online gaming groups go, there are plenty of idiots, but then again, there are idiots in every online community) and really, that's all that matters to me. I havn't modded it, I havn't touched it with Linux, I haven't done ANYTHING to it.

        It made a lot of bad decisions at launch,

  • Not all that surprising... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Sunday May 09, 2004 @05:03PM (#9102051) Homepage Journal
    I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the XBOX (or the GC) started to outsell the PS2. The PS2's been around longer, and was also a good deal more popular. Eventaully it'll hit a saturation point to where people start wondering what's going on with the other 2. Though I really don't care much for Sony or the PS2, I wouldn't be quick to jump on the "See, I told you that system sucks" bandwagon.

    • Re:Not all that surprising... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by MBCook ( 132727 ) <foobarsoft@foobarsoft.com> on Sunday May 09, 2004 @05:25PM (#9102165) Homepage
      I agree. I think that to a large degree the PS2 is reatching saturation. The people who want a PS2 by and large have one, so their sales will drop to lower levels.

      At the same time, the people who bought a PS2 but want something else (like a GC or PS2) are likely to buy one with the low price, so theirs sales will go up.

      The PS2 is the oldest system and will soon be replaced. It's only natural that it's sales are starting to dip at the end of it's life.

      • At the same time, the people who bought a PS2 but want something else (like a GC or PS2) are likely to buy one with the low price, so theirs sales will go up.

        Must be a PS2 fanboy. Who else would buy a second PS2 to look for "something else"?

    • GameCube already outsold PS2.... (Score:5, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 09, 2004 @05:59PM (#9102318)
      ....seven months ago, due to a price drop. PS2 quickly re-took second place (behind the GameBoy Advance) the following month.

      And before anyone opens their mouth about that being non-news....that's exactly what is being claimed here about the Xbox now.

  • so what? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Datasage ( 214357 ) <DatasageNO@SPAMtheworldisgrey.com> on Sunday May 09, 2004 @05:55PM (#9102300) Homepage Journal
    If this was near the launch of the consoles it might mean something, but microsoft is going to keep playing a catchup game. There are still alot more PS2's on the market than there are xboxs.
    • GTA has been the Killer App of the PS2 up until a few months ago. For two years, PS2-owning friends would say to me: "Yea, DOA3 looks kind of cool, HALO is awesome, and that 'Knights of the Old Republic' game that's coming out soon looks impressive, but GTA is the best reason for owning a console. I would never bother buying a machine which couldn't play it."

      Once Rockstar finally ported GTA-III and GTA:VC to the X-Box, my PS2-owning friends looked at the X-Box a lot more favorably. It now played their

      • Hey, if you can wait an entire year for the XBox port of GTA:San Andreas, be my guest. Me, I'll be beating up old ladies for their medicine money and then using it to buy whores and guns the second the game hits the shelves. ^_^

  • Expected by who exactly? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by fondue ( 244902 ) on Sunday May 09, 2004 @06:44PM (#9102545)
    Analysts? The same analysts who've been telling us online console gaming is going to be "like, so huge, maaan" and Nintendo should quit while they're drowning in money for the past five years now?

    Pardon me while I laugh hysterically.

    • Analysts who didn't see this coming are on crack.

      When a million people already own a PS2, what's the chance that they'd buy a second PS2? Of course they are going to buy a "new" console... xbox or gamecube. So it doesn't surprise me that xbox sales will eventually outpace PS2 sales for a couple months.

  • XBOX has all the momentum (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 09, 2004 @10:27PM (#9103584)
    PS2's best days are behind it. Get used to it.
    This is not just a month affair. We are talking first quarter PS2 sales for Sony down 28% from last year, Sony's profits down massively in the first quarter due to a sharp drop in sales of both PS2 consoles and games.
    Meanwhile XBOX was the only console that actually had an increase on console sales in January and February, even before any price cuts were announced. Plus an increase of a whopping 80% in games sales.
    And now this.
    Sales figures for game consoles in April were XBOX 270,000 units to PS2 200,000 versus Gamecube 100,000 for Nintendo's GameCube . (http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7 BB2CCAA2F-12BF-4446-944B-7487D59FAF5E%7D&siteid=go ogle&dist=google)

    Even the anti-American British publication "The Economist" has come around to the view that Microsoft is about to eat Sony's lunch.(http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?g uid=%7BB2CCAA2F-12BF-4446-944B-7487D59FAF5E%7D&sit eid=google&dist=google)

    Extract : "Next week, the industry's biggest trade show, E3, which takes place in Los Angeles, will provide the first glimpses of the next round. It is expected to be a brutal two-way fight. For, after a difficult start, Microsoft has now established itself as Sony's main rival, and is gaining momentum. Most important, it has won the crucial support of games publishers, says Nick Gibson of Games Investor, a consultancy. That means Microsoft will "pretty much be neck and neck with Sony" in the next round"

    XBOX has been by far the best game console on the market, best processor, best graphics, more memory than any other console, hard drive included, network card as standard, its the easiest console to develop games for and has always been the best value for money by far, even before this recent price cuts.
    Now are having some of the best games on XBOX coming out now and later this year.
    Consumers have finally figured it all out and are feeling the PS2 to get themselves an XBOX as quickly as they can.
    Its time for you to wake up and smell the coffee.

    • Re:XBOX has all the momentum (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Even the anti-American British publication "The Economist"

      Erm... Say what?

      Just because something doesn't toe the party line [foxnews.com] doesn't necessarily mean it's anti-American. Honest reporting doesn't ignore difficult concepts - with all the criticism of the British government's policies that goes on in most of the UK's press, are you going to call them anti-British too?

      </political>

      • Re:XBOX has all the momentum (Score:1, Interesting)

        by Anonymous Coward
        British media aplogist: "Just because something doesn't toe the party line doesn't necessarily mean it's anti-American. Honest reporting doesn't ignore difficult concepts"

        Honest reporting? Is that what you are calling it now? Don't make me luagh!
        You mean honest reporting like the rabidly anti-American BBC making things up during the Iraq war to such an extent that even your own Independent Commision in Britain found the BBC guilty not only of lying regularly through their teeth, but of BBC executives doing

      • Actually, to your average American, if you're not toeing the party line, you ARE being actively anti-American.

        Ironic, really.

    • Meanwhile XBOX was the only console that actually had an increase on console sales in January and February

      Actually, GameCube sales were massively spiking in January and February [slashdot.org]. FFCC perhaps? Or maybe Mario Kart?

    • -1: Works for Microsoft
  • If you look at the top selling video games, you're certaintly not going to see japenese imports that are exclusive to the PS2 - you'll see regular, every day games, most of which are on all three systems. The PS2 Is not the best selling console because it's got the best line-up of exclusive titles - it's the best selling most likely because it came out first. Consider this list of the top 10 best selling console games of 2003: 1 PS2 - Madden NFL 2004 (Electronics Arts) 2 GBA - Pokemon Ruby (Nintendo) 3 GB
    • But you'd be wrong to conclude that the library of exclusive titles explains the PS2 out selling the xbox - the facts just don't support that conclusion.

      Maybe not recent titles. Want to know the four games on the PS2 that were nominated in the GameFAQs Spring Contest? [gamefaqs.com] Final Fantasy X (2001 exclusive) Kingdom Hearts (2001 exclusive) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001 exclusive) Vice City (was exclusive for a while, and...heck GTA3 was a 2001 exclusive at one point too). Looking at Gamerankings, a

      • The fact that GameFAQs nominated PS2 exclusives does nothing to challenge the crux of my argument - GameFAQs is a site used mainly by gamers, the type of people who buy the PS2 for titles like Kingdom hearts. When you look at the list of the top ten best selling titles, I think you'd be forced to conclude that the NGC is popular because of its two exclusive titles on the list. When you see an atrociously medicore game like 'Medal of Honor - Rising Sun' on the list of the best selling games of 2002, I thi

    • Wrong (Score:2, Informative)

      by n0wak ( 631202 )
      The PS2 Is not the best selling console because it's got the best line-up of exclusive titles - it's the best selling most likely because it came out first.

      Your selective memory seems to forget that the Dreamcast came first. And not only was it first, but it had the far better game library. The PS2 was absolutely barren for almost a year! Just because you're the first on the block doesn't mean you'll be first in sales (see also Saturn).
    • Consider this list of the top 10 best selling console games of 2003: 1 PS2 - Madden NFL 2004 (Electronics Arts) 2 GBA - Pokemon Ruby (Nintendo) 3 GBA - Pokemon Sapphire (Nintendo) 4 PS2 - Need for Speed Underground (Electronics Arts) 5 NGC - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Nintendo) 6 PS2 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar) 7 NGC - Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Nintendo) 8 PS2 - Tony Hawk's Underground (Activision) 9 PS2 - Enter the Matrix (Atari) 10 PS2 - Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (Electronics Arts
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Could it be because the PS2 is showing its age?

    Or could it be because the people are getting their X-Boxes for free from the Mountain Dew Promotion? www.dewu.com

    I've amassed 315 points, gaining on the 550 for an XBox.

    • The PS2 showed it's age as soon as the Dreamcast came out! Seriously..
    • You've got to be kidding me. You might as well just go out and buy the freakin' Xbox straight off the shelf instead.

      Mountain Dew is awarding 6 points per 12-pack, and figuring that you're buying your 12-packs on sale at $2 apiece, you're still looking at...

      [clickity-clackity click, carry the 2, and...]

      92 12-packs? That can't be right. There's no way that you'd spend a total of $184 to get an XBox with your sugar buzz.

      Heck, let's say you started today -- you're looking at drinking (or at least

      • If I see a cap in the recycling bin at work I'll grab it out. People also know I'm saving them so they give them to me. Plus I drink a lot of mountain dew anyway so what the hell.
  • ...have had the biggest impact on me moving to an Xbox over the PS2. The PS2 came without a hard drive or ethernet connection built in. The Xbox doesn't have that handicap. No shame towards Sony there except that it took them far too long to market a network adapter...and then finally a hard drive (which, BTW, you can't get without buying Final Fantasy XI). The most frustrating aspect of the PS2 has been Sony's...suprisingly...their slow movement. A lot of my friends love playing multiplayer/LAN party
  • Damnet... I thought this was another crazy headline saying Gain Ground from Sega Genesis was gonna be a remake on xbox http://www.retrogames.co.uk/stock/assets/images/Ge nesis_-_Gain_Ground.jpg

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