June 2009 NPD Analysis: Sony's Problem Installed Base, Not Loyalty

If June 2009's NPD data tells us anything, it tells us this: PlayStation 3's software sales problem isn't a matter of penetration or loyalty, it's a matter of installed base.

[Natsu X FairyTail]

Sony's problem is

They're not ALONE anymore.

Things have changed.

Wii and X360 are Great competitors to the Sony brand that's why it's losing and still in last place.

lets be real now people. Theres nothing that can be spinned here.

[NS]

You really do love the sound of your voce don't you.

[KingKionic]

His voice sounds manly,....

rofl

[coolirisGB]

Sony's problem is they're getting out competed with new school tactics.

[Stryfeno2]

Agreed...It looks like they are clueless on that fact.

[MetalGearBear]

u see u still not let go on NPD.
u should hump a lot on NPD.

PS3 not count on last place, because Xbox360 and Wii is released in 2005. PS3 is released in 2006. PS3 sell 23 million, it solid sold.
If PS3 released in 2005, PS3 will won. i know Sony do bad move.
but........ PS3 slim and price cut will come soon. no worry.

i hope PS4 and Xbox720 release same date on both. IT FATE!!!!

[Major_Tom]

Looks like people don't know what their talking about but like to pretend they do. As shown above.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Major_Tom sounds like you been defeated, go cry in a closet.

[Major_Tom]

Defeated...? How did I get defeated about an imaginary argument in an imaginary console war?

Lol Jason 360, says everything about you, in your name.

Ignored by: 249 users

[TheDeadMetalhead]

360: 19 million
PS3: 23 million

/argument

[mrblacknut]

I have been saying this for a long time. The install base has been their issue. It is almost 3 years and their own exclusives don't sale as well in comparision to the way the 360's exclusives have sold. That has to do with trying to focus only on new IP's and the focus on Blu-Ray itself. Consumers are still using the PS3 for only a Blu-Ray movie player instead of getting into the games that they never cared about in the first place. Completly different this go around.

[StanLee]

Bullshit. The install base cannot continue to be used as an excuse. There are 10 million PS3 owners in the US and less that 400K have bought Infamous since release? That's 4%. That's ridiculous. How about we just start buying the games rather than posting on video game forums.

[Lifendz]

I mean how else can you explain the sales numbers? The install base is rather substantial, but sales continue to be significantly lower for PS3 games with only the occasional exception.

[Seraphemz]

So what do you have to say about the 360... 16 million and only 400k bought Prototype....

It is all about install base. As GTA showed, even though there were almost double 360 vs PS3s they sold almost the same.

360 should have had 50% more than PS3 in sales but didnt...

Ask yourself that...

@dirt - the fact is that you opinion doesnt really matter any more than mine. Its just preference. I loved MGS4 you didnt. I love the PS3 control you like the 360. I hate Halo you might like it.

We are 2 people with different likes and dislikes.

What matters to companies are the masses... thats what it comes down to in the end.

Our opinions are just that..opinions. Not facts.

[zenosaga04]

Or you could look at the fact that PS3 has a host of exclusives that compete with these mulitplatform games, and lets be honest most of the sony published exclusives destroy their multiplatform counterparts.

I mean I'd choose Infamous of Prototype anyday and looks like most playstation owners felt the same way

[dantesparda]

Its saying that they are selling on par basically. You fanboys all love to jump to your biased conclusions real quick. Learn to read and comprehend first

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

1.2

It has nothing to do with mediocre games.

We're in a recession people. People aren't impulse buying, they're not buying games from word of mouth, or from seeing trailers. They're buying stuff they know will entertain them for long amounts of time. Which is why Call of Duty games sell like hot cakes. (Lame analogy).

Either way, I know I"m not speaking for all ps3 owners/360 owners, but I know I am speaking for a lot of them when I say this.

I myself didn't get Infamous. Why? No not because it's a bad game, because I just didn't have 60$ to spend on a single player only game that will give me entertainment for perhaps a month, then I may never play again unless I'm bored.

That's how things work this generation. If it doesn't have online multiplayer, it better be a damn good game to get.

Edit; As stated above, GTAIV is a perfect example. GTA is a well established game and franchise, many people bought the older GTA's last gen, so of course a lot more of that are going to sell than a new Ip such as inFamous

[jetlian]

the 360 version of prototype did sell 50 % more than the ps3 420,000 to 180,000

[badz149]

Sony, even with all the exclusive titles, all of you seems to forget that most of them are new IPs which too may people out there are not familiar with! the truth is, most people buy established franchises more than anything else and they buy games by names, thus movie tie-in games still sell a lot! Prototype is also another new IP but just over 500k sold to 20mil+ user base (360+PS3) is nothing to brag about after being hyped so much! people are bashing inFAMOUS for only selling 368,600 in a month+ but what about opening their eyes wider and look at RF:G - even on 360 it's not selling that many!

how about if we go back a year and does everybody forgot about this? - Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) - 774.6K (not including hardware bundled copies)*!

or go a little bit back before that -
1. GTA IV (X360) – 1.85 million
2. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) – 1.12 million
3. GTA IV (PS3) – 1.00 million*

need I say more? Sony's strategy focusing on exclusives is serving the needs of their hardcore and loyal fanbase but can not yet penetrate the others! but it's good start for developing more and more great franchise and somebody will need to start somewhere and props to Sony for trying! I'll keep supporting them buy buying all exclusive I can get and may these new franchises be HUGE later down the road!

[freeblue]

and currently i only have fallout 3, and killzone 2. want to know why i don't buy any ps3 games? how about release the f ing games that I buy this system for. I'm still waiting for a true Japanese RPG. where are they? how many more sport games and shooter games Sony has to released before they listen to the fans and release a real JRPG, and NOT some western hybreds. where is Wild Arms? Where is Suikoden?

[Josh360]

Well, I also have a PS3 and I have 30+ games, and I love everyone of those game though..

How about try asomething new freeblue? believe me, you'd be surprised.. or how do you think games like your beloved Suikoden start? like a established franchise? No, they all start like a new IP that nobody knows and came out of nowhere..

Also, are you still waiting for a JRPG to come to the PS3? Well, why don't give it a try to Valkyria Chronicles? a true strategy JRPG acclaimed by the critic, the PS3 also have Disgaea 3, an old school turn-based JRPG.. Cross Edge? Folklore? they're also excellent JRPG..

[onanie]

Those are nice recommendations, josh.

[Cerberus_Hunter]

bubbles to you. finally someone thinking before posting.

and since when was summer great for video games? last year was great though(GTA4 and MGS4).

[ChozenWoan]

Obviously no one took a look at Fight Night 4 and wondered why both systems are selling nearly the same number. Should be a 3:2 split in favor of the 360.

Ohh well, me and my 2 cents are going shoping for some common sense.. later.

[heroicjanitor]

There are less than 8 million, not 10 million. The real reason it isn't selling as much is marketing. Every year or so Microsoft releases a game and hypes it to fuk as the next big thing, and the 360 owners get a mentality where they all have to own the game day one. I don't know how they do it but it only happens with microsoft exclusive games.

[Saigon]

you make a great point...as did EXCLUSIVEGAMER...

Sony games has always took a while to sell...look at Uncharted and R&C:FtoD...both these games did not have stellar debuts but they eventually sold well over time because of Word-of-Mouth...also it allowed Uncharted to gain great momentum...now this is a stellar franchise...and Uncharted 2 is te game to get this fall...Sony has always done this trend with new IP's and this goes back to the PSOne days...

the other thing that you have to also consider is that most people forget that NPD numbers only go for ONE region it does not count for the rest of the world...the numbers might be a different if you consider the Rest of World...

[Montrealien]

At the end of the day, it seems that maybe 200 or so people actually care enough about this crap to actually comment on it in various comment sections around the web, and millions of gamers don`t care at all. What is that? 0.0000012% of the gaming market care about sales and and penetration (I`m guessing the penetration part is because they don`t penetrate much) and the other 99%+ just play games they like on the consoles they have.

The most important thing is that our market can support so many home consoles and ways to play games, that way, we all win.

[ravinash]

You know, I've got a PS3 and play games on it...but I didn't get infamous. Thing is there is a wide selection of games, so sometimes there are games out there that are good, but I don't want to get it.
I've got plenty of games to play right now.

The reason I think the sales are going down at the moment for PS3 is because a lot of people keep saying there is going to be a price drop.
Of course Sony have never said this, its just the media, the people who want it and those who only care about their own game sales.

No one goes out and buys something when they think the price is about to go down.

[djevolve420]

BUY A XBOX 360 AND USE THE BETTER BUY. GOT SOME GOOD RPG's OVER ON THE 360, COME TO THE DARK SIDE.. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BLUE RAY PLAYER.

@RAVINASH, BULL, IT WAS BOUGHT AT FIRST FOR THE BLUE RAY PLAYER. WHAT A GOOD YEAR FOR PS3 ALL THE EXCLUSIVES TO BAD NO ONE WANTS THEM, JUST KEEP SENDING THEM TO XBOX, WE WILL BUY THEM.

@DEATH, xbox seems to not be affected. maybe sony should have not forced playstation to push the blue ray, sony would be ahead, but they made all the wrong marketing decisions.

Playstation needs to break from sony. f sony.

[torontoml]

Ok for comparisons sake, because I don't know the actual number of Prototype sold on PS3 I'll say 180,000.

With only Prototype available on the 360 it sold 420k

Adding both Prototype and Infamous on PS3 you have 550k where Infamous takes up 370k.

I would guess that if you take away the people that bought both, the numbers would be pretty much the same if not in favor of Infamous.

[MGOelite]

i fuking hate sites like these there making it sound like the US is the only country what buys consoles on the entire planet ffs, look at the EU sales and asias sales

[Natsu X FairyTail]

:( X TT__TT much?

[coolirisGB]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[MGOelite]

what you think im wrong? just cause the ps3 is leading in europe and asia so you pretend they dont exist, ignorance is bliss eh?

[zenosaga04]

MGO you should know you can't use logic in sony hate threads.

what's wrong with you

[Arnon]

You do realize that the 360 is actually leading in Europe and I think Australia as well. PS3 just... has Japan.

[Gamer_Politics]

Lols the 360 is ahead in Europe aswell the only place ps3 has is japan and its doing poorly out there along with all consoles

[Christopher]

And not the fact that the article brings to light that the PS3 is looking to have a higher attach rate than the competition when compared by their total units sold in the area.

Look, we all know the price sucks if you want to compare it to the extremely limited Arcade box set, but the fact of the matter is it's not arrogance that keeps the PS3 costs up, it's the price.

You want $100 knocked off the price? Has anyone gone out and gotten the latest Killzone 2 and MGS4 PS3 package deals, which is $100 worth of software included free? That brings it down to a $299 system, one that you don't have to buy a wireless adapter for, comes with a rechargeable controller, and two of the best games in the last year.

Stop complaining about the install base when Sony is already throwing lower prices at you by packaging them with great games but you're choosing instead to continue to kvetch about it because it makes you happy to kvetch and moan all day long on the internets.

Edit: The reason why these package deals are the best Sony can do now is because they mitigate the need to lose money on the hardware by removing their royalty fee costs from the package deals, which allows them to give the publishers the same profit on the sales while keeping their profit on the hardware steady. Until Sony gets the cost of the hardware down, they're not going to lower the price of the console. Stockholders would lynch whomever decided to go forward with losing $50+ per console if they did.

[Seraphemz]

I just think that install base goes with it too.

If the PS3 already has higher attach rate.

With MORE ps3s, it would equal in even more games being sold on the ps3 vs the 360.

So if the PS3 had a slighty higher install base, it would more than likely sell more software than the 360 even though the 360 has a higher install base.

[jamesrocks3147]

Price. if it was the same or cheaper then the xbox 360 no dowt would sony be dominating why do u ask? there line up and amount of Quality of games is outstanding and there is no match for it

Quality and Quanty, anyway ps3 is to expensive i no they lose money blah blah blah but if sony wants the ps3 to be sucessful PRICE CUT has to come fast what sony also doesnt seem to really realise is they say they have a 10 year life cycle the message comes across they can catch up to xbox 360 in that time no matter what the price. if more people keep buying xbox 360's while the ps3 is more expensive in my mind thats more people who wont be buying a ps3... likly ever so come on sony chop chop! price cut!

[jamesrocks3147]

i no its tuff times rescession and all this but if sony did cut the price of the ps3 even tho they dont make money on it now and just be losing evenmore am sure a company like sony wont go bankcrupt over it, am sure they can easly afford to cut the price and eventally one day in a year or so it will be profitable again i do feel for sony they really didnt expect things to go the way they have with the ps3 how ever if u look at the install base of all playstation consoles i think u wud find playstation is winning even the wii;)

[Josh360]

Man, no offense really, but you should try to improve your grammar and punctuation.. I don't understand anything that you just tried to say, it's very difficult to me try to give it sense to your message.. I mean, even I that doesn't speak english (entirely) can write better (I think :S).. Sorry if I offend you, I don't really meant to do that..

[kewlkat007]

When Big Exclusive games hit month after month and does not do as well as other BIG exclusives on other platforms, there is something wrong here. We know Sony does not advertise well or just doesn't wanna spend the money to maximize developers efforts but my theory has always been, the PS3's install-base is skewed.

Out of 23 mill+ a big portion of that are Video afficiatos and not the types thats gonna buy GREAT Exclusive games. Yes, everything comes together from the development of a game, publishing but the Marketing is not there. Regardless, of those game sales, the hardware has to be affordable, obviously in a rough economy, that it's not but some swear the 360 is still more expensive but retract, when they see the hard numbers, as to why it sells.

Now we all know NA is he biggest market currently. I think it's a great indicator of how things may go, though some disagree. It's also where Sony has been down YOY and really making up the difference world-wide through Japan(as expected). Whether it could continue to stay like this who knows. But with a 10 year plan and a price-cut, I'm sure things will change but unlike the PS2's era the economy stinks bad.

This will be about TOP business strategy for the first4-6 years. So who can position themselves at a good price-point and sell based on what they think is value. We all know what may be value or or worth it to one, is not the same for another. Sometimes price do dictates purchasing power. MS/Nintendo knows this and will continue to try to cut into Sony's market-share, while they are down.

[dktxx2]

Per console, fight night sold better on the ps3. Combine infamous numbers with prototype (ps3) numbers and you get about the sales of prototype (360). So to say that there are a substantial number of ps3 owners not interested in buying games, you would have to say the same thing about 360 owners.

[kewlkat007]

I can say that many wouldn't just buy an Xbox 360 just to watch DVDs. I expect that Sony sells many PS3's as just Movie players and those may or may not buy games. I suspect, and I know friends that bought a PS3 for Bluray because they got a nice Bravia set to go with it.

While the Xbox 360/Wii can play DVD's I just can't see anyone going out to buy a $200 DVD player when you can get a $40 one at walmart. Just wouldn't make sense.

Yes I'm not sure about Fight Night and it's history of sales or why it might sell on the PS3 more or by how much. You can also spin it the Xbox 360 game libray is much bigger than the PS3's and is more deluded, so much more to choose from, so less of this/that is being bought. Plus there are more people that own Xbox 360's, so the Game per user ratio could also be lower vs the PS3's.

What I've been saying is Sony's 23+ million user-base is not who I/we think they are.

[cyborg6971]

Most of these bots don't even know what the outside world looks like cause they spend all of their time in the basement of their parents.

[KillerPwned]

Lets see sales don`t matter to me im a gamer not a developer so i could care less for the sales. Its a waist of time to argue about sales. When it does no good for you unless you work in the gaming industry.

I belive the ps3 is great i got a good deal for what it has to offer me. I enjoy the games and blu-ray movies in the end thats all that matters and should matter to a gamer. Same goes for reviews it matters if you like it not someone else.

[kewlkat007]

whether it's your favorite game or not, you might not see a sequel.

[KillerPwned]

Yes you do have a point i agree with u

[John Kratos]

I really don't care Infamous is an awesome game. Sales numbers aren't going to deter my enjoyment of it. Just like sales numbers had no effect on my enjoyment of Too Human.

[ps3sux]

period. they thought they'd win this gen, sorry but 360 says hey.

sony go back to what you we're good at before t.v's oh wait samsung has that market now

edit- i disagree-Arnon - 1 hour ago
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2.5 -
You do realize that the 360 is actually leading in Europe and I think Australia as well. PS3 just... has Japan.

japan is nintendo, sony just sucks.

[Traveler]

And that is why you have one bubble. You're an idiot.

[maverick1191]

hey its ok the 360 fans only think US is the only country in the world they dont even know 360 does really really bad in asia even ps2 is beating it but they dont care like i said US is the only country that matters to them

[DelbertGrady]

It's ok. Cry if you want to.

[harpua]

[points and laughs at x-kiddies who only worry about sales]

[air1]

i love it.....

seeing all those bu bu but america isnt the world, look at asia. lmfao if the ps3 was doing soo great in other places it would have taken the lead by now, but nope...

looks like you sony fanatics that dont care about sales will have to pick another year on when the ps3 will pass the 360 in sales..

bu bu but i dont care if my system of choice sells 1 console, i dont care if every body forgot about kz2, pff who cares if sony is the next sega, right.....

[dj55555555]

all NPD sales show is how cheap and behind the rest of the world the U.S. is in HD sales and gaming

[ian72]

Another article about US sales only. Is the US the entire world, No.

[Odion]

No but current Europe numbers put 360 ahead, and in Japan PS3 outsells 360 by 2k a week.....

Also people are bringing up fight night, as a comparison.

Whats your stance on UFC, 2 months out now, and its stuck in the top 3 for the 360 while the PS3 version has vanished.

That could have effected the FN numbers

[Odion]

Oh PS

If anyone starts anymore, PS3 is doomed, Sony needs to BLAH BLAH BLAH, or 360 is this that or whatever your getting a ban.

I just cleaned this thread up for you guys who are having intelligent conversation.

[morkendo]

I own a ps3 and I've notice ps3 does not have a variety of games yet as the ps2 did. most of the ps3 games are only hardcore which I dont play. sony need to start making variety of games now.. they cant just sit on hardcore games year after year after year
casual gamers like to play on ps3 as well I mainly use my ps3 for blu-ray movies ....... just my opinion

[Run_bare]

hmm... somewhat have to disagree with the articles. It simply a matter for economics and value for money. PS3 is still an expensive platform over the competition, but it still selling rapidly satisfactory. SONY did not drop their sell price while Xbox done it numerous times.

If SONY is a lot cheaper, i am sure a lot of people will buy it. But that will also degrade it's value. It's simple economics.

[Campy da Camper]

Games like infamous I rent. Yes, it's a cool game but after running through it 2 times what is left? No MP. My only true purchases Uncharted 2 (can't wait), Ratchet and Clank and Call of Duty. All the so-so games cost 9.99 to rent from Blockbuster and I can keep it 10 days which is plenty of time to burn thru a game.

Also, with all the bundles coming out, I can just trade in my unit to bestBuy and get a new one. Had MGS4 bundle it died in 12 months. Traded it in for Uncharted bundle. Month later (2 days ago) I took it in and traded it out for the KZ2/MGS bundle AND had in-store credit so I grabbed Prototype. Just flashdrive the saves and rent the ho-hums. Buy only those AAA titles I know I will play again and and again.