XBox now #2 in the UK (1 Viewer)

Michael St. Clair · Nov 5, 2002

So the XBox is now barely #2 in the USA and UK markets.
Is this more than you expected for the first year, or less?
And when you are getting pantsed in Japan, does it matter that much?
How do you think the 'Box will do in Korea and China after it launches there?

UK figures for the week ending November 2, compiled by ChartTrack, show Xbox shifting an impressive 10,371 units, marking a rise of 42 percent on the previous week's sales, with GameCube tailing on 6,657 units - an increase of 15 percent.
The cumulative totals for 2002 make even more interesting reading, with GameCube on 230,876 since launch, and Microsoft just ahead on 233,503. But on the back of a successful new Xbox bundle, this trend seems unlikely to change, with the gap expected to widen in the run up to Christmas.
...
But this will make sobering reading for Nintendo, now faced with a much bleaker Christmas than it surely would have anticipated.
Super Mario Sunshine, despite big early sales, has simply not shifted GC units in the numbers Nintendo anticipated. Furthermore, it's no secret in development circles that bringing a title exclusively onto GameCube is a less profitable exercise that it is for PS2 and Xbox.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/front_index.php

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Dan B · Nov 5, 2002

I look at it as either the Xbox is doing better than expected, or the Gamecube is doing less than expected. Or, you have to say that they are both doing poorly compared to the PS2, but that was somewhat expected anyway!

Also of note is that while the hardware sales are almost even, the Xbox is selling 38% more software than the Gamecube. The attach rate is pretty good for Xbox at this point, at 4.6 games per Xbox. (source: NPD)

-Dan B

Jason Seaver · Nov 5, 2002

And when you are getting pantsed in Japan, does it matter that much?

Hey, I'm not getting pantsed.
And, truth be told, I really don't care how the various consoles sell relative to each other in the USA, much less Japan, since I don't have stock in Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft. Given the turnaround time on games, it's information that might have an effect on me, in terms of what new games become available, a year from now.
I suppose this qualifies as a thread fart, but I'm sort of wondering how much use this sort of information really is to me as a consumer.

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Morgan Jolley · Nov 5, 2002

I suspect the Cube will jump in sales with Metroid and/or Zelda. Possibly even by the end of the holiday season from people buying it as a present.

Michael St. Clair · Nov 5, 2002

I suspect the Cube will jump in sales with Metroid and/or Zelda. Possibly even by the end of the holiday season from people buying it as a present.

All system sales jump around the holidays...and all system sales tend to jump somewhat when big titles ship...though not only as much as expected (read: Mario Sunshine).

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Masood Ali · Nov 5, 2002

What are the total sale figures across Europe in general? I doubt when European developers are creating games, they regard their potential customers as being primarily from the UK.

Jon W H · Nov 5, 2002

I also suspect the same for the Xbox with Splinter Cell, MGS2: Substance, Unreal Championship among others. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, as tastes vary quite a bit for Xbox owners, it seems.

Michael St. Clair · Nov 5, 2002

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, as tastes vary quite a bit for Xbox owners, it seems.

Two of my co-workers (1 owns PS2, 1 owns 'Cube) are really itching to buy XBox by XMas for these 3 things that have not yet been released:

XBox Live
MechAssulalt
Steel Battalion

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Jon W H · Nov 5, 2002

Michael, thank you for illustrating my point further.

Dan Brecher · Nov 6, 2002

I think in the UK, X-box is going to do well this Christmas providing MS get their act together and to a decent advertising push over the festive season.

It came out here in April remember, so this will be it's first Christmas in England, and it's been through two major price drops since release and it's current price, along with the package deals of the Sega GT and JSRF may ensure good sales this Christmas.

I think the most recent price drop and Sega bundle announcement have made a lot of people think "well, its a great price now, but we're so near to christmas I will wait until December"...

I hope it sells well over December. Been AGES since I got an X-Box game due to the price of software here, but I do plan to get Tony Hawks and Splinter cell (and if it's any good) Harry Potter by the new year

Dan

Jeff Kleist · Nov 6, 2002

Jason, If XBox is being pantsed in Japan, it greatly reduces the desire of the quality Japanese developers to make new exclusive titles for XBox that aren't being paid for by MS

How do you think the 'Box will do in Korea and China after it launches there

Well, I predict that software sales will be very low in HK due to the horrendous bootlegging and the fact that the system has been available there imported for a year, pre-chipped for bootleg play

Korea will be interesting, they are extremely PC based, so XB might have more appeal

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Jason Seaver · Nov 6, 2002

Jason, If XBox is being pantsed in Japan, it greatly reduces the desire of the quality Japanese developers to make new exclusive titles for XBox that aren't being paid for by MS

Which will effect me a year from now, when these hypothetical games would actually come out, and my needs are modest. Also, if it's successful enough in the States, that's still a large enough market to make it worth developers' while. And I would find it difficult to care less about exclusivity.

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Michael St. Clair · Nov 6, 2002

True, if the XBox beats the Gamecube as a whole throughout the world, Japanese developer support will improve.

However, it would be even better if the 'Box can beat the 'Cube in Japan. Then you might even see some more exclusives. If the 'Box wins everywhere else, you might see a lot more cross-platform titles for it, which would still be good.

I'm now actually considering for the first time that the XBox might be the second-most popular console in the world by the end of this generation. That is no small accomplishment.

Remember, when PSX came on the scene, no existing player dominated the marketplace like Sony does now. The world was pretty much 50-50 between Nintendo and Sega. There is never any way anybody other than Sony could be #1 at the end of this generation, they had more momentum than has been seen in the industry in decades.

GlenHaag · Nov 6, 2002

True, if the XBox beats the Gamecube as a whole throughout the world, Japanese developer support will improve.

This is the thing that I don't get. They're not really "beating" anyone. They marginally ahead in console sales in a battle for 2nd.

The more I think about it, this is a good bit of growth for them with their first console, but I think it all comes down to when they move out their next console. If they come out a year after the PS3, they could be in the exact same position. Sony will have a one year head start again in games and sales, but if they do launch a console right around the same time as Sony you will have to deal with a good portion of consumers that felt that they got shorted on the lifetime of their Xbox purchase.

Nintendo is in a decent spot at this point. They still own the handheld market, with no real pressure in sight. Plus, they've done good things lately to shore up things with the top Japanese developers(Capcom, Namco, Sega, and Square).

Personally, I think it's great that we have 3 good consoles at this point. That's what I like the most.

It's a great little bit of water cooler talk. I'll agree with the sentiment there.

Glen

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Michael St. Clair · Nov 6, 2002

Personally, I think it's great that we have 3 good consoles at this point. That's what I like the most.

I think it's good too. That's why I don't want to see any one of them get decimated in the market.

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Morgan Jolley · Nov 6, 2002

When you say "X-Box is #2 in UK" do you mean in overall sales or in sales over the last week or so? If the sales have picked up the pace, then that doesn't mean much, but if it means that the sales have been outpacing the GCN for a while and are now ahead overall, then that means something.

Overall, I think that game delays are going to make it more evident where all the consoles are next spring. A lot of big games, like Zelda, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Tomb Raider: AoD, etc., won't be out for another few months and could greatly influence console sales.

Michael St. Clair · Nov 6, 2002

When you say "X-Box is #2 in UK" do you mean in overall sales or in sales over the last week or so?

Sales for last week were higher for the XBox and all-time sales for the XBox are higher and software titles sold per installed hardware unit are higher for the XBox.
And from what I've read, the XBox has outsold the Gamecube for the last couple of months.
Analysts in the UK have predicted that Nintendo will be in 3rd place for the rest of this generation.

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Masood Ali · Nov 6, 2002

Analysts in the UK have predicted that Nintendo will be in 3rd place for the rest of this generation.

In the UK.

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Romier S · Nov 6, 2002

In the UK.

Well that is the topic of discussion.....

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BrianB · Nov 6, 2002

In the UK.

I'd say Europe, certainly all the 'professional' & journo analysis I've read from the UK has been aimed at the European market. Most estimates seem to carve it up to 50% PS2, 25% Xbox, 25% GC, with some going slightly higher for the Xbox, some going slightly higher for the GC.

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