Retail sales now in their sixth month of decline

Yes, sales are in decline, what the hell do you expect? Once everyone in the world owns a PS2, there nobody left to sell them to, so sales have nowhere left to go but down. If everyone was expect sales to keep rising in the 6th year of this generation (on ANY platform) then they really need some new analysts. I don't believe that everyone is saving up for next gen consoles, which is hurting the sales of current gen consoles. If there are games worth buying, people will buy them. Likewise, I haven't seen much worth buying for months now.

yes, down.

but there will be a miraculous bump for the summer. 360's will be in stores. 360 games (i'm looking at you g.r.a.w.!) will be in stores. it'll be post e3.

the typical summer lull will accidentally turn into a summer boom. the summer boom will beget a crazy huge holiday season. (the other two consoles) nobody'll even remember the drought.

attention analysts: everything is fine. the industry isn't dying. it's just shuffling it's cash flow schedule around a bit.

m3mnoch.

Azz, they're talking about software sales. Soft wares.

On a related topic... Thanks, Pirate Bay! There's a nice article on Wired about TPB for those of you who are fans.

Sorry, but I've already posted my views on overpriced vg software and what I think of pirated games. Most of them aren't worth my money anyway, but I buy the ones I play for more than 8 hours - so that means I actually own 10 Xbox titles, even tho I have 40 or so.

Well, only Xbox ultra-Fanboys are getting their 360's but all the rest (60 million people) are waiting the PS3 and Revolution.

I think once the Xbox 360 becomes widely available software sales will pick up. I got mine in November and I've bought six titles so far (plus two XBLA games - and a HD LCD tv!). I'm *very* pleased with the 360 so far, and things will only get better.

M3monch I do not think that summer is going to a crazy huge summer. I think it will be a normal summer, there just are not that many killer apps coming out this summer, but I guess the term Killer App is a subjective term. But I do agree with you that the industry is not dying by any means, I think that gaming is probably at its highest point yet and does not showing any sign of going on the downward slope anytime soon.

Personally I think that game developers need to rethink their corporate stragies. All these Xbox 360 titles that are coming out at $59.99 I think is kind of high priced. And the first gen game still at $49.99. Although I noticed Rainbow Six is coming out at $29.99 which I think is really great. Honestly I understand that it costs more to develop these games but lets face it they also have a few new sources of cash. Games are more and more selling advertising in them. There was just a post last week about Dodge having billboards inside G.R.A.W., Tiger Woods must make so much money in merchandising that it is crazy with all the different clubs, clothes, balls, and courses, and has anyone happen to notice the Burger King ads in Fight Night. Also now on Xbox Live at least they are selling pictures, and themes, and maps, and other downloadable content. They have specific merchandise such as controlers, face plates. I wonder since the console companies seem to be able to sell their consoles at a loss, why can the game design companies also sell their products at a loss and then make it up with electronic merchandising (IE expanded content, and other things online)?

Hmm, I think you guys are underestimating the effect that the direction of the industry has taken on the everyday gamers who only buy games occasionally. I went into a Borders the other day to find them selling off their entire stock of games at 75% off. Fact is, people aren't buying as many games as they used to. The reasons for this are up for debate, but this is not seasonal, I assure you.

"March will be a potentially difficult month, as Xbox 360s are not expected to be widely available until next month."

Speaking for North America, the supply problem isn't as drastic as it once was. If you are diligent scoring a 360 in the month of March shouldn't be difficult. January & Febuary? Oh sure, but the supply problem has eased up in my eyes quite a bit since then.

As for falling sales, I assume they primarily mean games - although last gen console sales at this point must be at an all time low. Did the 360 coming out have something to do with this flux in the market? For sure. As for piracy, I love how douche bags always try to justify their actions. Shad Genki, if a game doesn't give you more than 8 hours of gameplay that's not an excuse to pirate it. You're just a cheap ass douche. God forbid you have an actual job and expect people to pay for goods or services to pay your wages.

I feel that if anything can break the current slump, it's the DS lite, and possibly the Revolution. Not because they are necessarily going to have the best games, or really be all that "Revolutionary" but because they will cause many "new" people to look at the videogame industry. I put say "new" because I feel many of these people will remember the NES or possibly the Super Nintendo, but that is the last gaming system that they owned. Or maybe they are an older adult who enjoyed to play Tetris on a classic GameBoy. Either way, Nintendo has the ability to reintroduce these people to videogames, and ideally after they purchase a DS lite or Revolution they buy a PS3 or 360. That's how the industry will grow- not through better graphics, not through sex or violence, but by simple, accessible fun.

I too think that the summer will be a normal summer for gaming. The sales spike will be fall/christmas of this year. I for one, am not feeling the 59.99 price tags for games. I'm an adult and work a good job and I find it hard to justify spend 60+ dollars on games. How do the developers expect to convince Billy's mom to spend the cash on her 10 year old?

It's gonna be....

http://www.impawards.com/1986/posters/one_crazy_summer.jpg

Nah, I don't think so... Just having the 360 in stores isn't gonna do anything. There's still no killer app. Once PS3 and Rev come out later this year, there will be a boom, but not before. I'm sorry, I really wanted to get a 360, but I just have a bad taste in my mouth about it. Nothing gets me excited enough to drop that kinda ca$h.