Japanese hardware sales, 4 September - 10 September: completely wiidiculous edition
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Sep 15th 2006 at 6:25PM }
Shocking reports from Japan indicate that Nintendo's entry into the next-gen console wars (with Xbox 360 and Japan itself being the only combatants thus far) has shown absolutely no progress in the closely monitored sales ranking. - DS Lite: 113,831
115,108 (50.28%)- PSP: 29,141
1,642 (5.97%)- PS2: 19,882
2,821 (12.43%)- GBA SP: 2,104
647 (23.52%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,801
10 (0.56%)- Xbox 360: 1,094
156 (12.48%)- DS Phat: 1,058
738 (230.63%)- Gamecube: 696
159 (18.60%)- GBA: 13
9 (40.91%)- Xbox: 5
5 (infinite%)- Wii: 0
0 (0%)Esteemed analyst, Excelsior Bluffington, pointed out that "the Wii has shown little to no sales growth in the past few weeks. It's even been bested by the Xbox, and people only buy that thing to mess with the charts. Judging by my elaborate series of pie charts and lucid, LSD-induced dreams, it becomes painfully clear that the Wii will only see a marked improvement sometime in December."
A local psychoanalyst was quick to refute these claims, however, calling Bluffington a "delusional psychopath." With experts in conflict, we felt it best to enquire directly with Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata. His entirely cryptic response suggested that "Nintendo hasn't launched the system yet, you freaking [sic] imbeciles." A likely story. A likely story indeed.
[Source: Media Create]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Spuky @ Sep 15th 2006 6:29PM
lol, good post, and the growth of the x-box sales is stunning
vaylen @ Sep 15th 2006 6:32PM
The PSP seems to be putting some distance between it and the PS2... Methinks the Japanese are saving up to be one of the lucky winners of one of the 100k PS3's in November.
GamerG @ Sep 15th 2006 6:36PM
I forget why do we care?
Jackie Chan @ Sep 15th 2006 6:37PM
was that supposed to be funny? because.. you know.. it wasnt.
Sub @ Sep 15th 2006 6:37PM
"It's even been bested by the Xbox, and people only buy that thing to mess with the charts."
Lmao
FSK405K @ Sep 15th 2006 6:39PM
LMAO good stuff. Love the XBox sales, Btw. What's with DS, though? Everyone got one already?
FSK405K @ Sep 15th 2006 6:41PM
Watch out everyone! The DS is dieing and the PSP is going to win! ;)
chukz @ Sep 15th 2006 6:46PM
Classic. One of the funniest posts I have seen in a really long time :)
On the bright side, at least the Wii has a green arrow, indication an increase, from 0 to 0. Keep up the good work boys!
You got to be in it to win it~
...Jan Medi... @ Sep 15th 2006 10:52PM
I remember that XBox sold 0 last week. So you're telling me that selling 5 more that 0 really means infinite percent?
Yeah, real funny how you include Wii. Unless it has realeased...And the first shipment has been blown up by a mysterious missle just before it got to the stores! That explains the late launch date after the PS3. And the high price is just to cover the loss...
Intangible 360 @ Sep 15th 2006 6:59PM
I found that pretty funny, made a relatively uninteresting post fairly interesting, congrats! :D
Steve Roger @ Sep 15th 2006 6:54PM
Xbox: 5. LOL
mykie @ Sep 15th 2006 6:54PM
My real name is Excelsior Bluffington.
LaughingTarget @ Sep 15th 2006 6:54PM
The up arrow could mean they sold a few, but the customers had to return them when they found out that they broke the street date, thus why there is a big 0 there.
Derbeste @ Sep 15th 2006 6:59PM
Ludwig....you never fail to make me LOL. It did take me a second to get it, but it was funny. You are, by far, my favorite contributor.
However, you failed to report how well the PS3 did...you anti-sony POS!!!!
page @ Sep 15th 2006 7:05PM
Don't overlook the fact that the PSP has once again totally buried the GameBoy.
StMadnes @ Sep 15th 2006 7:21PM
Yeah, well we'll see how those numbers look come this November..
p.s. the DS shall bow down and utter praise unto the PSP soon
Phillip @ Sep 15th 2006 7:16PM
loved it.
BIGGEN @ Sep 15th 2006 7:19PM
ya know, the 360 steadily sells a thousand units a week or more. eventually that has to mean something, doesn't it? maybe not, i don't know. i would much rather see US hardware sales
All Your Lost Socks @ Sep 15th 2006 7:23PM
Yeah, I'm thinking everyone already as a DS and is saving up for Wii now.
Mark @ Sep 15th 2006 7:28PM
OMG PSP sold 1.6k more this week and the DS sold 2k less PSP IS GOING TO OWN THE DS! You sony fanboys are pathetic. We are talkign about the difference of 70k units sold still and your acting like its the beginning of the end for the DS. I guess any good news coming out of Sony is a good reason to celebrate
LongshotX @ Sep 15th 2006 7:40PM
Is this information even relevant to the people who live here in North America. I mean Japan has a population of 128,085,000 compared to North America which has about 514,000,000 (300,000,000 are from the United States). Europe itself contains roughly 710,000,000 people and Austrailia has about 20,555,300 people . When you look at all these figures why is it that the Japanese hardware sales are so important. How about a look at the other regions in the world Joystiq, specifically North American and Europe.
The console and handheld wars look entirely different in the "West". Take for example the DS vs. PSP. The DS is trouncing the PSP in japan but over here in the States the two systems are neck and neck. Joystiq please show us information relevant to this region.
razer @ Sep 15th 2006 7:44PM
Considering they aren't making the original XBOX anymore and stores are just getting rid of what stock is left it should be removed from the chart completely. It seems every week there is wierd Japanese sales chart(who cares?) and then some beyond stupid lame ass has to comment on its lack of sales.
Mank @ Sep 15th 2006 8:17PM
@20 LongshotX: It's because they can't. And no, since the DS Lite came out they haven't been neck and neck.
Kevin @ Sep 15th 2006 7:54PM
LongshotX:
The reason Japanese hardware sales are shown is because those are the only figures readily available.
So check the facts before you dribble on about "relevant to this region" figures. Typical American, me me me. Maybe you failed to remember that this is a website on the WORLD wide web. Thus other people read it, including those from Europe, Australia and JAPAN.
I enjoy how you can say the DS and PSP are neck and neck. Some figures please? Or is this just you obversation because your friends have a PSP?
If you want to put together an initiative to gather sales data for American consoles, go ahead. Until then shut up. Joystiq is just reporting what is available.
josh @ Sep 15th 2006 8:00PM
When you look at all these figures why is it that the Japanese hardware sales are so important. How about a look at the other regions in the world Joystiq, specifically North American and Europe.
Japan is the #2 region for game sales, after the US and before Europe. That's why it's important.
Also, 2 out of 3 of the console makers are Japanese companies.
Finally, Japanese game sales are posted weekly and N.American ones are posted monthly. This point is literally brought up in the comments EVERY week, and the answer is always the same.
Jeff @ Sep 15th 2006 7:59PM
"The console and handheld wars look entirely different in the "West". Take for example the DS vs. PSP. The DS is trouncing the PSP in japan but over here in the States the two systems are neck and neck."
You're about a year behind. The DS is currently outselling the PSP by about 2:1 in the US. The latest NPD charts were posted right here on this site just a couple of weeks ago - all it takes is a search.
As to why these figures are relevant... you don't know much about the game industry, do you?
josh @ Sep 15th 2006 8:01PM
sorry, that first line paragraph should have been in quotes:
"When you look at all these figures why is it that the Japanese hardware sales are so important. How about a look at the other regions in the world Joystiq, specifically North American and Europe."
delldude420 @ Sep 15th 2006 8:17PM
actually in the usa the gba is beating psp in sales. i forgot last months numbers but gba sold over 150,000 unites or so, which were like a few hundred or few thousand more than psp. ds is number one in the us also :)
H-QB @ Sep 15th 2006 8:36PM
Here in this business, LongshotX, we call that an "OH SNAP"
... Hehehehehe
SuperfanTactics @ Sep 15th 2006 8:38PM
August 2006
Hardware
NDS - 278,000
PS2 - 262,000
360 - 204,000 Xbox 360 is now at over 6,000,000 total sold worldwide
GBA - 156,000
PSP - 146,000
GCN - 41,000
XBX - 9,000
Bill @ Sep 15th 2006 8:47PM
DS SALES DOWN 50%.
PSP SALES UP.
WHO CALLED IT.
YOUR BOY BILL, THATS WHO.
No seriously, Gaf is spinning this with "they must be holding them back for Pokeman".
Gaf is so full of shit it's not even funny. Just like FF3 sales suck and they say "It's because of shortage". No, it's because nobody wants to buy them. If you listen to GAF, Nintendo has all these crappy sales, the explain every one with "shortage". I guess Nintendo will have shortages most weeks forever then. Sucks to be them. I think Gamecube is on shortage too. Yeah that must be it. Nintendo COULD sell 100,000 Gamecube's a week, they just are all sold out ROFL.
LOL, I doubt even Pokeman is gonna help DS much now.
If anything I'm surprised DS sold this well. I think the DS's new level is about 75,000 per week that they set two weeks ago. You only saw a small spike above that for the black DS, which is probably dying off again.
Dr.Swiss @ Sep 15th 2006 8:54PM
Wow, the GBA is outselling the PSP in North America.
Even when the PSP can run GBA emulators it still can't beat it. IN NORTH AMERICA. Aren't most of the PSP fanboys that post here from that neck of the woods?
Hehe @ Sep 15th 2006 8:58PM
@ Bill's Comment. LMFAONINJA
"Nintendo has all these crappy sales"
"I doubt even Pokeman is gonna help DS much now"
Fanboyism knows no bounds.
Fanboys Rules the World @ Sep 15th 2006 9:07PM
Comment of the Day: LOL for 360 muha!
Bill @ Sep 15th 2006 9:23PM
>>Wow, the GBA is outselling the PSP in North America.
Even when the PSP can run GBA emulators it still can't beat it. IN NORTH AMERICA. Aren't most of the PSP fanboys that post here from that neck of the woods?>>
Yeah and the 900 year old PS2 nearly outsold the DS. What's your point.
DS has won 3 months in a row since DS lite came out, with massive sales drops for DS each time. (500k two months ago, 378k last month, now 278k this month as you see). Before those three months however, PSP always outsold DS. Of course you wont mention that.
Anyways, DS clearly is not catching on in America. Sales barely top one week in Japan, which has less than half as many people as USA.
Nintendo is in trouble if DS doesn't start catching on in the West soon, if it doesn't soon it never will.
Bill @ Sep 15th 2006 9:27PM
Grown men staying up late nights dreaming of sales IN JAPAN of FUCKING POKEMON, A GAME FOR SMALL FUCKING CHILDREN, is what is wrong with Nintendo fanboys.
Is Pokemon even popular any more? I bet it's waning anyway, it's ten million years old. I know GAF is always going to lie and pretend anything for Nintendo is a much bigger deal than it really is.
Anyways, bring it on!
PS: Software charts show a PSP game #1 again. Hmm, a trend? PSP NEVER used to get #1..this is only the second time...
Bill @ Sep 15th 2006 9:29PM
50% drop yet again for DS again next week? Can I go ahead and call it?
NINTENDO: WEVE MASTERED 50% SALES DROPS. NO COMPANY CAN LOSE SALES AS FAST AS US.
SOLID, IF NOT SPECTACULAR.
Amos @ Sep 15th 2006 9:32PM
Why do you post these every week for Japan yet not even America, Europe, or elsewhere? Who cares, I say. I've seen the Japanese sales figures, go figure, what about the rest?
Hehe @ Sep 15th 2006 9:34PM
Bill,
Show me on the doll where Nintendo touched you.
Captain Obvious @ Sep 15th 2006 9:35PM
This is not the first time DS sales have taken a huge dive. Weekly sales have too many fluctuations. You really have to look at several months to get a feel for sales trends.
Mabui @ Sep 15th 2006 9:55PM
Well, I think the sales numbers from Japan are important because alot of the major games for the platform and many other platforms come from Japan. So the company that sells well in Japan historically gets more support from Japanese companies.
Also, its interesting, the whole week by week playback realy makes it more dramatic, least it did when DS wasn't dominating so hugely.
American Sales charts are about where I figured they would be, PS2 is big in america, it basically is gaming, and very sad that 360 can't overpower it.
I'm not realy sure that DS will ever catch on like it has in Japan, and apparently according to articles Europe aswell.
Ndric @ Sep 15th 2006 10:03PM
Bill is a freakin' psycopath.
You really need help.
DownloadingData @ Sep 15th 2006 10:29PM
"If anything I'm surprised DS sold this well. I think the DS's new level is about 75,000 per week that they set two weeks ago. You only saw a small spike above that for the black DS, which is probably dying off again."
There has been weeks, 1 year after the launch where the normal DS(phat) sold 500,000 in a week,
Powerbomb @ Sep 16th 2006 12:00AM
Hey Bill. This is what you said two weeks ago:
"Like I said lets all meet back here for next week's sales figures. My guess is DS takes a hefty hit. How about the next NPD's? Will they even maintain a lead on PSP?"
So where were you last week? Decide to go on vacation? Last week in Japan the DS Lite outsold the PSP by 210,000 units. NPDs for the month of August showed the DS Lite outselling the PSP by 132,000 units. PSP can't even outsell GBA in North America. And by the way, GBA has always been outselling the PSP, even when the PSP was outselling the DS all those months you keep bragging about.
And I don't know how you can be gloating this week. True, DS Lite sales weren't as huge as they were last week but it still beats the sales of everything else combined by almost a factor of 2:1.
And I heard this from you two weeks ago and I'm hearing it again this week, but all I keep hearing is GAF said this and GAF said that. Who gives a **** what GAF said? Are GAF the official mouthpiece of Nintendo? Why do you give so much weight to GAF? Frankly, it doesn't matter what anyone says, because the facts speak for themselves, and the facts show that the DS is winning in every major region and worldwide.
And I see this trend continuing. Pokemon is on the way, and that series is still very popular whether you want to admit it or not. The US hasn't gotten Final Fantasy III yet and now Square Enix have announced another 3 games are in development for the DS along with the other games SE has already announced for the system. And I think that's also proof that Japanese sales do matter. I'm sure the phenomenal sales of the DS in Japan, where RPGs are very popular, played a big part in SE's decision to put these games on the DS.
As for those software sales Bill. I don't see those indicating a shift in anything. Last week's number one game, Phantasy Star Universe which sold more than 120,000 units dropped down to number 9. This week's number one game Tales of Phantasia only sold a little more than 66,000 units and only outsold the number 2 game by a mere 13,000 units. And that game was New Super Mario Bros., which is 4 months old and just passed the 3,000,000 units sold mark this week. With the rest of the top ten made up of DS games (another 2 being past the 3,000,000 mark) and 1 GBA game I'd say it's business as usual.
xaviertooth @ Sep 16th 2006 12:19AM
Your writing style is trash! No, seriously!
Me @ Sep 16th 2006 12:41AM
Now why is the Wii on that list already when it's going to be launching after the PS3 ??? Do you guys at joystiq like Nintendo that much ?? Just wondering......
Mitsuo @ Sep 16th 2006 1:50AM
Why isn't the PS3 on there? It comes out a whole 2 days before the Wii, unless it's not even coming out of Japan. I mean I know you're all Nintendo bias and all, but feed us a bone or something. At least HUMOUR us!
bkirst90 @ Sep 16th 2006 7:04AM
It's like reading the newspaper in sim city....
I don't know if thats good or bad.
Jared @ Sep 16th 2006 11:39AM
ROFL, Sony fanboys twisting sales? Denying their relevancy, even? These comments pages are golden.
Mr.Wednesday @ Sep 16th 2006 1:26PM
Bill is the ultimate figure of the "Hateboy"... He hates so much Nintendo that he makes a fool out of himself every week with his childish posts... I keep saying to people, "if you dont like the PSP, DS, XBOX360 or whatever, DONT BUY IT"... Dont waste your time with them!
Make yourself (and ourselves) a favor Bill and go play your PSP... Why do you bother if the PSP or DS sells more in Japan or the US? Neihter Nintendo or Sony are going out of business because of one month´s sales chart... Grow up dude...