November NPD: big franchises, new consoles drive industry sales up 34% [update 1]
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Dec 7th 2006 at 8:25PM }
The above headline shouldn't come as a great surprise to many gamers, what with November having been a deadly obstacle course of top-tier franchises and console debuts. Surviving the month with wallet unscathed was quite impossible, a fact clearly reflected in the NPD's sales data for the period which typically sees manufacturers clash in full force, guns blazing. Consumers caught in the cash crossfire spent an impressive $1.7 billion in total, with console, software and accessory sales all seeing notable increases. The NPD's Anita Frazier told GameDaily BIZ that she expects this to be a record-breaking year for the industry, with total sales expected to come in at $14 billion. In the interest of having you maintain consciousness, we've put the most pertinent information into those convenient bullet-point things (it also ties in nicely with our earlier gun metaphor):
Console Sales (units)
- DS: 918k
- PS2: 664k
- Game Boy Advance: 661k
- Xbox 360: 511k
- Wii: 476k
- PSP: 412k
- PS3: 197k
- Gears of War: 1 million -- $61.5 million
- Final Fantasy XII: 896k -- $49 million
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: 412k -- $20.2 million
- Guitar Hero II: 356k -- $20.2 million
[Update 1: PSP information added.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Optimus Prime @ Dec 7th 2006 8:32PM
Damn it Sony, fix those PS3 production issues... i dont want to wait till summer '07 to be able to get one.. and i aint camping out or goin' on eBay.
ZTP (GC version) should keep me busy though.
Josh @ Dec 7th 2006 8:37PM
^
Here, here! TP on GameCube next week!
But, where is the PSP data? I wanted to see how it and the DS are competing over here, since we all know already how it is in Japan.
is @ Dec 7th 2006 8:40PM
yeah, where is that psp?
Oh yeah...
On the shelf, or in the trash.
MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Dec 14th 2006 4:19AM
The DS alone outsold both the PS2 and PS3, which is embarrassing for Sony. Hell, the GBA almost beat the PS2, and that format has been pretty much dead for over a year.
Spartacus @ Dec 7th 2006 8:43PM
At first I was a little shocked the 360 numbers were so low, seeing as how everyone was expecting a number around 700,000 or more. But then I remembered that many retailers are not included in the NPD reports, which is probably why MS and Sony go by SHIPPED numbers rather than SOLD as they are much easier to officially track.
Either way it seems the 360 did well in a month of two other competitor's launches.
Jon A. @ Dec 7th 2006 8:46PM
Joystiq must have looked over it, but the PSP sold 412,000 units. Got that from a similar article on next-gen.biz
lando @ Dec 7th 2006 8:48PM
next-gen.biz says 412,000 psp's were sold
Brandon @ Dec 7th 2006 8:50PM
It seems that the DS will continue to rule the market. Man nearly a million units in sales is crazy.
Josh @ Dec 7th 2006 8:52PM
Ah, thanks Jon A. So the DS sold more than twice as much as the PSP, but that's still nowhere near the performance of the DS relative to the PSP in Japan.
How are things between the two portables in Europe and other regions?
serb @ Dec 7th 2006 11:14PM
lol the ps2 and gba are outselling the 360, thats sad
Cole @ Dec 7th 2006 9:02PM
476k Wii's and 412k Zelda. So just about every person who bought a Wii got Zelda... That actually kind of suprizes me.
Micro Mame Man @ Dec 7th 2006 9:03PM
DS sales are just crazy. We're going to see some awesome games now that this little bugger has carved out such a large market.
I mean, in addition to the awesome games that the system already has.
JohnIV @ Dec 7th 2006 9:08PM
the PSP had a relatively good month, and a very large (for its standards) increase in console sales.
which is why Joystiq "forgot" to include it in their article.
Pete C @ Dec 7th 2006 9:11PM
Is nobody going to comment on the fact that Gears of War outsold Final Fantasy XII?!? With the millions upon millions of PS2s out there, I would have expected this game to destroy all comers in sales.
Sri Lumpa @ Dec 7th 2006 9:21PM
I expect some similar numbers for the DS in the UK (scaled down population wise of course). One of my bosses recently asked my opinion after his wife saw me playing with my other bosses GBA SP and seeing him play my DS Lite (we swapped so I could play Zelda:Oracle of Ages as the DS doesn't play GB Color games and my GBA is with my nephew/niece) and they wanted to buy something for the 5 year old son who is soon gonna have an operation.
I told him he better buy a DS lite as it can also play GBA games and the screen is much better. He followed my advice and now his wife is telling me that her husband is playing it even more than their kid.
Another colleague asked me what I thought of the DS and I said I loved it (reaction: "Oh, it must be good then") and he told me that his 15 yo daughter wanted a pink one so I said she probably would like Nintendogs so he said "Yeah, that's it, that's what she wants" but a few days later he told me that he couldn't find a pink one anywhere as they were sold out so he bought a black one in a bundle with Sonic Rush (as she loves Sonic too).
I also had two friends ask me questions about the Wii in the last couple of weeks whereas 6 months ago when I talked about it I had to explain what it was "a new console by Nintnedo" and they had a hard time getting it. Now it's: me: "Well, you know there is also the Xbox 360 since last year and the PS3 coming next march and hey are really good consoles too", one of them: "yeah, but you can play baseball with it [the Wii]" so it made me smile. He was also impressed that even the guys that were downplaying/bashing it on TV where he saw it were having a lot of fun with it when playing it.
Only a few anecdotes but Nintnedo really seems to be gathering momentum over here.
Given the current worldwide picture I wouldn't be surprised if the Wii has Xbox360 like shortages for as long as the Xbox 360 had them or longer and for as long as the PS3 is gonna have them due to its increasing popularity with current non/light* gamers.
*I use light gamer to describe the guys that have one console and a handful of games but don't play regularly but are different from what is usually called a casual gamer as the term seems to apply to people mostly playing flash/puzzle games.
I have a similar problem with the use of hardcore gamer to describe graphic whores that only play the latest and greatest game. I consider myself an hardcore gamer because I have a wide variety of interests and play games on Gamecube/PS2/DS but also on GBA/GB/PS1/N64/SNES/Megadrive/NES/old PC games. I play puzzle games, RPG's, Action/Adventure, Shooters, FPS's, Adventure, fighting, RTS, turn-based strategy... depending on which game I want to play at that moment.
vidGuy @ Dec 7th 2006 9:22PM
@Pete C,
Yeah, that's sort of surprising. I guess it's because a lot of 360 owners bought the system for Gears of War, and FFXII got kind of lost in all the next-gen sales this month. I know I would have bought FFXII (I've played them all since FFV) if I hadn't been shelling out nearly $400 on Wii purchases.
Gnizmo @ Dec 7th 2006 9:23PM
"the PSP had a relatively good month, and a very large (for its standards) increase in console sales.
which is why Joystiq "forgot" to include it in their article."
Or because the article linked didn't give the psp numbers.
Erwos @ Dec 7th 2006 9:28PM
I bought a DS in November, and it's excellent. I did my part for the 360 cause by buying Gears of War, though. :)
There's no denying that this was a phenomenal month for Microsoft, even if their competitors were supply-constrained. ANYTHING that increases their lead (mind-blowingly, that's what happened) is going to be good for them. That ten million sold number is looking more and more likely - sales in December should be brisk, and their competition is still absent in terms of supply.
I'll also chime in with the "how did FFXII lose to Gears of War" crowd - I wouldn't have guessed that outcome.
Jeff @ Dec 7th 2006 9:30PM
"At first I was a little shocked the 360 numbers were so low, seeing as how everyone was expecting a number around 700,000 or more. But then I remembered that many retailers are not included in the NPD reports, which is probably why MS and Sony go by SHIPPED numbers rather than SOLD as they are much easier to officially track."
You're confused in several ways here...
First, while several retailers don't participate, the NPD uses statistical sampling to account for them. So these numbers are accurate to within a couple thousand either way, including the non-participating stores. (Statistical sampling is highly accurate if the sample is large enough, and in this case you're talking about a sample that's 70 plus percent of the whole.)
Second, all manufacturers have the same sampling methodology applied to them. So if the Xbox 360 numbers *were* low (and they ain't), so would be the numbers for every other console.
Third, Sony has no say whatsoever in how the sales of their consoles are counted by the NPD. Neither does anybody else. The NPD doesn't say "oh, Sony told us they SHIPPED 600k consoles, so it must be true" - no, they're out there actually counting themselves.
Anyway, these numbers look basically like what I would have expected - in fact, all three current-gen home systems came in below what was originally forecast and predicted by a lot of people (mostly their respective fanboys). Where are those 600k Wiis? Where are the 400k PS3's? Where are the 700k Xbox 360's?
Those extra sales were apparently all gobbled up by the DS, which had a seriously monster month. If I'm surprised by anything, it's the fact that the DS very nearly hit *1 million* systems sold for November. That's nuts. I can only imagine what it's gonna do in December.
The GBA is still chugging along too, as is the PS2 - those numbers are pretty gangbusters for last-gen systems. But not unexpected given what we've seen over the past 6 months - they've hardly had any dropoff at all.
Josh @ Dec 7th 2006 9:34PM
Well, Americans love shooters, so I'm not surprised by Gears of War outselling FFXII. In any case, the linked article said this was the fastest-selling FF games in the States so far, so the sales for FFXII were still very good and, possibly, just as surprising as the Gears sales.
nick @ Dec 7th 2006 10:24PM
"(Statistical sampling is highly accurate if the sample is large enough, and in this case you're talking about a sample that's 70 plus percent of the whole.)"
I thought I read somewhere that NPD was more like 30 percent of the whole. There are several major national retailers that do not provide data [to NPD] so numerical formulas are used to calculate and estrapolate estimated numbers based on the data they did collect. So yes, they do attempt to account for actual numbers they do not have. Of course the most accurate numbers are known to the manufacturers, which if they're a publicly traded company, will likely mention it in their quarterly report.
As far as shipped vs sold, I'm not getting into that discussion again...
Cynics @ Dec 7th 2006 10:05PM
#18 Josh
It really is surprising that Gears outsold FFXII. The installed console base of the PS2 is very large compared to the smaller 360 base. So it would only be natural that any high level PS2 game would sell into the millions. This just shows how rabid (deep pockets) 360 owners are for AAA titles.
Saint Jouten @ Dec 7th 2006 10:19PM
Yeah,
Maybe Chrono Trigger will make a come back on the 360 and then the world we be all good again...
Eagle @ Dec 7th 2006 10:45PM
Actually, FFXII DID beat the pants off of GOW. It released on October 31st, and sold 1.5 Million on day one. So, that brings the total to 2.4 million versus GOW's 1 million. Common mistake, I know, but don't make false claims before you do your research.
Good day.
Inspired @ Dec 8th 2006 8:17AM
A fun fact:
Despite the fact that PS2's sold over 3 times as many PS3's, the PS3 generated millions more in revenue.
Selling one PS3 (20gb) generates revenue equal to nearly 4 PS2's sold, and selling one PS3 (60gb) generates revenue equal to nearly 5 PS2's sold.
Difference?
PS2=Profit
PS3=Loss
Another interesting tidbit:
Xbox 360 install base < 10 Million --> more than 10% of this population bought Gears of War
Playstation 2 install base > 100 million --> less than 1% of this population bought FFXII
dsub @ Dec 7th 2006 11:02PM
petec-
I agree. I found this rather shocking. I work at EB, and to be honest with you, FFXII's opening day sales were huge with all the pre-orders, but after it's first week of release, I have yet to sell a copy of the game. I still continue to sell Gears of War like mad though. 360 sales are really starting to pick up as well. Now that people have finally realized that the Wii/PS3 are tough to find and the initial shock of the launches has passed, I seem to be selling more and more 360's everyday.
Probot @ Dec 7th 2006 11:00PM
nick,
In my hasty search, the most recent article I could find is from 2004, and they state NPD gets 65% of retailer info.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PJQ/is_19_2/ai_n6227089
NPD is by far the most accurate thing we have in North America; that's why game sites use them.
As far as shipped and sold numbers, I've said before, they are essentially the same thing and should be seen as such.
I find this report, and the year-end expectations, funny considering so many analysts were expecting this transition to be a grim year. Hopefully people will finally realize that analysts aren't worth listening to.
glitched @ Dec 7th 2006 11:01PM
plus, nearly 900k bought 12 last month, i wouldnt be surprised that there were at least 100k taht pirated the game... I think we are looking at the results of an easily modified console...
more sales comparisons and info at www.vgcharts.com
bobsmith @ Dec 7th 2006 11:19PM
@Eagle
At least according to the following two articles, the NPD reporting period for October was October 1 – October 28, and FFXII falls outside that period. Therefore the November results include the FFXII launch day, and it was second to GOW for the month. I believe the 1.5 million number you referenced was the amount shipped to retailers for launch, not the actual number sold.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11555
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4173&Itemid=2
Spartacus @ Dec 7th 2006 11:27PM
Jeff,
I may be a little off, but nearly as confused as you think.
1. NPD reports are pretty acurate, I won't argue there. However they ARE estimates.
2. I am well aware that all numbers would be affected if the reports were off. I simply named the "low" numbers of the 360 due to all the hooplah about whether or not MS would be selling 700k units. I did not claim ONLY the 360 sales numbers seemed low.
3. Sony as well as MS and most other companies don't use NPD reports for their own sales numbers. I don't think they need an outside source using estimated information to tell them how many units they sold. I'm prety sure they have their own people keeping books on that sort of thing.
The whole point about shipped vs. sold I mentioned only because MS keeps ringing the 10 million bell and they recently stated they now think they'll surpass that mark by year's end. Obviously they aren't going by the "Bible truth" of the NPD reports, so they must be looking at their own (more accurate) figures. Either that or they can't add...
Spartacus @ Dec 7th 2006 11:31PM
Lol. Should read:
"I may be off, but NOT nearly as confused as you think."
That should make a little more sense now...
livefromphiladelphia @ Dec 8th 2006 12:59AM
Hmm...maybe with these strong GBA and DS sales, we can get Square to port over Crono Trigger to GBA so owners of both could play it.
Or better yet, give the game the FF3 treatment...
Brandon Rogers @ Dec 9th 2006 6:45PM
Interesting. No im not surprised FF12 was outsold THIS month than gears of war. These #'s are for America only as well. I did however find it interesting ps2 and gba outsold xbox 360 by over 150 thousand units... each..... The console war is obviously not over by this data. I wonder how well ps3 would be selling if they always had stock in stores. Sony aint out of the game...yet... DS however is owning everyttthhhiiinggg
Minimoni @ Dec 8th 2006 1:21AM
Or maybe Nintendo can finally release the Mother 1+2 cart.
SuicideNinja @ Dec 8th 2006 1:42AM
Not that the PSP is worth mentioning, but it should be on there anyway, to be complete. I want to see how many PSP's will sell once FF7:CC comes out. I know I'll definitely use my PSP for that.
One thing to keep in mind is the prices. The DS is dirt-cheap for gaming. I'm sure they have to sell 2 DS's to match the profit of one PSP (or 1.5 or something like that) since Sony's price is sky high still.
On the other hand, it still roughly means there is twice as many new DS owners as PSP owners.
As for the PS3 and the Wii...they won't factor appropriately until they are off "short supply".
Falsoman @ Dec 8th 2006 1:28AM
@ Jeff
I Supose those 100k+ PS3s and Wiis that the NPD doesn't show are in part those stores that do not participate with the NPD but also the America sales, not USA sales alone. Remember that, at least whith nintendo, they said The Americas in their press release, so that has to count Canada, Mexico and the rest of the continent too.
Gavin @ Dec 8th 2006 3:12AM
Wow, look at poor Sony. Selling the most total home consoles than anyone else. It must really suck being them. I mean, they are losing right? Because they are so totally terrible and awful and all that junk? That is why they are selling more total home consoles than their competitors, right?
Big beN @ Dec 8th 2006 4:19AM
Guys !!! easy on the PSP... Afterall it's quite good DVD player... Sorry UMD (=&ù&*?/??) player...
Coolio McAwesome @ Dec 8th 2006 4:58AM
Given the PS3's sales attach rate, it's safe to say that Twilight Princess has sold considerably more than every PS3 combined. That's pretty impressive.
JRM @ Dec 8th 2006 5:43AM
I can't believe the article didn't even mention the PSP. It just gets no love anymore. LOL!
Anonymouse Rep @ Dec 8th 2006 8:38AM
Now, of course, let's look at the figures that make (or break) companies - sales.
DS - 918K @ $129 each - $118 million gross
PS2 - 664K @$129 each - $85.6 million gross
GBA - 661K @ $79 each - $52 million gross
360 - 511K @ $374 each - $191 million gross
Wii - 476K @ $249 each - $118.5 million gross
PSP - 412K @ $199 each - $82 million gross
PS3 - 197K @ $574 each - $113 million gross
In sheer numbers of sales, it's Nintendo, Sony, and then Microsoft. In terms of the individual console sales, though, it's Microsoft, Nintendo, and then Sony. The question becomes how much is the profit or loss for each total console sold.
The PS2 has to be making some profit - maybe as much as $30 per console. We know the Wii is pulling down close to that, if not more, and the 360 is making more than that on a per console basis now as well. What about the PSP? And obviously the PS3 is losing $240 per console - so half the gross PS2 sales ($47 million) went to cover the PS3 loss. And they're going to stay in business how?
Oh - and this also reflects the comments from earlier in the year, how the PS2 had the potential to be the big killer for the PS3 - and lets face it, it's still easier to spend $129 on your kids than it is $399, at least for most families. (And we won't go there on the $599 issue, especially since no one really cares about the PS3 in the retail stores this year, based on what I've seen so far. Wii - oh, yeah...)
Alecks @ Dec 8th 2006 8:39AM
Lol. I can't believe the ps2 is still selling and the fact that it sold like fuckin' hot cakes. but I figured it out, My Boss and his co-workers were like " Lol why buy a ps3, I'll wait for the ps4 to buy the ps3" HAR good luck being alive ten years later. So people can't afford a ps3 so they getchas the ps2. especially the xbox and gamecube people probably got a ps2 for that shit to sell so good. It'll cover half the Expenses used on the ps3, so it won't be so rough for sony. :) And as far as PSP's Go. PSP Has the Fan Base of Grand Theft- sudo- Final Fantasy 7 - guitaroo man- Rez- and now Metal Gear. and don't take me wrong, I love DS, I play my friends castlevania, final Fantsay 3, and the brain games. Genius.
Rob @ Dec 8th 2006 9:25AM
If Gears of War retails for $59.99 (and there's some stores selling it for less), then how do 1 million copies sold generate $61.5 million? Does NPD collect European and Japanese sales stats also?
The Hoss @ Dec 8th 2006 9:38AM
@ Rob
You forget that there is a collectors edition selling for 69.99
TheOptimist @ Dec 8th 2006 9:45AM
Some interesting facts here.
The PS2 still rocks big time. Inspite of all the hype and hoopla around Gears being the killer app for 360 (it definitely is the best game for the console undoubtedly), its not moving more 360s than the PS2. The PSP's numbers are surpsingly good considering how much it gets bashed around (Joystiq anyone?).
Sony obviously needs to put out more of the PS3's on the market to make a statement. But all in all, given all the PR fiascos, Sony is sitting pretty.
@Anonymous Rep
Bad logic. Any console maker will usually have a year of solid losses until the console gains critical mass (Nintendo being the exception since they don't spend much on their consoles and keep recycling the same old hardware and same old Marios and Zeldas and fanboys keep buying em). MS is STILL losing money on the console market after being in it for 6 years. They expect to make money only next year. Sony doesnt expect to make profits from Ps3 until FY2008. So they are prepared for this.
Derbeste @ Dec 8th 2006 10:12AM
Inspired:
Check your math.
PS2 = 100 million units WORLD WIDE. (see those words in caps?)
the NPD report is for NORTH AMERICA (again....see those numbers in caps?)
Once you factor in launch day for FF12 (Oct 31...you know....NOT November) and add the number of JP PS2 owners that have bought FF12 in the past FOUR MONTHS (wow...caps are handy), MUCH MUCH MUCH more than 1% of the PS2 base bought FF12.
Nice try though.
James @ Dec 8th 2006 10:16AM
Wow, that is a LOT of DS sales. Given that this seems to be a strong system sold each year, greater and greater people will probably want to put games on it now. Further, we may even see a major price drop for DS soon. By doing so, sales will increase, more support will be given, and many good and highly rated games will come out. Great work Nintendo.
XBox 360 did pretty well, too. And nearly $62 million in sales for one game is astounding. Very nice work.
And you, Sony? You did... *looks at figures* ... umm, nevermind. Just try to improve production. That's all.
Personally, there are a few games I'd like to see on the DS, but there is no chance that Monster Hunter 2 will get on it. I wonder if there is a place we can see which games are currently in development for each system. (And don't say IGN. Their site needs a lot of work.)
urbanstorm @ Dec 8th 2006 10:18AM
Gears of war has NOT out sold final fantasy ! ONLY for this month has there numbers grew past final fantasy.
Final fantasy XII WAS at 1.5 million units shipped (the same as sold for them)
Gears of war WAS at 1 million uints shipped
Total world wide sales for final fantasy XII so far 4 MILLION UINTS
Funny thing I have both CE copys for gears and FF12
Alex K. @ Dec 8th 2006 10:49AM
I still don't understand why Nintendo thinks that GBA has only one more good holiday to go! It's selling about as much as the PS2.
Probably the best 2D system ever, I think.
bobsmith @ Dec 8th 2006 10:58AM
@urbanstorm and Derbeste
You are both incorrect. Read the articles I posted in #27 above. FFXII launch day was NOT included in October NPD reporting period, and WAS included in the November period. GOW has outsold FFXII in the US.