Japanese hardware sales, August 1 - August 8: The end of video games edition

@Gmail Calendar Rep

You could not be more wrong. There's so many things wrong with what you said, but I'll just address the main one. Nintendo DO NOT directly compete with casual games on tablets and phones.

Slow 3DS sales is due to lack of games and high price. Learn things, then return to me. I have my troll-shield ready at all times.

As a side note, leave Sony out of this.

@Gmail Calendar Rep The iPhone/Android phones don't directly compete for DS/PSP/Vita users.

@Gmail Calendar Rep 3DS sales went down because they announced a price cut right around the corner, and Rovio already stated that angry birds is coming to the e-shop. The 3DS will be successful because of nintendo franchise's that still sell very well, with some high profile 3rd party games that you can't experience on a phone or tablet.

@Apsac D
Sounds like you have your head buried as deep in the sand as Iwata, if the old gaurd refuse to evolve or step aside they will be kicked and stomped into the curb. I speak from pure logic your cries of troll are misguided and a little sad, times are changing whether you like it or not the handheld market Nintendo made back around 87 is becoming a niche, it's survival of the fittest nothing is truly forever all empires fall

@samdu
Then explain why spiraling sales of those systems is in direct contrast of iOS devices and everything else like it! The modern day smartphone is the one pocket device future

@Dracula is still a threat You have fun playing.. uh.. Angry Birds while I play some Uncharted: Golden Abyss or Ocarina of Time.

@Gmail Calendar Rep In case you didn't notice, the PSP sold more units than any other piece of hardware..... so you couldn't be more off base.

@Dcmac
Sorry played Zelda years ago and I think I'll wait till the Uncharted NGP collection for PS3

@gordeaux
Yet it doesn't sell in the USA and is considered a massive failure by devs and even Sony themselves in the West despite their best efforts. Do you think that it is suddenly going to change because PSP2 does XYZ better?

@Dickhole Pasta
The smartphone/tablet is still growing and games for them are improving much like how every segment of gaming started.
What happens when nearly everyone has a smartphone that is more than capable of playing games and just about anything less they can think of? What's the point of being a DS or PSP along for the ride? They only have franchises you belove and obsess over because you grew up with them as a kid, I've seen plenty of kids wearing Angry Birds shirts and playing that game, it might seem awful to a lot of us but it's going to be a generation's Super Mario Bros.

@Dickhole Pasta

You are quite possible the most bad ass poster on this site! God!!!! that was great:) Anywho I agree with you. I hate gaming on my phone...

@(Unverified)
Get used to it drone

@Dracula is still a threat
What 'spiraling sales' of handheld game systems would those be? The massive fall in 3DS sales is because there's an almost equally massive price drop next week, which isn't exactly a secret. Who'd buy one the week before that? Especially when the system still has only one really great game. It'll have a massive rise in sales next week... and no that won't indicate that iOS/Android games are doomed after all.

Of course, your thesis could be proven by the bad sales of other handheld game systems that aren't affected by an upcoming price drop. Obviously that would lend some credence to your - WAIT - that's my phone - it's a call from the original post that you obviously didn't read. PSP is what you say? Number one on the chart? Nearly double the sales of the top home console, is that? Oh.

Agree handheld consoles are heading slowly toward irrelevance, but emphasis on 'slowly'. They might not even see drops; just expansion of sales on other platforms. As long as people still want to play decent games (ie not Fruit Ninja or Angry Birds - something more substantial), and as long as phone games remain impossible to sell at prices comparable with 3DS/PSV games, the handheld-game system niche is likely to remain.

I do question whether Nintendo and Sony will have another handheld game system in five years time (because yes in strict hardware terms it's entirely pointless and maybe they can solve the game price marketing issues). But that's not now. Now, if you want to play Angry Birds, yes you don't need a 3DS or Vita. If you want to play the next Resident Evil or Uncharted, you do. Your call.

@Apsac D I would say the tremendous drop in 3DS sales is because people knew the price drop was coming.

@jiveabillion
So basically buying an Apple product?

@The Aquacharger classic

@kidable PSP Go! It Went!

@jsowers
PSP sold about what it normally does, 3DS dropped like a rock till after the price drop takes effect.

everything else is about average for a week with little in terms of game releases of major note.

@danielflugt
There are actually a LOT of reasons why Microsoft isn't doing well in Japan (and in the East Asian markets).

PS3 sells well in Japan because Microsoft's entire marketing strategy for the Japanese market has generally sucked. If you haven't noticed, you should find one of those Xbox commercials where their spokesman/mascot is a guy who is wearing a giant X-button on his head.

The second reason is that Microsoft doesn't really have a video game studio of its own that is based in Japan that could be directly attuned to the gaming preferences of the Japanese (and by extension, the larger East Asian) audience. This whole BS about supporting developers but giving the middle finger to its first party developers is an extension of Microsoft's internal developer woes.

The third reason involves its RROD fiasco. East Asian cultures are very vindictive about being burned by defective products. I mean, when your expensive video game console breaks down on you and you don't really have that many games on the console that interest you, then you're much more willing to just cut your losses right then and there. You have to remember that what works in the US and EU markets doesn't mean that it will work in the Japanese and Asian markets. Even with piracy as a measuring tool of a system's popularity, you will find that the 360's popularity is really only supported by native English-speakers (in the Asian markets in particular).

The fourth reason is partly based on infrastructure. XBL really only makes sense if you have decent broadband connection. For Japan and several developed East Asian nations, broadband penetration is not an issue. For developing nations, however, it is a big problem.

The fifth reason is due to the aesthetics of the 360's design.
http://gametheoryonline.com/2011/06/28/xbox-japan-microsoft-console-games/

This will be of great interest to you:
http://bitmob.com/articles/japanese-gaming-and-marketing-an-interview

@mahouneko Ah, I see. Truth be told, I've never really thought much about the Eastern markets. It's odd though, I know a lot of people who are boycotting Sony after the data hacking while being somewhat overbearing with the RROD controversy.

And I don't really understand your argument about the aesthetics. The article you linked to mainly mentioned size. The original PS3 wasn't exactly small either and its curved back made it impossible to stack with other devices.

@mahouneko

You forgot the underlying main reason xonephobia.

Also, no more JRPGs being released on the 360, like, at all. All JRPGs are now being released on PS3, from good ones to bad ones, from popular ones to never heard of ones.

@Darki Dreamside

Xonephobia does not exist

@danielflugt
It's not just a matter of size. It is a matter being able to squirrel away your electronics in the entertainment closet in the living room without it sticking out like a sore thumb.

Granted, both the Wii and the 360 were white when they launched but the Wii was able to get away with it because you could position it wherever you want in your living room system without it sticking out like an Eye of Sauron.

The 360, however, you're going to need to find not just some space in your living room system but also a place to hide the power BRICK. The Wii and PS3 supports internal power supply units while the 360 relies on a BRICK. Yeah, totally not happening.

You guys just wait. next week the go sells one unit and increases sales to infinity and BEYOND!

Also, even though its not done in the right order, anyone else notice that the ps2 outsold the 360? Clearly a resurgence.

All the slow sales are a clear indication of the slow summer months. No shock there. Even less of one with the 3ds as the price cut is coming. When does that take place btw?

Nice to see the PSP get to top ranks, for all the people that called it a failure. Japan loves to be contridictory.

@Cere8
Brb goin to japan to buy a psp go

@Cavall Meh PSP still failed in my eyes

@The Only Girl The fact that they're still making new games for the PS2 is even more unbelievable.

@Once known as Shadsy I guess Sony's not very good at keeping its spokespeople in the loop. http://kotaku.com/5793843/its-official-the-pspgo-is-dead

@Faceless Troll
Not even the fictional ones it seems. This ruins all respect I had of Sony. Every company knows to keep their fake representatives up-to-date.

@DarkSonata

Keep in mind that these figures aren't for the last week, but the one before that.

@neoand12
The PSP GO is being let go. Not the whole console series in itself.