Games industry analysts have weighed in with US sales predictions for the month of January ahead of the NPD Group's release of official market data this Thursday.
Both Wedbush's Michael Pachter and EEDAR expect Xbox 360 to top the monthly rankings with 380,000 units sold.
DS is forecast to be 360's closest rival with up to 360,000 units sold, followed by Wii and PS3.
Wedbush / EEDAR January sales estimates (change year-on-year):
360 - 380,000 (14%) / 380,000 (14%)
DS - 350,000 (-17%) / 360,000 (-15%)
Wii - 320,000 (-31%) / 340,000 (-27%)
PS3 - 240,000 (-13%) / 250,000 (-10%)
PSP - 80,000 (-20%) / 85,000 (-15%)
PS2 - 50,000 (23%) / NA
Total - 1, 420,000 (-13%) / 1, 415,000 (-14%)
Pachter said: "With the exception of Xbox 360, we expect hardware sales over the next few months to decline as we continue to lap the price cuts from 2009.
"In 2009, the PS3 Slim was introduced in August at $299, cutting the price from the old PS3 at $399; the Xbox 360 Elite price was cut in August to $299 from $399; and the Wii price was cut in September to $199 from $249. Without further price cuts, we expect hardware sales to be down in 2011."
Comments
10 comments so far...
PandyBear on 14 Feb '11 said:
Miss leading title much? Like i give 2 s**ts to the wind what a analyst says. Especially the obligatory BS spouted from Pachter
chronicwombat on 14 Feb '11 said:
"Pachter said: "With the exception of Xbox 360, we expect hardware sales over the next few months to decline as we continue to lap the price cuts from 2009."
really? 3ds sales to decline eh
aw ive missed pachter
ps. be careful s**ttin in the wind there pands
STE MO on 14 Feb '11 said:
This news to me is like an article with Katie(slut) Price on. Full of glitz and glamour but scratch the surface and there really isn't much there to concern me.
Very_Silver_Ownz on 14 Feb '11 said:
'' PS2 - 50,000 (23%) / NA''
O_O people still buying PS2s ? wow thats impressive.
starsail on 14 Feb '11 said:
Americans are all about the image, thanks to them papp like iPhone outsell their superior rivals.
Now with the release of Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and the upcoming Killzone, you'd imagine that would increase sales in some respect of the PS3 however all the bedroom confined American 13yos wouldn't be able to compete in 18 rated online Call of Duty matches via Xbox Live if they risked purchasing a PS3. This is because their friends don't own a PS3 and need to make the most of their parents credit card funded Live service.
If choosing to buy an Xbox to avoid playing games such as D Souls, Resistance, LBP, Killzone, Wipeout, Motorstorm, Yakzua, 3D Dot Heroes, Ratchet and Clank, Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Infamous, Metal Gear, Warhawk etc etc is down to some sort of "buy american" patriotism then I really don't know what to say as a gamer. If there's any bias against the PS3 then its the American consumer and their "we are the world attitudes" (not all of them) and Bill Gates is laughing all the way to his offshore accounts.
I predict PS3 will still fall behind further in the US this year, but hey, there Gears of War 3 on the way, with a poor story, generic levels, hard marines who offer little emotion, generic level design, big set pieces, superb graphics, tight control, superb online, all exactly like Killzone 3, but with scores of 95% on Metacritic! That alone should keep Xbox 360 and Live subscribers on the increase in the US. In the meantime, PS3 will pass on by with a lesser release schedule of Killzone 3, Heroes on the Move, SOCOM, Resistance 3, R&C All 4 One, Last Guardian, Infamous 2, Yakuza 4, Uncharted 3, RIP true gaming America. I'm sue there will be defenders of the sales with Live having "cross game chat" and all.
Moorpheus on 14 Feb '11 said:
Starsail: Umad bro?
In all seriousness - who cares?! If there wasn't competition in the market then you'd have a worse gaming life.
I don't get why people care so much about who buys what outside of their friendship 'circle'! I couldn't give a hoot if Joe Bloggs who I've never met buys a PS3 - if he wants to play GT5 then he can go nuts!
In the same way I wouldn't expect anyone to get mad cos I have a 360.
I seriously don't get all this fanboy BS!
chronicwombat on 14 Feb '11 said:
dont wanna sound like a fanboy cause please believe me that im not, but it does sound as if you've played gow3. if u have then i want in on the secret! maybe u should get a review out before everyone else cause it seems like you know everything about the game. or maybe you're commenting on gears 2? well in that case i thought the story did actually have some emotional moments (or at least 1), and also remember that if the levels are generic (which u put twice) then its because other games have copied it since. gears' level design was pretty different - one of the reasons that it was so highly lauded.
Fr33Kye on 15 Feb '11 said:
What game copied gears of war?
I like reading about sales because it gives me an idea of what popular opinion is, although they are losing their relevance. With the addition of kinect there are lots of gamers who buy the 360 for kinect, not for the games. Still a bit disheartening to see sony behind, they've put together a pretty great lineup.
Barca Azul on 15 Feb '11 said:
Interesting, and news in the world outside North America................
ricflair on 15 Feb '11 said:
He always posts rambling lists. Although having a go at Gears for being macho, while bigging up KZ3 is a little rich. Plus last year was probably about even money on the exclusives front, but I'm not buying a single 360 exclusive until Gears (then again I'm not buying a PS3 one, besides Ico/SotC, until I can get KZ3 for about £25).
Sony are still paying the price for taking about two years to get their s**t together and get their console close to a reasonable price. Most people I know who get a console now still opt for a 360, purely because more people have them and to be honest, they're not aware of the great Sony exclusives, apart from hearing Stephen Fry on LBP ads, so when you can get a 360 for £150, it's a no brainer for them.
Different story in non English speaking countries though.