Sales Chart JPN: Seaman evolves to number one, just by a nose.

Week 15 October - 21 October 2007

Yet another PS2 game topped the chart this week. Sega's Seaman 2 sold 32,798, just a nose in front of yet another non-game game on the DS, DS Bungaku Zenshuu (32,438), a collection of Japanese literature readable on the dual screen. Why is non-game game so popular on the DS? I have no idea. Goku is still hanging onto top 3. While the detective mystery DS Kyotaro Nishimura Suspense New Detective Series: Kyoto, Atami, Zekkai no Kotou Satsui no Wana still going well in 4th.

Surprise comes at 7th with Beautiful Katamari on Xbox 360. Why it was released on the Xbox 360 only when the last ones were on the PS2, I have no clue either. But 18,935 for an Xbox game in Japan is not bad.

It has been a while since a Wii title is in the top 10, and this week, the best one is Wii Sports at number 12. Has the Japanese finally released the lack of games on the Wii?

Best selling games for each platform (that is on the chart) this week

PS2 - Seaman 2
DS - DS Bungaku Zenshuu
PSP - Gundam Battle Chronicle
XB360 - Beautiful Katamari
Wii - Wii Sports
PS3 - Lair

Number of titles in the top 50 for each platform this week:

DS - 27
PS2 - 8
Wii - 5
PSP - 5
PS3 - 4
360 - 1

Console War VII: Battle for Nippon

DS is still leading the charge, but no where near as dominant as it once was. It dropped this week while the PSP stayed around the same. The situation is the same with the Wii and PS3, the gap is closing.

Nintendo better release some good games soon. Otherwise, the Japanese might finally get over the "wow" factor, like so many things (read: idols) before it.

DSL - 70,608
PSP - 58,669
Wii - 24,932
PS3 - 17,130
PS2 - 10,281
Xbox360 - 3,011

Market share this week

DSL vs PSP
54.62% vs 45.38%

Wii vs PS3 vs XBox 360
55.31% vs 22.81% vs 6.68%

Source: Media Create

Nintendo continues to print money.... many many many of them

Nintendo upgraded their full financial year operating profit forecast for the year to March to 420 billion yen. The first half year profit is 188.8 billion yen. For those who don't understand yen, that's lots and lots of money.

Nintendo has also upgraded their Wii forecast from 16.5 to 17.5 million units, and globe sales of software to 97 million units. Its stock rose to 66,400 yen (AUD$644 a share). It revised its annual net profit forecast to 275 billion yen, 58% higher than last year.

Looks like the Wii and the DS is still taking over the world.

Source: Reuters

Care to play Gameboy games on the DS?

Next-Gen has reported, among other things, that Nintendo is rumoured to be offering a Virtual Console style service for the DS. It's likely that it will be used for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. So it acts as the handheld equivalent to the Wii's VC service. Details are still sketchy at the moment.

Are you game enough to play the original Tetris on the GB? Me don't think so, but there can be some old-skool games. I'd like to see Terminator 2 from the GB era. That game is gold. Will we finally be able to play Game Gear games? That would be most interesting.

Source: Next-Gen

Super Dodgeball Brawlers coming to the West

Remember back in the days of NES/SNES, when you play a game called dodgeball? Nah, you probably don't, but I do. Dodgeball on the NES was fun. The chibi figures getting hit by the ball and flew off the field would be at least as hilarious as seeing Jack Thompson on TV linking that game to the higher level of street brawls.

Anyway, publisher Aksys Games has signed on to bring Arc System Work's Super Dodgeball Brawlers to the US on the DS. Fun times ahead. You basically need to throw your opponents out of the ring by hitting them with your ball, but with Super Dodgeball Brawlers, it would be throwing anything but the ball to get rid of your opponent. There will be CQC (close quarter combat), there will be weapons, there will be blood.

Can't wait for JT to condemn the game. Bring it on.

Source: Shacknews

What do you mean it's not to cut cost?

By now, you should know that the new 'downgraded' 40GB PS3 does not have backwards compatibility. And if you don't, well, I'm telling you now. You cannot play PS2 games on the the new 40GB PS3.

Jack Tretton, the SCEA boss, has implied that the main reason for removing BC is not because to cut cost on the black brick, but to "encourage buyers of the entry-level PlayStation 3 to purchase more games designed specifically for the new system."

In other words, "you can't be fucked buying a PS3 game? We can't be fucked letting you play your PS2 games". Removing BC is, IMO, is stupid move by Sony. Here's a couple of quick reasons:

One, in some region of the world, the PS2 is still outselling its younger brother. And the PS3 has been out for almost a year now. How embarrassing is that? It's like seeing a truckload of people buying an Xbox over the Xbox 360 or getting a GBA instead of a DS.

Two, Game studios are still developing games for the PS2 system, some weeks we still see a PS2 game top the Japanese chart. Clearly, gamers are still hanging onto their PS2.

Three, PS3 has shitall. Almost no good game, and none of the 'good' games are a 'must have'. GT5 is still a way off, and MGS4 is next year (maybe) and FFXII is God-knows-when. There is absolutely no games on the PS3 now that gamers would want. A friend who bought a PS3 now complains about no games on it. He hasn't touched the brick for over two months!

Sony, if you actually release some good games on the system that people actually want to play, maybe they won't need to play PS2 games anymore, and by extension, don't need BC. But no, you have jack shit, and now you're removing (almost) the only reason to buy a PS3. And don't get me started with Blu-ray. Not everyone buy a PS3 for Blu-ray. I can't even remember when was the last time I put a DVD into my PS2.

Source: Kotaku

Sales Chart JPN: Detective found out how to get to ichiban.

Week 8 October - 14 October 2007

After a couple of weeks away from the top, DS has regain the top spot. If you are not a follower of Japanese literature, you won't know why this week's number one is a detective suspense game based on works by Nishimura Kyotaru. He is apparently, a famous writer in Japan.

But I've got a question, what is with Japanese and a bloody long name? The full name of this week's number one is *big breath* DS Kyotaro Nishimura Suspense New Detective Series: Kyoto, Atami, Zekkai no Kotou Satsui no Wana *phew*. 33 Japanese characters. God, that was long. A detective story that uses your brain. I bet you haven't been using that rusty brain of yours besides the occasional brain age, right?

Anyway, it sold 60,707 copies, beating Goku down to number 2 with 47,085. This week only 3 new games, one is the DS Kyotaru Nishi... blah blah blah, and the other one is Arcana Heart on PS2 (22,891) looks like a chick fighting game (but not the Dead of Alive kind of chick), and Lair on PS3 (21,813). The rest is the old stuff. Pokemon is still there, and so is Gundam. Master Chief is still hanging on at 48.

Best selling games for each platform (that is on the chart) this week

DS - DS Kyotaro Nishimura Suspense New Detective Series: Kyoto, Atami, Zekkai no Kotou Satsui no Wana
PS2 - Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor
PSP - Gundam Battle Chronicle
Wii - Mario Party 8
PS3 - Lair
XB360 - Project Gotham 4

Number of titles in the top 50 for each platform this week:

DS - 27
PS2 - 8
Wii - 6
PSP - 5
PS3 - 2
360 - 2

Console War VII: Battle for Nippon

Is PSP faze over? By the look of it this week, yes. DSL fell, but not as much as the PSP fall. It's not dropping back to the 'pre-slim' 30-40K range for the PSP, maybe the slim PSP is doing something right for once. Wii is about the same, while the PS3 rose just a little bit. Xbox sold more hardware this week with PG4, than the week with Halo 3. Go figure.

DSL - 78,746
PSP - 59,584
Wii - 20,575
PS3 - 12,365
PS2 - 10,181
Xbox360 - 6,161

Market share this week

DSL vs PSP
56.93% vs 43.07%

Wii vs PS3 vs XBox 360
52.62% vs 31.62% vs 15.76%

Source: Media Create

Sales Chart US: Master Chief ran away... with US$1b

September Sales Figure

It's no secret that Master Chief is going to dominate the sales chart this month. Halo 3, an Xbox 360 exclusive title, has helped the US game industry to break the US$1 billion mark, to $1.3 billion.

Master Chief sold 3.3 million copies in September. The next best game is Wii Play, which sold a measly 282,000, which is just 3 million copies behind the first guy. The long waited Zelda didn't fare too bad, but Meriod Prime 3 managed less than 200K, a bit disappointed by Nintendo standard.

The best Sony game is still on the PS2, with Madden NFL 08. With Sony pulling the plug on backward compatibility in the new 40GB PS3, Sony would have no games worth buying anymore. Won't be surprised if next month's sales chart is dominated by Nintendo and Microsoft. Oh, sorry, they already are.

Top 10 games in US for September

1. Halo 3 - Xbox 360 (Microsoft) - 3.3 million
2. Wii Play - Wii (Nintendo) - 282,000
3. Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - DS (Nintendo) - 224,000
4. Madden NFL 08 - PS2 (EA) - 205,000
5. Skate - Xbox 360 (EA) - 175,000
6. Madden NFL 08 - Xbox 360 (EA) - 173,000
7. Metroid Prime 3 - Wii (Nintendo) - 167,000
8. BioShock - Xbox 360 (Take 2) - 150,000
9. Brain Age 2 - DS (Nintendo) - 141,000
10. Heavenly Sword - PS3 (Sony) - 139,000

Console War VII: Battle for America

With Master Chief taking charge, it's easy to see why the Xbox 360 took the lead in September. Followed closely by the Nintendo hardwares. The top 3 consoles sold close to or over half a million units each. The bottom 3 are all Sony (who else?). To their credit, PSP increased sales due to the PSP slim, but PS3 fell. PS2 is still selling in shitload. Almost a year on, and PS2 is still selling, hate to say this, Sony, but your black brick sucks.

Next month, it's likely Wii will take back the lead, or are they? Can Master Chief hold out another month and lead Xbox to the promised land?

Xbox 360 - 527,800
Wii - 501,000
Nintendo DS - 495,800
PlayStation Portable - 284,500
PlayStation 2 - 215,000
PlayStation 3 - 119,400

Market share for the month

DS vs PSP
63.54% vs 36.46%

Wii vs XB vs PS3
43.63% vs 45.97% vs 10.40%

Source: Gamasutra

Dead Fantasy or Final Alive?

This has to be one of the best fighting video I've seen made by fans. Made by Monty Oum, it's absolutely awesome. Mixed with characters from Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive, everything is perfect, the action, the camera angles, the music. I love it. I want more... now!

So the 40GB is out in Australia

So Sony has tried the 60GB model in Australia (and 20GB and 80GB elsewhere), all of which didn't move a significant amount of the black brick (relatively speaking). Now, it's trying to move some with the 40GB model. The price is reduced from AUD$999 to AUD$699, and is already in store right now.

But before you go out and start to ransack the store shelves for the cheaper PS3, just wait till you read the 'new' specs. It's what I would call a 20GB 'upgrade'. It has 2 ports, instead of the current 4. It does not have memory card slot, and the biggest different of all (besides the obvious storage capacity) is that under the hood, you cannot play PS2 games anymore.

That's right, the new 40GB won't play PS2 games anymore. So in the current climate where there is jack shit on the PS3 in terms of games, what am I suppose to play if I can't play my PS2 games on the shiny black brick (I believe you can still play PSX games)?

GT5, MGS4 and FFXIII are not coming fast enough, but hey, at least you might still be able to play GT2, MGS and FFVII.



Meanwhile, the Japanese are getting colourful. No longer is console a one-colour only affair anymore (I suspect it has something to do with the DSL). Ceramic White is the new colour. PS3 is getting one step closer to becoming a Wii.

As if that's not enough, Sony is introducing Dynasty Warrior bundle, which includes a white 40GB PS3, Dynasty Warriors 6 and a whole bunch of nifty Dynasty Warriors stuff like character art folders and dog tag-looking things. The whole package will cost ¥49980 (USD$426)

New Final Fantasy with a twist

New Final Fantasy game has been announced at the Nintendo's Fall Conference. It's called Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: The Small King and the Promised Country. A long mouthful. It's for the Wii as a Wii Ware exclusive, so download only game. Not much details is known, but Kotaku says that the player builds and governs their own land. Sound like a interesting concept, maybe Square Enix has finally released that there are games other than killing monsters and former friends and saving the bloody princess / kingdom for the nth time.

Check out the graphics at Kotaku as well, it looks kind of cool.

Source: Kotaku

Sales Chart JPN: DS is back on top, only just.

Week 1 October - 7 October 2007

Is it just me, or are the Japanese still not getting sick and tired of Dragonball? The anime went on for 10 years, the manga spanned more than 30 volumes, and then there are endless trading cards, figurines, plushies, etc. And don't get me started with games.

I'm not saying I don't like Dragonball, but come one. It's still number one in Japan? I just don't know anymore. Anyway, yes, Dragonball is still number one in Japan, apparently. And it's still on the PS2. Named Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor, it sold 203,828. You know you're in trouble when the best game of the week is sold on your previous gen gaming console when your latest one has been out for almost a year.

Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor on the Wii sold a modest 39,708 to take on 4th place. Gundam Battle Chronicle on PSP (86,208) and Archaic Sealed Heat on DS (49,678) filled up 2nd and 3rd.

Konami's next soccer game, Jikkyou Powerful Major League 2 (34,577), is 5th. Overall, new games filled the top 5 spots.

BTW, if you see Halo 3, please say hi to Master Chief for me. He dropped from 1st to 36th. Not unexpected, but still... Ouch.

Best selling games for each platform (that is on the chart) this week

PS2 - Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor
PSP - Gundam Battle Chronicle
DS - Archaic Sealed Heat
Wii - Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor
PS3 - The Elder Scrolls IV
XB360 - Halo 3

Number of titles in the top 50 for each platform this week:

DS - 23
PSP - 10
Wii - 7
PS2 - 6
PS3 - 3
XB360 - 1

Console War VII: Battle for Nippon

It's only back a couple of months ago that you see Wii selling over 40,000 a week. How a couple of months has changed the landscape. Wii only sold just above 20,000 this week. PS3 did half that number.

Things seemed to have died down a bit between DS and PSP, each sold roughly the same, with DS just edging out PSP by less than 1,000 unit. Xbox 360 is back to its normal weekly numbers. It is interesting times indeed. Wonder what next week will hold.

DSL - 87,445
PSP - 86,895
Wii - 20,704
PS3 - 10,822
PS2 - 10,446
Xbox360 - 1,547

Market share this week

DSL vs PSP
50.16% vs 49.84%

Wii vs PS3 vs XBox 360
62.60% vs 32.72% vs 4.68%

Source: Media Create

Is that a DS that I see in a Japanese store?

Since the DS came on sale in Japan, there has virtually not one day that has gone by with a DS on any store shelf anywhere in Japan. Everywhere you go, it's sold out. So much so that Nintendo had to re-import the US version to meet demand back home.

I have personally 'experienced' (read suffer) the long queue of people buying the DS when I unknowingly walked into a store in Akiba that just so happened to have a rare shipment of DSes.

That was back in early 2006. Fast forward to October 2007. Things are a little different. The PSP is ruling the hardware charts for the third week running. Maybe it's because of new games - Final Fantasy Crisis Core and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus; maybe it's because of the new slim design; maybe everyone in Japan has DS already; maybe supply is finally outstripping demand.

Whatever the reason, it seems like that people can now walk into a shop and pick up a DS without too much trouble.

Source: Kotaku

Master Chief creator says bye bye to Mircosoft

No sooner has Halo 3 been released, Bungie, the gaming studio responsible for probably the most successful Xbox franchise, has announced that it's splitting with Microsoft. Apparently they want to go solo now.

Microsoft will probably keep the Halo IP while Bungie goes off and develop new IP. I've never played Halo (and probably never will), but good for you, Bungie, go out and do what you want to do.

Source: Kotaku

Sales Chart JPN: Master Chief taking charge

Week 24 September - 30 September 2007

Microsoft's latest, and probably the most anticipated game, Halo 3, made the run around the world in September. And that includes Japan. As many gamer knows, Japan's game scene is not Microsoft friendly. Week after week, the Xbox 360 was outsold by the PS3 and Wii by a massive margin. But forget all that for the moment, because this week, Master Chief took charge and headed for the ichiban. You'd be surprised, but there are at least 58,672 Xbox 360 owner in Japan!

Microsoft should be thrilled. Nowhere near as much as Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core during the first two weeks, but impressive number considering that it's a game that is produced for a console that sell 10 times slower than the Wii. If it was released in Japan in the last two weeks, it would have failed. And talking about FFVII, it has dropped from 1st to 3rd (54,240), while Pokemon Dungeon continues to hold on to 2nd place (55,438). We certainly won't see the end of Pokemon or FF anytime soon.

Now for the shock. The highest placed Nintendo first party game is Mario Party 8 at... wait for it... 14th. That was the Wii's highest placed game as well. Hmm... Nintendo's party over?

Best selling games for each platform (that is on the chart) this week

XB360 - Halo 3
DS - Pokemon Dungeon
PSP - Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core
PS2 - Bleach Blade Battles 2
Wii - Mario Party 8
PS3 - The Elder Scrolls IV

Number of titles in the top 50 for each platform this week:

DS - 22
PS2 - 9
PSP - 7
Wii - 7
PS3 - 4
XB360 - 1

Console War VII: Battle for Nippon

For the third week running, the Japanese still haven't got enough of the slimmer PSP. Maybe gamers are getting second handheld consoles, maybe everyone in Japan has already got a DS, who knows.

Halo 3 helped Xbox 360 to increase sales almost 4000 units more than previous week. PSP gone back down to about 100,000, but still ahead of the DS. It's going to be interesting times ahead.

PSP - 102,809
DSL - 72,895
Wii - 24,143
PS3 - 13,105
PS2 - 12,980
Xbox360 - 5,215

Market share this week

DSL vs PSP
41.49% vs 58.51%

Wii vs PS3 vs XBox 360
56.86% vs 30.86% vs 12.28%

Source: Media Create