PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 console sales were almost neck-and-neck in the US last month, according to local market watcher NPD. But consoles sales are still declining across the board.
During August, Microsoft outsold Sony with sales of 195,200 Xbox 360s, compared to 185,400 PS3.
But August’s US sales figures for both companies …
This generation of console is now a maturing market. This kind of gradual slowdown is exactly the kind of thing you would expect as the number of people who want but don't have reduces.
Wow! The PS2 is *still* selling that many units?!? I can't help but wondering what will happen to the PS2 sales now that the Xbox 360 Arcade is only $199.
Dear El Reg, please promise never to use the term "credit crunch" (as seen on the summary for this item) ever again. ;-) When I hear CC, I instinctively stop listening/reading to avoid the bad journalism that normally follows. *Cough* ITV news *cough*.
...is that with gas prices as high as they are in the states, and so many people loaded down with gas guzzling SUVs, that the disposable income that would normally be used on things like game consoles is now going straight into people's gas tanks.
No one *needs* a gaming console but they do still need to drive to and from their jobs, the grocery store, etc. I think that his is likely at least a big a factor in the dropping sales as any of the other things mentioned in the article.
Reporting the month to month numbers and neglecting the year over year numbers was horribly biased. There are only two consoles down year over year: the 360, which everyone waited on the price drop to buy (as demonstrated by the huge sales in the beginning of November), and the PS2, which can't keep selling so much (can it?).
Xbox 360 sales are no doubt declining due to the rrod issue which has really hurt MS. Word is starting to finally get around that a 360 at any price is only yours for 6 months before it takes a United Package Smashers all-expense-paid holiday down to the repair shops.
Register
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 console sales were almost neck-and-neck in the US last month, according to local market watcher NPD. But consoles sales are still declining across the board. During August, Microsoft outsold Sony with sales of 195,200 Xbox 360s, compared to 185,400 PS3. But August’s US sales figures for both companies …
Or it could be basic economics at work?
This generation of console is now a maturing market. This kind of gradual slowdown is exactly the kind of thing you would expect as the number of people who want but don't have reduces.
as paul said...
surely this might just show that people who wanted them already have them?
its not like you need to re-buy them every year is it? i mean M$ seem to give you a free 360 every x months when the old one dies!
PS2 Sales
Wow! The PS2 is *still* selling that many units?!? I can't help but wondering what will happen to the PS2 sales now that the Xbox 360 Arcade is only $199.
Sheesh
So its not because most people are on holiday then?
Nor that christmas is coming and big purchases like this tend to get pushed back?
Oh no, it has to be The Credit Crunch. Man the pitchforks!
Crunchy cliche
Dear El Reg, please promise never to use the term "credit crunch" (as seen on the summary for this item) ever again. ;-) When I hear CC, I instinctively stop listening/reading to avoid the bad journalism that normally follows. *Cough* ITV news *cough*.
What seems more likely...
...is that with gas prices as high as they are in the states, and so many people loaded down with gas guzzling SUVs, that the disposable income that would normally be used on things like game consoles is now going straight into people's gas tanks.
No one *needs* a gaming console but they do still need to drive to and from their jobs, the grocery store, etc. I think that his is likely at least a big a factor in the dropping sales as any of the other things mentioned in the article.
Absolutely crap reporting
Reporting the month to month numbers and neglecting the year over year numbers was horribly biased. There are only two consoles down year over year: the 360, which everyone waited on the price drop to buy (as demonstrated by the huge sales in the beginning of November), and the PS2, which can't keep selling so much (can it?).
I really expect batter out of you guys than this.
man i love comments
every page on the web should have a comment section at the end.
Xbox 360
Xbox 360 sales are no doubt declining due to the rrod issue which has really hurt MS. Word is starting to finally get around that a 360 at any price is only yours for 6 months before it takes a United Package Smashers all-expense-paid holiday down to the repair shops.