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GTA IV, LBP boost Japanese PS3 sales News
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by
Robert Purchese
Grand Theft Auto IV has thundered to the top of the Japanese chart this week, selling more than double the number of copies of LittleBigPlanet - which makes its chart debut at three.
Not that Sony will mind too much, as the PS3 version of GTA IV proved the most popular with 133,000 sales - nearly 100,000 more than on Xbox 360, according to Media Create data on NeoGAF.
Both GTA IV and LittleBigPlanet also helped boost PS3 hardware sales, which rocketed up to 39,587, making the Sony machine the best selling console in Japan this week.
This resulted in games such as SOCOM PS3 and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue getting a look-in at 18 and 30, respectively.
However, the launch of the DSi dwarfed all challengers, with an enormous 188,294 units sold. Unsurprisingly, then, six of the top 10 software places were occupied by DS games.
These included new entries Valkyrie Profile at two, Personal Trainer: Walking (with pedometer) at eight, and some Chocobo Dungeon game at nine.
Meanwhile, the Wii had a disappointing week, slipping to a hardware low of 23,123 units sold, and - for the first time we can remember - counting no platform-specific titles in the top 10. Wii Music continued to underperform and slipped to 11.
Japanese software sales:
- Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3) - 133,000
- Valkyrie Profile: Toga o Seoumono (DS) - 80,000
- LittleBigPlanet (PS3) - 52,000
- Pokémon Platinum (DS) - 47,000 (lifetime: 1,853,400)
- Wagamama Fashion Girls Mode (DS) - 40,000 (lifetime: 117,000)
- Rhythm Tengoku Gold (DS) - 39,000 (lifetime: 1,089,000)
- Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360) - 34,000
- Personal Trainer: Walking (DS) - 26,000
- Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu + (DS) - 26,000
- Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP the Best) (PSP) - 26,000
Japanese hardware sales:
- DS: 188,294
- PSP: 50,358
- PS3: 39,587
- Wii: 23,123
- PS2: 6714
- Xbox 360: 6119
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ryohazuki1983
07/11/08 @ 09:29
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Wow a massive turnaround, how long it lasts is another story!
I didn't relise GTA sold well over in Japan. Thought a unique title like LBP would sell a lot more, but there you go. |
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Mentalist(air)
07/11/08 @ 09:30
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I guess the Japanese don't care much for exclusive DLC...
... wait, isn't it November already? |
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Like I suspected Sony is betting on the wrong horse. R2 will be massively bigger than LBP.
LBP should be on the Wii as much as Banjoo, in a financial point of view. Doesn't matter how much some PS3 owners (Les?) thinks PS3'ers are all a different breed from 360'ers, fact is, it's the very same target. |
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gingerlink
07/11/08 @ 09:42
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Wii has nothing at the moment, Nintendo's main game at the moment, Wii Music, was a great idea, poorly implemented and luckily, consumers seem to realise and are not buying it.
At least this means they might excise a bit more caution as opposed to thinking "ooo, a casual gamer idea, let's bash this out and make lots of money", considering they actually did a good job with the first wii sports and wii fit... |
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LBP should be on the Wii as much as Banjoo, in a financial point of view. Doesn't matter how much some PS3 owners (Les?) thinks PS3'ers are all a different breed from 360'ers, fact is, it's the very same target.
Yes because LBP would have the same editing tools, physics and online infrastructure on the-- hey wait a minute!!! |
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Glad the Japs are liking GTA4 (It's not boring you lot before you start!), if I remember correctly, even though they got the older ones late they were quite popular over there as well (I'm positive I read that somewhere)
@ miiiguel I dunno about betting on the wrong horse! LBP is a great fun game that is just a simple 2D platformer but done in such a good way, not gonna change the world or anything (sorry SDF) but Sony and MM can hold their head high with a success (just don't waffle on so much next time!) and it may well shift a couple of consoles for 'em, definitely more than R2 that's for sure! Anyway how can it be on the Wii anyway, it's a quality title! ;) / hides from angry Wii fans
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most recently on 07/11/08 @ 09:54
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And LittleBigPlanet would be the Little Big Planet we know today if it was on the Wii wouldn't it?
Hell do platformers that aren't named Mario do well on the Wii? Would they even be interested in games rather than "games" like Wiifit!? I NEED ANSWERS DAMNIT!!
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 07/11/08 @ 09:56
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farticusmaximus
07/11/08 @ 09:58
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The Wii is more than capable to doing a 2D platformer with a dash of physics. Boom blox is proof positive that the Wii could handle it.
The Wii also uses the very same internet that the PS3 uses, amazingly. Therefore level creation and sharing is equally as achievable. I dont understand where this LBP evangelism comes from. It's just a goddamn platformer with a construction kit. |
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"I dont understand where this LBP evangelism comes from. It's just a goddamn platformer with a construction kit. "
I'll be honest, neither did I until I sat there with my girlfriend playing it. 5 minutes of play convinced me more than all the waffle and a million screaming fanboys that it is actually a really good game- just not the second coming of our lord some claim.... ;) |
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the_dudefather
07/11/08 @ 10:10
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they should have released gears of war 2 on the Wii because they would have sold more and it would be pretty much the same
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CannonAnBall
07/11/08 @ 10:11
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I'm also convinced that LBP is a great game after playing through it. Sony hasn't backed the wrong horse at all. That is utter crap.
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The Wii is more than capable to doing a 2D platformer with a dash of physics. Boom blox is proof positive that the Wii could handle it.
LBP isn't a 2D platformer with a dash of physics, it's a physics based 2D platformer. The Wii also uses the very same internet that the PS3 uses, amazingly. Therefore level creation and sharing is equally as achievable. I shall write this down for the next time I'm in an argument between the differences of the Wii, PSN and XBL's online services "there's no difference, they're all connected to the internet." I dont understand where this LBP evangelism comes from. It's just a goddamn platformer with a construction kit. Now you've done it, you've made me click right on the D-pad twice to make my sackboy angry. |
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"The Wii is more than capable to doing a 2D platformer with a dash of physics. Boom blox is proof positive that the Wii could handle it."
Uhh...Boom Blox is great, but in terms of scope and potneital it doesn't even touch LBP. And IMO the Wii''s horrible friend code system and lack of HD would cripple LBP's online ambitions. Nintendo would have to make some serious changes to make it work. It wouldn't be the same game. |
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Kenshin001
07/11/08 @ 10:48
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Lol at farty and miiiguel. You guys obviously haven't played the game. Anyway went to 3 Yodobashi stores (big, big electronics retailer) today including the Akihabara store to pick up a LBP + black DualShock 3 pack and they were all sold out. : (
No mention of 360's sales Rob? Why is that I wonder. Would have though the drop to last place again would have warranted a line. |
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seasidebaz
07/11/08 @ 10:57
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900% increase of PS3 sales since last time the numbers came out. 900%!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go watch paint dry. Far more interesting than counting numbers. |
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"my sack is scoring with the ladies, oh yeah Giggity giggity giggity giggity, let's have sex! "
I hate to admit I did it to my girlfriends sackgirl but you know you can actually make it look like the little sack people are having..... / puts sad face on his super sackboy - with cape \o/, gets coat and goes to work. |
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chessboxer
07/11/08 @ 11:31
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@ chris_ace
The PS2 always outsold the 360 in Japan so it's nothing new. It also always outsold the PS3 as there are quite a few games on the PS2 the Japanese people want to play. |
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The_Inquisitor
07/11/08 @ 11:51
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Vice City & San Andreas both secured the number 1 spot in Japan too when they were launched.
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farticusmaximus
07/11/08 @ 11:52
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@NotSoSlim
I agree completely. It doesnt matter what software is on the 360. It could be the finest harvest of RPG's the world has ever seen but the Japanese will never embrace the 360 as it's an American console. They will choose the substandard PS3 offerings simply because it's a console from their home turf. The fact that the 360, and indeed everything else, has been consistently outselling the PS3 in Japan recently is testament to how badly Sony have misjudged the gaming market this generation. |
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Don't think one week of good performance is enough for Sony to throw a celebration party. It could be viewed as a sign that Japanese gamers don't hate HD consoles in principle or it could be a fluke. We'll see.
It's not a fluke, sell the games sell the system it's no fluke that the Xbox 360 was outselling the PS3 in Japan for a good number of weeks where it "coincidentally" launched Tales of Vesperia and Star Ocean 4 and the PS3 had bugger all new games for those weeks. I'm skeptical of if GTA made any impact, I mean... Xbox 360 sales dropped from last week, which probably indicates that most if not all PS3's sales spike was LBP's doing.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 07/11/08 @ 11:55
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"It could be the finest harvest of RPG's the world has ever seen"
Oh, it's not. Far from it. This generation has been typically awful for JRPGs despite MS throwing buckets of cash at devs. Star Ocean 4 and FFXIII might change that, but nothing on 360 or PS3 so far has been a real system seller to the Japanese. |
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Mentalist(air)
07/11/08 @ 12:00
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Actually, 360 has been outselling both PS3 and PS2 for about six weeks in japan. Nowhere near Wii or handheld levels, though.
I don't think any of Microsoft, Nintendo or Sony's consoles are in any danger of dying soon. In fact, given that reasonably priced PCs (i.e. the ones you can buy at the supermarket) haven't technically outpaced PS3/360 yet, not to mention the fact that the most technically inferior console is the best selling, I could see this being the longest console generation since the NES's. |
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Yep - the main reason Sony are doing poorly in Japan because of the games (lack of). This week shows what can happen when they release some. The recent relative success of the 360 was down to games. Funny that - who'd have thought it? It's craziness I tell you!
That said I think the recent success of the 360 does indicate that they could do better and better there as generations pass. There is some truth to it being a US console as a sticking issue, but there is also tradition and loyalty playing a part here. If MS can continue to grow and provide the right sort of games then they will eventually become more accepted. A console redesign to reduce the size would also go down well I think. |
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farticusmaximus
07/11/08 @ 12:05
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@JHuxley
I think you misunderstand. I agree it hasnt been the best of the best JRPG-wise, although to be fair Lost Oddysey is a damn fine game. What I was saying is you could release the very best JRPG ever made, or hell release 10 of them but it still won't sway the Japanese market. They WILL NOT embrace the 360 because of it's staunch American image. |
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Kenshin001
07/11/08 @ 12:31
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farty, your comment is a contradiction. You say the Japanese will never accept the 360 because it is American (ignoring how they embrace GAP, Ipod, McDonalds, Levis, Starbucks etc) and then cite how the 360 has been outselling the (Japanese) PS3! If the 360 had the finest JRPGs I'm sure it would sell very well, but it doesn't. It has mainly mediocre to slightly good RPGs. Infinite Undiscovery for example has a rating of 68 on Metacritic. Lost Odyssey 78. PS3 on the other hand has familiartitles, MGS, Gran Turismo and soon FF. If FFXIII were 360 exclusive it would destroy the PS3.
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"It's not a fluke, sell the games sell the system it's no fluke that the Xbox 360 was outselling the PS3 in Japan for a good number of weeks where it "coincidentally" launched Tales of Vesperia and Star Ocean 4 and the PS3 had bugger all new games for those weeks."
What I mean is that, if Sony ever wants to make money on the PS3 as a games machine, it needs to shift serious numbers consistently. This is one week of good performance but they need many more. Look at 360, had a reasonable run, and now is down again. There will always be sales peaks when proven IP or other hyped up games are released but you'll only win the battle if you can sell a decent number of consoles in between big releases, so basically on the strength of your full portfolio. |
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@farticusmaximus
I understood. What I was trying to say (perhaps badly) was that there has been nothing much of interest to the Japanese on either console yet. So saying that the Japanese have shunned the 360 when it's been selling in record numbers and gathered a massive amount of interest with Star Ocean 4...that's maybe a bit premature. Yes, traditionally American consoles have sold badly in Japan. But what are we talking about? The original Xbox and 3DO maybe? This is an entirely different kettle of fish, and you should give the 360 more credit than that. It's a much better console and good games will sell regardless of the language barrier (GTA IV a case in point). |
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360 sales have never been good, it had one blip for a week then it went back to selling 4 to 6k per week, its just the ps3 was selling even less than that.
360 hasnt even made it to a million in japan yet, were the poorly selling ps3 is on 2 and a half. microsoft just need to give it up, final fantasy will only be the final nail in the coffin in japan |
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Triggerhappytel
07/11/08 @ 13:30
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Personally, I think the most interesting thing here is that the PSP is still doing so well even though the DS sales have spiked.
But well done to Sony with the PSP/PS3, and LBP. Out of the big three I am probably most worried about their future, so it's good to see them have some success in Japan for a change. |
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SpaceMidget75
07/11/08 @ 13:31
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@chris_ace
Don't you ever get bored of having Kens cock up your arse? |
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Kenshin001
07/11/08 @ 13:53
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There is a big difference between acceptance and doing better than the PS3 has in recent weeks. The 360 sales have been comparatively good but the PS3 sales have been atrocious.
The 360 has sold decently because the 360 has had games Japanese want. That is acceptance. If MS continue to tie up exclusives and build up more Japanocentric IPs the trend will only continue. It's not some anti-American conspiracy. |
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