PSP sales rocket in Japan Comments by Robert Purchese

How do they keep this up without a new FF game every month?

Holy cow. Unexpected.

Just shows the power of even a single a decent software franchise, especially when the cost of the platform is relatively low (as we are seeing with the Wii I suppose).

"Where, despite two new Pokémon titles,"

Particularly interesting methinks.

Nintendo is doomed, doomed i tell u!
















.....till next week or the week after

Not the first time a Playstation console has been helped out by FF7

PSP ftw

/world ends

Either that or everyone in Japan already has 3 DS's ;)

"Holy cow. Unexpected.
"

Hardly, the 77,777 (included in that 95,487 figure) limited edition FFVII:CC slim PSP's sold out of pre-orders available months ago. It was inevitable the day would come when consumers where allowed to pick up their pre-ordered console. :/

Just imagine PS3 sales when FFXIII hits next year.

Hurrah! Put that in your stylus and smoke it, touch generation.

Amazing.. now if the PSP can keep it up for like, 23637 months it will take over the DS ;)

Actually that hardware figure is bad for a Final Fantasy release. Take away the Limited Editions they only sold 17,710 PSP's that week, pretty poor considering the number of software sales of the game (implying that the game has really only appealed to existing PSP owners).

Yes, but then as I understand it next week will see the launch of the new slim PSP. And knowing the Japanese, many of them would probably prefer that version. So if that is correct, then we may see a combined effect of the new PSP Slim and FF:Crisis Core in the next sales report, and that could quite likely mean a few more PSP sales (as well as, obvioulsy, held back a few people this week).

So, Crisis Core managed to sell more than Pokemon?

There is still some hope for mankind, one would think.

"Those Pokemon dungeon titles aren't really 'proper' Pokemon games though, and they have less selling power as a result."

Although you're right about them not being proper Pokemon games, both titles sold a combined 569,000 copies that week, which is hardly bad.

No, because if you add the two Pokemon's together, you still have more Pokemon sold than FF: Crisis Core. ;)

You're right! Too bad, people really are tasteless then...

Well done...

/cue Sony rep announcing they are market leaders and that this clearly shows which device is better...

/cue Sony rep announcing they are market leaders and that this clearly shows which device is better...

LOL, that sounds like them alright.

Let's see if they have been learning to be a little bit less arrogant over the last couple of years.

It's funny how some people are trying to spin this as being 'not really that good' here. Bless ;)

I'm very happy both PSP and Final Fantasy are doing well! :D

Actually that hardware figure is bad for a Final Fantasy release. Take away the Limited Editions they only sold 17,710 PSP's that week, pretty poor considering the number of software sales of the game (implying that the game has really only appealed to existing PSP owners).

How can you "take them away" though. That doesn't make any sense at all. They sold them.

I'll be happy to play it when it's here, and that's all we should care about.

Europe shafted for release date again. Argh! I hope MGS4 sets an example in the future.

Hardly, the 77,777 (included in that 95,487 figure) limited edition FFVII:CC slim PSP's sold out of pre-orders available months ago. It was inevitable the day would come when consumers where allowed to pick up their pre-ordered console. :/

Good work! Help yourself to a biscuit!

UncleLou - Well, you can't take them away obviously, it's still an enormous boon for Sony. I think the point is, though, that those 77,777 weren't really sold in this one week. They we're pre-order sales that Sony have essentially held back and then released all in one go, making the sales spike bigger than it would have been otherwise. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that a lot of those buying them were existing PSP owning FF fans.

@headbog

"Meanwhile, the PS3 is being outsold by the 360 3:1 and the 360 is catching up with the Wii in the US... "

Lol. What on earth is your actual point?


@GingerNathan

I was just expressing general surprise that such a thing could happen. The DS has been so ludicrously successful in Japan I woudln't have thought that just one title could tip the scales for sales of the actual platform itself.

@GingerNathan

"Take away the Limited Editions they only sold 17,710 PSP's that week"

I have to second UncleLou on this one. That quote above is just crazy talk. In what way do limited edition PSPs not count?

Pfff, this FFVII mania is insane. You practically buy a game for 200 bucks or so.

The do count but then again the fact that it is more than likely that the special additions being bought up by collectors who probably already own a PSP sort of invalidates the "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII has prompted an enormous PSP sales surge in Japan, GamesIndustry.biz reports." quote in that it's not that game that sold the PSP's but the PSP's themselves that resulted in a sales surge. Also, as they are all sold out now it will be business as usual next week with the PSP getting ass reamed by the DS.

""Take away the Limited Editions they only sold 17,710 PSP's that week"

I have to second UncleLou on this one. That quote above is just crazy talk. In what way do limited edition PSPs not count? "

I didn't say they did count, they where pre-ordered months ago so they can be discounted in terms of showing how the game has increased the weekly sales of the console, especially when you factor in that the majority of the limited editions would have gone to FF fans, and people trying to get hold of a early PSP slim. The 77,777 console could have been released and picked up anytime, the remainder of the consoles sold (17710) represents weekly off the shelf sales and whether or not (not in this case) a particular game (FFVIICC in this case) had any effect on the normal console sales. After all Sony can't rely on pre-ordered Limited edition FF console each week.
Having said that they may not have to, it'll depend on how the PSP Slim takes off. Whether it has a DS Lite effect on consumers, or an initial spike which soon drops off.

it will be business as usual next week with the PSP getting ass reamed by the DS.

Except that there's a game of the calibre of FFVII CC now part of the PSP library.

"Except that there's a game of the calibre of FFVII CC now part of the PSP library."

Oh? we have another "killer app that will save the PSP"?

Were I heard that before ... GTA:LCS? MGS:A?

Please ...

Also DQ IX is DS exclusive and Dragon Quest is much bigger in Japan that Final Fantasy and FF XII:RW sold 180,000 if the first week.

This kind of sales rocket are bad because they are one trick pony, they are not sustained increased sale numbers and in a week or two its back to were they were ... also the issue of the PSP is game sales since people do own a PSP but they are not using it to play PSP games.

DS won long ago, its over.

No, it's not the app that will "save" the PSP, it's just it's bestselling game ever.

I'm sorry, the PSP is far from dead, get over it.

I never said the PSP is dead but in terms of games the DS library simply destroys the PSP library, FFVII CC does not change that ...

'DS won long ago, its over.'

The PSP lost? Fuck me, I'd better sell mine.

While we're at it, we'd better tell people to stop reading Shakespeare- Harry Potter pwned him ages ago, the sales figures speak for themselves. And we should get rid of Green and Blacks because Mars Bars sell more. And Pizza Express has got to go- who needs Pizza Express when MacDonalds is evidently the more successful brand?

Silly boy.

PSP is shit. Get over it laddie. You've wasted your money, but i'm sure you will learn from the mistake.

er, you havn't bought a PS3 ave ya?

DS in second... unsurprising as they must've sold 1 DS for everyone living in Japan by now.

psp rocks if you like ps2 end of story (i didn't like it but well it was a great console for everyone else). good thing the sales. but really sad thing it won't be a permament boost. then again imo psp did win a battle it was a profitable handheld that has been supported for years (other than game boy) so it will be second at least it's sold many units

Which dozy twats are buying Gamecubes?

"DS in second... unsurprising as they must've sold 1 DS for everyone living in Japan by now."

Not even close, 127 million people living in Japan, 20 million (approx) DS's bought in Japan.

I think Eurogamer stuff should step in here. Some people just so rude!

@GingerNathan

I think hairs are being split somewhat here. When talking in terms of how many units have been sold, it doesn't really matter WHY they were sold. A number is just a number. The article may discuss why the sales have peaked the way they have, but that doesn't change the actual numbers.

@dirigiblebill

"While we're at it, we'd better tell people to stop reading Shakespeare- Harry Potter pwned him ages ago" etc.

+1

I think the point is, though, that those 77,777 weren't really sold in this one week. They we're pre-order sales that Sony have essentially held back and then released all in one go, making the sales spike bigger than it would have been otherwise. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that a lot of those buying them were existing PSP owning FF fans.

I see your point (even though it's not specifically directed at me).

Nevertheless, as someone who prefers core Nintendo games (not the puzzle & causal tat), I'm happy to see Sony do well with PSP & FF sales. Hopefully, it'll keep Nintendo from getting complacent.

And as a DS Lite owner, there doesn't appear to be anything on the horizon for me except Phantom Hourglass.

" When talking in terms of how many units have been sold, it doesn't really matter WHY they were sold. "

I think you misunderstand me, I'm not trying to undermine the market position of the PSP by trying to discount limited editions of a console. Just noting that for a Final Fantasy VII game I don't think it's made as much impact on the usual sales of a PSP as expected, especially when you take into consideration the vast amounts of the software which was sold. It's seems like the software was really only bought by customers who already owned a PSP.
Just find that rather surprising, I was expecting off the shelf sales of PSP's to be pretty much the same amount as the 77,777 limited edition pre-orders. Having said that maybe a factor would have been at that point in time the normal PSP slim hadn't been released, maybe a lot of people are waiting for that? I know if I wanted a PSP for FFV7CC and I didn't manage to get myself one of the limited editions, I'd wait a week or so for the new Slim PSP's.

So GingerNathan:
Using that logic could you say that most launch sales for the 360 and Wii should be discounted because most were pre-orders (most notably Wii which was sold out for ages).
And the first week PS3 sales were overblown because of pre-orders?

How about when Halo is released next week, should we discount all the preorders and claim that the difference is what Halo3 ACTUALLY sold? Because "pre-orders don't count"?
What about the Elite and the Halo3 edition 360's?

I see your logic but it still has no bearing in reality. Removing pre-orders to get the actual "sales" caused by a game doesn't make any sense (notwithstanding that you have no evidence to show that many of the handheld pre-orders could be BECAUSE the game was released, in the same way some people are pre-ordering the Halo3 edition 360 to get with the release of Halo3).


This is a non-sequitir anyway because I'll guarantee this is the equivalent of a pi$$ in the ocean, just like the PS3 price drop "spike" (in the US at least) and we all know how long that lasted.

""While we're at it, we'd better tell people to stop reading Shakespeare- Harry Potter pwned him ages ago" etc.

+1"

Since I honestly never thought anyone would be so stupid ...

PSP have awful sale figures in terms of UMD movies and games, because of that publishers are not willing to invest much in then.

The idiocy of comparing Shakespeare to Harry Potter is the argument is ... well it is in fact true .... Harry Potter books currently sell more that Shakespeare books and publishers rather invest in "Harry Potter" that in "Shakespeare" ... they are in the business of making money after all.

Also trying to justify saying "you should get a PSP instead of a DS" with that argument is idiotic since it can be used to say "you should get a Ngage instead of a DS" ... fact is when it comes to a game library the DS is the unquestionable leader of the market, just like Windows is the leader of the OS of the market ... never mind if OS X is better or not, Windows have most support.

With the DS huge installed base (that does, in fact, buy games for it) there is not much incentive of making PSP games ... this is basic: Investment-Return.

PSP games require a larger investment that DS game but offer a lower return, there is not much commercial reason to invest in PSP games.

It's interesting how a single new game can propel the sales of a console so much; I've been wondering for a while now what'll happen to the PS3 in Japan once the likes of FFXIII and Metal Gear come out and it looks like this is evidence of what's likely to happen there too.

Drakron = Playa Hater.

More DS games, more competition. Plus Nintendo traditionally dominates software sales for its own hardware platforms, so yes, there is plenty of incentive for making a PSP game.

"Using that logic could you say that most launch sales for the 360 and Wii should be discounted because most were pre-orders (most notably Wii which was sold out for ages).
And the first week PS3 sales were overblown because of pre-orders?"

For Fuck sake, can some of you read?, I've never said the 'actual' sales of PSP's that week where 17xxx units, they where clearly the best part of 100K. I'm just surprised that the release of a FFV7 game hasn't produced more PSP off the shelf sales, nothing more, nothing less.
For example when DQ9 comes out I'd be very surprised to see the DS's sales below 200k regardless of any limited edition consoles.
My comments are based on my surprise at the lack of power to shift hardware of a strong Square-Enix franchise, not of some fanboy trying to undermine a good week of sales for Sony.

You know, I don't care what console I'm getting, as long as it has games that interest me. I'm guessing the limited edition came with a game people in Japan were interested in. Plus, that thing's going to be a collector's item down the line which helps.

As for me, I didn't buy a €165 PSP Slim & Lite until Monster Hunter Freedom 2 popped up here and found out that Final Fantasy Tactics: Lion Wars is coming up rather soon. Add Patapon, Echochrome, CRUSH, Locoroco, Tekken V, MGS:PO, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Killzone: Liberation, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, etc. ... and suddenly I'm looking at a relatively cheap piece of kit (DS Lite is €144 by comparison) with a nice set of (some quite long-lasting) titles I like and will be getting in the near future. Furthermore, the Slim & Lite feels great to hold and control - just don't get piano black lest you love fingerprint magnets or disagree with ice silver. I disagreed with ice silver =).

It's a bit like the Gamecube. Never touched it until it got really cheap and had a small, but very nice library of great games. Which were also cheap. In the end, consoles are all about the games.

"Drakron = Playa Hater."

No, more like annoyed of Sony fanboys that cannot figured out that the PSP as a handheld console (and UMD player) never picked up since they are too blind by their fanboyish to see reality.

I hate idiots but I hate even more people that allow themselves to be blinded, Sony fanboys are now the later and not the former.

"More DS games, more competition. Plus Nintendo traditionally dominates software sales for its own hardware platforms, so yes, there is plenty of incentive for making a PSP game."

Sure, the DS have more competition but it also have a much bigger usebase ... it justifies the risk of investment.

And true, Nintendo games do sell but then again "Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker" and "Final Fantasy III" sold over 1 million, what is required to make a profit is a question of returned investment ... if $500,000 is spend and $5,000,000 is returned it does not matter how much units it sold.

The only incentive of making a PSP game is the stagnated PSP game market ... it is the same incentive as making a Xbox or CG game in "old gen" were the PS2 dominated.

I do wish the PSP had more support but it would be foolish of me to say the PSP is equal to the DS in the game market since it is not and that is what is being questioned ... this game is simply too little and far too late to change the market.

Great finally we get one of the much promised titles for the psp. GRAN TURISMO anyone??

Hello?

@Drakron - Since reasoning doesn't seem to work with you, how about this:

You're an irritating little cock.

Just needed to get that outta my system. :o