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.
Nintendo Wii Console
Sony PlayStation 3 Slim 120GB Console
Sony Playstation 3 160GB Console - Drake's Fortune Bundle (PS3)
Microsoft Xbox 360 Premium System
Sony PSP-3000 PlayStation Portable System
Demand drops for games consoles Stateside
Paul
Or it could be basic economics at work? #
Posted Monday 15th September 2008 14:13 GMT
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.
Liam
as paul said... #
Posted Monday 15th September 2008 14:48 GMT
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!
soaklord
PS2 Sales #
Posted Monday 15th September 2008 15:29 GMT
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.
Joe K
Sheesh #
Posted Monday 15th September 2008 16:28 GMT
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!
Anonymous Coward
Crunchy cliche #
Posted Monday 15th September 2008 16:28 GMT
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*.
Jack
What seems more likely... #
Posted Monday 15th September 2008 23:18 GMT
...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.
Anonymous Coward
Absolutely crap reporting #
Posted Tuesday 16th September 2008 09:14 GMT
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.
b
man i love comments #
Posted Tuesday 16th September 2008 09:14 GMT
every page on the web should have a comment section at the end.
Anonymous Coward
Xbox 360 #
Posted Tuesday 16th September 2008 09:14 GMT
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.