November 2014 NPD: Much Ado About Nothing

CraveOnline: "I’ve never seen or read Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, but thanks to a reasonably thorough high school education, I’m aware that it was written in the latter half of the Elizabethan Age, and is likely not a play about videogames. If somebody were to wipe my memory and erase this knowledge, though, I might guess instead that it’s a dramatic recounting of the November 2014 NPD Group sales results."

[LordMaim]

"Shakespeare-calibur drama"

A phrase and spelling actually used in this article.

[novacav]

Haha, a reference to the article's title perhaps?

[WeAreLegion]

The user doth protest too much, methinks.

[Abash]

Much ado about nothing because Sony is actually making a profit this gen and are in very healthy worldwide lead. Sure, they may have lost November but they are focused on making a lot of profit from PS4 hardware, software, and subscriptions. And they are doing just that.

It was a big deal last gen because the PS3 was losing so much money with each sale for a good portion of it's first years on the market

[venom06]

ok.. Craveonline is confusing THEMSELVES!! First, they put out a GREAT article titled "5 Things We can Learn from the NPD Report" (very accurate section talking about the failings of Call of Duty).. then, come back with a article titled, "Much ado about Nothing"??? Which is correct, Crave??

http://www.craveonline.com/...

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

I would still like to see some confirmed official numbers. Everyone is talking like the 1200k vs 800k is official and yet the article that reports this is listed as a rumor still.

I'm not complaining, just make it official. The contract is there, just sign it. Then it's yours.

[Muzikguy]

It shall be! For it is written

[Pogmathoin]

Where arth thou mattrick?

[torchic]

et tu Greenburg?!?

[N4g_null]

As a wiiu owner I'm loving the fact that nintendo has to work for their sales. I really am enjoying the games they have and are releasing. Nintendo is extremely old school. They truly are survivors. People will come around eventually and maybe a price drop could help. Yet a hardware revision and die shrink about two years from now should yield a pricedrop. What I'm seeing is gamers are really cash strapped this gen. Just look at all those broken games they bought on top of a $400 system.

This is showing nintendo what the current gen of gamers are willing to pay. While also keeping their type of gamers happy. It's true sony and Nintendo cater to different like minded gamers that differ slightly. Sony is right wii owners are buying ps4 possibly.

What is interesting is. If you collect amiibos you could actually sell a few to pay for a wiiu, a nice buisness deal huh?

[LordMaim]

Caliber

[darthv72]

"But the PS4’s dominance excited me. It excited me because finally, something unique was happening, and it looked as though a shift away from what will soon be a multi-decade stalemate might actually occur. Instead, we’ve already returned to an eternal heavyweight boxing match. Each fighter delivers a knockout punch every one to three years, but the receiving party, without fail, wills itself conscious just before the referee can count to ten."

So, to this writer, he prefers a monopolistic approach where there is only one winner. What is the fun in that. With everyone playing the same thing then nobody is special.

Honestly, people like an underdog. It's that come from behind spirit that makes sporting events so nail biting exciting. When one team is totally dominating the other...what's the point of even watching anymore (unless its your team winning).

Personally, i prefer to see the back and forth between combatants as it shows that neither is willing to concede and want to continue going for the sake of the fans and their own pride.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Well this ain't sports, and I really couldn't care less about an underdog or what sales numbers are. I really wish people could just enjoy their games, unite the community, and have meaningful discussions about issues that affect all of us as gamers, instead of babble about silicon and resolution and number of countries such and such sold XX units in.

[novacav]

Amen, t'would be nice

[CaptainObvious878]

Plus devs could focus on fewer platforms and therefore make their games better is a shorter amount of time.

[SniperControl]

Congrats to MS for an incredible November, i was one of those 1.2 million gamers that bought a X1, however MS need to keep this up and not just until January.
The only reason MS has done this well is because of the huge discounts and free bundled games, i fear that the sales will stagnate once again come the return of full price.
Even with there deep pockets, i just dont see MS continuing the discount beyond Jan.
That's also when Sony's two big hitters are kicking in the Order and Bloodbourne.

[Illusive_Man]

I really need another Xbox One....maybe tax time.

Not really interested in a PS4. The Sony exclusives don't do it for me, the Indies are on Steam.

I'd probably get a Wii U for the kids before I got a PS4.

I may get a PS4 later down the road.

[WeAreLegion]

Why not just get a PS4 to go alongside that XBO? I bought an XBO this month to sit next to the PS4 and Wii U. They're getting along famously. :)

[Xaphy]

Lulz why do people disagree? Im also buying a xbox one to sit along my ps4. Its great to be a gamer.

[Gemmol]

because ps4 and xbox play 90 percent of the same game, anyone who have this combination must really hate Nintendo because outside of both consoles first party, the 3rd party are the same, and none of the 1st party score well this year, in other words, the 3rd party games had a better year on Xbox One and PS4, while the Wii U have its 1st party games that out did the top 3rd party games on Metacritic......in other words....if you buy a ps4 first, your second system should be a Wii U if you really consider a gamer, then you can get xbox last......or xbox first, then wii u second, then ps4 last......either way no one should have both systems that share the same game

[WeAreLegion]

So, I can't play both inFamous: Second Son and Sunset Overdrive?

LittleBigPlanet 3 and Project SPARK?

The Order: 1886 and Quantum Break?

Uncharted 4 and Halo 5?

Why shouldn't a gamer play both? I have a Wii U, as well, but there's no way I'm missing out on any of these epic exclusives. I even mentioned that I have a Wii U. What's your game here?

[Letthewookiewin]

So coool bro I already have two PS4's so I dont need an X1 so there. I am picking an X1 for Quantnum though...

[Gaming247allday]

Man what a NPD, what a win for MS, what a crazy read that was on neogaf, and what some of the fanboys said was ridiculous on both sides, all around just maddness

[DougLord]

Take aways from NPD

Could care less about MSFT "beating" Sony - just like I don't care that Sony likely still won worldwide in November, or that Sony has beaten MSFT in the prior 11 months. What I care about is that the Xone is selling even better then the 360 and its up 25% year over year. And yes I mainly care about the US, because that's what the developers of western oriented games care about. Europe can keep Fifa and Japan can keep its teenage octopus rape games.

HOWEVER, I am alarmed that Sony DECLINED 25% year over year. Last November they sold 1.1 million units. This November they sold 800,000-900,000. What console sells LESS UNITS IN YEAR 2 THEN YEAR 1? Obviously selling 800,000 units is still really good (MSFT only sold 909,000 units last November) - but console sales are supposed to grow year over year - not peak in year 1! Sony really needs some games and as I've pointed out The Order and Bloodbourne are likely to be niche titles.

And Nintendo! Down 21% to under 250,000? Have they given up? Those are Dreamcast or Gamecube numbers.

[pyroxxx]

Yes Sony is dead,.. Better close the shop,.. it only leads 7-8 million globally this year alone

Are you thick or what,.. PS4 launched last November,.. They only sold 840+K with a bundle on 28th with the same price-point as launch,.. so what they will retain at least 0,5 million lead in US (if MS outsells them insanely in December also),.. And by the end of the next year the gap will be well above 1ml again (US) and probably 15+ globally

[MysticStrummer]

MS fans have short memories, or maybe just slow memory access. None of them seem to remember that year after year last generation 360 would do well during the holidays and PS3 would outsell it the rest of the year.

Probably the same reason that, when XB gets a cluster of games during the holiday season, they "forget" PS had more games all year long.

[pyroxxx]

Oh damn MysticStrummer ,... this slow memory access killed me lololo,..
But what you said is completely true,.. and that is exactly how it went in US,.. Year after year (they shuffled big titles into holidays(forza,halo,gears sometimes even something more), while having very little exclusive to offer the entire year,..(at least they had that summer indie program, now I am starting to doubt even that)

[Kingdomcome247]

"Alarmed", he says...

[Unarmed_Civilian]

First of all last year was a launch, where x1 sold better than ps4 so it was expected it will sell more this year also.

The thing is MS lost money on every unit they sold this month which is 1.2 mil, that translates to tens of million dollars lost.

Price cut of 50-70$ , bundled 2-3 games, and 50$ gift card.
If you think they are doing high fives , think again.

On the other hand PS4 is making profit from the hardware alone.
http://www.dualshockers.com...

"The Order and Bloodbourne are likely to be niche titles. "
No actually these x1 games are niche titles, and i also bet you never heard of them,Screamride Blues and Bullets and that Ori game.

[OldDude]

Share with me how you have this keen insight of MS losing money and not doing high 5's. Do you honestly think they would have made the promotion if they couldn't easily afford it? I imagine there are plenty of high 5's going around Redmond, WA right now. Then again, I am sure you are much smarter than the guys that run a multi-billion dollar business. So pray-tell oh wise one, share your source.

[Unarmed_Civilian]

@OldDude

X1 + 2-3 games +50$ gift card sold for 329$ = Money lost

[darthv72]

@unarmed... so do you consider that to really be money "lost" or money "saved"?

If you say lost then its nice you are looking out for MS and their financial well being.

If you say saved then you are looking at your own well being.

It's a win/win either way. consumers win by saving $$. MS wins by selling units and ultimately having the chance to make up those losses by other means.

[Unarmed_Civilian]

@darthv72

MS didnt do this for the customers benefit nor did they do it to get back the money late, they MUST do it and will have to continue doing it to try and get the NA and maybe UK territory back.

They thrown everything into this holiday, now the 1st half of 2015 is barren of exclusives and big AAA game like Witcher 3 being delayed to May will hurt x1 more than PS4.

[remixx116]

"Teenage octopus rape games", I think your playing the wrong Japanese games bro, stay off those porn sites.

I feel bad for guys that only play games from this place or that place, get some diversity in your diet homie and stop trying to stereotype countries, it makes you look like your 11.

[torchic]

"Japan can keep its teenage octopus rape games"

typical Xbox fan post.

[MasterCornholio]

Typical post from a racist.

Jeez I hate those types of people.

[MysticStrummer]

"yes I mainly care about the US"

Sadly a widespread attitude in the states, which is one reason why the country has been in a generally downward spiral for decades. It was a good run though.

"Sony really needs some games"

Yes keep ignoring that PS4 has more games, both retail and downloadable.

[Kingdomcome247]

I agree that it's not a big deal, but where is this article every other month when the NPD figures articles line the N4G front page?

[novacav]

Good point. The drama seemed extra extreme this time tho! What with the whole 7-10k debacle.

[MysticStrummer]

"where is this article every other month when the NPD figures articles line the N4G front page?"

Relatively few people are shocked by this. I saw diehard PS fanboys basically predicting this. I was of them. The bigger news would have been if XB1 hadn't won the month after all MS's maneuvers.

PS4 will most likely go back to outselling XB1 soon enough, if the 360/PS3 years and last year were any indication.

[Kingdomcome247]

I agree. My point is, with the PS4's consistent domination each month you would think it would be even less of a deal than this, and that even fewer people would be shocked by that, but only this month do you see an article like this.