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console wars
Nintendo DSi Helps Nintendo Win April Hardware Sales Contest, Industry Still Down
The launch of the Nintendo DSi appears to have been the sole saving grace of the video game industry in the U.S. during April, according to NPD Group sales data.
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console wars
Nintendo Continues U.S. Hardware Dominance, Industry Hit Hard In March
Nintendo hardware continued to move in excess of over one million units a month in March, but the video game industry saw a severe drop in spending year-over-year, resulting in a 17% drop in revenue. More » -
numbers
Sony: The PlayStation 3 Pushes More Blockbusters
Sony contends that the PlayStation 3 maintains a higher attach rate for blockbuster games than the Xbox 360, and has the numbers to back up the claim. More » -
console wars
Nielsen Drops the Ball on Console Usage Numbers
Remember that study of video gamer habits Nielsen released earlier this week showing the Wii in third place and the Playstation 3 in seventh, last even after the GameCube and original Xbox? It was wrong. More » -
console wars
Nintendo "Not Particularly Concerned" With Weakening Wii Sales In Japan
With the PlayStation 3 outselling the Wii in Japan for the month of March, one might think that Nintendo executives are in a panic, concerned this whole motion control thing is a fad. Not so! More » -
console wars
PlayStation 3 Outsells Wii In Japan For Second Month In A Row
Last year, the Wii made headlines for its trouncing of the PlayStation 3, when Nintendo's console was outselling its current-gen competition from Sony in Japan. But 2009 has started to work out a little differently. More » -
Fuzzy Feelings
If Only The Consoles Got Along This Well In Real Life
The console wars can be brutal. It'll divide families, end friendships. But it doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to devote your every waking moment to loving/hating a piece of consumer electronics. More » -
console wars
So Who's Playing Each Console, And For How Long? [Update]
Nielsen, masters of the survey and the percentage point, have come up with a rough idea of how long you play each of the three consoles for. And by "you", they mean "everybody". More » -
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console wars
Nintendo Dominates US Hardware Sales Again With Big, Big January
No one was expecting Nintendo to sell Wii and Nintendo DS hardware at the record-breaking rate it had in December, but January's take was no drop in the pond, with the Wii dominating sales charts. More » -
console wars
2008 Australian Console Sales Figures
Let's take a moment to visit a peripheral theatre in the great global tussle for console supremacy, and see how each of the three machines is faring in the Australian market. More » -
tales of ribaldry
Pachter Breaks Up Fight Between Kaz, Greenberg, Claims Both Are Right
Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. Why don't we stop all this console manufacturer bickering and make peace? Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter says that PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai and Xbox 360 director Aaron Greenberg are both right. More » -
Return Fire
Microsoft: Peddling Add-Ons Works For Us
Sony recently called out Microsoft and Nintendo for having consoles that require add-ons in order to offer the total package. Now Xbox 360 group PR manager David Dennis responds, and fires right back. More » -
We're Number 1
Sony Calls Out 360 And Wii For Peddling Add-Ons
In a rather pointed media alert distributed yesterday, Sony illustrates why they believe the PlayStation 3 is the most complete console entertainment experience, complete with a handy table to highlight the competition's shortcomings. More » -
psp
"Sony Is Doomed!" Ray Redirected Toward PSP
It's been a rough couple of months for Sony and the PlayStation 3, particularly in the mainstream press. Now that the two year old console has been sufficiently thrashed, we think the PSP is due. More » -
console wars
Sony Europe Boss Denies Spring Price Cut, Says It's Still Beating Xbox In Europe
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe boss David Reeves issued a strong "nuh-uh" to his Xbox competition, saying that the PlayStation 3 is still outpacing Microsoft's console in PAL land. By a good 300,000 too! More » -
black friday
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Outsold PS3 3-to-1 On Black Friday
The Xbox 360 experienced "record-breaking console sales" during the post-Thanksgiving weekend, Microsoft corporately gloated today. It estimated a 25% increase in sales from Black Friday 2007 and boasted that it outsold the PlayStation 3 three-to-one. More » -
fanboys
What Makes Fanboys Tick?
Building off of his essay where he asked 'who's winning the battle for the hardcore?', Chris Bateman has posted an essay on 'what makes fanboys tick?'. His answer? Much like fanatics on any side of sports rivalry, political divides, or religious divides, it's cognitive dissonance at work. As Bateman explains, "When we come across situations that radically contradict our beliefs, we are filled with an uncomfortable feeling: to lessen this unpleasant experience (which is termed cognitive dissonance) we modify our beliefs in a way that will lessen the cognitive dissonance." What does this have to do with console wars (and warring factions?): More » -
The Wells At World's End
Jane Wells' Son - The Epic Conclusion, With A Twist!
We've been following the epic saga of CNBC reporter Jane Wells' son and his on and off love affair with the PlayStation 3 with bated breath here at Kotaku Tower, sitting on the very edge of our seats, feet littered with discarded popcorn containers as we wait and see just what happens next. First he trades in his Xbox 360 for a PlayStation 3, then he misses his Xbox Live friends and turns to World of Warcraft for comfort. Now for the finale which ties it all together! More » -
apple
Would You Buy An Apple Gaming Console?
The prospect of another company jumping into the console market is laughable to most people, and for good reasons. It isn't a market you can just leap right into. You need connections, capital, and consumers hungry for any product you put on the market. Over at Cnet's The Digital Home, Don Reisinger suggests that only one such company exists - Apple. More » -
npd group
Madden's Millions Rule August Software Sales
Why is this man smirking? His EA Sports division sold over 2.3 million copies of Madden NFL 09 to U.S. gamers last month, putting a serious hurting on the competition and lining up with his "prediction." Madden performed best on the Xbox 360, with over a million copies sold for that platform alone. The PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 versions sold over a million combined, so we doubt Peter Moore will be playing favorites.
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npd group
Nintendo Rules U.S. Hardware Sales In August Amid Slowing Growth
Nintendo was in no danger of giving up the American console crown with its performance in August, selling just shy of another million Wiis and Nintendo DSs. More Nintendo hardware was sold to U.S. consumers than on all other platforms combined. More » -
follow up
Jane Wells' Son Wants His 360 Back
Back in July, Jane Wells of CNBC declared the PlayStation 3 the winner of the console wars based on her son's reaction to Sony's E3 press conference. Following Sony's showing, the young lad picked up his Xbox 360 and all of his games and marched down to the local game store to trade it all in for a PlayStation 3. Now Wells posted an update on her son's video gaming habits, suggesting that perhaps the trade-in was a bit premature. More » -
console wars
Sony Doesn't Seem Concerned By Xbox 360 Price Cuts
You might think that a significant price cut on the Xbox 360 front — giving Microsoft a sub $200 option in the U.S. — would have Sony Computer Entertainment employees in a panic, seeking the highest ledge from which to jump. Faced with an Xbox 360 that's cheaper than the Wii would normally drive one to the sweet embrace of Death. Not Sony, though! They're surprisingly powering through. More » -
xbox 360 price cuts
Proof of the $199 Xbox 360 Rumor
There it is (full size after the jump), according to VGChartz.com. (Thanks to eagle-eyed reader LoadedStatement). One of the site's members did a SKU inquiry on the 360 and got that screen, which shows the $199 price taking effect Sept. 7. More » -
Console War Forecast
Analyst: Wii To Lead Hardware, PS3 To Lead Software By 2012
The Wii is set to break console sales records in 2008, says analyst group DFC Intelligence - but the PlayStation 3 will beat the Wii's software sales by 2012. More » -
microsoft
Shane Kim Resets Console War Winner To 100 Million
Shane Kim is ready to call the console war. Just as soon as someone sells another 90 million consoles, that is. In a recent interview with Wired's Game|Life, the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Game Studios says that it's too early to declare a winner, despite colleague Don Mattrick chirping up recently to point out console sales precedents that say otherwise. More » -
console wars
Wii Dominates April, PS3 & Xbox 360 In Dead Heat On GTA IV Sales
Nintendo had an amazing April, pushing over 700,000 Wiis in the United States. That's a massive difference from its "current gen high definition console" competition, as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were neck and neck, only a thousand units difference between the two. If you were expecting a big boost from Grand Theft Auto IV's release, you're going to leave disappointed. Maybe next month. Nintendo's other platform, the DS continued to impress, more than doubling sales of the PSP.
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console wars
Microsoft: Oops, We Forgot About The Wii In Worldwide Sales
Microsoft totally won the race to 10 million in the U.S. That's for damn sure. But worldwide? They're not exactly the leader in the "current-generation console" race, at least not if you include the Wii as a "current-generation console." They may have an impressive Xbox Live user base, but 19 million Xbox 360s sold does not a current gen leader make. More » -
console wars
MS Still Thinks It Can Win The Console War, Xbox 360 Pushes Past 10 Million In U.S.
With a reported 9.9 million Xbox 360s sold through in the United States as of the end of March, something catastrophic would have had to happen to prevent Microsoft from reaching the 10 million mark first. Fortunately for the gang in Redmond, the company has avoided certain doom, announcing that it has reached the corporately coveted figure, beating NPD estimates by a day. More » -
console wars
Pachter Predicts PS3 Outsold Xbox 360 In April, Wii To Dominate All
If NPD sales results can be epic, then this Thursday's expected sales data from the research group will be epic. Microsoft and Sony went head to head with near identical versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, a battle sure to result in carefully crafted post-NPD reveal statements with spun gold. GTA IV assuredly moved some hardware, but who will win the April skirmish? In that particular head-to-head Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter says the PlayStation 3 pulled ahead—his SimExchange counterparts disagree. Neither, Pachter predicts, will be able to overcome the staggering power that is the Wii. More » -
race driver: grid
Gametrailers Blows It with PS3/360 Footage
So I poked the console-wars snake last week and learned a big Fat Albert lesson about people's feelings in the process. Gametrailers, with a longer history than me, not so much. More » -
console wars
Forbes: GTA IV is a Threat to the Wii
Forbes' Brian Caulfield asks if Grand Theft Auto IV, which isn't available for the Nintendo Wii, will finally take some of the shine off that console and slow its sales. He doesn't directly answer that question, but points out the Wii's missing out on a $400 million party. Further, "It's one of a series of good games that will each convince consumers that there is a lot of good content on the other two boxes," an analyst says in the piece. More » -
gta iv lockup
What's Worse: RRoD or GTA IV Lockup?
Clearly, Sony has been looking to bootstrap the PS3 to Grand Theft Auto IV's launch, even if this is the first time that title hasn't released exclusively on its platform first. A news release sent Thursday by Sony's agency pointed out that GTA IV's launch provided "a vigorous lift in PS3 console sales" (according to an exec with Sony channel partner Gamestop, in the kind of comment that was clearly written and approved by no one actually connected to it).
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analyst
Xbox 360 To Be Europe's "Biggest Loser" Say Analysts
The analysts at DFC Intelligence have gazed into the crystal ball to receive word from the future of the European console war and the news is somewhat of a downer for Sony. But it's far worse for Microsoft. A new report calls for "strong" sales of the PlayStation 3 but that Sony should expect to lose a "big chunk" of the PS2 install base. Wii is expected to dominate, but won't move software like the PS3 may. More » -
britain
360 In Britain: Sales Double, Still In Last Place
Last week, Microsoft announced that sales of the 360 in Europe had doubled since the introduction of recent price cuts . No doubting the accuracy of their claims, but without actual sales figures for the 360 or its competitors, we had our doubts as to their importance. Doubts that are looking fairly justified today, with both SCEE and ChartTrack confirming to Reg Hardware that while 360 sales have indeed doubled over the past four weeks, it hasn't meant much in Britain, with the PS3 is still outselling it, something it's been doing so for the past 15 weeks. They then go on to say that even if you combined 360 and PS3 sales the Wii would still be "healthily" ahead on sales, but that's something you probably could have figured out on your own. More » -
microsoft
Microsoft: "The Battle For The Core User Is Sort Of Over"
Ah, here's what was missing from Microsoft's post-NPD gloat: fightin' words. Speaking with Next-Gen, Xbox group product manager Aaron Greenberg has been talking all kinds of shit about how Microsoft has already won the battle for the core gamer.I think the battle for the core user is sort of over, if you will. We're heading now well beyond 20 million in console sales.
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console wars
THQ Boss Says Wii Hasn't Won Just Yet
Speaking earlier today at the - where else - Morgan Stanley Technology Conference, THQ boss Brian Farrell has said that while the Wii's been going gangbusters so far during this console generation, it doesn't have things sewn up just yet:...the way we're thinking about this cycle from a high level is, the Wii at that lower price-point had a lot of momentum early in the cycle, but as Sony and Microsoft come down the price curve those two should accelerate, and there's a lot of firepower left in their arsenal...
He goes on to say that because of this, they're expecting one loooong, successful hardware cycle, as cheaper 360s and PS3s make it more of an even fight. Can't say I can see that actually happening, but gee, wouldn't it be lovely if it did? -
analysis
Edge Asks If Microsoft Is Losing Their...Edge
Edge has published an impressively complete analysis on the Xbox 360's viability in today's marketplace. While a few thousand words too long to do proper justice here (that means, yes, you should take the time to click the link and read it), Edge essentially states that with every major advantage Microsoft has gained, they've managed to shoot themselves in the foot. More » -
console wars
Activision Bets Against PS3 In US
Remember earlier this week when EA pretty much bet on the PS3 whomping the Xbox 360's ass in 2008 (and not in the cool, we're still friends, kinky way)? Well apparently not every publisher is betting on the platform. During a shareholder conference call, they stated that Nintendo would lead North American sales in 2008, with the 360 selling between 4 and 5 million units while the PS3 sold only 3 to 4 million units. More » -
console wars
A Medal Of Honor For Console War Veterans
What better way to show you're a survivor of the casualty-heavy Console Wars of the eighties than with this commemorative medal featuring the clear winner of the 8-bit home console conflict, the NES. Sporting an NES controller and signature cross-pad backdrop, the "Console War I" medal from Supermandolini is the "first in a series of limited edition 'pin' medals" that the jeweler has planned. More »

































