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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Amazon US November monthly bestsellers and general Amazon-based discussion.

Although the infoscout data is close to what I expected, I still think some people are putting way too much stock into their numbers. 

Someone needs to tell the users on gaf that just because they're using 250k receipts doesn't mean all of those receipts (or anything more than 1% of them or so) are related to game purchases. 

Still, it seems fairly safe to assume that the relative price parity (plus the $100 discount from last year) helped the PS4 quite a bit. 



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Halo into 3rd at $50



binary solo said:

Well for all practical purposes, given the low sample size, it is not possible to say whether PS4 or Xb one had higher sales on BF. I tend to give the edge to PS4 since Amazon and Infoscout agree that PS4 sold the most, it's just that on Amazon the apparent difference between the two was bigger.

My NPD pick for the PS4 win is <100K. So in the end I seem to be agreeing with X1Gates

But let us say that BF2015 is 10% up on BF2014 on a two console comparison. VGC has last years BF week at ~1.1 million. That would make this BF week 1.21 million. This makes PS4 sales 635.25K and Xb one 620.13K. giving PS4 a ~15K win for the week, it gives PS4 a big YoY lift, while Xb one sees a slight YoY decrease.

The VGC numbers for the first 2 weeks of November gives PS4 a lead of ~23K, add 15K and that's ~38K for 3 weeks of November. That 3rd week of November for which we have no numbers is not going to be >62K advantage for PS4.

The only elephant in the room is the great VGC PS4 undertrack, it could be that during November VGC has been undertracking PS4 in the USA by 20-30K. If that is the case, then PS4 could be up over 100K ahead in NPD.

Next Friday (my time) can't come soon enough.

Are those numbers even believable because the x1 outsold the ps4 by 19k the launch week of bo3 and the PS4 had the pre-orders from the bundle so it would be expected the ps4 sells more.



Also, I'm interested as to why XBO won November npd last year by >400k (despite generally being the less popular console), yet with ps4 (generally the more popular console) having 2 of the 3 major 3rd party marketing deals, months worth of bundle preorders, ps4 outselling XBO by a large margin for the first three months of nov, and then also (likely) winning BF, only one or 2 ppl have predicted a ps4 win for nov npd of 400k or >.

I'm just curious as to why this is. I think it'll be 350-450. I could totally be wrong, but I think there's a good amount of supporting info to back this.



pitzy272 said:

Also, I'm interested as to why XBO won November npd last year by >400k (despite generally being the less popular console), yet with ps4 (generally the more popular console) having 2 of the 3 major 3rd party marketing deals, months worth of bundle preorders, ps4 outselling XBO by a large margin for the first three months of nov, and then also (likely) winning BF, only one or 2 ppl have predicted a ps4 win for nov npd of 400k or >.

I'm just curious as to why this is. I think it'll be 350-450. I could totally be wrong, but I think there's a good amount of supporting info to back this.

Far as last year goes? Microsoft was borderline having a month long fire-sale. They didn't this year and Sony played their cards more aggressively.



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pitzy272 said:

Also, I'm interested as to why XBO won November npd last year by >400k (despite generally being the less popular console), yet with ps4 (generally the more popular console) having 2 of the 3 major 3rd party marketing deals, months worth of bundle preorders, ps4 outselling XBO by a large margin for the first three months of nov, and then also (likely) winning BF, only one or 2 ppl have predicted a ps4 win for nov npd of 400k or >.

I'm just curious as to why this is. I think it'll be 350-450. I could totally be wrong, but I think there's a good amount of supporting info to back this.


Microsoft was a lot more aggressive last year then Sony this year. In general Sony has been weak during the holidays in the past few years compared with the other 9 months, so its much harder to predict them to win a holiday month.



Legacy said:


What does "Top individual gaming purchase" mean? Only one item on reciept? Weird wording.



binary solo said

I think Holiday 2015 was always likely to be a win for PS4 given the lengths MS had to go to to win last year. Sony was always going to drop the price by at least $50, and they had a lot more margin to play with to offer great BF deals, and short term holiday discounts. Even if the $299 base price disapperas expect the gift card deals to keep on coming. 2016 will be interesting to see if MS dives all the way down to a $199 price tag even if only for BF. I can certainly see a full $100 proice cut happening for Xb one some time next year for the base price to be $250. Sony won't go that low, but I think they will move to a $299 base price next year. I can see Sony's 2016 BF deals beig of the $50 off and $50 gift card variety, wheras I think MS will hit a lower sticker price. MS had a go at competing with PS4 at the same sticker price, and they couldn't get a win even with a gift card thrown into the mix at some / one retailer(s). MS may not be as focussed on winning globally in the USA anymore, but I think they do want to win a few big months at least, so I expect them to push for it.

Next BF Sony will have a Tomb Raider bundle in the same position as this year's NDC bundle, or beter still a UC4+Tomb Raider "Adventurer's" bundle. That would almost qualify as trolling Microsoft.

Anyway I was irrationally uncomfortable at the idea of Infoscout and Amazon contradicting one another for BF winner. And while they still do to the extent that Infoscout is saying the Gears bundle was the biggest selling sku, the overall outcome is that both of them have PS4 winning.  Or is it that Infoscout only says The Gears Bundle was #1 at Target and Walmart, but across all retailers NDC was bigger? Their PR really is kinda ll over the place and it's only the graph that is clear.

I don't think that's how MS will play it. I can't see them throwing even more money away next year when clearly this year they showed restraint until the bitter end. The Halo Bundle was an odd choice for a company that is hell bent on winning at any cost. I think management from on high has informed Spencer on the limitations and his spending budget has been reduced. They've moved to LIVE subscription as an indicator of success for a reason and I believe that reason is PC. Sony will have far more to offer in terms of 1st party support and 2nd party support next year and I'm not sure those on high would appreciate throwing the kitchen sink at a potential loss next Christmas. Shareholders, and those who voiced their discontent with Xbox, are going to look on that as even more money MS are throwing away for just a token victory, a victory that still isn't guarenteed even with a price advantage.



 

The PS5 Exists. 


Is it significant that Wii U hasn't managed to nudge past NDC yet? Or have not enough hours gone by for the full effect of Wii U? Technically the price difference hasn't changed it was $50 before BF and it's $50 now. So it could be that Wii U won't go ahed of PS4 until PS4 goes back to $349 and Wii U stays at $249.



“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” - Bertrand Russell

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

Jimi Hendrix

 

Farsala said:
pitzy272 said:

Also, I'm interested as to why XBO won November npd last year by >400k (despite generally being the less popular console), yet with ps4 (generally the more popular console) having 2 of the 3 major 3rd party marketing deals, months worth of bundle preorders, ps4 outselling XBO by a large margin for the first three months of nov, and then also (likely) winning BF, only one or 2 ppl have predicted a ps4 win for nov npd of 400k or >.

I'm just curious as to why this is. I think it'll be 350-450. I could totally be wrong, but I think there's a good amount of supporting info to back this.


Microsoft was a lot more aggressive last year then Sony this year. In general Sony has been weak during the holidays in the past few years compared with the other 9 months, so its much harder to predict them to win a holiday month.

Most people already had a PS4 so the only time Xbox sold well was BF and December.