BKK2 on 10 November 2008
Core Gaming, distributors of Nintendo in South Africa, recently celebrated their first year in South Africa and took the opportunity to review the performance of the Wii and the Nintendo DS in the South African market to date.
RJ van Spaandonk, Executive Director of Core Group, revealed the all important sales figures showing that the Wii has been the number one selling current generation console in South Africa from the day it went on sale. Sales from Quarter 3 of 2008 show that the Wii is dominating the market with 36%, followed by the PS2 with 29%, the Xbox 360 with 22% and the PS3 with 14%.
In May this year the Wii overtook the PS2 as the best selling home console in South Africa, quite a feat but not that surprising given that one out of every three consoles sold is a Wii.
Van Spaandonk also took a closer look at the lifetime sales of current generation consoles in South Africa. The Xbox 360 was launched here in October 2006 and its lifetime sales currently stand at 72 000 while the PS3 has recorded lifetime sales of 45 500 since its launch here in March 2007. The Wii, launched here in October 2007, has racked up lifetime sales of 58 000 to date and Van Spaandonk is confident that by Christmas the Wii will be the number one current generation console in South Africa in terms of lifetime sales.
It is interesting to note that the Xbox 360 showed a typical growth rate in South Africa with an average of 3000 units being sold per month. The PS3 showed a similar trend but levelled off at 2400 units per month while the Wii has displayed a steeper climbing rate of 4850 units per month. Furthermore, the sales figures show that typical first year sales recorded were the PS3 with 33 200, the Xbox 360 with 39 500 and the Wii leading the pack with 58 100 units.
The Nintendo DS shows a similar success story, gaining on its competitor, Sony’s PSP, since it was re-launched here in February 2008. Quarter 3 results show that the DS has overtaken the PSP, controlling the handheld market with 51% in comparison to the PSP’s 49%. It has been gaining on the PSP with Quarter 1 results showing the DS with 39%, Quarter 2 with 42% and now holding the majority stake at Quarter 3 with 51%.
Van Spaandonk also pointed out that despite a slow down in the economy, sales of the Wii and DS are 40% higher this year. He attributes this success to Nintendo’s Blue Ocean strategy, a deliberate strategy that targets non-traditional gamers and seeks to draw a new type of casual gamer into the gaming realm.
The Blue Ocean strategy has proved to be effective so far and is best demonstrated by taking a closer look at the changing demographics of who is actually playing video games. Statistics from Europe show that the 45% of Wii users are older than 25 years, breaking the perception of so called traditional gamers being teenage boys. Even more interesting is that 46% of these Wii users are female and 33% are new gamers. The DS’s success story reads similarly with 30% of DS users being older than 25, 55% being female and 38% being new.
RJ van Spaandonk, Executive Director of Core Group, revealed the all important sales figures showing that the Wii has been the number one selling current generation console in South Africa from the day it went on sale. Sales from Quarter 3 of 2008 show that the Wii is dominating the market with 36%, followed by the PS2 with 29%, the Xbox 360 with 22% and the PS3 with 14%.
In May this year the Wii overtook the PS2 as the best selling home console in South Africa, quite a feat but not that surprising given that one out of every three consoles sold is a Wii.
Van Spaandonk also took a closer look at the lifetime sales of current generation consoles in South Africa. The Xbox 360 was launched here in October 2006 and its lifetime sales currently stand at 72 000 while the PS3 has recorded lifetime sales of 45 500 since its launch here in March 2007. The Wii, launched here in October 2007, has racked up lifetime sales of 58 000 to date and Van Spaandonk is confident that by Christmas the Wii will be the number one current generation console in South Africa in terms of lifetime sales.
It is interesting to note that the Xbox 360 showed a typical growth rate in South Africa with an average of 3000 units being sold per month. The PS3 showed a similar trend but levelled off at 2400 units per month while the Wii has displayed a steeper climbing rate of 4850 units per month. Furthermore, the sales figures show that typical first year sales recorded were the PS3 with 33 200, the Xbox 360 with 39 500 and the Wii leading the pack with 58 100 units.
The Nintendo DS shows a similar success story, gaining on its competitor, Sony’s PSP, since it was re-launched here in February 2008. Quarter 3 results show that the DS has overtaken the PSP, controlling the handheld market with 51% in comparison to the PSP’s 49%. It has been gaining on the PSP with Quarter 1 results showing the DS with 39%, Quarter 2 with 42% and now holding the majority stake at Quarter 3 with 51%.
Van Spaandonk also pointed out that despite a slow down in the economy, sales of the Wii and DS are 40% higher this year. He attributes this success to Nintendo’s Blue Ocean strategy, a deliberate strategy that targets non-traditional gamers and seeks to draw a new type of casual gamer into the gaming realm.
The Blue Ocean strategy has proved to be effective so far and is best demonstrated by taking a closer look at the changing demographics of who is actually playing video games. Statistics from Europe show that the 45% of Wii users are older than 25 years, breaking the perception of so called traditional gamers being teenage boys. Even more interesting is that 46% of these Wii users are female and 33% are new gamers. The DS’s success story reads similarly with 30% of DS users being older than 25, 55% being female and 38% being new.
Link
Hardware LTD:
360: 72,000
Wii: 58,100
PS3: 45,500
