ArcticGabe said:
Software sales are the indication of the popularity of a console. If you follow the UK chart you'll find some multiplats games which get higher sales on PS3 in US actually selling better on Xbox 360 in UK, like Batman: Arkham Asylum. |
I'd argue SW sales are an indication of the alignment of the console's titles to its ownership demographic.
For example, I could release a console with 15 M units sold and potentially have every game sell 10 M plus to that install base (and in a sense that's what MS did with Halo on the original Xbox) so SW sales doesn't hold as a principle for populatiry I'd argue - popularity generally means more popular with more people - i.e the Wii is popular. The 360 is popular with less people technically compared to Wii (hence the console sales). However, it has more titles that better target its owners (plus I suspect owners who shop for videogames more often) hence the SW sales.
That's a compliment BTW - I think the 360 has been well targeted (well, in US and UK primarily with the effect dimished in other countries) to a certain demographic and has had (mainly) strong titles released that will appeal to that demographic, hence the high sales. It's only now, when pretty secure with their core demographic, that I think MS can chase the more casual demographic as they are indeed ramping up to do.
One downside for MS if they succeed (and my assumptions are right) are that their attach rate and SW sales ratio will suffer, as unless they pull of some magic they will then have more 360 owners who shop less often for videogames.
Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...
