selnor said:
Interesting that 360 is that close to PS3 in EU over Q1 2011. 300k isnt alot. Considering PS3 is sold in more territoriess as well. M$ havent had a price cut for ages now. he next cut should be phenominal. Should do good numbers as it will really hit mass market price. They have done well to not price cut react for the last 2 years. It's something we all should remeber when talking of sales for 360 over the last 2 years. PS3 has had 3 price cuts since the last 360 one. I say the 360 has done a great job selling without those price cuts. However it did have the 360s release, which sparked sales interest last christmas. I say 36 |
Well that's an average weekly difference of 21K, which is a substantial difference IMO.
What we all should also remember is that PS3 price cuts have, until now, brought the price down towards the 360's Elite / 250Gb sku price. Since 2009 160Gb PS3 and Elite / 250Gb sku 360 have been competing on an even price footing ( I assume across Europe they are equal price, though I'll note that in some EMEAA countries outside Europe 250Gb 360 is still cheaper than 160Gb PS3). So, sure PS3 has cut price more often than 360, but considering the actual price differentials over the cource of the gen, to just talk about numbers of price cuts for each console is not the full story.
I would be very surprised if 360 was the number 1 selling console in Europe this holidays. Even with a price cut (unless they cut the 250Gb 360 by 100 Euro).
The Gears franchise is big in EMEAA but not huge. And being the 3rd in the series oin 360 I'm thinking it won't drive sales too much. There will be a launch week bump but that's about it.
Forza franchise is strong for 360, but I get the feeling that the Sim racer fans have made their choices. That is the gamers who's favourite genre is sim racing. Again 3rd game of the series this gen would normally mean a launch week sales bump but not a lot of HW effect after that.
Fifa franchise has always done better on PS3 even when 360 had a LTD lead over PS3, so even with promotional exclusivity deals FIFA is not going to effect HW sales differentials. Both systems will get a bump at launch and even if 360 gets a bigger bump it won;t be that much bigger.
CoD is bigger on PS3 than 360 now, and there's no reason to think MW3 will be different. Again with exclusive 360 tie ins the effect that has on HW sales differentials won't be large.
Kinect has had tepid 2011 sales in Europe compared to Americas. Can MS do something to massively boost Kinect's performance in Europe? Sure they can, Kinect is a great piece of kit and there are good games for it. The difference between OK sales and great sales for a great piece of hardware is marketing. But I think Kinect's appeal is to about 20%-25% of the 360 buying market at most (in Americas Kinect weekly sales are at about 27% of 360 weekly sales and that's to new 360 buyers and existing 360 owners). At present in Europe Kinect is perhaps selling to 12% of new 360 buyers. I think a very good holiday performance for Kinect in Europe would be rising to 25% of 360 sales, whereas a very good Kinect performance for the holidays in Americas would be rising to 50% of 360 sales. The corresponding HW boost from Kinect rising up to 25% of new console buyers I think would put 360 sales close to PS3 for the holidays, but I don't think it would put 360 sales ahead.
The combined effects of all the 360 exclusive games (multiplats will have no material effect) can make this holiday close between 360 and PS3 thie year, but wihtout a formal 360 price cut it won't put 360 ahead.
And despite Wii's rapidly slowing sales this year I think Wii can still be numer 1 for the holidays in Europe.
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