I don't have the figures for Europe, but the most interesting thing about the recent data is that you can no longer argue Wii users are buying other consoles in the US. The console figures in the US for May were the lowest since May 2000 (by NPD), and comparable to 1997 / 1998, during the height of the N64 / PS1 days when selling 350,000-400,000 consoles in the US market was considered amazing.
This has been true in other months as well, but less dramatically.
May 2012 - 355,000 consoles sold in the US - lowest May figure since 200,000 consoles sold in May 2000.
April 2012 - 500,000 consoles sold in the US - lowest April since April 2002 (421,000 consoles sold in April 2002)
March 2012 - 888,000 consoles sold in the US - lowest March since March 2006 (although March 2007 was 890,000)
February 2012 - 1.02m consoles sold in the US - lowest since February 2007 (1.01m in Feb 2007)
January 2012 - 620,000 consoles sold in the US - lowest since January 2000 (537,000 in January 2000, although 630,000 in January 2002 was close to 2012)
January - May US Consoles sold
2012: 3.38m 2011: 4.23m
2010: 5.16m 2009: 5.63m
2008: 6.22m 2007: 4.80m
2006: 3.01m 2005: 3.54m
2004: 3.43m 2003: 3.57m
2002: 3.50m 2001: 3.60m
2000: 2.20m 1999: 2.57m
1998: 2.85m 1997: 2.11m
Basically, figures have been abysmal in January, April, and May - and bad from January - May. We're heading for a 2004-2005 like year in the USA...which is not good.
People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge.
When there are more laws, there are more criminals.
- Lao Tzu
