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ICStats on 01 January 2014
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Dream_While_Awake said:
vivster said:

But should't a fair comparison be between two equally viable choices that are competing for the same audience?

I agree with you that since this is a sales site and it is valid to compare handheld numbers to home console numbers, especially since they are so close to each other. But it's still not a fair comparison.

For example: You can compare the graphics on handhelds with those of home consoles since both are trying to deliver the best graphic fidelity that they are cabable of. Still it won't be a fair comparison.

May I ask you why it isn't fair? They have equal opportunity to sell well. Everybody can have their own opinions about if it makes sense to compare the two but I want to know why people (you) think it's unfair. It isn't like it's one sided and one has a bigger audience to sell to. (Sales data shows this) 

It's your opinion and I respect that but I'm just curious.

They target different demographics, and they have different expense.

1st of all they do have different audiences.  People are stating that because DS & PS2 sold about the same amount that they have about the same market but that's just cherry picking examples.  In fact I believe the core audience of DS is around 5~17 y/o and PS2's core audience is 18~35 y/o, i.e. the majority of the audience is different.

Those systems sold well for different reasons; the PS2 for it's amazing amount of content plus in no small part lots of piracy.  DS for the touch gaming revolution and range of more casual content.

2nd the cost/expense and attach rates are rather different.  Handhelds are more often purchased as gifts for kids, while consoles are more often purchased for personal use.

  • A handheld at $150 with about 5 games sold in lifetime x $40 = $350 sales per handheld sold.
  • A console at $300 with about 10 games sold in lifetime x $60 = $900 sales per console sold.

Plus a console likely has more accessories (extra controllers, charge stations, headsets, subscriptions, a big 1080p TV, whatever...)

So IMO:

 

  • If you want to talk popularity in audience - don't mix handheld & console.
  • If you want to talk business success - use actual sales dollars not unit sales.
  • If you just want a bigger epeen - use unit sales



My 8th gen collection