I remember initially the PS3 was not considered much of a software mover... and in many multiplat games XBOX had an easy 2:1 advantage.. But i was reading the gamasutra analysis and one thing which baffled me was the software analysis of first three months.

Consider this simple comparison: more money was spent on PlayStation 3 software in March 2010 than November 2009, even though the latter is one of the biggest shopping months of the year.

Regrettably, the top 10 and top 20 software lists provided to us each month are an imperfect tool for analyzing software sales. As part of an extended analysis, we can reveal that Sony's PlayStation 3 had an increasing share of the top 50 titles in the first two months of 2010 and likely had an even bigger share in March. (Final information for March 2010 was not available as of this writing, but will likely be included in a first quarter analysis later this month.)

From that data we have seen, it appears that 12 PS3 titles placed in the top 50 SKUs for the month in January 2010 and 14 PS3 titles in the top 50 SKUs for February.

These titles accounted for a growing share of the software unit and dollar sales in those two months. For context, we estimate that the top 50 titles in each month can account for between 30% and 40% of all software units sold in a given month.

Given that seven PS3 titles placed in the top 20 in March 2010 and that sales of existing titles probably continued to do well throughout that month, we believe that the PS3 took an even greater number of titles in the top 50 for last month.

 

Although i dont think that PS3 had this much share in January or February.. but i see that they are trending up quite significantly.

So my questions are, as you get data at much raw and broader form so:

1) does your data confirms that PS3 is leading in software sales significantly to XBOX in NA? (especially in relation to the bolded part)

2) is PS3 software sales of NA are comparable to Europe also.? i mean is PS3 software sales are moving equally more titles in Europe as it is in NA if assumption 1 is correct or NA is more favorable in last couple of months for PS3 software than Europe?

3) Sony fiscal year ended in March 31st. and i believe they expected 240M for Software sales. is Sony going to hit that target considering their impressive showing in last couple of months, on PS3 front or the failure of PSP is dragging everything down. ?

4) How much XBOX360 is getting hurt by piracy, i think US govt also released a study.. so do u think PS3 strict anti-piracy efforts r now showing results?

Thanks

No one has any opinion, comments. :S

http://www.vgchartz.com/amonthly.php?month=3&year=2010&console=&maker=&boxartz=1#

2 possibilites

1) Your source is completely and utterly wrong

2) The average price of a PS3 game sale was higher this month, which seems likely being as the PS3 game sales were mostly big name new release blockbuster titles whereas the 360 sales were more from older or smaller ames

I'm leaning towards 2

If you look at worlwide software chart youll see that nearly all multiplatform are selling better on PS3 nowadays. So no matter how you try to spin it, PS3 is selling more software than 360 with or without the recent big name.

P.S.: The numbers he posted are for worlwide not just america, but hes confusing the 2 after that.

I am trying to spin nothing.

As for the claim that the PS3 is selling more software without the recent big names.

I challenge that.

Now, of course, in addition to the big name software selling themselves, they also sold some hardware, which in turn sold more games. However, I shall be generous and ignore this completely.

Now, worldwide March sales comparison for software ignoring titles released that month

360 software sales with new releases = 9.25 million

minus 3.479 million (I only included games that made the top 50 for the month, feel free to add in the other 150 if you care

Total from old games 5.771 million

PS3 Software sales with new releases = 13.146

minus 6.055

Total from old games 7.091

Hey would you look at that, even with the massive hardware sales spike due to Sony concentrating a lot of big games into a small and usually quiet period, the PS3 is not far ahead of the 360 in terms of selling old titles.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not disparaging the PS3. But if you think that the PS3 is going to be selling more software than the 360 for any noticeable length of time then you are going to be dissapointed

@ P.S. You're right, I was responding only to "1) does your data confirms that PS3 is leading in software sales significantly to XBOX in NA?"

I think u confirm my point.. thanks.. 7.091 to 5.77 is around 23% more than XBOX.. and PS3 is mainly leading in Japan & Europe.. and Japan is not such a strong software mover for PS3 atleast.. i think Japan has lowest attach rate for PS3.. so if u keep NA & Europe PS3 is ahead but not a lot.. and still 23% more software i think is quite a good result

I have noticed that for the past couple of months the ps3 has been selling more software. In fact when i went to best buy when they had that Assassins creed 2 deal for $30 i saw like 10 copies for the xbox 360 sitting there and only one copy for the ps3 (which i bought). After i picked up the game i saw another person trying to find assassins creed 2 for the PS3. Also on amazon PS3 software has been selling more. But i guess 360 dominates PS3 in shooters.

World wide the PS3's software sales have been at a gradual uprising.. for sure.. in the US it's been w.e

piracy? could it be?

It's been increasing in sales for the last year or so I would say, doesn't matter how some might try to spin it to make it 'sound' otherwise