Move not really setting the world ablaze with its glory it seems... Wii continues the slump into mediocrity with the PS3, 360 doing amazingly yet again.

Where are the US numbers?1?!!?

 Well here's my take. Since things are relative, setting absolute values that no game has matched is pointless. No point in saying only massive games in EU are those that sell over 3.5 million a week if not a single game has done it. So I'd consider massive/ very big games, the top 7 opening selling games averaged. That way, at least a few games can be considered something that is realistic to the expectations of this industry. Otherwise we might as well call it infinity rather than a measly 3-5 million. 

So if 1 million a week is in the top 5 opening weeks in EU, then I'd consider Reach number massive. 

Right, I'll keep this short.  EDIT : well, short'ish...

One, I'm not repeating a mantra I'm explaining that, if you actually really look at the numbers - more on them in a moment - it's actually a fairly compelling conclusion and therefore one that is being fairly drawn by some people.

Two, this is a site about numbers and what can be concluded from them.  Sure some will say Reach is fail because blah blah blah and others will say it's the best ever for the same blah blah blah unfounded reasons.

Three, I'm here for the numbers (and elements of the community) and don't give a biased damn one way or the other.

Now, the numbers.

Halo Reach, according to the numbers, has sold only 50,000 more despite a HW boost larger than that 50,000 and a much larger install base when Halo 3 launch.  Now, first, so you can relax,  Reach has sold fantastically going by the numbers, a huge launch in EMEAA and proof the series is a popular as ever, but... there is clearly something odd going on with such a flat level of growth (particularly if you look at growth from Halo CE to Halo 2 to Halo 3 where the series has steadily enlarged the player base) with a HW boost plus a much larger install base than when Halo 3 launched.

So, what are the possibilities?  Let's consider 3 that spring to mind.

1 - the numbers are wrong for SW but right for HW.  Reach is undertracked and will get an adjustment up which will then nicely show a SW boost due to larger install base and the HW boost.  Until this happens - if it does - we can only use the numbers we have.  Personally, the SW does seem a little low next to HW so I wouldn't be surprised to see an adjustment up, but until then let's move on to other possibilities.

2 - the numbers are right for both SW and HW (within acceptable error tolerances).  This would strongly imply Halo franchise has more or less plataued in EMEAA (unless, based on next week, we see the title having a stronger second week), and the HW boost was a mix of

• existing owners buying Reach special editions - i.e. double dipping on HW
• some new gamers to the Halo franchise
• plus, probably, some people who had sold their 360's sometime after Halo 3 and were buying a new one to get Reach
• and, finally with regard specifically to Reach, some existing 360 owners using Reach as a nice impetus to get a 360s
• finally, finally, some of the HW boost would be people buying a 360s but having no interest in Halo.

In other words, a strong chance a fair bit of the HW boost was people double dipping because otherwise the HW boost and relatively flat sales compared to Halo 3 numbers don't balance out

3 - the numbers are wrong for HW and right for SW.  This seems less likely, but of course another way to explain the difference is to take the view the SW number is right but the HW number is wrong and too high.  A smaller boost would more readily fit realtively flat SW boost.

So you see, with such flat SW and a big HW boost there is a missmatch and while some are simply using it to fuel their hate, it doesn't make the missmatch itself dissapear or become invalid for discussion.  I was merely pointing out the idea that the HW boost may well, given the SW/HW numbers, contain a fair amount of existing owners double dipping on the HW side is fair to assume and in no way some mantra of hate.  It is a justified opinion to have based on the numbers and without any bias.

A final point on that, who do you think special editions are aimed at?  New customers?  No!  Not for Halo nor indeed any special edition.  They are aimed at the hardcore fans who will always double dip.  This is nothing new and nothing specific to Halo.  MS release a special Reach bundle knowing it will appeal most to existing fans who will double dip.  20th Centuary Fox release Alien special edition sets on a regular basis knowing the franchise remains (just about) viable to support regular double dipping.

PS3 God of War consoles are for the hardcore who almost certainly have a PS3 and will double dip for the special edition console.

Sure, some new owners will pick up the special editions, but unless something odd is going on then generally the majority by far will be pre-ordered and purchased by existing owners.

Basically, everywhere there was a Reach special bundle with a custom 360 console you will see a lot of double dipping.  Nothing to be paranoid about and nothing to get all huffy about.

Now, are some jumping on this kind of thing unfairly?  Sure, but call them out for their motives, don't try and argue against double dipping itself because it's a given with such a special edition and you're almost certainly wrong to think the HW boost is fueled purely by new owners of 360 consoles.  That is very, very unlikely at this point.

Now, peace, call out the genuine haters and otherwise stick to reasonable possibilities around the numbers themselves.  If you have genuine ideas as to how their could be a decent HW spike with relatively flat SW numbers vs Halo 3 I'll certainly listen to it and if it makes sense I'll certainly reconsider anything I may currently think.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=266507

EA Europe's VP, Jens Uwe Intat thinks the PlayStation 3 can still make a 'come back' and catch up Microsoft's Xbox 360 sales.

Speaking in an interview with MCV, Intat said there's a very real possibility of Sony catching up with Microsoft's Xbox 360 in the UK. Sony's popularity in the continent could play an important role in this, Intat said.

"We could certainly see Sony come back - in the UK it's still a head-to-head competition between PlayStation and Xbox, but on the continent Sony is traditionally stronger than Microsoft," the EA VP added.

The exec also took a moment to reflect on the benefit the competition between the Xbox 360 and PS3 has for EA as a publisher:

"But we're very happy to watch the competition, because as long as they're competing to get more consumers in, there are more people we can sell games to.

"It's interesting to see that both companies embarking on a slightly different path when it comes to controlling games. Kinect and Move are both very interesting ideas."

EA has stirred controversy with its latest FPS Medal of Honor, in which the Taliban are playable characters. EA recently responded to the controversial content.

Well, ps3 head to head with 360, too much diferent from vgchartz, imagine the rest of europe....words of EA Boss

I always said.....vhcartz ultra undertracked sony consoles....

it´s the prove