A pretty interesting study, I never would have guessed that M rated games sell better on average or that 98% of Wii game have no online component, will that change dramatically this Fall/Winter?

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15441

POSTED: 09.56AM PST, 09/10/07 - Leigh Alexander

"New interactive entertainment research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) has released data measuring to-date success of the latest generation of consoles, analyzing the significance of online functionalities and other market factors, such as the correlation between game review scores and retail success.

The new study, titled "Console Intelligence Brief 2007" examines the PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 since each consoles’ release through June 1, 2007, and comprises some 219 retail and 187 downloadable games made available on the new platforms, examined by genre, ESRB rating, gross sales in the United States, MetaCritic scores, online functionalities, multiplayer capability and other core game features.

Among the sample results made available, the study found that critics’ favorite list and the blockbuster charts have a lot in common, with highly-rated titles selling up to five times better than titles with lower scoring reviews.

Despite online connectivity being a marketing cornerstone for all new consoles, the study concluded that 45 percent of retail games are not utilizing it in any way -- 98 percent of Nintendo Wii games have no online functionality at all.

Notably, according to the study, mature-rated titles, comprising 10 percent of all US retail games examined, have both the highest average MetaCritic scores and the highest average gross sales in the United States -- despite the fact that some major retailers decline to sell them.

Less than 2 percent of all the titles released achieved a MetaCritic score over 90 -- and those games grossed sales up to 531 percent more than the industry average, the study says. It also found that 24 percent of all available titles are action games, though the shooter genre has the highest gross sales.

Finally, the study has also found that the Nintendo Wii has seen more than twice the number of retail and downloadable game titles than either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 in the first 7 months after each platform’s launch. "

I don't see how the "98%" statistic is anything new. We know there's hardly any online games for the Wii currently, but that's changing by the end of this year and onward...so no big deal.

Does this article say VC sales have been twice as big as XBLA and PSN sales? Or did it group discs and downloadables together...

interesting.

on M titles selling better: shows correlation, gets causality wrong.

It says "twice the number of retail and downloadable game titles." It is grouping discs with downloads and it has nothing to do with sales, only selection. Hardly surprising. Nintendo is putting out what, three new VC titles every week?

The M rating stats are interesting. The rankings aren't surprising, since most non-M titles tend to be poorly-made videogames based off of childrens movies. Come to think of it, that's probably why the sales skew to M-rated games, too. :P

"Finally, the study has also found that the Nintendo Wii has seen more than twice the number of retail and downloadable game titles than either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 in the first 7 months after each platform’s launch."

Sounds right.

M-rated games are sold better because most 15-years-old kids buy those games.

And shouldn't ALL people know that there are like three games with online functions on the Wii?

Geez where do you live kid? Here in the States even WALMART sells M rated games. With proper ID of course.

Another thing.... the fact that M rated games sell best should be a surprise to no one. I mean let's think about it.... Who has more money? WORKING young males age 18 and up? Or non-working little preteens 9-12?