Gaming SMG Sells 500k in it's first week, Halo 3 sells 3m

sekhu

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So I was reading how in the first week of sales, SMG only sold a modest 500k copies of the game, whereas Halo 3 by comparison sold a massive 3 million copies.

Is this the fault of Nintendo or is it a case that the Wii fad is dying. If Nintendo's flagship title can only sell 500k, then what chance do third parties have in selling well on the Wii? Why would they invest money in a console where software sales are so low. I'm sure the global sales of SMG will improve gradually, but compared to the sales of Halo 3 it's minuscule.

I'm sure piracy plays some part in it, but you can't blame the pirates in reality. They account for a very small percentage. There's 12 million Wii owners, and only 500k thought it worthy of buying. I expect that SSBB will sell around the same amount, but I don't think that it will gain many new owners, and will be selling to mainly an existing audience, a hardcore audience at tghat, just like Mario Galaxy.

Thoughts?
 

legendofphil

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SMG sold almost 2m in less than a month, that's not bad. Plus Mario is a constant seller. NSMB has constantly sold (now over 11m) and its initial sales weren't as high as SMG.

Halo 3 was hyped beyond reasoning, especially considering it isn't half the game SMG is.
 

sekhu

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Yeah I agree with the Halo 3 being uber hyped. Myself I played it and I didn't really appreciate the gameplay. I thought he first Halo was impressive for it's time, not majorly so, but it did do some pretty interesting stuff. Halo 2 was a bore, but awesome multiplayer. Then Halo 3, more of the same, but not really taking advatnage of the 360.

Still I just wonder if the new demographic that Nintendo is depending on to make their money is even being made aware of the "hardcore" or flaship franchises by Nintendo. Their marketing, particularly here in the UK, is rather limited to poor Channel 4 comedy programmes. It's not a blitz like campaign though, I don't know how it is in the US or Japan
 

wovva

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I don't think the Wii fad is dying - it's selling by the bucket load - they still can't keep up with demand.

I don't care if SMG only sells 3 copies just so long as Nintendo makes the games - if the platform sells for Dr. Kawasaki's Foot Training that's fine - as long as their are games that will satisfy my needs e.g. Metroid, Zelda, SMG etc.

I see your point but honestly think there is such a large user base that good third party games will sell well and the user base ensures support from 3rd parties.

p.s. SMG is an unbelievable game, better than 64, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but better than yoshi's island too.
 

cubin'

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Lots more people like Halo 3 over Mario, especially the older demographic. Halo 3 even beat out movies like spiderman!

Mario has also had fairly weak sales in Japan comparing it to Mario Party for instance.

They're both great games. Halo is just a MASSIVE franchise so nothing even touches it at the moment.

I don't think it has anything to do with the Wii losing popularity. Lots of people that buy the Wii and never buy another game, they just keep Wii sports.

I think the average attach rates are 2 games per Wii console and 6 games per 360. Maybe third parties see more money to be made with selling games on Xbox and that's why we have so many low budget games on Wii.
 

captain^k

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There was virtually no advertising for SMG in my country, yet Microsoft was reported to have a massive $40 Million USD budget for Halo 3 and stuff was up everywhere.
 

Hadrian

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I dunno what people are going on about, Mario Galaxy was a big success. It sold more in a week than any Mario title. For a Wii title it was a big success. Ok it kinda failed in Japan, Mario Party DS is even outselling it but even for a Wii title in Japan it did well.

Also another thing, the people who actually have got a Wii most of them don't really play games and only have it for casual crap, whereas everybody who has a 360 plays games on it.
 

captain^k

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Yeah, SMG has done REALLY WELL for not having a mental $40 million USD advertising budget.

Plus the game has a much broader appeal compared to Halo 3.
 

robinthehood

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Halo 3 is available to buy in the shops whereas smg has been in very short supply here in the uk, many retailers including play and amazon were out of stock on pre orders alone and like the console itself many smaller retailers are finding it impossible to get and have been told there will be no more available to them til after xmas! Maybe nintendo uk should look to nintendo europe for ideas on how to run a business as i can hop on a train to europe and buy smg no problem at all and a wii console and a wiimote and wiiplay with wiimote............ rant over
 

Hadrian

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Halo 3 is available to buy in the shops whereas smg has been in very short supply here in the uk, many retailers including play and amazon were out of stock on pre orders alone and like the console itself many smaller retailers are finding it impossible to get and have been told there will be no more available to them til after xmas! Maybe nintendo uk should look to nintendo europe for ideas on how to run a business as i can hop on a train to europe and buy smg no problem at all and a wii console and a wiimote and wiiplay with wiimote............ rant over
Where do you live? Because this game is not in short supply here.

Every store I go into that sells games have shelf with like 20 odd copies of the game! I don't think theres a problem at all plus its being advertised like crazy. All I hear about other Euro countries is that they don't see it advertised and that most don't have any hype at all.
 

ZeminkoX

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Halo 3 was hyped and upon release there was a huge rush to buy it. I haven't even heard anyone mention Halo 3 at school or anything for a good month now. Mario games always sell well over time and will continue to do so.
 

coolbho3000

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500k in the first week is really, really good, that's faster than any Mario game ever.

On comparison, Halo 3 was the biggest (and most overhyped) media launch in history.
 

Spikey

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EVERYONE knew when Halo 3 was coming out, but I don't think many knew that SMG was coming out. I get people asking me all the time at the Gamestop I work at when Super Mario Galaxy is coming out. Which means they had no clue that it was out so that's my take on it. People just don't know.
 

robinthehood

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Where do you live? Because this game is not in short supply here.

Every store I go into that sells games have shelf with like 20 odd copies of the game! I don't think theres a problem at all plus its being advertised like crazy. All I hear about other Euro countries is that they don't see it advertised and that most don't have any hype at all.
http://www.gameseek.co.uk/pd/NintendoWiibp...er-Mario-Galaxy
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nintendo-Super-Mar...96615089&sr=8-1
http://www.play.com/Games/Wii/4-/1028085/-...&searchsource=0
http://www.tgrav.com/ProductDetails.aspx?prodid=829&catid=0

i'm not saying its impossible to find but i will say that the small indepenent retailer i work for has turned away 100 customers because our supplier has told us we won't have any more this side of xmas
frown.gif
 

WarmWoollySheep

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Galaxy will probably outsell Halo 3 over its lifetime.

Galaxy buyers aren't the type to buy it on the first day, or even the first week. However, Mario will be under more christmas trees than Master Chief this Christmas, and every other christmas this gen.

Factor in Wii's global popularity, especially in markets where 360 isn't selling, and the odds of outselling halo are pretty good.
 

osirisFIVE

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It's not SMG or Nintendo's fault this happened.

Halo 3's sales are purely based on hype.
The graphics are the same as Halo 1, storyline isn't good.

Fanboys counter-debate that Halo 3's about Multiplayer but, heck, I'm not spending S$80 on a game that's good because it's just another Counterstrike.

If I was gonna buy a 360 game based on Multiplayer, it'll be on Gears of War.

The sales figures are unjustified, just my 2 cents.
 

Hadrian

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Galaxy will probably outsell Halo 3 over its lifetime.Â
That could be true, a lot of Nintendo's best selling titles are ones that have gradually sold well over an amount of time. Examples Brain Training (just topped the UK charts after 2 years!), Animal Crossing, Smash Bros Melee & New Super Mario Bros.

Nintendo won't be sore about its sales as they'll probably make more off SMG than Microsoft would off Halo 3 due to development costs and advertising.
 

Hillsy_

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Having just purchased a UK Wii, I'll like to say they are difficult to come by here in the U.K. SMG is everywhere, many shops stock it; but the consoles are few and far between. Even the ebay sellers are stocking the European consoles instead of the UK consoles because of the demand. It is not the case of SMG being unpopular or unwanted it is because the machines are difficult to obtain. You can't sell software unless you have the hardware to back it up.
 

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