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Japanese PS3 Sales Nosedive

Tom Ivan's picture

By Tom Ivan

August 28, 2009

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Japanese console sales fell from 203,484 to 133,798 units during the week ended August 23.

Sales of all consoles were down week-on-week, with Sony’s PS3 notably suffering ahead of the PS3 Slim’s September 3 launch. The existing model sold just over 2,000 units, down from 5,944, placing it firmly at the bottom of the hardware rankings.

DSi - 59,578
PSP - 27,187
Nintendo Wii - 26,972
Xbox 360 – 8,979
DS Lite - 5,735
PS2 – 3,295
PS3 – 2,052

On the software front, Nintendo’s Tomodachi Collection moved up one place to top the chart, narrowly outselling the previous week’s number one, Square Enix’s Dragon Quest IX.

Monster Hunter 3 was the only other title to achieve sales in excess of 50,000 copies, moving up one spot to third in the process.

Ecole Software’s PS2 title Melty Blood: Actress Again debuted in fourth place, while Wii Sports Resort fell two positions to fifth.

Konami’s Okami Kakushi (Sly Wolf) for PSP was new at number seven, while Koei’s Kin-iro No Corda 2f Encore, also for Sony’s handheld, entered the chart in tenth place.

Tomodachi Collection (Friend Collection) (DS, Nintendo) - 82,000
Dragon Quest IX: Defenders Of The Starry Sky (DS, Square Enix) - 79,000
Monster Hunter 3 (Wii, Capcom) - 51,000
Melty Blood: Actress Again (PS2, Ecole Software) - 44,000 (New)
Wii Sports Resort (Wii, Nintendo) - 32,000
SD Gundam G Generation Wars (PS2, Namco Bandai) - 26,000
Okami Kakushi (Sly Wolf) (PSP, Konami) - 23,000 (New)
Monster Hunter Portable 2 G (PSP, Capcom) - 18,000
Puyo Puyo 7 (DS, Sega) - 18,000
Kin-iro No Corda 2 f Encore (PSP, Koei) - 14,000 (New)

Sources: Media Create / El33tonline
2009 Japanese sales history

cockbeard's picture
On August 30th cockbeard said:

I just feel left out, I've not been in a position for the last year to spend £4 on a magazine so have no real idea what's going on, however despite being (percieved as) a massive sony fanboy, I see (in the site at least) no real bias, p'raps you're letting your own tendencies get ahead of your argument, point making skills

NickgamertagO1's picture
On August 29th NickgamertagO1 said:

Boo hoo, you guys have nothing better to do than whine because EDGE used a word you didn't like to describe your preciousssss PS3's lame sales. Wait, stop everything you're doing in your life to tell the writers of EDGE they're biased. You can sleep well tonight.

OmegaVader's picture
On August 30th OmegaVader said:

To be fair, the japanese customer base is probably being savvy. I'm sure sales will rocket to the top once the slim is officially out.

now, if these were the sales figures *with* the slim's launch, then they'd be in a whole lotta trouble.

Indrema's picture
On August 31st Indrema said:

In the U.K., does savvy mean "worst recession in over a decade that's gotten so bad they've completely realigned the political landscape of their government?

We use that term differently here in the states.

NickgamertagO1's picture
On August 31st NickgamertagO1 said:

Yeah, they'll skyrocket for 1-2 months, then go back to normal.

samromeo's picture
On August 29th samromeo said:

Alright, calm down. Whats happened? Have RRoD?
Poor boy, remeber: Halo cant be your mistress for the rest of your life, one day you've got to let her go!
;)

NickgamertagO1's picture
On August 30th NickgamertagO1 said:

Lol, no quite the opposite. Since Trials HD has taken over my life I'm finding I have less time/patience for seemingly pointless arguing over useless topics. I come to this site and all I see is constant mudslinging. It's discouraging to say the least.

grognard66's picture
On August 31st grognard66 said:

Yep, ever since the Killzone 2 review the Sony Defense Force has made it their mission to add this site to the ones they try to bully into submission. The fact that they are so sensitive to even a whiff of criticism is a sign of how desperate the situation has become for Sony this generation.

samromeo's picture
On August 31st samromeo said:

You both read into things way too much. JUST PLAY THE GAMES!

DubsTF's picture
On August 29th DubsTF said:

Nice trolling headline, Edge. Stay classy!

Limanima's picture
On August 28th Limanima said:

Ho Edge, please don't be so biased...
The title should read: Japan Getting Ready To Go Slim

Marco_Pollone's picture
On August 31st Marco_Pollone said:

uhm...and what about "Japan waiting for Slim to buy the current PS3 at a lower price"? XD

Indrema's picture
On August 29th Indrema said:

Biased would be - Japan Getting Ready To Go Slim

Although the most likely reason behind this is that Japan is waiting for the new model, that's still speculation. Nobody has actually purchased a PS3 Slim.

The facts are, simply, PS3 sales have dropped sharply. Journalists only provide the forum. Readers are supposed to draw conclusions.

Elex's picture
On August 29th Elex said:

well, there's another possible reason for the sharp "nosedive". that being, supply of PS3 has all but completely dried up (fact), probably becasue Sony's gearing up for Slim.

Indrema's picture
On August 29th Indrema said:

Which is exactly what we should be talking out - the why. I didn't know stock had dried up in Japan; that would have been interesting & helpful to know. Until this post, I think I had made a false assumption myself.

I don't understand why "killing the messenger" is easier. Everyone coming together to form a shared consciousness of denial & anger won't alter the physical facts of the universe. We've all been watching way to much Doctor Who.

grognard66's picture
On August 31st grognard66 said:

Stock didn't dry up in Japan - that's just more lies from Sony hoping to generate false demand (like when Sony said they'd pay Americans who took pictures of PS3's if they could find them in stock - until they were flooded with pics of PS3's in stock).

ArronC07's picture
On September 2nd ArronC07 said:

Errr what nonsense.

muddville's picture
On August 28th muddville said:

"Nosedive" clearly being the wrong word. The 50% drop will be more than be covered for soon enough with the price drop.

strickers's picture
On August 28th strickers said:

More poor Edge reporting.Your recent form is rubbish.It's common knowledge that all major Tokyo stores have sold out of PS3 about 2 weeks ago and now the channels are clear for the new one.It has dropped for the last 3 weeks due to supply issues.
Note the headline.Yet again negative take on the situation.Why didn't you put a negative headline on the MS "price drop"???I say price drop but it's really price move/cable removal.I'm thinking about cancelling my subscription.I've defended Edge about most things but in the last year or so it has become clear that you have a preference for 360
.The letters page was on the money and your response as weak as gamecentrals,when faced with the same accusations.Saying it's not true,or claiming it,does not eradicate the many examples.To be honest I'm utterly gutted,I've loved Edge for many years but ever since Mr Biffo went anti PS3 nuts,shortly before leaving(without any logic)the magazine has been in decline.
I'm quite deluded by the whole press treatment of Sony this gen and the level of misinformation is both scary and unprofessional.
For example,The myth that the PS3 is getting hammered in global sales by the 360.In fact the last financial year there was a less than 100000 difference in sales,with the PS3 at twice the price in most places.
Please,Edge give me some reasons to keep my subscription and prove to me that my multiformat safe haven hasn't joined the vast majority of media in thanking MS for the free 360s and Live accounts.

German's picture
On September 2nd German said:

I got my subscription renewed just last month and I'm quite happy with it as it provides some of the highest quality articles in the industry.

Now the numbers don't lie and if you don't like EDGE then check on Weekly Famitsu and see the sales report there, the 360 sold over 4 times more than PS3 for the week, now I don't know where do you check but the retailers in Japan still had some old PS3 models in store and people won't buy them cause they are awaiting on the slim. They will need to make a bundle or a price cut to get rid of them once the slim hits stores.

Now I know that for a fact cause I just came back from a 2 week trip to Japan, I will go back again in November and see how things look with the slim out, I for one thing that it will completely outsell the 360 all the way past Christmas but the matter of fact is that technically the name of the article is accurate, the PS3 sales nosedived in the last week like it or not.

monkfishjoe's picture
On August 30th monkfishjoe said:

I'm starting to get fed up of all the Edge bashing on these forums. I like Edge and I think it's a quality magazine.

DO you people just visit this site to be 'Outraged' by the supposed bias. You're a bunch of idiots. Why visit the site if you don't believe the reporting is up to scratch??

Is it just that you can't cope with the fact that Sony (as it always seems to be Sony owners) that the PS3 is the biggest mess of this generation?!