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PS3 Tie Ratio Trumps Wii’s
Analysis of US sales data released by the NPD Group has revealed that PS3 now has a higher software tie ratio than Wii.
As of March 2009 PS3’s tie ratio - average number of units of software per console owner – was 6.5, ahead of Wii’s 6.2 tie ratio, according to Gamasutra.
The reason PS3’s tie ratio has pulled ahead of Wii’s is likely found in the opposing hardware sales trends exhibited by both consoles.
While US Wii sales rocketed through much of 2008, PS3 sales have fallen five months running on a year-on-year basis. The slowing PS3 hardware market has not stopped existing owners buying an increasing number of games, but roaring Wii sales have not been matched by software sales for the system.
Wii and PS3 both launched in the US in November 2006. At the same point in its lifetime, in its 29th month on the market, the Xbox 360 had a tie ratio of 7.5. The console’s tie ratio now sits at a healthy 8.3.
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Only LOSERS trumpet tie ratios and attach rates.
GO PS3 WEEEEEHHEEEEEEEEE
An interesting point from the original gamasutra article:
While both the Wii and PS3's tie rations are progressing along the lines expected by normal console cycle trends: Wii tie ratio downward due to increased hardware sales and PS3 upwards due to reduced hardware sales, the Xbox 360 is the only one of the three that's actually uber-performing. While having increased hardwares sales the Xbox 360 was still able to increase it's tie ratio albeit not by much.
It's crazy that the original Gamasutra article says so much but this is the sole point every outlet (Edge, Kotaku, Joystiq, etc) zeros in on. The anti-Wii bias is so evident on the interwebs.
The good that comes out of this is that, after reading the Gamasutra piece, people are beginning to see how useless tie-ratios really are.
Tie-ratios are only useless when they're used as a standalone figure. But they are useful when used as a way to "weigh" the size of an install base to have a better idea what the true sales potential is like. Which definitely matters when a publisher decides to invest money into a game, and is trying to estimate what the potential risks are (investment vs. potential sales/profit).
I wonder if the Tie-ratio for the Wii includes the Wii-Sports controller bundle? And even further, I wonder how much of the Wii tie-ratio is First Party games?
That's not true. Tie ratios are only for fanboy pissing contests. Raw sales numbers is all that matters to a publisher, not how many games each system owner has - that's irrelevant.
As for your last point, Wii Play is included (as it should be) but Wii Sports is not. As Wii Sports is not tracked by NPD, the numbers by which the source material is calculated.. As for how many are first party games, what does it matter!? There's no way to find out that information by tie-ratio numbers and is totally irrelevant.
The tie ratio does not include Wii Sports (the game that comes with the system) but it does include Wii Play (the game that is bundled with the controller).
How Ironic. They have a story that relates to software sales, yet post a picture of Little Big Planet? Laughable.
Whle yes, the 360 and the PS3 have higher tie ratios and the 360's tie ratio in the same stage the Wii is currently in was higher, the Wii trumps them both in total software sales.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23308
While the Wii has yet to pass the 360's total LTD software sales, it is really close. It has also slaughter the 360's software sales at the same point in its life cycle that the Wii is in.
So it is great to hear the both PS3 and 360 owners buy more games per console, that is not the whole story.
To quantitatively reiterate what Zach just said:
Wii: 121 million units/28 months=4.32 million software units per month
360: 124 million units/40 months=3.1 million software units per month
PS3: 49 million units/28 months=1.75 million software units per month
Interesting statistic.
The ony problem with that stat is ratio. It has sold software on a much faster rate of a little over 1 million software units a month but with a significantly smaller tie-ratio. It doesn't demonstrate any software dominance for the Wii, if anything, it highlights a lack of software dominance. With such a higher hardware installed base, that number should be much higher. Nintnedo is only outpacing the 360 in software because hardware sales are making up for the relatively low software sales. If it wasn't for the hardware lead, the Wii would be lagging significantly behind the 360's software pace.
Your stat though impressive shows how well the Wii is doing on the hardware front, and nothing else.
To summarize what you just took a whole paragraph to say is: "The Wii has a lower attach rate than the 360". We know that, Nick! But thanks again! You're just trying to find a negative that isn't really there. It's harder to keep a high attach rate with so many units being sold - see the XBox compared to the PS2 to see what I mean.
The Wii is far ahead of the 360's software pace: http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/npd-wii-thirdparty-games-really-d...
That graph shows the first 20 months of each console's aligned launch. And that's only *3RD PARTY SALES*. Include 1st party software sales in that chart and it'd be a bloody massacre (in favor of the Wii). You can say that the Wii wouldn't be as far ahead in software, but the 360 had a whole year headstart to hold off the Wii - so it evens out. You can come up with as many "what if" and "what should be" scenarios you want, but it is what it is!
And Question: Wii software numbers should be higher compared to what? I don't expect you to ever be pleased with Wii software numbers, but regardless of how much you *THINK* it should be selling, the fact is it sells more software than both of the other boxes. That's all I was saying.
Let's not forget that at POS, the Wii starts at 1:1 at a minimum because there is a pack in game. For the PS3, it's harder because I know from personal experience many people simply buy it as a BD player with no interest in games at all.
Brian
www.brianwoods.com
I repeat - Wii Sports is NOT included in the Wii tie-ratio.
NPD does not track Wii Sports and never has. Gamasutra states in the original article on their site that the they are using NPD data to find the tie-ratios AND they don't include Wii Sports.
Ken,
I appreciate the time you put into your replies, you always do your homework. I unfortunately have run out of motivation and energy to reciprocate (or spell check either). You might be right (the tie-ratio) comment you made to my reply, I just don't feel like debating (nothing against you, got nothin but respect for you). Have a great weekend. I may not be back on here for a while.
Nick, you're one of my favorite posters here and I like our debates. You have a great weekend too. Don't stay away for too long.