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[ToTTenTranz]

I don't think visual novels are dominating sales charts there fyi. Also Japan still loves physical games. Steamdeck would be DOA in Japan, but I doubt Japan is a high priority for Valve.

Physical games dominate in their PC market?

Japan has the 4th largest PC games market in the world BTW.

PC games revenue to hit $42 billion in 2020 - DFC

DFC Intelligence has released a new report on the global PC gaming market, which forecasts game software revenues to cl…

www.gamesindustry.biz

 

[Helghan]

So they don't care if in the top 20 boxed games of a particular country don't appear games of their console because they are dominating worldwide when also included all boxed and digital games. And they don't care if another console that is in the peak of its sales cycle sells more than them when they are in the bottom of that sales cycle and also supply constrained, but still breaking gaming history records worldwide, including best launch ever for a console with their new one.

Of course they care. They don't want some of it, they want all of it.

 

[Lupingosei]

This FY2020 PlayStation (not sure if also includes their mobile games) made 25.04B in revenue, a new record for the industry.
Nintendo made $16.1B in the same period, appears in the URL you provided.

Why would anybody compare this and not profit, which that what counts?

Because the PS4 and PS5 are way more expensive?

 

[Lupingosei]

Worldwide they are selling more consoles, selling more games and generating more revenue than any console platform holder ever did in gaming history. They also sell like 3 of every 4 games digitally.

Nintendo sells more consoles, so that is not true either.

Also Nintendo has higher profits.

 

[ZywyPL]

It's not just about sales. Sony has deep ties to Japanese game devs (see Playstation exclusives from Square Enix, FROM Software, Bandai Namco...). If Sony is weak in the Japanese market, those game devs will be less available for exclusive deals because they don't want to lose the Japanese market.

People seem to be missing the point of who is actually buying the games from those Japanese devs. That's right, the west is. Because how could the Japanese play those games if they don't even have the hardware to run them to begin with? The west is where almost all of the PS4/5 are sold, that's where those games are being played, while Japan market being one of the most important regions is an outdated narrative that doesn't hold truth anymore, Sony would be better off to skip Japan entirely and sell those units elsewhere when they could've been counting constant flow of cash from PS+, Fortnite skins and what's not.

 

[Thirty7ven]

What is there to say? The console is sold out in Japan. The whole “number of sales are troubling” take doesn’t really make sense when you consider it’s sold out.

Why would anybody compare this and not profit, which that what counts?

Because the PS4 and PS5 are way more expensive?

But the reason why Nintendo makes more profit is because they make bank on hardware and they rule the charts on Switch.

Again, what is here that Sony should be worried about that hasn’t always been true for Nintendo?

Fact is people are spending more money on PlayStation.

 

[michaelius]

Is Grave Concern a new Sony-type TPS?

It's Sony version of Nintendo is doomed

 

[Lupingosei]

What is there to say? The console is sold out in Japan. The whole “number of sales are troubling” take doesn’t really make sense when you consider it’s sold out.

The games are not sold out and not even in the charts.

 

[Marty-McFly]

Sony doesn't have any problem with Japan.

Worldwide they are selling more consoles, selling more games and generating more revenue than any console platform holder ever did in gaming history. They also sell like 3 of every 4 games digitally.

So they don't care if in the top 20 boxed games of a particular country don't appear games of their console because they are dominating worldwide when also included all boxed and digital games. And they don't care if another console that is in the peak of its sales cycle sells more than them when they are in the bottom of that sales cycle and also supply constrained, but still breaking gaming history records worldwide, including best launch ever for a console with their new one.

As a side effect of this worldwide success is that all Japanese 3rd parties published games for their console and even all of them had at least an exclusive for PS4. And obviously they will continue supporting that console.


Japan isn't as important for console as it was in the past, NA and EU have a way bigger portion of the worldwide console market now. And if you go beyond consoles and include PC and mobie, then add China to the mix since it's the biggest worldwide market in this two platforms and overall. But Japan still is an important market. But we know Sony doesn't sell more consoles because are supply constrained, and that over 70% of the games for Sony's consoles are sold digitally so the top 20 weekly sales of boxed games for a country isn't representative.

No they're not.

This is misinformation.

Switch is killing PS5 in hardware and first party game sales, and the last three years of PS4 as well.

 

[Thirty7ven]

The games are not sold out and not even in the charts.

Only way to change that is for Sony to hit it out of the park with an handheld. It’s a product Sony doesn’t have.

But the product they do have is posting records worldwide, what’s the problem?

Least we forget Nintendo came off a huge bomb with the Wii U. We should be enjoying the success of the Switch, and realizing the Japanese market is completely focused on that kind of product.

Sony is making a lot of money off mobile in Asian markets, including Japan. There’s your answer.

 

[yurinka]

Why would anybody compare this and not profit, which that what counts?

Revenue is more commonly used to value a business, because businesses aren't a thing of a specific year but instead a long term thing, and revenue shows better the volume and stability of that business.

Revenue is the total amount of money customers spend on a business. Players are spending way more money on PS than on Nintendo.

No they're not.

This is misinformation.

Switch is killing PS5 in hardware and first party game sales, and the last three years of PS4 as well.

You're the one spreading misinformation.

PS5 just announced that at the end of its 3rd quarter shipped/sold 10.1M in its first 3 quarters, while Switch had 7.63M:

Regarding software sales sony releases them combining PS4 and PS5, so we can't look at the specific PS5 figures. And as I mentioned the 1st party game sales are only a part of the total game sales. This quarter:
- PS4/PS5 games sold: 63.5M (including 10.5M of 1st party)
- Switch games (well, 'software units') sold: 45.29M (can't find total Nintendo 1st party sales for the quarter, but they are traditionally a bigger % of total sales than in Sony's case)

And this isn't considering that Sony makes way more money with DLC/IAPS and subscriptions than Nintendo (numbers and in the link), meaning Sony makes even more money from PS4/PS5 games other than with game sales.

Switch isn't killing anything.

 

[Lupingosei]

Physical games dominate in their PC market?

Japan has the 4th largest PC games market in the world BTW.

PC games revenue to hit $42 billion in 2020 - DFC

DFC Intelligence has released a new report on the global PC gaming market, which forecasts game software revenues to cl…

www.gamesindustry.biz

That is also the point, a lot of gamers use the Switch as a substitute to PC gaming.

The PC market offers everything Sony has thrown out as not something they want on their platform.

 

[Marty-McFly]

Only way to change that is for Sony to hit it out of the park with an handheld. It’s a product Sony doesn’t have.

But the product they do have is posting records worldwide, what’s the problem?

Least we forget Nintendo came off a huge bomb with the Wii U. We should be enjoying the success of the Switch, and realizing the Japanese market is completely focused on that kind of product.

Sony is making a lot of money off mobile in Asian markets, including Japan. There’s your answer.

What records are Sony really posting?

Having the most consoles available during the launch months while Nintendo still outsells them 2:1?

Wake me up when they sell 28.8 million in year (best year in console history) like the Switch did.

The best PS4 could do was 20 million in a year.

 

[Thirty7ven]

What records are Sony really posting?

Having the most consoles available during the launch months while Nintendo still outsells them 2:1?

Wake me up when they sell 28.8 million in year (best year in console history) like the Switch did.

The best PS4 could do was 20 million in a year.

Launch aligned it’s selling faster than the Switch, but the records these companies care about is revenue.

Switch success is wonderful in my book, I’m sorry Nintendo fans feel like Nintendo isn’t getting its due, but I don’t control the market.

Wake up whenever you want, 25B revenue is 25B revenue. If you don’t understand that then you don’t, and that’s ok. Again, Nintendo is doing great.

PS4 also the console that has sold more software in history. The previous record holder was the ps2. No, they are not all Sony games… we know, and so what lol

 

[Topher]

Ugh.....please don't let NeoGAF turn into N4G with this useless clickbait console war bullshit.

 

[Marty-McFly]

Launch aligned it’s selling faster than the Switch, but the records these companies care about is revenue.

Switch success is wonderful in my book, I’m sorry Nintendo fans feel like Nintendo isn’t getting its due, but I don’t control the market.

Wake up whenever you want, 25B revenue is 25B revenue. If you don’t understand that then you don’t, and that’s ok. Again, Nintendo is doing great.

That doesn't mean anything other than the fact that Sony rolled out more PS5's at launch, and that they launched during the holiday and Nintendo launched in March, it won't even have this talking point in a few months when Switch hit's it's launch aligned holiday season and pulls ahead.

It's meaningless. Let me know when the shortages are over and PS5 can hit PS4's best year of 20 million, much less Switch's best ever 28.8 million.

Companies care about profit FAR more than revenue. Revenue has just become the new buzzword for consoles that lose in every other category.

 

[TheDreadLord]

Sony compensates the loss of Japan from increases in other regions… but yeah, looks pretty bad, especially when you compare to previous generations. The bottom line is that if Sony had read correctly the Japanese market they could have been making more money than they are doing now. It could be a lost cause as Microsoft had already noticed in 2013. Perhaps, the best Sony can do now is to expand their game catalog to also reach the mobile market.

 

[Thirty7ven]

That doesn't mean anything other than the fact that Sony rolled out more PS5's at launch, and that they launched during the holiday and Nintendo launched in March, it won't even have this talking point in a few months when Switch hit's it's launch aligned holiday season and pulls ahead.

It's meaningless. Let me know when the shortages are over and PS5 can hit PS4's best year of 20 million, much less Switch's best ever 28.8 million.

Companies care about profit FAR more than revenue. Revenue has just become the new buzzword for consoles that lose in every other category.

Revenue shows the size of the business, don’t be an idiot, try to develop your knowledge of how markets work.

People are spending a lot more money on PlayStation than on Nintendo. This is a simple fact.

Again, the PS4 has the record for most software sold, this doesn’t matter to you either?

Yes Switch sold more hw units in a year than PS4. If that’s all you have, it’s all you have, have a happy life.

 

[Andodalf]

They ignored the market, why is this suprising

 

[Marty-McFly]

Revenue shows the size of the business, don’t be an idiot, try to develop your knowledge of how markets work.

People are spending a lot more money on PlayStation than on Nintendo. This is a simple fact.

Again, the PS4 has the record for most software sold, this doesn’t matter to you either?

Yes Switch sold more hw units in a year than PS4. If that’s all you have, it’s all you have, have a happy life.

Yeah no. Nintendo get's a 100% cut of the software they sell and they are destroying Sony in first party game sales, which is why their profit margins are so much higher. They actually doubled Sony's profits this year, and this was Sony's most profitable year ever.


Business 101

Why You Need to Care About Profit More Than Revenue

Measuring your profit is much more important than tracking the amount of revenue for a business. But why?

www.insightsforprofessionals.com

Why is profit more important than revenue?

Increasing your profit encourages more sustainable growth for companies. Boosting revenue may get you more business but focusing on profit allows you to fuel competitive growth and gives you a much better chance of future growth.

Revenue vs. Profit: What's the Difference?

Revenue is the total amount of income generated by a company. Profit is the bottom line or net income after accounting for all expenses, debts, and operating costs.

www.investopedia.com

What Is More Important, Profit or Revenue? While both are important, profit gives a more accurate picture of a company's financial position. That's because a company's liabilities and other expenses are already accounted for when its profit is calculated.

 

[Unknown?]

Xbox never had anything to lose in Japan since they were starting with selling a few dozen consoles a week. Sony was once a force in Japan.

*edit* Wasted my time, didn't realize I was replying to a fanboy thread.

 

[Marty-McFly]

*edit* Wasted my time, didn't realize I was replying to a fanboy thread.

Get off this bullshit I posted an article about Sony's very real problem in Japan and the Sony fanboys that run amuck in here have been trying to downplay it all thread. The cognitive dissonance in here is palpable.

 

[yurinka]

Nintendo sells more consoles, so that is not true either.

PS5 announced their sales for their first 3 quarters. If you launch align shipments for their first 3 quarters you get this:

In fact, we also know that PS5 sold that shipment faster than PS4 did, so PS5 became the best selling console ever after its 3 quarters and the fastest one to achieve 10 millions.

Consoles have a curve on their yearly sales. They start and end selling very little and in the middle they sell a lot during a peak. PS5 is starting, Switch is at the end of its peak, PS4 is ending. So if you don't launch align them and only look at monthly/weekly/etc sales without putting it into context yes, Switch is selling more as it should being at the peak while the others are at the bottom of their sales curves.

What records are Sony really posting?

Here you have some records of this quarter, and here you have more records of the fiscal year. Many are highlighted in yellow.

 

[Derktron]

Maybe just maybe Sony should stop the bullshit and come back to the handheld market and this time do it right this time and make a portable handheld because at this point Nintendo remains the leader in the videogame marketplace in Japan unless that changes whenever a game that people want to play in Japan comes out like the New Final Fantasy game. I think that is when we will see a major jump in sales.

 

[Unknown?]

Get off this bullshit I posted an article about Sony's very real problem in Japan and the Sony fanboys that run amuck in here have been trying to downplay it all thread. The cognitive dissonance in here is palpable.

I posted a real response but then I saw all of your other posts. Not fooling anyone here, was hoping to have a real discussion on this.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

That's an opinion piece, the opinion is not really defended (the guy keeps repeating that there is a reason the Sony started failing in Japan, yet never states what the reason is) and the opinion is about 10years late.

Sony did not target their console to the Japanese market, the console is giant, the big games are from other regions, they never bought in on the PS4 either.

 

[Marty-McFly]

I posted a real response but then I saw all of your other posts. Not fooling anyone here, was hoping to have a real discussion on this.

Sorry you didn't like my other posts where I was shooting down the bullshit goalpost moving from fanboys. I wasn't planning on having a discussion with you about this anyway. You can always try having one with someone else or better yet another thread entirely

 

[Marty-McFly]

That's an opinion piece, the opinion is not really defended (the guy keeps repeating that there is a reason the Sony started failing in Japan, yet never states what the reason is) and the opinion is about 10years late.

Sony did not target their console to the Japanese market, the console is giant, the big games are from other regions, they never bought in on the PS4 either.

A lot of this got started because I believe it was the first time since 1998 that Sony didn't have a single game in the Top 30.

 

[Marty-McFly]

PS5 announced their sales for their first 3 quarters. If you launch align shipments for their first 3 quarters you get this:

In fact, we also know that PS5 sold that shipment faster than PS4 did, so PS5 became the best selling console ever after its 3 quarters and the fastest one to achieve 10 millions.

Consoles have a curve on their yearly sales. They start and end selling very little and in the middle they sell a lot during a peak. PS5 is starting, Switch is at the end of its peak, PS4 is ending. So if you don't launch align them and only look at monthly/weekly/etc sales without putting it into context yes, Switch is selling more as it should being at the peak while the others are at the bottom of their sales curves.



Here you have some records of this quarter, and here you have more records of the fiscal year. Many are highlighted in yellow.

Wow you really think this is significant don't you?

Like I said:

That doesn't mean anything other than the fact that Sony rolled out more PS5's at launch, and that they launched during the holiday and Nintendo launched in March, it won't even have this talking point in a few months when Switch hit's it's launch aligned holiday season and pulls ahead. Let me know when the shortages are over and PS5 can hit PS4's best year of 20 million, much less Switch's best ever 28.8 million.

 

[yurinka]

Wow you really think this is significant don't you?

Like I said:

Yes, PS5 having the best launch ever (so great sales for its context) is a significant fact that debunks what you said about Switch selling more than PS5 and Switch killing PS5.

It's true that both were released on different parts of the year so PS5 had an 'extra holiday' and that even if PS5 is breaking the gaming history records set by PS4 it's very supply constrained selling out in minutes so it could have sold more if not affected by the chips shortage. But we can only compare what we have.

In fact, once they will reveal the current quarter (PS5's 4th quarter) PS5 will be super likely (unless Sony got a gazillion chips, which I think won't happen) behind Switch sales launch aligned by quarters because it will have been the first Switch Holidays. And probably in the 5th quarter PS5 may be on top again because it will be its first full Holidays quarter.

But whatever, with the numbers we have, as of now PS5 is on top and even if it wasn't both are doing great, nobody is being 'killed' here.

 

[TheGodfather07]

It's not just about sales. Sony has deep ties to Japanese game devs (see Playstation exclusives from Square Enix, FROM Software, Bandai Namco...). If Sony is weak in the Japanese market, those game devs will be less available for exclusive deals because they don't want to lose the Japanese market.

but a majority of the sales from many of these games come from outside of japan? also whats the alternative for them? xbox? nintendo isnt the same because they wont have the hardware specs these 3rd party publishers need. playstation by default gets most japanese games and will continue to do so. they even have 2 exclusives from square enix and a rumoured FROM software exclusive. theres nothing they can do about fixed console hardware becoming undesirable in the japanese market.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

kingfey and you need a time out.

 

[TheGodfather07]

*edit* Wasted my time, didn't realize I was replying to a fanboy thread.

glad i put him on ignore instantly. dont waste your time people.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Maybe just maybe Sony should stop the bullshit and come back to the handheld market and this time do it right this time and make a portable handheld because at this point Nintendo remains the leader in the videogame marketplace in Japan unless that changes whenever a game that people want to play in Japan comes out like the New Final Fantasy game. I think that is when we will see a major jump in sales.

And maybe Nintendo can be brave enough to make another home console and this time no gimmicks. (Wii/U)

 

[Amin_Parker]

 

[mitch1971]

Why the concern? Do gamebolt have shares in Sony?

 

[Concern]

More astroturfing shill articles spreading fud about the glorious Ps5.

/s

 

[HTK]

I don't care how Sony does in United States let alone in Japan, folks there are people at Sony getting paid a lot of money to solve these issues. Not sure why we as gamers would care about this. These companies need to work for our money, simple as that.

 

[Blond]

This is all a result of Sony chasing the next big american cinematic blockbuster and closing down the studio's with soul like Japan Studio, not to mention get run out of the handheld space by Nintendo.

You mean Sony following the money? Damn what a crazy thought. Maybe Japan studio shouldn’t have been spending 9 years to make a game.

 

[assurdum]

To be fair, Microsoft tried. They had a fairly large push with the likes of Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, etc. Sure they've failed miserably, but they have put in some earnest effort.

You get the point. Sony give up about Japan from awhile and that's it. Where they have lived until now all those people concerned about the playstation situation in Japan? ps5 not targeting the Japanese audience, even the size shows it. It was obvious from the first announcement, why should sell?

 

[Neff]

Anyone trying to leverage revenue comparisons to cheer for their favourite video game hardware manufacturer should consider the PS3- fantastic revenue but a deathly lack of profits for much of its life which very nearly killed Sony. Revenue doesn't amount to much when your operating costs are sky high. Steady, rising profit is really the only measure which accurately portrays a business' health, success and potential.

I have a bridge to sell you if you think Sony's problems in Japan are supply related.

It's not helping. Japan's one of the toughest of the traditionally large gaming markets to obtain a PS5 in.

That said, Sony essentially giving up on Japan doesn't help either.

if PS5 doesn't garner enough japanese support they will just leave the console for dead.

Ok now this is crazy. You should know that PS5 software is selling very favourably against PS4 versions, in many cases outselling them. Once the PS5 install base is large enough for publishers to develop/release PS5 titles sans PS4 versions (which isn't far off), they'll do so.

Wishful thinking? What does the PS5 offer that the PS4 didn't?

Bags of unprecedented rendering power, super-fast loading, a lovely controller, and a fan which will leave you in fucking peace while you play.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Xbox never had anything to lose in Japan since they were starting with selling a few dozen consoles a week. Sony was once a force in Japan.

once? Like 20 years ago?

Sony hasn’t been big in Japan for a long time and they don’t care so long as they are growing globally, which they are

 

[Elder Legend]

 

[Azelover]

Grave concern.. well that really hit a nerve didn't it?

It's probably true..

 

[iHaunter]

I'll be worried when Sony gives me Stock Options.

 

[Aenima]

Ugh.....please don't let NeoGAF turn into N4G with this useless clickbait console war bullshit.

Too late.

 

[rnlval]

Wow this is getting a lot of exposure. The internet is on fire regarding PS5's troublesome hardware and software sales in their native territory, and the damage it's doing to Sony worldwide.


More at the jump

Sony And PS5’s Performance In Japan Is Becoming A Grave Concern

The Japanese market's story culminates in the most obvious outcome - but it was a…

gamingbolt.com

There's plenty of adult-rated Japanese games on Valve's Steam platform.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I’m not too surprised that they are losing presence in Japan. Sony has been putting the majority their focus on Western games for years now which is probably contributing to the decline in sales Japan combined with a world-wide shortage. Things like inconsistent censorship, Japan’s fascination with portable/mobile, that O/X button fiasco and moving to California probably isn’t helping matters either. While Sony is still really good and talented, I consider them a Western company now.

 

[Astral Dog]

Concern for who?i thought competition was supposed to be a good thing, the key for PS5 is simply getting the big hitters that can't run on Switch and have global appeal, like FFXVI, FFVIIR, Resident Evil, new (rumored) From game. The lower budget stuff is gonna be multiplatform, that doesn’t really matter except to fanboys. Although losing a few exclusives suck. its cool to see the Switch, a handheld doing well.

i just don't see RE4 Remake, RE IX, FFVIIR2, FROM games, Kingdom Hearts 4,FFXVI, Kojima's new game etc. coming to Switch. Thats a big advantage Sony has. Nintendo's systems just aren't able to run many PS4 games, much less PS5

 

[Dr Bass]

I'm not sure about "grave" but PS is definitely not the brand it was in the PS1 and PS2 days. They had huge success in that market by having broad software offerings, and they've really gotten away from that. There should be a lot more smaller exclusive titles covering more game categories like they used to do. I know making games is way more expensive these days but, yeah, not everything needs to be a 100 million dollar production.