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[Umbasaborne]

When i pre ordered my iphone. I was put in a que and i recieved my phone when it was ready, which was about a month and change after the phone launched. Why cant sony and microsoft do something similar. Let people buy a console then deliver it to them directly when its available, even if its a month or more out

 

[Adam_802]

Lol trouble in paradise xD

 

[TrebleShot]

Sucks for the retailers but most people I know tend to buy games digitally. I can imagine in Japan ease of access is a priority so digital is king.

 

[Captain Toad]

Retail game software stores, in general, are soon to be extinct.

Digital is the future, and for everyone else, Amazon.

 

[TLZ]

its not that japan hates the PS5, but the fact that there are 3 factors that prevent the PS5 from being as popular as the PS4 there

1. there are scalpers in japan too (yeah you thought scalpers was just a western thing ??? nope)
2. Playstation forcing western games and western game releases for PS5 and not as many JRPG's or Japanese only games only on PS5
3. the fact the PS5 in japan uses the X button instead of O

The fact that there's not enough allocation there is enough.

 

[Rat Rage]

This is a bad situation for Sony and Mircosoft. I think there is a chance this whole thing turns into a vicious circle, because more and more big publishers are gonna delay their games, but that will not help the situation.

Can't buy a PS5 > Install base stays small > big publishers don't want to send their hugely expensive AAA games to die, therefore delay them > game library stays small and potential customers question why they even need a PS5 or Xbox > leads to even less systems sold > install base stays small > big publishers don't want to send their hugely expensive AAA games to die, therefore delay them > .... and so on.

I think there is a chance the PS5 and XboxSX get "Dreamcast'ed".

I bet there is a huge panic at both camps right now.

 

[reksveks]

When i pre ordered my iphone. I was put in a que and i recieved my phone when it was ready, which was about a month and change after the phone launched. Why cant sony and microsoft do something similar. Let people buy a console then deliver it to them directly when its available, even if its a month or more out

i have another person whose eta just keeps getting pushed back, its quite funny but i don't mind the steam/iphone way of buying devices; might prefer it.

 

[Konata990]

The fact that there's not enough allocation there is enough.

explain ??

 

[KingGhidorah]

The PS3 was doing well actually.

was it really though? I remember PS3 struggled hard in Japan, up against the Wii

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Retail game software stores, in general, are soon to be extinct.

Digital is the future, and for everyone else, Amazon.

At some point, some stores may just drop their game section too. If they make money on plummeting game sales and consoles are breakeven, I dont see them making enough profits selling accessories. Just like music CDs. I think Walmart still has a tiny section of best seller CDs and thats it for 10+ years.

Right now, Walmart and Best Buys still have big sections like always. It'll shrink at some point and they'll reallocate the space to other stuff.

 

[Sakura]

It's next to impossible to buy a PS5 here, so no surprise.

 

[Konata990]

ugh not looking good for PS5 in Japan, seems like PS3 all over again

uh no....when comparing any Playstation brand that did the most numbers in japan alone the PSP, PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS vita, did the most numbers and were seen as best sellers and great sellers there

 

[Team Andromeda]

Its got nothing to do with the PS5 and everything to do with Japan is mobile city for gaming.

 

[Konata990]

was it really though? I remember PS3 struggled hard in Japan, up against the Wii

that was America, unless you mean Europe

 

[Sub_Level]

This is a bad situation for Sony and Mircosoft. I think there is a chance this whole thing turns into a vicious circle, because more and more big publishers are gonna delay their games, but that will not help the situation.

Can't buy a PS5 > Install base stays small > big publishers don't want to send their hugely expensive AAA games to die, therefore delay them > game library stays small and potential customers question why they even need a PS5 or Xbox > leads to even less systems sold > install base stays small > big publishers don't want to send their hugely expensive AAA games to die, therefore delay them > .... and so on.

I think there is a chance the PS5 and XboxSX get "Dreamcast'ed".

I bet there is a huge panic at both camps right now.

For sure its a problem when you constantly have stock-outs. You perfectly describe how the inability to meet demand can eventually lead to diminished demand from once-interested potential buyers. The thing is, there is no real substitute to PS5 and XSX. PC is still a higher price point for entry & not as familiar to consumers as console, not to mention it has its own issues with meeting GPU demand. Switch is a different product entirely with a largely different library & some sprinkled novelty ports like Doom. Cloud gaming with weaker PC hardware still hasn't taken off, as American network infrastructure in particular leaves much to be desired. The type of people who want a PS5 now but can't realistically get one for another year or two will probably still end up waiting.

So I don't think its a dreamcast situation, but rather a hyper extended cross-gen. Persona 6, as a hypothetical example, will absolutely still be a PS4 game when it launches in 2024 or whatever.

 

[Rat Rage]

The thing is, there is no real substitute to PS5 and XSX. PC is still a higher price point for entry & not as familiar to consumers as console, not to mention it has its own issues with meeting GPU demand.

Maybe there IS a solution: every gamers backlog. You're right, buying a new PC and a new console sucks right now. But this is a chance for a vast number of gamers to just... well play their backlogs. I postulate that at least 50% of all gamers have a massive backlog.

This right here is a damn good time to just tap into that backlog and be happy. Games of previous gen consoles are also very cheap, so you can even save a lot of money that way (which is definitely not a bad idea in these turbulent times).

And this backlog option is somthing that could intensify the current gen vicious circle.

The only one console manufacturer that seems to be lucky and a in a good position is Nintendo. They are in a lucky position where despite a pandemic and worsening chip shortage, they are still sitting on 80+ million sold consoles, a.k.a install base. Even if that goes on for a couple of years, they can still supply their install base with games and make a lot of money that way, and I bet other publishers will, too.

Microsoft and Sony are not in such a position. Their 3rd party publishers are desperately hoping for an overall betterment of the market situation, which actually could go on for a couple more years. The situation is really bad.

 

[rofif]

what city

Tczew

 

[leo-j]

ugh not looking good for PS5 in Japan, seems like PS3 all over again

Not really. Ps5 is selling more than ps4 did in the same time frame. Digital sales are just probably very high.

 

[b6a6es]

When people go on about why are japan not embracing next gen & why they are releasing the same title in the charts on ps4 & ps5 at the same time it's because of this, there are so few people buying games that it would be death to any title that dares to go ps5 only as it will sell like absolute shit because of the install base hence the ps4 release as at least there's a larger install base so the devs sell a reasonable amount the problem is amplified when it comes to AAA. Sony have kind of fucked themselves in japan with a catch 22, there needs to be a big install base for the games to come in large numbers but nobody will buy a console of there's no software to play. No idea how sony can actually fix this

Simple, Sony should’ve Acquired several decent Japanese studio’s for their 1st party content ages ago, instead they closed their only one

i think Sony (and specifically Ken Kutaragi) shot themselves in the foot twice in the past

1- not Acquiring the nearly Bankrupt Squaresoft & Namco in 2001.

2- not making an answer to Pokemon when they had a handheld stronghold during PSP era.

the latter pretty much resulted the death of their Handheld career, while the former for their continual decline in Japan

 

[Ozriel]

Not in Japan. The main issue here is scalping and to some extend, the lack of japanese PS5 exclusives.

And what do you think Demons Souls is?
it failed to sell up to 55000 units.

 

[StateofMajora]

Lame. This means we won't see the next gen for a decade or so. FUCK!

What's the rush? In that case we would at least see pro consoles again and pc will be there if you want native 4k/8k at all times.

 

[Dream-Knife]

We need to face the fact that Japanese plays different games than the west.

most of us is not going to play their "favorite" games in Japan.

Nintendo Switch is a hit in the west.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[SenkiDala]

this pic.......

REMINDS ME OF THIS.................

not good for sony at all

Except it's exactly the opposite ? No PS5 available VS every 360 available because nobody want one. (PS : The PS5 games on the pictures aren't real games it's like plastic place holders)

 

[KingGhidorah]

Simple, Sony should’ve Acquired several decent Japanese studio’s for their 1st party content ages ago, instead they closed their only one

i think Sony (and specifically Ken Kutaragi) shot themselves in the foot twice in the past

1- not Acquiring the nearly Bankrupt Squaresoft & Namco in 2001.

2- not making an answer to Pokemon when they had a handheld stronghold during PSP era.

the latter pretty much resulted the death of their Handheld career, while the former for their continual decline in Japan

Sony could've acquired From Soft, but instead they acquired the studio who remakes From Soft games

 

[Woopah]

PlayStation sales in Japan have been atrocious since the PS3.

This is a different level. Software sales were very good on PSP and decent on PS3 and PS4.

This is a bad situation for Sony and Mircosoft. I think there is a chance this whole thing turns into a vicious circle, because more and more big publishers are gonna delay their games, but that will not help the situation.

Can't buy a PS5 > Install base stays small > big publishers don't want to send their hugely expensive AAA games to die, therefore delay them > game library stays small and potential customers question why they even need a PS5 or Xbox > leads to even less systems sold > install base stays small > big publishers don't want to send their hugely expensive AAA games to die, therefore delay them > .... and so on.

I think there is a chance the PS5 and XboxSX get "Dreamcast'ed".

I bet there is a huge panic at both camps right now.

PS5 install base and software sales will only be small in Japan and maybe elsewhere in Asia. Certainly not in the West. There won't be a huge panic.

Its got nothing to do with the PS5 and everything to do with Japan is mobile city for gaming.

This reasoning never makes sense since mobile gaming is huge in North America and Europe too, and PlayStation is doing great there.

 

[Flutta]

Japan is Nintendo land now more so then ever. This is what you get when you abandoned the Vita and the handeld market.

Good luck to Sony over there

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

8 years ago, yes. But not now.

People don't have time to buy physical games, when you can just log in to your console, and buy it from there.

Only a fool will buy physical at this stage, unless it's ps3/x360 and below.

There is a reason why mobile games are big in Japan now.

Physical has many advantages over digital and they’re typically cheaper as well. Sure, digital is convenient, but that’s it’s only genuine advantage.

 

[blastprocessor]

The Japanese like small devices the PS5 takes up most of their tiny rooms. Well that's my thought on the poor sales

 

[mansoor1980]

Except it's exactly the opposite ? No PS5 available VS every 360 available because nobody want one. (PS : The PS5 games on the pictures aren't real games it's like plastic place holders)

its just the general first impression i got from that pic

 

[009EspadaSageJay]

Not surprising when you censored every third party publisher/dev from the jp gaming division mind you the vita would be dead without any of these devs and most of the devs and publishers paid out of pocket on the ps3 and ps vita development. shawn layton was the one who went censor happy and jim ryan is continuing with the same stupidity. Regardless of how anyone feels about Spider man, uncharted, TLOU, GOW ect japan doesnt care at all about those games there a good video that talks about what WesternGames japan likes to play and what they think about western games.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I think there are a lot of contributing factors causing this:

1. Lack of consoles per shipment. Only sending stores a handful of consoles with each drop. My local GameStop only gets approximately a handful of consoles a month if they are fortunate. No consoles means less software sales. Also, acquiring a console is like winning the lottery.

2. Too much focus on Western games. I understand what they typically sell the best, but they imho turned their backs on high profile games from Japan or put them on the proverbial backburner. Japanese games still can sell and make money, you know.

4. Chip shortages. Obviously.

5. Scalpers. Sony and Microsoft REALLY needs to primarily sales consoles in retail stores especially to stop scalping. A scalper wants a PS5? Let him wait in line like everyone else and they are limited to one or maybe two consoles per store. Buying hundreds will be much more difficult and time consuming. Also, scalpers don’t buy software.

6. Japan prefers portables over consoles. Again lack of Japanese games probably isn’t helping matters either.

7. Lack of exclusives for PS5. Most games are also on PS4 to my knowledge and with these games coming to PC later that could makes things even worst for PS5 especially with shortages.

8. Censorship of Japanese games.

9. X and O buttons?

 

[ManaByte]

The Japanese like small devices the PS5 takes up most of their tiny rooms. Well that's my thought on the poor sales

You laugh but the thing is bigger than the original Xbox and 20 years ago everyone said it was much too big to sell in Japan.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

The temptation is to point at Sony and scold them for not having a preventative measure against scalpers scooping up all the PS5's. Not sure where to honestly place the blame though.

 

[underwater]

The Japanese have bad eyesight so can't appreciate the benefit of 4K. They can't really see extra detail past 720p which is why the Switch is so popular

 

[ManaByte]

The Japanese have bad eyesight so can't appreciate the benefit of 4K. They can't really see extra detail past 720p which is why the Switch is so popular

 

[Lognor]

But I've been told that PS5 gamers are just buying the PS4 version because it includes the PS5 version as well so 2 games for the price of 1. Or something like that. LOL

Nah, it's a dire situation over there.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Lame. This means we won't see the next gen for a decade or so. FUCK!

At least the consoles weren't garbage on day one like they were last gen.

Yeah, this gen is a mess. I wonder what their plan is going forward. Time isn't waiting for them.

The PS5 is still outpacing the PS4 and crossgen game sell 4:1 in favor of PS5.

 

[ethomaz]

PS5 is ahead PS4 in terms of user base at same period so maybe the Retailer is feeling the lack of PS5 users because they migrated to a more digital oriented purchases.

 

[Azelover]

PlayStation sales in Japan have been atrocious since the PS3.

Not to this level though..

 

[Woopah]

PS5 is ahead PS4 in terms of user base at same period so maybe the Retailer is feeling the lack of PS5 users because they migrated to a more digital oriented purchases.

We've seen from PlayStation charts that digital sales aren't that high. It's a line up issue more than anything.

 

[TheTony316]

was it really though? I remember PS3 struggled hard in Japan, up against the Wii

The Wii only managed to outsell the PS3 by ~3 million units and exclusives like Yakuza used to do big numbers.

 

[lh032]

Nintendo Switch is a hit in the west.

not as big as playstation outside of Japan i believe, at least in most of the countries.
and Nintendo switch is a hit because of its portability. (not saying the games are not but portability is the main reason why people buy a nintendo switch)

 

[Three]

We've seen from PlayStation charts that digital sales aren't that high. It's a line up issue more than anything.

How do we get that data from the charts? Digital will not save the PS5 in Japan but Japan hasn't been behind anywhere else in adopting digital as far as I know. It's around ~70% digital on PS.
What skews it is that Nintendo absolutely dominates japan and Nintendo have a lower digital percentage than PS or xbox.
Nintendo went above 50% last year but fell back down to 42% Digital this year. They were at 22% before covid.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

How do we get that data from the charts? Digital will not save the PS5 in Japan but Japan hasn't been behind anywhere else in adopting digital as far as I know. It's around ~70% digital on PS.
What skews it is that Nintendo absolutely dominates japan and Nintendo have a lower digital percentage than PS or xbox.
Nintendo went above 50% last year but fell back down to 42% Digital this year. They were at 22% before covid.

You have a source for these numbers? Media Create dude says even PS5 games are maybe 20% digital. I think the last one where he said it was Resident Evil 8.

 

[Woopah]

not as big as playstation outside of Japan i believe, at least in most of the countries.
and Nintendo switch is a hit because of its portability. (not saying the games are not but portability is the main reason why people buy a nintendo switch)

Switch is bigger than PlayStation in Asia and North America but not in most European countries. It's a hit because of games much more than portability.

 

[lh032]

Switch is bigger than PlayStation in Asia and North America but not in most European countries. It's a hit because of games much more than portability.

disagree, you forget what happened to wii u? the games did not save them lol

 

[CamHostage]

This is what you get when you abandoned the Vita and the handeld market.

I keep seeing this... I'm sorry, are people under an assumption that Vita was a disappointment everywhere except Japan?

Vita sales sink to all-time low in Japan, outsold by PSP 3 to 1

The PlayStation Vita hit a new low in Japan, as its weekly sales fell below 5,000 for the first time since its launch almost one year ago. For the week of October 29th to November 4, Media Create reported that sales of the PS Vita dropped 16 per cent from 5,80...

www.pocketgamer.com

Nintendo Switch Sale Numbers Surpass PlayStation Vita in Japan

The Nintendo Switch has done the unthinkable: it has surpassed the PlayStation Vita's lifetime [...]

comicbook.com

The PS5 is currently selling just as quickly as the PS Vita in Japan

One million units and counting

www.gamesradar.com

I love my Vita, and wish circumstances were different, but Sony didn't abandon the Vita because they weren't interested in all that money to be made in Japan; they abandoned it because it was not making good money, even in Japan. The system was a flop (it's worth noting that its competitor 3DS also struggled, and neither came anywhere close to the heyday of the DS vs PSP battle,) and it was clear it was in trouble very early on when Capcom was hedging on whether it had plans for a Vita Monster Hunter (the blockbuster series eventually moved over to Nintendo platforms.) Sony supported a lost cause for a while, then pivoted towards supporting and championing indies/cross-buys in hopes of extending the life for a while, (which actually kind of worked, and a good deal of the existent love of the platform comes from its extended run of life on the secondary market with PS+ freebies, cross-buy indies, Limited Run game carts, and Unity Engine projects functioning on the platform thanks to an early partnership.) It was never going to last forever, however. They just didn't have the formula for success a second time around, and I don't know how somebody can look at the sales of Gravity Daze or even Freedom Wars and say Sony bailed on an opportunity. IMO, it is abundantly clear that no matter how much support it could have gotten from Sony, Vita wasn't going to do what Switch eventually did, not in Japan or anywhere else.

 

[Three]

You have a source for these numbers? Media Create dude says even PS5 games are maybe 20% digital. I think the last one where he said it was Resident Evil 8.

I'm not talking about a single game and I'm not talking about PS5 only. I'm talking about Playstation charts and digital sales in total and Nintendo digital sales in total. Crossgen PS4/PS5 games aren't charting on media creates physical charts and there are games without a physical release which skew them too.

Source for percentages

71% PS (74% last year) >50% prior to covid
47% Switch ( 55% last year) 22% prior to covid.

Bonus article showing how historically physical sales have dominated on switch and digital has lagged behind on Nintendo systems

 

[StreetsofBeige]

By the looks of it, Japanese game stores are surviving on Switch game sales.

For those of you know about Japan game stores, do they sell tons of other crap to make profits? Like Gamestop selling all kinds of board games, toys, Funko etc....? Not sure if they still do it, but they were even messing with cell phone subs and tablet sales.