360 has highest hardware to software ratio

[Zeus]

NPD's sales figures from September in the US show the 360 is tops when it comes to attach rates. The 360 steams ahead with: hardware to software ratio: 6.59 (hardware total sold = 6.8 million; software total sold = 44.8 million). Trailing behind we have the PlayStation 3: hardware to software ratio: 3.58 (hardware total sold = 1.9 million; software total sold = 6.8 million), Wii: hardware to software ratio: 3.44 (hardware total sold = 4.5 million; software total sold = 15.5 million). Many have labeled the Wii as the Wii Sports seller and these figures don't help much. Wii Play has also had an impact, as it is considered "software" on the sales chart even tough it is an extra for purchasing a Wiimote. Removing Wii play data from these ratios leaves the Wii hovering around 3 games sold per system. Many say Nintendo should be focusing some of its marketing on actual gamers.

<center><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/360ratop.jpg"></center></a>


Wii Play has sold between 250K and 300K copies every month since its introduction in the States, accounting for a few million units of the console's software total. Removing that data from these ratios leaves the Wii hovering around 3 games sold per system.

Wii might be selling strong on both hardware and software fronts, but it could be doing better by focusing some of its marketing on actual gamers -- the ones who buy more games. It will be interesting to compare Wii's and PS3's data a year from now with the current data for Xbox 360. Microsoft's console has had an extra year under its belt to develop a strong software lineup, but with promising titles on the horizon for Nintendo and Sony (e.g., Mario, Smash Bros., MGS4, FFXIII, etc) the ratios may balance out in late '08. But for now, it's obvious why PS3 and Wii have such infamous reputations.


News Source: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/31/360-leads-hardware-to-software-ratio-wii-and-ps3-trail-with-sim/" target=_blank">joystiw</a>

[AndrewLeon]

I Own all Three systems and have around

7 360 games
1 Ps3 Game (asst Ps2 games)
and Wii Play

It's all about the freakin content yo.
Crappy Ports are RUINING video games. You hear me EA?

RUINING IT!!!

[poisonousjuice]

numbers are not surprising. 360 been out for 2 years, ps3/wii out for 1 year. Another stupid article unless it only counts the # of 360 games purchases for the same period of time as the ps3 & wii have been available.

[Rinny]

I think the post is supposed to be Software to hardware ratio.

games: consoles
3:1 is high
4:1 is higher

if it was consoles to games

consoles: games
1:4 would be lower than 1:3

[danight]

numbers are not surprising. 360 been out for 2 years, ps3/wii out for 1 year. Another stupid article unless it only counts the # of 360 games purchases for the same period of time as the ps3 & wii have been available.

Actually the numbers are still valid if you consider that for the xbox 360 to maintain a high ratio it had to cont to sell games. If 6 million xbox 360s sold the first year with people buying 6 games per system. Then in 2 years they sold another 6 million units then to keep that ratio they had to atleast sell 6 games for for that time as well.

So the numbers really impressive for the xbox 360 to have such a high attach rate as well as maintain it. Around E3 microsoft bragged how they had a attach rate higher than ps3 and wii`s combined.

Game sales reflect how ps3 sells games. Most games sell crappy vs the xbox 360 counterparts. While the wii had a couple million + sellers but out side of those titles nothing really special.

But the xbox 360 clearly has the best game library so its not hard to see why they have a high rate. No to mention ps3 delays and crappy ports probably helped people who own all 3 systems decide to buy the xbox 360 version.

It will be intresting to see what the attach rate is after the holidays though. Games like ratchet, mario galaxy, mass effect etc etc coming.

[cokemusic1]

It's kinda unfair to compare consoles hardware:software ration considering that the XBOX 360 has only been out a year , try comparing the XBOX 360's first years Hardware:Software ratio to the PS3's:Software .

Next year I believe it's going to be a tough year for MS.

But the xbox 360 clearly has the best game library so its not hard to see why they have a high rate. No to mention ps3 delays and crappy ports probably helped people who own all 3 systems decide to buy the xbox 360 version.

XBOX 360 having the best games libary is a matter of opinion , it has the biggest game libary however. When ports become multi-disk on the XBOX 360,developers become more experience and the PS3 becomes easier to develop for then it's possible that the PS3 will have the advantage.

[yourM0M1]

It's kinda unfair to compare consoles hardware:software ration considering that the XBOX 360 has only been out a year , try comparing the XBOX 360's first years Hardware:Software ratio to the PS3's:Software .

Next year I believe it's going to be a tough year for MS.


INCORRECT....go check attach ratios from launch until now m$ has had a very nice ratio of 4+ month after month.....the ratio is an overall ratio for the lifetime like explained above the longer a lifetime the lower attach rate usually....well m$ has changed that


here's a few links so im not just spewing jibberish out of my mouth
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11796
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/11557/Xbox-360-Sales-Figures-Update-and-Forecast/
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=22074

[mashti]

at the moment it seems the U.S is the only land where the xbox 360 still surviving :D

i doubt this will last very long :(:p:D

[bavelb]

at the moment it seems the U.S is the only land where the xbox 360 still surviving :D

i doubt this will last very long :(:p:D


smileys are not full stops.

[whackawookie]

at the moment it seems the U.S is the only land where the xbox 360 still surviving :D

i doubt this will last very long :(:p:D


judging from the sales all together the us sales alone are enough to keep it above the water

[cokemusic1]

judging from the sales all together the us sales alone are enough to keep it above the water

Very true but keeping it afloat might not be enough to be profitable , every month I become more convinced that MS will break even on the 360.

[t0ywizard]

i dont' see how the ps3 can catch up. The only promising game i see for the ps3 is MGS4 and that's it. Even if those sony fan boys say that the 360 won't be selling that high for long, it will still be way ahead of the ps3.

[Robotron]

Is this just for Halo month or the whole year?
Because Halo and Bioshock are huge selling games....the PS3 and the Wii have just started to get their huge sellers now.

[dennis872007]

i dont' see how the ps3 can catch up. The only promising game i see for the ps3 is MGS4 and that's it. Even if those sony fan boys say that the 360 won't be selling that high for long, it will still be way ahead of the ps3.

you are forgetting ffxiii which will be very very important for sony. it will sell consoles for the ps3 in japan and by that time the 360 might be dead in japan

[whackawookie]

Very true but keeping it afloat might not be enough to be profitable , every month I become more convinced that MS will break even on the 360.

you could be right, wont know though until something is announced. I do know that sony has already announced "This quarter, the PlayStation division's losses topped $840 million, more than doubling since the same period in 2006." not to mention they missed there sales estimate for this fiscal year. If something were to be put in perspective i guess it would be neither system will see a profit for a while

[danight]

It's kinda unfair to compare consoles hardware:software ration considering that the XBOX 360 has only been out a year , try comparing the XBOX 360's first years Hardware:Software ratio to the PS3's:Software .

XBOX 360 having the best games libary is a matter of opinion , it has the biggest game libary however. When ports become multi-disk on the XBOX 360,developers become more experience and the PS3 becomes easier to develop for then it's possible that the PS3 will have the advantage.


No its a matter of fact. Every creditable gamesite will prove it. goto www.gamespot.com/ and compare best games of all time for the ps3 and xbox 360. 2 of the 3 best ps3 games where year late ports of xbox 360 games that sold way better than the ps3 version. But we can leave that debate for another thread, another time.

In xbox 360s first year it had graw, r6:vegas. gears of war, oblivion, saints row, dead rising, lost planet, gh2, smackdown 2k7, the whole EA list of sports games etc etc. The attachment rate was very high then as well. Like the earlier poster said. Its impressive when a system average goes up.

[XxBigP123xX]

No its a matter of fact. Every creditable gamesite will prove it. goto www.gamspot.com and compare best games of all time for the ps3 and xbox 360. 2 of the 3 best ps3 games where year late ports of xbox 360 games that sold way better than the ps3 version. But we can leave that debate for another thread, another time.

In xbox 360s first year it had graw, r6:vegas. gears of war, oblivion, saints row, dead rising, lost planet, gh2, smackdown 2k7, the whole EA list of sports games etc etc. The attachment rate was very high then as well. Like the earlier poster said. Its impressive when a system average goes up.

your link lead me to some random site.:p

[AceMilo]

Is this just for Halo month or the whole year?
Because Halo and Bioshock are huge selling games....the PS3 and the Wii have just started to get their huge sellers now.

It's probably just for the month, but the 360 actually has the highest attach rate (number of games bought with console) than any other console in history.

[danight]

your link lead me to some random site.

sorry man... i left a e out of the url. Ill fix it.
http://www.gamespot.com/

xbox 360 top games of all time list
http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?type=top_rated&platform=1029&sort=score&page_type=games&dlx_type=all&date_filter=all&sortdir=asc

ps3 top games of all time list
http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?type=top_rated&platform=1028&sort=score&page_type=games&dlx_type=all&date_filter=all&sortdir=asc

[picopir8]

A console that has been out twice as long as the competition should have about twice the attachment rate for games compared to the competition.

Other things to consider are:
360 had no competition the first year so it was the only present gen console that people had so if they bought a game it was for the 360. Now many people own multiple systems and their purchases are split between their consoles.

Many wii owners are casual gamers who are less likely to buy many games, so it is reasonable for it to have a low attachment rate. Considering it is still in the same ballpark as the PS3 (closest measure due to release dates), the Wii seems to be selling a good number of games despite having branched into the new demographic.

Lastly, actual unit sales are what really matter, not attachment rate. Attachment rate is usually what people refer to when they have poor console sales because the low console sales make the software sales data look better.

IMO, this looks decent news for all. The 360s head start did help them significantly and while they are slipping, they should do well this generation. The PS3, while still having low console sales, is holding its own on software and if a AAA title is released or people jump on the Blueray bandwagon, it could make a strong comeback. And the Wii, despite selling a lot of consoles to casual gamers and having few AAA titles is still selling a lot of software.

[JouDoos]

This simply proves that the Xbots have the best games.

[jwww]

Well for Nintendo's sake it's good they started out making money on the Wii hardware right from the start, because the games obviously aren't making a whole lot of money for them. Too bad Sony can't say the same. If Microsoft actually got a working setup now with the new 65nm cpu & correct cooling maybe they'll have a box that doesn't break down nearly as much as the first two years models & really start making some money. At least they have the games to play this gen. Sony really screwed themselves this time (in the U.S. at least) with high priced console & late to market. Overseas is another story but the Japanese are just die hard for their Sony, to each their own.

[Tydude4Christ]

Just throwing it out there. Wouldn't you want a low hardware to software ratio. Hardware to software would be the number of consoles sold divided by the number of games sold. Oh well. Everyone understands what he is trying to say.

[cokemusic1]

No its a matter of fact. Every creditable gamesite will prove it. goto www.gamespot.com/ and compare best games of all time for the ps3 and xbox 360. 2 of the 3 best ps3 games where year late ports of xbox 360 games that sold way better than the ps3 version. But we can leave that debate for another thread, another time.


But I won't accept that gamespot is a reliable source for your claim , the quality of games is dependant on the person playing it , this is unique to your experience.

I could say the Super Mario Bros 3>Every 360 game in experience , the vast majority may call me an idiot but they couldn't say I wasn't telling the truth because that would be me expressing my opinion.

The 360 does in my opinion currently a better libary of games , in 08 that will change.but that's just my opinion.

[NewBeginning]

A console that has been out twice as long as the competition should have about twice the attachment rate for games compared to the competition.

Other things to consider are:
360 had no competition the first year so it was the only present gen console that people had so if they bought a game it was for the 360. Now many people own multiple systems and their purchases are split between their consoles.

Many wii owners are casual gamers who are less likely to buy many games, so it is reasonable for it to have a low attachment rate. Considering it is still in the same ballpark as the PS3 (closest measure due to release dates), the Wii seems to be selling a good number of games despite having branched into the new demographic.

Lastly, actual unit sales are what really matter, not attachment rate. Attachment rate is usually what people refer to when they have poor console sales because the low console sales make the software sales data look better.

IMO, this looks decent news for all. The 360s head start did help them significantly and while they are slipping, they should do well this generation. The PS3, while still having low console sales, is holding its own on software and if a AAA title is released or people jump on the Blueray bandwagon, it could make a strong comeback. And the Wii, despite selling a lot of consoles to casual gamers and having few AAA titles is still selling a lot of software.

A console that has been out twice as long, assuming it has sold steadily, should have half the attach rate, if anything. Having a higher attach rate than launch, as the 360 currently does, is unheard of.

The first argument that the 360 had no competition the first year, and therefore was guaranteed a better attach rate is inconsequential, since the attach rate has only gone up since the PS3 and Wii have launched.

Unit sales and attachment rates are equally important, with attachment rates being more important after a unit is selling steadily. The consoles themselves make very little, if any profit, the Wii being the exception.

And to say the 360 is slipping at this point is just silly. It's coming off two of the best months in its short history, and the holidays are right around the corner. We won't truly know if the 360 is slipping until around this time next year, as Grand Theft Auto IV is not until spring, and the majority of software releases for the 360 in 2008 are yet to be revealed. If it even has half as good a year as it's had so far this year, console failures and all, things are looking very bright for the 360.

[picopir8]

A console that has been out twice as long, assuming it has sold steadily, should have half the attach rate, if anything. Having a higher attach rate than launch, as the 360 currently does, is unheard of.


No. Many people buy several games per year but they buy only one of a particular type of console. If you work out the pattern, the attachment rate goes up over time. For simplicity lets say a console sells 1M units every month and every console owner buys 1 game per month. In the first month 1M units are sold along with 1M games. The attachment rate is 1:1. In the second month, another 1M consoles are sold, and the first 1M customers along with the new 1M customers each buy games, so 2M games are sold. Thats a total of 3M game sold compared to 2M consols, or 3:2 or 1.5:1. In month three, another 1M new console sales, so now a total of 3M customers meaning 3M games sold that month. The total sales by month 3 are 6M games to 3M consoles or 6:3 or 2:1. As you can see attachment rate goes up.

Obviously, these numbers are pretty high but the example holds true for lower numbers as well, the increase is just slower. The only time it does not hold true is when console sales taper off (causing a greater increase in attachment rate), or if the console sales increase at an exponential rate (causing attachment rates to go lower). Or if software sales drop below console sales (which they never do).


The first argument that the 360 had no competition the first year, and therefore was guaranteed a better attach rate is inconsequential, since the attach rate has only gone up since the PS3 and Wii have launched.


As shown above, attachment rate should always go up unless console sales begin to outpace software sales.


Unit sales and attachment rates are equally important, with attachment rates being more important after a unit is selling steadily. The consoles themselves make very little, if any profit, the Wii being the exception.


Only in the first year or so until production is streamlined. By now the 360 should be breaking even and the PS3 should be doing so within about 6 months.


And to say the 360 is slipping at this point is just silly. It's coming off two of the best months in its short history, and the holidays are right around the corner. We won't truly know if the 360 is slipping until around this time next year, as Grand Theft Auto IV is not until spring, and the majority of software releases for the 360 in 2008 are yet to be revealed. If it even has half as good a year as it's had so far this year, console failures and all, things are looking very bright for the 360.

The 360 barely outsold the Wii for only about 2 weeks or so during the halo 3 launch. Keep in mind, there were plenty of 360s on store shelves while most stores were sold out of the Wii as nintendo is diverting stock for the holidays. Also there was no real competing software on the Wii at that time. If these have been the best few months the 360 has had, then its further evidence that they are slipping. Even with their best offerings, they could barely do any better than the Wii.

[yourM0M1]

A console that has been out twice as long, assuming it has sold steadily, should have half the attach rate, if anything. Having a higher attach rate than launch, as the 360 currently does, is unheard of.

this has been repeated about 4 times in this thread on 2 pages and yet no one can get it through their thick skulls....i

[Blades]

numbers are not surprising. 360 been out for 2 years, ps3/wii out for 1 year. Another stupid article unless it only counts the # of 360 games purchases for the same period of time as the ps3 & wii have been available.


Yet, People seem to forget the above statement when it comes time to count how many XB360's and PS3's are being sold on a month by month basis. Of course the PS3 will catch up eventually and sell more than the XB360 a month here or there. A lot of people already own the 360 becuase its been out for a year longer. Remember, that was the advantage that the PS2 had over the XBOX1.





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