Media Create Sales for 04/20 to 04/26 - Monster Hunting Time

[Chris_D]

Here are the software and hardware numbers from Japan, straight from Media Create, (http://www.m-create.com/ranking/) for the week 04/20 to 04/26.

The big software release was Monster Hunter G on the Wii selling 131,647 copies. Although this number was low, Monster Hunter doesn't have a strong pedigree on home consoles. The biggest seller, Monster Hunter 2 on the PS2, has only sold ~630k according to VG Chartz (http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=3835&region=All), compared to over 3 million for Monster Hunter 2G (http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=18542&region=All) on the PSP. Monster Hunter G was enough to push Wii sales higher but they still fell just short of the 20,000 mark.

PS3 sales fell heavily following the release of Advent Children in the previous week but it still managed to outpace the Wii for the 8th week in a row. Kill Zone 2 did quite well for a western developed FPS, with 41,245 copies sold.

The 360 had two titles in the top ten, with Death Smiles and H.A.W.X, but it wasn't enough to boost hardware sales. Meanwhile, the PSP and DSi continued to sell strongly, topping the hardware charts overall.

Not a lot of news this week but 1UP did give us a brief preview (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173899) of Monster Hunter G's online mode. It only comes with 14 days access included before you have to pay so make the most of it! 1UP also reported on the Famitsu Award Winners for 2008 (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173906) (seems late I know). Congratulations to Tales of Vesperia for winning in the RPG category!

Person of the Year: Hideo Kojima
Character of the Year: Solid Snake
Company of the Year: Capcom
Rookie Title Prize: The Last Remnant
Innovation Prize: Wii Music
High Quality Prize: Metal Gear Solid 4
Racing Prize: Mario Kart Wii
Multiplayer Prize: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
All Generation Prize: Pokemon Platinum
Communication Prize: Animal Crossing: City Folk
Adventure Puzzle Prize: Professor Layton and the Final Journey Through Time
Masterpiece Prize: Dragon Quest V
Character Action Prize: Dissidia Final Fantasy
Role Playing Prize: Tales of Vesperia
Dramatic Prize: 428
PlayStation 2 Prize: Persona 4
Worldwide Prize: Grand Theft Auto IV

This week X Blades is out for both 360 (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-ek-49-en-70-390e.html) and PS3 (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-zd-49-en-70-3906.html). Love that cover! The Wii has Konami's baseball game, Jikkyou Powerful Major League 2009 (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-10l-49-en-70-39il.html), which is also out on PS2 (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-ci-49-en-70-39im.html). The DS has a cute looking game, Minna no Doubutsuen (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-cl-49-en-70-391o.html) (Everyone's Zoo) along with an interesting new iteration of the WarioWare series, WarioWare Myself (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-cl-49-en-70-3a69.html). A couple more RPGs are making their way to PSP, the remake of Persona (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-ch-49-en-70-39in.html) and a game called Tir-Na-Nog (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-ch-49-en-70-2jr5.html).

Hardware
PSP - 41,187 (+3%)
DSi - 37,495 (-2%)
PS3 - 23,351 (-63%)
Wii - 18,439 (+39%)
Xbox 360 - 7,016 (-19%)
DS Lite - 6,374 (-1%)
PS2 - 4,524 (+7%)


Software
01. [Wii] Monster Hunter G (Capcom) 131,647 / NEW
02. [NDS] Pokemon Fushigi no Dungeon: Sora no Tankentai (Nintendo) 54,413 / ~196k
03. [PS3] Kill Zone 2 (Sony) 41,245 / NEW
04. [PSP] Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 3 (IREM) 31,434 / NEW
05. [PSP] Monster Hunter Portable 2 G (PSP the Best) (Capcom) 22,688 / ~614k*
06. [360] Death Smiles (Cave) 19,635 / NEW
07. [PSP] Sengoku Basara: Battle Heroes (Capcom) 16,692 / ~131k
08. [NDS] Mario & Luigi RPG 3 (Nintendo) 16,595 / ~558k
09. [Wii] Wii Fit (Nintendo) 10,587 / ~3,361k
10. [360] H.A.W.X (Ubisoft) 9,705 / NEW



http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq78/Mr_GT_Chris/MHGWii.jpg (http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq78/Mr_GT_Chris/MHGWii-1.jpg)
Grab that limited edition Monster Hunter Classic Controller!



Source - Media Create (http://www.m-create.com/ranking/), Chart Get! (http://chartget.com/2009/04/media-create-sales-0413-0419.html), Play-Asia (http://www.play-asia.com/), VG Chartz (http://www.vgchartz.com/swlaunch.php?reg1=Japan&game1=Wii+Fit+-+Wii&reg2=All&game2=&reg3=All&game3=&weeks=100), 1UP (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173899).

See the previous week's sales (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=7820).

* Numbers for Monster Hunter Portable 2 G (PSP the Best) edition only. Combined sales are over 3 million.

Note: Software cumulative sales estimates are provided by Media Create via Chart Get (http://chartget.com/2009/04/media-create-sales-0413-0419.html). Wii Fit cumulative sales provided by VG Chartz (http://www.vgchartz.com/swlaunch.php?reg1=Japan&game1=Wii+Fit+-+Wii&reg2=All&game2=&reg3=All&game3=&weeks=100).

[mister slim]

I love how Monster Hunter 2G came out before Monster Hunter G.

[KamaItachi]

What's the consensus on Death Smiles?

I'm not normally a fan of the genre, but it seems oddly compelling.

[Chris_D]

I love how Monster Hunter 2G came out before Monster Hunter G.

Monster Hunter G is pretty much a port of 2G (with online and Wii controls). I think Capcom wanted to avoid putting off the Wii audience or perhaps confusing them by having the first Wii game numbered as a sequel (even though it is).

[Xerxes]

Heh... X-Blades...

http://razetheworld.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/xblades_asses.jpg
360 copy will sell more.

[Grifter]

Heh... X-Blades...

http://razetheworld.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/xblades_asses.jpg
360 copy will sell more.

This game is pure shit, I'm honestly surprised it found a console publisher.

[Adam Blue]

What's the consensus on Death Smiles?

I'm not normally a fan of the genre, but it seems oddly compelling.

People are liking it, but what I'm digging are the sales numbers. Very good for the genre and the 360. You wouldn't believe how many people around the world own a Jap 360 for the genre.

I'm just hoping someday TFVI and this come stateside, along with Raiden IV. I don't want to bust out my modded PS2 for an import when pretty soon my 60GB PS3 should be able to handle import PS2 games.

[KamaItachi]

This game is pure shit, I'm honestly surprised it found a console publisher.

You're not buying it for the game. You're buying it for the ass.

[KamaItachi]

People are liking it, but what I'm digging are the sales numbers. Very good for the genre and the 360. You wouldn't believe how many people around the world own a Jap 360 for the genre.

I'm just hoping someday TFVI and this come stateside, along with Raiden IV. I don't want to bust out my modded PS2 for an import when pretty soon my 60GB PS3 should be able to handle import PS2 games.

I have an import Jp 360, which is why I was eying this one so intently. I think it has enough visual polish, decent art and from a respected enough Dev that it may be worth it

[Chris_D]

Heh... X-Blades...

360 copy will sell more.

Wow, that is a great pick up Xerxes! :D

[Purple Santa]

Is X-Blades that bad? I only watched someone playing it...looked like a fun hack -n- slash game.

Edit: Death Smiles looks awesome! I wish I had a modded xbox...

[KamaItachi]

Is X-Blades that bad? I only watched someone playing it...looked like a fun hack -n- slash game.

Edit: Death Smiles looks awesome! I wish I had a modded xbox...

I dislike using Metacritic as a yardstick, but it's averaging 49% (http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/xblades?q=x-blades) with even the more positive reviews declaring it mediocre.

[Talanvor]

That X-Blades cover is hilarious. I would have thought the ass version would sell higher in the states, while the one they released here would probably do better in Japan. Not that it makes a difference to the reviewers trashing the game.

[Adam Blue]

I dislike using Metacritic as a yardstick, but it's averaging 49% (http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/xblades?q=x-blades) with even the more positive reviews declaring it mediocre.

But it's the whole genre thing. Only a core group of gamers really 'get' shmups. I'm right outside it. I'm addicted to them and collect them, but I'm not a fan of vertical bullet-pattern shmups.

[KamaItachi]

But it's the whole genre thing. Only a core group of gamers really 'get' shmups. I'm right outside it. I'm addicted to them and collect them, but I'm not a fan of vertical bullet-pattern shmups.

Actually that's the aggregate for X-Blades. The word on Death Smiles seems to have been quite positive.

[Adam Blue]

Actually that's the aggregate for X-Blades. The word on Death Smiles seems to have been quite positive.

Well good then...I actually never use the site... I hate reviews.

[Goronmon]

Makes me want to bust out Monster Hunter Freedom 2.

[mister slim]

Heh... X-Blades...

360 copy will sell more.

If only MS went the full CERO Z...

[Chris_D]

Edge-Online chips in (along with a spelling error :p):

Japan: PS3 Tops Home Console Sales (http://www.edge-online.com/news/japan-ps3-tops-home-console-sales)
Sony’s PS3 remained the bestselling home console in Japan during the week ended April 26, although sales normalised following a massive surge the prior week driven by the release of the playable Final Fantasy XIII demo.

The system sold 23,351 units, down from 62,527, but sill almost 5,000 more than the Wii’s weekly total.

PSP topped Media Create's weekly hardware rankings, although once again combined sales of Nintendo’s DSi and DS Lite were greater than those of Sony’s portable.

[Chris_D]

From Gamespot:
PS3 beats Wii in Japan for second month running (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6209095.html)

Since last year, the Wii and DS have been the two top-selling platforms in the US, according to sales figures from the NPD Group. However, Nintendo's reign appears to be coming to an end in Japan, where both its console and handhelds are locked in a fierce battle with rival devices from Sony. On the portable front, the PSP beat the DSi on the Media Create sales charts last week, 41,200 units to 37,500 units. However, the DS Lite sold 6,400 units, bringing the total DS sales to 43,900 units.

Less closely contested is the console matchup, which saw the Wii lose to the PlayStation 3 for the second month in a row in April. According to sales figures provided to Reuters by Enterbrain, the industry-tracking company that publishes Famitsu magazine, the PS3 sold 108,530 units in Japan in the four weeks before April 26--down from 146,948 the month before. By contrast, the Wii sold just 67,116 units of the Wii, down from its 99,335 March total--a 63 percent fall from March 2008.

Even before today's report, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata conceded that Wii sales were "unhealthy" in his home country. The Wall Street Journal went as far as to quote analysts who called the Kyoto-based game giant--once Japan's second-most valuable corporation--as "vulnerable." Nintendo, though, has taken steps to invigorate its console's appeal by adding new features. This week, it launched the Wii no Ma video service (see below), which lets players download video content and either watch it on their consoles or transfer it to the new DSi handheld.