From Europe
DQ reader Julian Dasgupta sent me some interesting console data from Europe, and it fills in some blanks in regards to other markets. Here's his e-mail:A few weeks ago you mentioned some German console sales stats provided by Chris Geschkat. I'd like to add a few bits to the numbers you posted.
In the first three months - which was the period covered by the report you were refering to - Wii software accounted for 4.6 percent of the revenues generated by sales of console software (PS2 software dominated with 42.6 percent, followed by the NDS with 24 percent--see story here).
The GfK initially didn't detail the market share of Xbox 360 software, but some other mags asked them and they responded: 6 percent. Keep in mind that the system launched pretty much around the same time it got launched in the US. Again for the sake of comparison: software for the system that launched on December 8, 2006 over here accounted for 4.6 percent, software for the one that has been available since late 2005 accounted for 6 percent. Also keep in mind that Microsoft always brags about the high software attachment rate for their console.
You've probably also seen the Q1 sales stats for France:
1. DS 260,000
2. Wii 144,000
3. PS2 92,000
4. PSP 90,000
5. PS3 81,000
6. Xbox 360 43,000
And here are the overall sales for Germany (up to April 30):
1. Xbox 360: 262,000 (December 2005)
2. Wii: 222,000 (December 2006)
3. PS3: 70,500 (March 2007)
So, in Germany the Wii is already about to close the gap and is likely to surpass its older competitor faster than in the US. April 2007 German sales:
1. Wii: 20,000
2. PS3: 16,000
3. Xbox 360: 9,500
This doesn't include PS2, which I guess is still moving a load of units.
Now, Germany, while having a bigger population than the UK, isn't a traditional 'console country' - but these numbers certainly aren't something Microsoft could or should be satisfied with. The French stats are pretty telling, too. Outside the UK, Microsoft isn't exactly doing well in Europe (Germany and France being the biggest console markets to follow after the UK).
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