Hardware shortage hinders Super Mario Galaxy sales
If you've been keeping a keen eye on monthly NPD data, you might have realized that Super Mario Galaxy sales have been dipping in the U.S. And by dipping, we mean plunging.Before you have a stroke, or perhaps get your fighting gloves on, just look at the numbers. While January's Galaxy sales were by no means modest (172,000 for the month), they were a huge drop from December's (1.4 million) and November's before that (1.12 million). The game also fell from it's comfy position at second place, ending up in the sixth spot for January.
So, what gives? Is it just a matter of holiday madness (not to mention, other games stepping up), or is there more to it than that?
Fortunately, there are analysts around to figure out this kind of thing, so that we don't have to. Jesse Divnich from the simExchange logically reckons that the low sales for Galaxy correlate to the low sales of Wii hardware. Because Wiis have been in such short supply, people haven't been buying them, and thus haven't been buying Galaxy either.
Damn that hardware, always keeping Mario down. Hopefully once Nintendo stops diverting Wiis to Japan, we'll see Galaxy rise again. Yet, by then, there will be only one thing on the minds of Wii owners -- you guessed it, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Although Galaxy won't be able to compete with the new game, we hope there's enough room for both to succeed in the charts.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cesaria @ Feb 21st 2008 5:14PM
Ramp it up, Nintendo. Get those Wiis to a loving family.
Jeff T @ Feb 21st 2008 5:48PM
Maybe people realized that Galaxy is the worst Mario game ever, and should never had been made.
velocitystrike @ Feb 21st 2008 5:55PM
You shouldn't play with fire.
Mr Khan @ Feb 21st 2008 6:05PM
The 2nd highest rated game of all time says hi
AshStampede @ Feb 21st 2008 6:31PM
I have to agree, dont see why having an opinion is fire though. I for one think its boring and basically a Mario sunshine in a better enviornment.
Haohmaru @ Feb 21st 2008 8:38PM
Except.. it's absolutely nothing like Super Mario Sunshine. It hurt me to try to play that game. I literally felt PAIN as I tried to force myself to like it. Galaxy, on the other hand - I've fallen in love.
hvnlysoldr @ Feb 21st 2008 9:43PM
PK FIRE!
DonWii @ Feb 21st 2008 6:30PM
And people wondered why Nintendo didn't want to release Brawl less than a month after Galaxy.
Tom @ Feb 21st 2008 7:23PM
You know, Nintendo COULD stop lying and actually produce Wii's at maximum rate. I think that now that there's less people clotheslining each other for Wii's they're cutting them off, so that the more regular looking number of people wanting Wii's still have to hunt them down. Just my thoughts.
As for Galaxy in terms of awesomeness, it's not my 2nd favorit game ever, but by no means was it boring to me. It's quite possibly one of the most creative games ever. But whatever. Different people have different opinions. Just don't outright bash a game that lots of people like (unless it's CoD4. That game is more overrated than Halo!)
Rollin @ Feb 21st 2008 10:08PM
How DARE you insult COD... There's no better online console shooter right now. But i'm open to a differing perspective.
Galaxy is a very well-made game, but for me it's a series of appetizers and never a full meal. I don't mean that negatively cause it is very good, but it doesn't have the epic-ness i wanted in a Mario sequel. I think this is just an excuse, though. There's about 5 million Wiis sold in the US. If they only sell about 3 mil, that means either the casuals don't want it or the remaining regulars are sick of the formula.
Interesting though how an analyst's word is taken to heart for once. Wonder why the staff didn't dismiss this outright and overemphasize the point that analysts are paid to make assumptions. (What's a tennis ball need to stay in the lines? Top___.)