[ExtremeTech] The Most Popular Videogame On Earth Is...

2842 Views 66 Replies 58 Participants Last post by Opeth07, Nov 13, 2008

SZayat

Discussion Starter · Nov 12, 2008

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...2334556,00.asp

Quote:

ust how popular is the Madden NFL series in the United States? How about so popular that, based almost exclusively on the strength of its U.S. retail performance alone, Madden NFL 09 was in the months spanning July through September the best selling game on Earth -- and by a wide margin, at that.

The sales figures come from the latest Top Global Markets Report, an alliance between the U.S. sales-tracking NPD Group, the U.K.-tracking GfK Chart-Track Limited, and Japan-tracking Enterbrain, who have agreed to pull their numbers together to release global sales figures every three months. When last we heard from them back in August, Grand Theft Auto 4 took the top spot, despite the fact that it wasn't even released in Japan. Now, Madden 09 is first place, also despite the fact that barely anyone bought it outside the U.S. The complete figures follow:

Madden NFL 09 -- 2,994,000 Total
U.S.: 2,958,000
U.K.: 35,000
Japan: 1,000
Wii Fit -- 2,089,000 Total
U.S.: 1,283,000
U.K.: 460,000
Japan: 346,000
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed -- 1,738,000 Total
U.S.: 1,417,000
U.K.: 321,000
Japan: N/A
Pokemon Platinum -- 1,482,000 Total
U.S.: N/A
U.K.: N/A
Japan: 1,482,000
Mario Kart Wii -- 1,468,000 Total
U.S.: 856,000
U.K.: 394,000
Japan: 218,000

So for two consecutive quarters, the best selling game on the planet was thrust into the top spot primarily on the strength of U.S. sales alone. Which begs the question: Can there be any doubt now that the U.S. has become the most important territory in the industry? In fairness, we should note that that the fourth best selling game, Pokemon Platinum, was only released in Japan and still managed to make the top five... but perhaps that only serves to prove the point that if your game doesn't have "Pokemon" in its title, the Japanese market alone won't be enough to propel it into the global spotlight.

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1 - 20 of 67 Posts

DetonatorLoki

· #2 · Nov 12, 2008

I've never played any of those 5 games in my life.

William151515

· #3 · Nov 12, 2008

No Way, 2,994,000 idiots purchased a EA Sports game

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Clinic

· #4 · Nov 12, 2008

Meh, Madden to me is the very essense of repetative. It just doesn't do anything for me.

I grew up on the old ones and no matter how many bells and whistles they add to the game, its still just football. And playing it on a video game just feels like a waste of time to me.

I feel similarly about just about all other sports games. I'd rather physically play the game than play a video game of the game.

Just my .02

William151515

· #5 · Nov 12, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clinic

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Meh, Madden to me is the very essense of repetative. It just doesn't do anything for me.

I grew up on the old ones and no matter how many bells and whistles they add to the game, its still just football. And playing it on a video game just feels like a waste of time to me.

I feel similarly about just about all other sports games. I'd rather physically play the game than play a video game of the game.

Just my .02

lol yea if you want to play football video game you might as well go outside and play the game its self, its just a waste of time otherwise, video games are meant for fps, rts etc not sports

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Penicilyn

· #6 · Nov 12, 2008

Sorry, were there any real upgrades to Madden 09 over say...Madden 03?

Has football really changed that much?
Didn't think so...

nathris

· #7 · Nov 12, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by William151515

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lol yea if you want to play football video game you might as well go outside and play the game its self, its just a waste of time otherwise, video games are meant for fps, rts etc not sports

You're right! I'll be right back, I just have to go dump a few hundred dollars on equipment, get a few dozen people together and rent out a stadium and fill it with fa- Oh wait...

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justarealguy

· #8 · Nov 12, 2008

wow. It's not really that suprising though. EA always touts their madden sales...

DetonatorLoki

· #9 · Nov 12, 2008

Didn't fallout3 just sell 4.5 million copies? if so that chart is faux.

nathris

· #10 · Nov 12, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by justarealguy

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wow. It's not really that suprising though. EA always touts their madden sales...

They have a monopoly on NFL football games, and americans love football. Its not like other sports where they have to compete with 2kgames (although EA usually stomps them anyway).

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sLowEnd

· #11 · Nov 12, 2008

Shocking.

Every year they release these games...with no real changes...why do people buy these games

TnB= Gir

· #12 · Nov 12, 2008

Man, that screenshot looks horrid. I don't know how the console peeps can stand the amount of Aliasing in games.

ChielScape

· #13 · Nov 12, 2008

i dont see how people could even play a sports game, let alone actually buy it.
and not just because they suck. but because they show exactly what's wrong with society. people need to really get out more.

Manji

· #14 · Nov 12, 2008

I think the reason why people keeps buying it every year is because some are too lazy to change roster manually and they are probably those hardcore NFL fan. I think the GUI and AI of the game get better or sometimes worst, IMO. Bottomline, NFL fans are likely to buy every year just to keep the team roster fresh.

redsox83381

· #15 · Nov 12, 2008

I used to love madden but the series did get boring. The 2k series is a lot more fun for NBA and NFL.

Kamakazi

· #16 · Nov 12, 2008

Nevermind, it does look that bad.

francesthemutes

· #17 · Nov 12, 2008

Not only do I not understand the love of sports games, I also don't understand the love of the sport of American football. It's pretty... lame. I've tried watching it on TV but I can't stand that a 15 minute sport can be stretched into 2-3 hours of television footage.

murderbymodem

· #18 · Nov 12, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penicilyn

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Has football really changed that much?
Didn't think so...

Rosters.

Basically Madden fans pay $60 every year for updated rosters and new players.
(and new stadiums when applicable.)

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2

h4rdcor3

· #19 · Nov 12, 2008

the sad thing is, those same 3 million will buy 2010, and then 2011 and hen 2012.... With downloads they could just have updated rosters/stats for like 20-30. I'd bet the profit margin would be higher on rosters too.

AOwpr

· #20 · Nov 12, 2008

All video game devs should follow the Golden Rule of Games: Games exist in order to provide a wide audience with a method of doing that which they cannot easily do in their real lives. Like shotgunning people in the face. Over and over. Before stealing all their money and stripping them nude.

/has been playing too much Fallout 3

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