2 million European Nintendogs
by Jennie Lees 
{ Feb 16th 2006 at 8:30PM }
Despite a later launch in Europe, those
pesky puppies have managed to sell well. Really well--with two million copies of Nintendogs sold so far, Europe's
managed to outsell both the US and Japan. Only yesterday we heard how innovation is nowhere to be seen in the UK charts; perhaps it's the chill of February rather than a general distaste for new titles. Nintendogs was a chart favourite over Christmas; with its three variants, and a huge female appeal, it's still going strong. The upcoming PSP knock-off will help prove whether virtual pets are trendy again, or whether it's just puppy love.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sean DL @ Feb 16th 2006 8:42PM
IT's a sad day in gaming when Nintendo is the one bring in innovate new fanbases...
Not. lol
Adam @ Feb 16th 2006 10:36PM
Again with this 'innovation nowhere to be seen' stuff! You'd think the US market was some kind of critical darlings playground with this kind of talk! Katamari is retailing in the UK for the equivolent of between $50 and $70 US dollars. THIS I believe is one of the primary reasons why it did not do every well, beyond the same reasons it was not a top seller in the US.
The success of Nintendogs is proof if proof be needed that the European and UK market is as open to innovation as anywhere else. There's something unsettling in any implication, however slight, that the gamers of a certain landmass are more gauche than others.
arg @ Feb 17th 2006 12:28AM
OMG 2 million!!!! Thats almost like 3 million!!
Meggsy @ Feb 17th 2006 5:44AM
Re:Adam
Katamari retails at about 30 on Amazon and in major game shop chains such as GAME, so I don't believe that it is the price which is putting off buyers at all.
Nintendogs sells for 25-30 and was well-received - the main difference I can see was that Nintendo used extensive TV advertising to push both the DS and select games. Nintendogs was a sponsor of the Channel4 program 'It's Me or the Dog', and so had a clear target audience to reach.
Beyond the words in forums of those who have the game and enjoy it, and the reviews on websites I frequent I have seen no official endorsements in the form of TV, printed media or online adverts, all of which I deem neccessary to get the mainstream casual gamer and non-gamer's attention.
Adam @ Feb 17th 2006 10:22AM
Meggsy:
I completely agree with you on the marketing aspect as well. Nintendogs was all over the place and has more direct appeal (it's about fluffy dogs) so it's money in the bag. However I do believe the price point is significant.
We Love Katamari is, as you say, retailing in most places for around 30 which is around $52 USD. The recommended retail price is 39.99 which is almost $70 USD. The dearest I've seen it is 35 which is $60 USD. In Japan, Katamari Damacy launched at 2/3 the price of a normal game. In America, it launched for $20, 11! The brand was being established at 11. The follow up retails for $30, almost half the price of what we are paying. It is a lot easier to support diversity or innovation at 11 than 30.
Nintendogs is as excellent game, well advertised, launched on a system with fewer releases a month, fewer titles in general, a considerable user base of very young children / women and it's about DOGS, of which most non-cat people have some affinty with! Katamari on the other hand is a game most people have never heard of, can't work out what it involves or why they would want it from the box, and it's retailing at full price. You're asking the average PS2 owner to choose between taking a full priced risk on something they never heard of or for the same money getting something they have. Or for almost half the price, getting something like Devil May Cry 3.
So I think underpromotion and price are both to blame, and it's a pattern that publishers keep repeating when it comes to bring over different and fresh titles. Kengo II was not advertised, renamed Sword of the Samurai, given a tacky cover and asking for 30. They will not get the casual game player to become curious about new titles with that incredibly lazy approach.
Once again, it was the implication that Europe somehow deliberately shirk innovation in the original two posts that bothers me.
Meggsy @ Feb 17th 2006 8:06PM
Adam:
Ah I see what you mean, and I do agree.
It's a real shame that EA couldn't subsidise this game, it admittedly took a risk when signing up to publish the title - but given their clout in terms of promotion they've really missed a great opportunity to win some new fans. If ever EA had a chance to shed it's image of being a supplier or shovelware this was it, and I hope they will not be disuaded by less than stellar sales and actually get some more quirky games out to us in Europe.