GameStop: 112 Million Have Gone "Next-Gen" In The US

Gaming is big business these days and although we never would've expected it 30 years ago, the majority of American homes have a piece of video game equipment.

This according to GameStop's estimates, where they also revealed that about a quarter of its "non-used business for the year [2009] came from Nintendo." And of the 307 million people in the US, the retailer states, citing "reports published by the NPD group," that over 220 million gaming handhelds and consoles were purchased in the US as of December 2009. Of that group, approximately half (around 112 million) bought a piece of hardware in the "current generation of handheld and console hardware." Not surprisingly, both the Wii and DS ruled the roost in 2009 and the sales numbers are as follows:

Total consoles & handhelds: 220 million units

Current-generation consoles & handhelds: 112 million units

DS: 38.6 million units

Wii: 27.1 million units

Xbox 360: 18.6 million units

PSP: 16.8 million units

PlayStation 3: 11.1 million units

As a reminder, the overall tally for the PlayStation 3 worldwide is around 34 million while the Xbox 360 number is about 39 million. Obviously, the PS3 is far more popular in Japan and based on numbers in the past year, it's also more popular in many parts of Europe. As for the future, it'll be interesting to see where things end up...

3/30/2010 9:22:30 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (69 posts)

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Scarecrow
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 9:46:40 PM
Reply

I guess cheap = quality to most Americans

Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, Europe and Japan make better choices when it comes to next-gen consoles, imo of course (though there are also facts weighed into that statement)

Last edited by Scarecrow on 3/30/2010 9:47:14 PM

11 up, 3 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:00:25 PM

Actually it doesn't.

4 up, 7 down

___________
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:27:48 AM

hey just look at cars that proves that statement.
hell look at most european cars, alfa, peugeot, renult have appalling reliability.
they may have nicer interior, actually no japanese cars in comparison look like a cardboard box but there sturdy like a brick house.
both my parents have a subaru a japanese car, my father has a 09 WRX STI and mother has a liberty 99 model.
neither of them have ever broken down on us, NEVER!
my car on the other hand is only 5 years old and breaks down on me almost every freaking day!
bloody lazy useless french!
no wonder they lost the war!

0 up, 4 down

B-RadGfromOV
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 3:09:00 AM

Actually, *American-Made = Quality* to most Americans, unfortunately.

Last edited by B-RadGfromOV on 3/31/2010 3:09:32 AM

3 up, 1 down

Jawknee
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 3:54:16 AM

Wrong.

2 up, 4 down

xnonsuchx
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 3:56:47 AM

Americans are just gullible. :-)

3 up, 3 down

Milonakis
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 9:24:36 AM

Woah, don't knock Americans. Plus I'm a big guy, and I can't fit in any of these budget compact cars, so I buy trucks. Buying a Japanese truck is a mistake.

1 up, 0 down

LightShow
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:12:05 PM

a japanese truck is like a european muscle car. wouldnt put money on it.

and whats with all the non love for americans? a fair amount of americans are simply cheap, and will choose the cheaper choice before the more expensive one. when the cheap one craps out on them, they usually go all out for the "last *thing* youll ever need" because in the end, it ends up being cheaper because you didnt have to buy 3.

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:21:29 PM

I think we should get that right......

"Some Americans, not all".

Just like there's cheapskates in every country.

1 up, 0 down

Thinker
Thursday, April 01, 2010 @ 2:02:00 PM

I think it's that Microsoft has been much more aggressive in marketing and presenting itself as the console-with-games-to-have. Surely you remember FFXIII ads where the PS3 logo doesn't even come up. Then you have MetaCritic picking and choosing reviews (if you check FFXIII metascore, it is 83 on 360 for 43 reviews, while it is now 83 on PS3 for 75+ reviews) to adjust metascore. Once you have a percentage of the young gamers owning your console (and who also happen to work in electronics and game retail stores), they will also start working as mouthpieces. Is it so confusing then that PS3 is at little more than half the strength of the 360 numbers in the US?

To be fair, PS3 advertising seems to be picking up now, but in my opinion, Sony needs to pull out all the stops and get all their Hollywood connections to pitch in as well to advertise and hype the PS3 and it's games much much more than is currently happening. Once a comparably large percentage of the young gamer population owns a PS3, word-of-mouth automatically becomes a much better advertising tool than electronic media can ever hope to be. That's an advantage the 360 currently has and the PS3 doesn't (especially when you consider the large number of 360 fanboys bad-mouthing PS3 and it's games in most GameStops and Best Buys around the US).

0 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 9:48:07 PM
Reply

Why is the Wii counted in these estimates? A Gamecube with motion controllers does not equal Next-Gen.

15 up, 5 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 9:54:09 PM

agreed.

7 up, 3 down

cLoudou
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 9:56:43 PM

totally. Was going to say the same thing.

6 up, 3 down

Jawknee
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 10:24:46 PM

as much as i love the Wii, i do agree with you. Although to be fair, it does have better graphics then the Gamecube, but only slightly.

2 up, 4 down

OtisFeelgood
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:13:45 PM

I totally agree. People paying $200 for GameCube 2.0 is a damn fool. =\

4 up, 5 down

NeoHumpty
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 7:47:24 AM

You're right. Guessing they are just looking at when the systems were released, and not the actual hardware.

0 up, 1 down

MyWorstNightmar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 11:13:43 AM

Ok silly rabbits, first of all, it is not "next gen", since we are not talking about the PS4 or 720 here, we are talking about "current generation", and the Wii came out during this "current generation" of consoles, thus it gets counted. Graphics are not the only "improvements" that you can bring into a "generation" of consoles. I would say the Wiimote was a rather nice addition to the gaming experience. At first, Sony and Microslut spent energy saying how "it was a nice little gimmic, and how cute, but come on seriously, look at us!" and then when the numbers started rolling in month after month, they were reduced to saying, "well, we don't concider them to be compitition, we measure ourselves against the XBOX or PS3" (depending on who is talking), and NOW Sony and M$ are slobbering all over themselves to try to catch up. They were left at the peir while the boat sailed away. Now they are inflating their dingys trying to beat the other into the water to try to catch up to the S.S. Wii.

Now, I will say the Wii has better graphics then the Gamecube, but I will be rather pissed if Nintendo's next console doesn't do a vast improvement on the graphics department as well as the size and scope of their games. Let us see a Dead Space quality game, not a Dead Space:Extraction game.

Last edited by MyWorstNightmar on 3/31/2010 11:18:29 AM

1 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:04:54 PM

hehe....I was hoping you wouldn't notice my comment...

If you're basing "next gen" on when a console is released than the latest calculator from TexasInstruments should be factored into the equation as well.

I've admitted the Wii can be fun given the right circumstance (booze + friends). Having said that though I don't see anything "next gen" about it. Its motion control isn't that precise, it's media format is in the dark ages and while you say its graphics are nicer than a Gamecube they must not be that great since we're debating their looks compared to those found in a console from 9 years ago.

The Wii's popularity has little to do with being anything close to "next gen" and a lot to do with marketing and exploiting the casual gamer crowd.

3 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:54:21 PM

LV, I love your use of "next gen" as a dig.

You would take a box of salt into a hospital burn victim unit wouldn't you... =)~

1 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:15:53 PM

After I set the place on fire, of course!

::kisses::

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 9:54:44 PM
Reply

It's a wonder that sales for spectacular games aren't higher than they are you know?

1 up, 0 down

mackid1993
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 10:31:37 PM
Reply

Why are we still calling it "Next Gen". Shouldn't it be "Current Gen" by now??

11 up, 0 down

cLoudou
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 10:44:15 PM

Yeah, and call "current-gen" : "last-gen". I'm aboard.
Wait, what's "current-gen"?

Last edited by cLoudou on 3/30/2010 10:45:57 PM

0 up, 2 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:26:02 PM

naw because even though we haven't reached the year 2100, this is the 21st century.

1 up, 2 down

mackid1993
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:15:39 AM

Last Gen= PS2, Xbox, GC (Wii) Current Gen=PS3, Xbox 360, Wii
Next Gen=PS4, Xbox 720, Dreamcast 2

2 up, 0 down

gumbi
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 8:31:46 AM

Agreed! We already refer to PS2 as 'last gen'. This generation of consoles started 4 years ago, time to call it what it is, current.

2 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:08:08 PM

Dreamcast 2 FTMFW

0 up, 0 down

dkmrules
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:01:50 PM
Reply

If Sony charges for PSN access I don't see those numbers climbing much...

1 up, 3 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:26:21 PM

they like wont.

1 up, 0 down

johnld
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:16:11 PM
Reply

i dont know, i'm still not sold on the total xbox numbers. I'm still convinced that microsoft 360 numbers cant be used to compare because those arent the actual number of 360s SOLD. i bet if sony used shipped units too then it would be a much closer gap.

4 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:19:33 PM

John did you and your boyfriend work things out? I remember you mentioning he moved out a few weeks ago.

0 up, 0 down

johnld
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:15:01 AM

what are you talking about? all i was saying is that i just wanted to see numbers that are actually comparable. when you try to compare 2 things using 2 different methods, then whats the point of the comparison.

0 up, 0 down

LimitedVertigo
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:06:51 PM

Huh? I was being sincere/concerned about your personal troubles. My comment had nothing to do with your original post, I'm sorry.

0 up, 0 down

Shadow_Ninja
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 @ 11:18:46 PM
Reply

you know, im really not surprised with these numbers. i guess my economics class has taught me something after all.

1 up, 0 down

Bugzbunny109
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:03:13 AM
Reply

I wouldn't call the 360 or Wii "next-gen", but that's just my opinion....

6 up, 2 down

Qubex
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:11:23 AM
Reply

Still riled that the xBots have the lead, I am really hoping this will change by the end of the year...

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

4 up, 0 down

Hezzron
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:34:38 AM

You can still love your console of choice, even if it isn't the highest selling one.

Having said that, the 360 better offer a breath mint to the PS3, because its breathing down its back.

Last edited by Hezzron on 3/31/2010 12:35:26 AM

4 up, 0 down

Shadow_Ninja
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:41:57 AM

well, the 360 did have a head start. and this is just the US numbers, where the 360 is at its strong point.

1 up, 0 down

Qubex
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 2:24:37 AM

Yes true... it did have a head start, so it shows the incredible abilities of the PS3 offerings to have caught up...

What I would do though if i were Sony is to do a "trade-in" deal. Trade in your xBot for a PS3 at only 2/3rds the cost of a new PS3.

I would then "sell" the used xBot back to M$ for parts so they can repair all the broken xBots...

Beeedibeep beep beedibeep...

*stutter*BaNg*CrAsH*smoke

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

Last edited by Qubex on 3/31/2010 2:25:11 AM

4 up, 0 down

Mr Bitey
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:30:34 AM
Reply

The Wii and DS aren't really current gen though. They are both about 30 years behind in technology.

4 up, 1 down

MyWorstNightmar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 11:35:40 AM

Hmmmmmm, the Wii and DS are on par with the original Atari? I would have given my left nut to use the Wii-mote on my Atari. Would have given me the edge I needed to beat my dad at Pong.

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:39:57 PM

@Hezzron,
<<<<Having said that, the 360 better offer a breath mint to the PS3, because its breathing down its back.>>>>

LOL, But the 360 will need more than that cause the PS3 is tired of always seeing a that giant red ring around the 360's neck.

Maybe MS should start offering some FREE "Tide" liquid in the industrial sized 55 gallon drum with every 360 purchase.

0 up, 0 down

BTNwarrior
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:31:47 AM
Reply

and what about all those people who own all 3 consoles? doesn't that throw a curve ball into their calculations

4 up, 0 down

RebelJD
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:18:04 AM
Reply

Next Gen, Then Gen, Who Gen, What Gen? They should just show us the numbers from all video game consoles period. I am sure that a lot of family house holds have more last gen consoles than current gen consoles; budgets.

Now that the PS3 is back in stock it's selling like candy (Amazon.com). I don't care how many people own a gaming system, it still doesn't better America's economy situation.

1 up, 0 down

___________
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:35:11 AM
Reply

and that exactly is whats destroying this industry.
back in the old days this industry was very small, so people making games did so because of a passion they wanted to make good games they were not making games just as a cash cow.
sadly i cant say the same about todays games.
oh what i would give to be back at the playstations launch jumping up and down for the release of crash bandicoot.
i miss my 2D platformers so much, playing them on my ps3 or psp just is not the same.
i wish developers would use the PSN as a arcade section and release old styled games on there.
that is why nintendo are so popular look at their lineup they have maybe 1 or 2 new IPs a year everything else is a sequel to a 10 year old series.
look at pokemon heart gold or soul silver is selling through the roof and there remakes of a 10 year old games.
id buy one just for mario brothers alone, its the closest thing we have to a 2d platformer.
and what the ^%$# happened to spyro?
i dont understand why sony do this, they create a series make it into the brands mascot than shove it in the homeless bin.
why cant they be like M$ and nintendo and continue on with the series and bring back old school memories.

2 up, 2 down

Milonakis
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 9:31:49 AM

Let Spyro die in peace. He had his nuts cut off when Insomniac dropped him over to Sony.

1 up, 2 down

___________
Thursday, April 01, 2010 @ 8:10:35 AM

never, i loved playing spyro games to much to let him go.
just like crash bandicoot!

0 up, 0 down

Qubex
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 2:43:15 AM
Reply

Very sad... I just read on the EU Playstation Blog that "OtherOS" feature will be removed due to security concerns... so they are not adding features, but rather taking features away :(

...and I use Linux on my PS3 system...

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:12:52 PM

I think some douche was using it to try to hack the system and make it play slugs like Xbots do.

Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/31/2010 1:13:08 PM

1 up, 0 down

LightShow
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:16:58 PM

the douche in question has sworn to hack the PS3 firmware like the PSP firmware is currently. apparently he was making progress, cuz sony is closing holes quick.

1 up, 0 down

Alienange
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 3:37:39 AM
Reply

I think some of us kids DID expect this to happen when we first started gaming 30 years ago. We were way ahead of our times guys. Way ahead.

0 up, 0 down

NeoHumpty
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 7:49:21 AM

I was only 4 then and wasn't allowed to play the new Atari. Maybe that's why I put 40 hours into gaming last week. See? Repression from parents only leads to obsession in adults. lol.

1 up, 0 down

kraygen
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 4:41:04 AM
Reply

The big difference is, is that we live in a society in the U.S.A where mommies and daddies buy their children whatever they want and when their 3-8 year old says, "I wanna Wii," they get it.

Thus wii is winning. (same for ds)

Then when their little pumpkin is between 9-14 years old and feel that bouncing around is too much work they decide to "upgrade" and want a xbox because all their older(10-15 yr old) friends have one already.

So here you have a bunch of hyper, bouncy, spoiled children causing sales for lesser systems to be abundant.

Then when people finally have to buy things themselves they realize they would rather have quality so they want a ps3. Problem is now we all have responsibilities. House payments, rent, car payment, whatever and so fewer people can afford to just run out and get our dream machine.

This is the reason for these numbers. Spoiled kids and their parents who don't know any better.

1 up, 0 down

Qubex
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 8:32:46 AM

Yes, but why can't the pumpkins request a PS3 instead?

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

2 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 11:30:23 AM

14 year old kid to mom - "STOP CALLING MY PUMPKIN!"

1 up, 0 down

kraygen
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:26:53 PM

the kids don't request a ps3 because it doesn't have all the wonderful games they like to play. Like mr cuddleys tree house and bounce a ball against a wall. (not real games, I hope)

Ps3 just isn't crowded with little kiddie games, so they want the kiddie boxs.

1 up, 0 down

Imagi
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:34:53 AM
Reply

Only reason PS3 is behind the 360 is because of the Americans buying the "American" console, still made in China and Microsoft does not give you anything other than a request for further money. Great way to stifle game innovation, Wake up and smell the coffee.

3 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:14:52 PM

no, it's because Americans unfortunately still think Microsoft is a quality company.

2 up, 0 down

FullmetalX10
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:48:34 AM
Reply

They should like not sell xboxs for a year, so the PS3 can have it's year of no contenders, that'll close the gap quickly, xbox doesn't deserve sales anyway.

0 up, 0 down

JackC8
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 7:11:10 AM
Reply

I'm kind of astounded that half of the sales WEREN'T for current gen stuff. The PS2 is selling as much as the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS and PSP combined?

That can't be right.

1 up, 0 down

nilos95
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 8:45:53 AM
Reply

Why are there PSP, DS and Wii in the chart. Next-gen is used for xbox360 and ps3

0 up, 1 down

MyWorstNightmar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 11:33:52 AM

Nilo, should we not concider people in Detroit in the US Census? They really don't count, that city sucks!

Wii is part of this generation of consoles, you can admit it, it is ok.

The article talks about "current generation of handheld and console hardware", so the PSP and DS numbers are applicable.

1 up, 0 down

ebterp
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 10:49:49 AM
Reply

With the explosion of online gaming being first to market became that much more important - young kids aren't going to make some research informed decision - they are going to want something that plays game and the biggie - whatever their friend have so they can play together. How many Xbox's do you think were bought because the friend up the street already has one!

EZ

1 up, 0 down

sonic1899
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 12:18:28 PM
Reply

I don't think the 360 is really that "next-gen" other than it being able to make good graphics. If you really look at it, it's more or less on-par with the original xbox...

-It uses the same disk format as the original
-The space of the disk format is constraining to game developers
-Its the only console to still use a disk tray
-It uses a power brink with the competition doesn't
-It has more hardware problems than the competition
-It's the only console in which you must pay to play online
-It is not cost efficient (xbl membership, separate HDD, wireless, AA battery pack, all add to the cost)
-And even though the New Xbox Experience is a nice interface, it's nothing more than a 'do-over' from the original interface

From the start of this gen, Microsoft just wanted to play it safe. The only 'risk' they took was releasing the system early (which costed MS dearly). How can something 'next-gen' have so many 'last-gen' problems?

Last edited by sonic1899 on 3/31/2010 12:18:53 PM

5 up, 1 down

Scarecrow
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 4:14:43 PM

Your avatar's amazing...

And yeah, I remember seeing the 360 late last year at my University and how the DVD tray came out....I was like "woooow" lol

Even the Wii doesn't have that outdated DVD/CD tray

2 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 5:56:14 PM

Sonic,
Yeah, I've got the COD MW2 Elite Deluxe bundle (250gigger), and I hate how MS is still using a frigging power brick.

It not only looks like sh!t, there's really nowhere for me to hide that POS looking crap.

Last edited by BikerSaint on 3/31/2010 5:57:04 PM

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 1:19:23 PM
Reply

It's "Next Gen" so drop it, that's how it will always be reported until it is "last gen" Don't make me devastate you people.

1 up, 0 down

MyWorstNightmar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 3:28:17 PM

Kraken anyone?

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 @ 7:21:05 PM

I could release it at any time!

0 up, 0 down

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