Historic sales records
The US economy is in a recession but the slowdown isn't hurting Nintendo. With more than 3.6 million combined systems sold in November, Wii and Nintendo DS set new hardware sales records, according to the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the US. The Wii console sold more than 2 million in November, a new all-time record for a non-December month. The Nintendo DS system sold more than 1.56 million in November, which is now the second-highest total for a non-December month in history. The Wii console has sold 15.4 million in the US since it launched in November 2006, and Nintendo DS has sold nearly 24.6 million in the US since it launched in November 2004.
The company believes its sales are rising because shoppers are looking for gifts that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Such a gift might be a new game system or simply a new game. Four games made for Nintendo systems placed in the top 10 US best sellers for November, representing the diversity of people who play Nintendo games. These included Wii Play at No. 3 with more than 796,000 sold, Wii Fit at No. 4 with more than 697,000 sold, Mario Kart Wii at No. 5 with nearly 637,000 sold and Wii Music placed at No. 9 with more than 297,000 sold.
Looking at the industry as a whole, Nintendo products continue to fuel the engine of the video game industry. In November alone, Nintendo represented 198 percent of industry growth over 2007. Nintendo systems represented 66 percent of all hardware sales in November, including 59 percent of all console sales and 79 percent of all portable hardware sales.
New forms of advertising accepted
IBM's second global online survey of consumer digital media and entertainment habits revealed that consumers are adopting digital content services — such as social networking and videos — on mobile phones and personal computers at an accelerated pace, and it is impacting traditional consumption habits. The survey was conducted among 2,800 people in six countries — Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the UK and the US.
Last year's study showed the decline of TV as the primary media device. This year’s study found large-scale adoption and usage of digital content services accessed via the PC and mobile phone, with ad-supported models versus consumer-paid preferred almost three to one by respondents globally. Adoption for most categories of digital content services doubled from last year, with services such as social networking now at 60 percent penetration and Internet data plans for mobile devices at over 40 percent for respondents globally. While digital content services adoption is widespread, interactivity through features such as user ratings tools and video uploads is primarily concentrated among the more digital savvy consumers.
Consumers desire access to the content of their choice. Seventy-six percent of consumers surveyed have already watched video on their PC, up 27 percent from last year. Thirty-two percent indicated they have viewed video on a portable device or mobile phone, up 45 percent from last year. Interest in mobile video content has more than doubled since last year to 55 percent. For both PC and mobile video, over 70 percent of respondents prefer advertising-supported models as opposed to consumer-paid models, representing a huge growth opportunity for the industry. Preference for ad-supported models ranged from 62 percent to over 80 percent by country, with Japan having the highest preference for ad-supported on both devices.
Consumers are moving beyond the trial stage of watching online video. Of those who have watched videos on their PC, 45 percent are doing so regularly — at least a few times per month. As adoption of online video continues, cannibalization of overall television consumption is becoming more apparent. Over 50 percent of respondents who have watched online video claim they watch slightly less — 15 percent — to significantly less — 36 percent — television as a result, implying place-shifting alternatives may be changing consumer “couch potato” behavior.
When asked how they prefer to view advertising associated with online videos, the majority of respondents said they prefer to see it before or after a video. Respondents from all six countries polled protested traditional television models such as interruption advertisements during the video or the use of product placements within programs.
Savvy digital consumers are embracing new multimedia devices. The 13-24-year-old segment owns an average of between four to five multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, such as iPods, game consoles such as Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox or Nintendo Wii, high definition television sets (HDTV) and portable game players. The “Gadgetiers” — early adopters, estimated at 15 percent of the market — have on average between seven and eight multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, HDTVs, DVRs, and Internet-enabled phones such as the iPhone or BlackBerry.
As devices become more embedded in a person’s lifestyle, consumers desire more integration between them. Over 40 percent of respondents are interested in content portability — the ability to view and transport the same piece of content across multiple devices. And while there were differences between countries, the majority of all respondents stated that recommendations from friends had the most impact on the type of content they viewed over celebrity, amateur and professional endorsements.
The inside scoop on cybercrime
If you have a long airplane flight this holiday season, perhaps you can read a bit of this new title, which could help to protect you and your loved ones. In 2007, Internet crime in the US hit a record $240 million in losses, up by $40 million from the previous year. “Cyber Crime Fighters: Tales from the Trenches,” new from Que Publishing, takes readers behind the headlines, spotlighting actual cases and criminals committing crimes on social networks and YouTube, cyberstalking, criminal cyber-bullying, online child predators, identity theft and cell phone felonies.
Written by Felicia Donovan, an FBI recognized investigator, and Kristyn Bernier, a detective, Cyber Crime Fighters reveals the Internet crime wave from the perspective of law enforcement insiders, and informs readers on how to avoid being victimized. Cyber Crime Fighters: Tales from the Trenches has a companion website and blog at www.cybercrimefighters.biz.
