Thank you for your enthusiastic response to this feature. You said you wanted more, so here you go! It’s another report from my little town about available game stock and trends on a local level. I hope you enjoy it.

The current Media Create sales numbers (to compare) can be found here.

This week I was asked to look for Wii, Gyakuten Saiban 3 (NDS), Summon Night (NDS), and Bladestorm (PS3). I visited the stores on Thursday, September 6th, 2007.

Jusco
Wii: 3
Bladestorm: 1
Summon Night: 2
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 2

Youme Town
Wii: 1
Bladestorm: 2
Summon Night: Sold out
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 3

Mr. Max
Wii: 2
Bladestorm: Sold out or didn’t order
Summon Night: 1
Gyakuten Saiban 3: Sold out

Book-Net
Wii: Sold out
Bladestorm: Sold out
Summon Night: 2
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 1

Goody
Wii: 1 (used)
Bladestorm: Sold out or didn’t order
Summon Night: Sold out or didn’t order
Gyakuten Saiban 3: Sold out or didn’t order

Best Denki
Wii: 6
Bladestorm: 1
Summon Night: 4
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 2

Wanpaku
Wii: 2
Bladestorm: 1
Summon Night: 3
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 3 (2 new and 1 used)

Famicom Dojo
Wii: 2
Bladestorm: Didn’t order it.
Summon Night: Sold out
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 1

Yamada Denki
Wii: 7
Bladestorm: 2
Summon Night: 3
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 2

TOTALS:
Wii: 24
Bladestrom: 7
Summon Night: 16
Gyakuten Saiban 3: 12

NOTES:

1. Since about mid-August the Wii has not been supply constrained. Stores still sell out, but most sores have it most of the time. Previously, if you ever saw a Wii was in store when you came in, chances are it would be gone by the time you left. That is no longer the case. Surprisingly large numbers of Wii systems (comparatively) can often be found. They are of course still selling but gone are people fighting or lining up for them. If you want one and you have time to stop in at a few stores, you will get one for sure.

2. Interestingly, some stores are actually increasing their system orders that they send to the suppliers. They are trying to build up stock while they can. They know that when games like Galaxy and Smash Bros. come out sales will go up again and they don’t want to be short of units. I can’t say if this is what other stores in Japan are doing, but if they are, Nintendo might be shipping just as many Wii systems now as they did during the “time of great insanity’.

3. DS is not supply constrained. You still might have to go to a few stores to find your perfect color, but in general anyone can get a DS who wants one. I didn’t count individual units this week because there is no longer a point in doing so. I will count them again around the holidays. Or earlier if something changes that would make those numbers worthwhile or interesting.

4. The games stores and many non-game stores are really hyping FF: Crisis Core. There have been kiosks set up at Wanpaku, Best and Yamada Denki for the last few weeks. Recently a new one at Book-Net and small one at Jusco appeared. Even the convenience stores are showing the trailer for the game on their cash registers. I would say this is probably the most hype I have seen for a PSP game ever. This includes Monster Hunter 2.

5. I saw my first used copy of Gyakuten Saiban 3. I expect to see a lot more by next week, if it is anything like the previous titles in the series.

6. Bladestorm is reporting a 90% sell-through but it doesn’t seem any more rare in my town than any other PS3 game. Then again maybe they shipped a lot more.

7. Mina no Golf 5 is still selling at its retail price in my town (despite reports of a “price collapse” in other cities). But there are often as many used copies as new.

8. I once again talked to some of the local gaming nerds (Otaku) who, like me, are always found hanging around the game stores. They are talking about Dragon Quest IX (as usual) and Final Fantasy: Crisis Core. The opinions are mixed on this game. Some of them are happy just because it is Final Fantasy VIII and will buy it regardless (like they did with Dirge of Cerberus) but a few of them were complaining that it was such a different type of game and that it would have been better on a console. Despite this, I am pretty sure all of them still plan to buy it.

9. The most interesting thing I heard this week was from one of the otaku guys. He was telling me about how he had bought a Wii recently to play Dragon Quest Swords, Zelda and Fire Emblem. After he beat the games he promptly sold them and the Wii back to the store. Many gamers did this with Blue Dragon on the 360 as well. I asked him what game would make him re-buy the system. Well actually, I asked if he would re-buy it for Smash Bros or Galaxy. He said those weren’t nearly as interesting to him as Metroid Prime 3 and No More Heroes (He is a big fan of the art style). It is sometimes amazing how different the mainstream and hardcore tastes can be.

10. If none of this makes any sense because you missed the report last week, please click the link below to get an overview of what these reports are all about.

Previous Report on 4cr:

August 30th, 2007