NPD: Wii usurps Xbox 360 as best selling US game console, pulling away
Filed under: Gaming
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MastrCake @ Jul 18th 2008 1:25AM
Well, that's only because Wii bought one.
(Sorry, I had to do that.)
ishism @ Jul 18th 2008 1:46AM
Wii have one. It's so so. The kids love it so that's all that matters. If it wasn't less expensive than the other consoles we wouldn't have got one. Now, anyone spending more than the retail price for one these is a fool. Fools, Pop the bubble already. I'll stick with my PS3.
sabinh @ Jul 18th 2008 9:52AM
I, like most gamers own all three. I also owned all three of last gen's consoles.
Wii:I don't play Wii games much, but I like it because I can play my old GCN games on it, no problem. My two boys enjoy it and I don't have to worry about paying for new games. I like popping in Ocarina of Time for it myself.
PS3: I have the least interest in this console. I like it because it seems to support most of my video formats: I prefer it because I can play my DVDs on it without it sounding like I'm launching a scramjet (I'm looking at you, noisy 360). I can't say I'm too impressed with the games. the non-exclusives- I'll most likely purchase on the PS3 to save myself from listening to the loud 360. As it stands, I purchased the 40G at 399 (I actually traded in frequent flyer miles for both the Wii and the PS3) and I like it fine. Just not compelling enough right now to turn it on all the time.
Xbox360: I used to use it for movies. No longer. I can't stand the noise. PS3 is my DVD player of choice (as I mentioned above). Exclusives are great. Gears, Halo, Mass Effect, I'm looking at you. The fact that PS3 is playing "also-ran" in games like Bioshock doesn't sit well with me--. I play RockBand all the time on the 360 so do my boys and my wife (my wife hates video games and isn't too impressed with the wii). Can't beat it for social interaction. Live is great and to me- well worth the 50 bucks a year. Add on top of that the Netflix this fall, and it could return to be my movie watching platform of choice.
For me, 360 wins this gen. I've already purchased more games for it, I use it more, and I find its exclusives more compelling. I was actually considering selling my PS3 after E3 came out with no real reason to keep playing it. Could finance an Iphone . . .
Zach @ Jul 18th 2008 1:26AM
still think that xbox live is far superior to the competing services (from what i've heard.)
i have a 360 because it has live. if it didn't have live, i wouldn't have bothered to get one.
yes. psn is free. but i've also heard it's terrible.
same goes for the wii. and what great multiplayer games can you play online with the wii? (not being sarcastic, i just don't know of any COD4 equivalents.)
jason @ Jul 18th 2008 1:31AM
Yeah... i dont really like playstations online. Sure it is free but I just dont like it.
My PS3 doesnt get much use online.
the 360 has had online right from the get go. Everything is set up in a community fashion where it is easy to get your friends together and play.
but it seems to me that there are a lot more people on LIVE.
But a lot of people get wii's and dont use them. i know several people that have wii's but havent used them in a good 3 months.
ishism @ Jul 18th 2008 1:39AM
I think your full of it (from what I've heard).
That's strange. I play my PS3 online all the time. Oh yeah, for free.
Nicholas Phan @ Jul 18th 2008 2:02AM
You obviously have no idea.. or you're just outdated.
PSN has come leaps and bounds from when it was first launched. It may still not be as smooth an experience as 360, but it still is free compared to 50USD a yr for Live. It is catching up and catching up fast!
Also, I agree there are fewer downloadable games on PSN, but quality over quantity. Almost all the games on PSN are unique, fun, charming and original. XBLA on the other hand, has so much trash!
Phil @ Jul 18th 2008 3:39AM
I'm so tired of this rubbish!
PSN IS FANTASTIC!
Get over it.
BobTurbo @ Jul 18th 2008 3:55AM
No matter how good Live is, this is only of significant value to teenage hardcore gamers (xbox 360s primary market) who want to compare 'ranks' and all of that stuff that does not interest functioning grown-ups.
rayza563 @ Jul 18th 2008 7:19AM
XBL is superior? PSN is fantastic? wtf people.
this is what you need it for. JOIN A SERVER! PLAY THE FKN GAME.
but just so you know. I would rather use fkn DOS!!!!! as the interface then pay for some mediocre bs that i can download of torrents.
p.s Dos is fkn kikass. so is teh terminal!
XcRuNk @ Jul 18th 2008 8:40AM
Yay!! Down with the evil empire (Microsoft)....
Wii outsells 360 nearly 3:1
PS3 outsells 360 nearly 2:1
360 blew its load way too early. Guess there is something to this 10 year cycle.
10 print "f*ck you Microsoft"
20 goto 10
Matt @ Jul 18th 2008 8:43AM
If all you have done is "heard", and not actually tried the other services, how do you have any basis or credability to judge which one you think is better?
SugarDaddy @ Jul 18th 2008 9:14AM
@XcRuNk:
Wow, you are an idiot. So Microsoft is the "Evil Empire" and Sony who secretly puts rootkits on people's computers is what? An angel? And Nintendo who is one of the least "green" companies out there is also an angel? You are the epitome of idiot fanboy. These are ALL giant corporations whose sole purpose it is to make money. Sony is nobody's friend. Microsoft couldn't care less about you. And Nintendo is just as bad as both of them.
And if you knew how to read you'd see that these are statistics for the month of June alone. The 360 still has a lead in total sales over the PS3.
And even if the PS3 outsold the 360, what would that mean? That people like BluRay? Because they both have most of the same games even though the 360 has more and better exclusives. So your blatant fanboyism is just that. Mindless, ignorant, fanboyism. Get over it. It's just a game. Pick your poison and shut up.
Zach @ Jul 18th 2008 9:45AM
@xcrunk
I don't think they "blew their load" too early, I think that one of the main reasons everything else has outsold 360 recently is due to the fact that everyone already has a 360.
XcRuNk @ Jul 18th 2008 10:00AM
Guys...whatever.
I think overall, this is GOOD NEWS.
Microsoft isn't going down without a fight or a wheel barrel full of hundred dollar bills. This thing is going to get ugly really fast.
And we, the consumer, will win from the elevated competition between the console makers.
Now if only Microsoft could build a unit that was GUARANTEED not to RROD and drop the price to $249, I would jump on board.
XcRuNk @ Jul 18th 2008 10:09AM
by the way Zach...
the PS2 reached over 125 million units sold over 8 years. If everyone already has an XBOX 360 what happened to the other 100 million people? I believe 360 has sold through over just over 20 million units in three years.
If they peaked, that's not a good sign.
The NPD numbers show the 360 just outselling the PS2, yeah, Playstation 2. What's wrong with that picture?
Scott @ Jul 18th 2008 10:43AM
Zach, don't you mean everyone has a Wii?
The article is about how the Wii has now OUTSOLD the 360 over it's entire lifetime, even though the 360 had a year head start!
Zach @ Jul 18th 2008 10:59AM
Well really I was talking monthly sales, but your right Scott, I didn't see that it was a total. But I really think in terms on PS3 vs. 360. I think Wii is a cool idea and all, but I got really bored with it really fast. I don't think of it so much as a traditional game system as I do one of those old Tiger Electronics games. Fun to play every once in awhile but a little boring. Of course thats just personal opinion, nothing more, and I think some really kick ass games could be made for the Wii. As far as PS3 vs 360, the only reason I had a 360 was for Halo, which got boring, so now I think somebody needs to come up with a new killer game that is exclusive to "win" the console wars. All just opinion of course.
acebrain2003 @ Jul 18th 2008 1:26AM
^^^ and so is Nintendo LOL :P
AJ in the East Bay @ Jul 18th 2008 1:26AM
...to be low ranked.
AJ in the East Bay @ Jul 18th 2008 1:27AM
LOL, a video of a press release, huh? Hadn't seen Rick in a while...
Zolo @ Jul 18th 2008 1:29AM
Wii all knew this would happen eventually.
AJ in the East Bay @ Jul 18th 2008 1:29AM
Once is enough, dude. Low rank, attack!!
MastrCake @ Jul 18th 2008 1:31AM
Fail
allislost @ Jul 18th 2008 1:32AM
"666 thousand Wii consoles were sold in June"
It's an interesting number coming from a kid-friendly console maker...
Catdogburger @ Jul 18th 2008 1:48AM
my thoughts exactly, +1
neofolklore @ Jul 18th 2008 8:30AM
I for one welcome our new phallic overlords
Travis @ Jul 18th 2008 1:33AM
I still can't find them in stores. I've had one since 2006, but you can go to any Bestbuy, Wal-mart or Target around here and NOTHING. You have to get lucky. STILL..after this long.
Just imagine how many they would have sold if they could have actually kept up with the demand!
Jubei @ Jul 18th 2008 1:42AM
Very nice. Good job for Nintendo.
SuperSexyErik @ Jul 18th 2008 1:44AM
well duh. All x-box is good for is shoot um up games. I would know since I play them. The wii on the other hand has potential
sr1329 @ Jul 18th 2008 1:48AM
I love the irony here.
sr1329 @ Jul 18th 2008 1:53AM
It really comes down to Xbox Live vs. Blu-Ray at this point. The systems cost about the same especially when the 20 GBs sell out and we're back to $349.
Xtopher Robin @ Jul 18th 2008 1:54AM
Just goes to show that graphics aren't everything.
JeffM @ Jul 18th 2008 4:04AM
Right- when it comes to sales numbers obviously mass market appeal is.
I'd be curious to know (rather difficult statistic to collect) how much each one of these systems (cumulative hours per system) is actually used?
They sell a lot and I know a lot of people that have them but folks don't seem to play them much- like they're a novelty.
fortunado @ Jul 18th 2008 5:12AM
not really. Not many 3rd party developers on board with the wii. Its a novelty at best, with wii owners buying them then decorating entertainment centers with them. If you want to sell games, you'd better look elsewhere, wii owners aren't buying games, they're all playing wii sports and wii fit.
Michael Chastain @ Jul 18th 2008 12:48PM
Nobody is buying Wii games? Then how have the sold 25% more games in their first 19 months than any console in history? Or maybe you're just full of yourself and have no idea what you're talking about.
http://www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/p1000595b.jpg
fortunado @ Jul 18th 2008 12:59PM
http://gamer.blorge.com/2008/04/27/xbox-360-leads-software-attach-rate-even-the-wii-beats-ps3/
Michael Chastain @ Jul 18th 2008 11:43PM
A) The Xbox 360 has been out a year longer, giving users time to buy more games (29 months vs. 17 for Wii as of your link).
B) The Wii has sold far more consoles. That means that even if owners buy fewer games per system games can still easily outsell those on the Xbox.
C) The attach rates are closing. As of November the tie-in rates for the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 were 3.86, 4.01, and 6.85, respectively. That means between November and April the average Wii owner bought 1.4 games, 360 owners 0.7 games, and PS3 owners 0.5 games.
D) You didn't make a claim about attach rates, you made a claim about sales. The fact is the Wii is selling more games than any console in history. Period. Attach rates are irrelevant to that argument.
Robert @ Jul 18th 2008 1:56AM
You know they could keep up with demand if companys would stop holding them back for weekend sales and just sell them when they get them in. Thats the reason nobody can find one on the shelf, its not because there's a supply problem its a retailer problem. Just like wii-fit and mario kart its a greedy we have to hold them for our weekend ad problem.
Jack Storm @ Jul 18th 2008 2:04AM
No Robert they hold them because theres not enough for weekend AND weekdays. So its Nintendo's fault. you douche.
kal326 @ Jul 18th 2008 9:24AM
@Robert
If you advertise something, you have to have it in stock or at least include the minimum on had stock per store in the advertisement. That's why you never saw PS3 or Wii hardware in advertisements for the longest time, nobody could guarantee that they would have enough units on hand. So if they do get them in and they have an ad coming up, they hold them to meet those minimums. Its not a damn conspiracy or anything.
Nicholas Phan @ Jul 18th 2008 1:57AM
The 360 is in pretty deep trouble! The PS3 sold almost double what it did, in what is the PS3's weakest market and the 360's strongest. Meanwhile, the 360 is struggling to outsell the 7/8 year old PS2!
canher @ Jul 18th 2008 3:47AM
that was mostly because of the release of metal gear. i bet the sales of both consoles will be more similar in july
martin @ Jul 18th 2008 2:10AM
did anybody ever mention that NPD is what the current German Nazi Party is called? That abbreviation always kills me once it shows up in my feedreader, I just expect something different ;)
martin
Ander @ Jul 18th 2008 8:33AM
Godwin's Law materializes again! :)
"As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
OK, not Usenet, but valid by extension :)
emanuelle @ Jul 18th 2008 3:01AM
Remember wii360? Looks like its just the wii now.
fgpx78 @ Jul 18th 2008 3:18AM
I sold my X360 becasue, one got a wii, I wasn't using it at all.
I just played PES from time ti time, but for that I can use the PC.
The wii, on the other hand, has plenty of good games in my opinion (and Plenty * 100 crap games yes!).
You just have to play just those. And now, with The Conduit, Wii sports resort, Wii music (I'm anticipating this one), the 2 star wars games, the wiimoteplus etc... we will see another boost on saled.
nscreated @ Jul 18th 2008 3:32AM
It will be hard for the XBox to regain that position in this generation. My money's not on it. But with enough killer apps--FFXIII, Gears of War II--they might be able to lessen the rate that the Wii is pulling away.
Phil @ Jul 18th 2008 3:42AM
But FFXIII is'nt exclusive!!
Oh but FFXIII Versus is......to the PS3.
BobTurbo @ Jul 18th 2008 4:03AM
The reason Wii does well is because it is cheap, is easily accesible to people who struggle with complex controller systems, and most importantly is designed to be fun rather than 'serious and competitive' like many of the other consoles.
I think Microsoft and Sony have too much focus on 'serious and competitive' games, which are stressful and really not appealing to a mass market. Bring back Sam and Max.