Network now...NEWS
Sony Dominates Sales in Japan
Both of Sony’s current handheld and home console offerings have managed to outsell Nintendo’s rival hardware in Japan for the first time in nine months.
Weekly sales of the PS3 in Japan performed even better than its strong showing the week prior. Sales of the unit climbed from 36,500 units to 39,835 for the week ending March 8.
Much of Sony’s success for the week can be attributed to the remarkable success of Resident Evil 5. Capcom’s latest survival/action-horror title managed to shift some 320,000 PS3 editions, while also moving around 80,000 Xbox 360 copies.
The sales figures throw into debate how much of a barrier the PS3’s high pricepoint provides, as Japan has consistently responded well when famed, compelling software has landed on the system. Back in November, Sony managed a similar feat with the PS3 when both GTA IV and LittleBigPlanet was released in the region.
But much has changed since that week in November. As the DSi was moving 170,000 units at the time, today it is turning out weekly sales of 32,000; its lowest sales rate yet.
Sony’s PSP sits far above, selling 59,568 units for the week (about 23,000 units more than the week prior.) Again, this was in line with the success of compelling software, this time in the shape of Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid.
The Wii manages to fall even further, today hitting a new low of 16,560 units. Not far behind is its recent close rival, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which managed to move about 15,000 units for the week.
After the post-Christmas sales slump Japan has been going through, the PS3 is gaining unexpected momentum and emerging as a strong contender for the Japanese market share. Nintendo’s Wii, meanwhile, was just a thousand sales away from being the weakest-performing next-gen console, a distinction the system has come close to achieving for several weeks.
All eyes are on the weeks ahead to see how much of a sales spike Capcom’s recent software has provided, and if the tide is indeed turning for Sony’s troubled console.
Full list for the week ending March 8 according to Media Create:
PSP/ 59,568
PS3/ 39,835
DSi/ 32,102
Wii/ 16,560
Xbox 360/ 14,994
DS Lite/ 11,240
PS2/ 4,954
Last week.
2009 Japanese sales history.
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It's funny because two or three weeks ago EDGE was writing its ass off to put the PS3 in a bad light and 8 months ago EDGE was writing its ass off to put the 360 in a bad light.
EDGE is a respected multi-format magazine that reports on a range of topics for those formats, some good, some bad. Time to leave the fanboy defensiveness at the door.
I must agree with Kenology. Edge is obviously writing its ass off just to put the Wii in bad light, shamelessly.
Why does Edge constantly compare sales from the November (the holiday shopping season) to sales in lowly March? That doesn't make much sense. *Every* console will have lower numbers from the holiday season.
Also, such a huge PSP boost isn't attributed to Shin Sangoku Musou: Multi Raid, but rather the two new 'Radiant Red and Vibrant Blue' colors introduced - which always causes an insta-boost in Japan.
Also, to put the numbers in context:
PS3 Japanese LTD = 2.95 million
Wii Japanese LTD = 7.90 million
The PS3 outselling the Wii by 23k when the gap is just about 5 million isn't going to make the PS3 "a strong contender for the Japanese market share" by any stretch of the imagination.
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Now that I've de-sensationalized the article, I can get on with my real comments!
- I'm loving the revolving door console leadership we're seeing in Japan right now. Wii on top, then XBox 360 three weeks ago, now PS3 for the last two weeks. Makes the charts more interesting.
- Wii holding steady with absolutely no new notable software being released and no software in the Top 10 while the HD consoles are dropping AAA bombshells.
- PS3 still has a Warriors Orochi Z (released yesterday) and the FF:AC/FFXIII demo/limted edition PS3 coming out next month. So the PS3 will see healthy numbers until the end of April at the very least.
I think a comparison like, "The last time the PS3 sold so well was in November!" is perfectly valid. If they can sell well during March, they can pretty much do it anytime. Sony just has to have some big releases come out.
I'm glad to see Sony still hanging in there. Anything that pushes those sales numbers up bodes well for choice of system when games are released.
Brian
www.brianwoods.com
"But much has changed since that week in November. As the DSi was moving 170,000 units at the time, today it is turning out weekly sales of 32,000; its lowest sales rate yet."
Was talkin' about the comparison.
I think it's time for the Wii to lower its price in Japan...Sales have declined for too long.
Microsoft is doing a great job in Japan with the Xbox 360...Ever since summer of 2008, the Xbox 360 really has achieved an amazingly high level of success.
Sony is now doing fine in Japan, too. The PS3 had such a terrible launch, and for three full years sold very poorly in Japan. It's nice to see sales pick up.
I have never seen so much spin for a system that probably hasn't even broken 1 million in sales since 2005.
The XBOX is doing cack in Japan, that's why its newsworthy when it sells more than the PS3 or Wii in the odd week or two.
Dont kid your self kid! The xbox360 has been doing shitty in the japan since day one... And as the author says "X360 is trying to beat the Wii" Wii is in a good market Price, they can hold of for a long long time on that price.
So to clarify the X360 has been out 3 years and has only sold 1 million in JAPAN since then. So I dont know how u can say its doing good.
Actually gwsmokey I don't think it has even hit 1 million yet in Japan, but it's inching closer and closer. I do have to give MS credit though as they've really put a lot of effort into Japan and their sales have been at least somewhat respectable over the last 8 months over there or so. They've doing much better with the 360 than they did with the xbox 1 though.
Good ol Kim, at least he gives everyone something to talk about.
I think it's great that Sony is doing so well in Japan, but not cause I like Sony cause I really don't, but I just like seeing the top dog taken down. It's like the PS3 is the T-Rex that comes in and saves the people (xbox) from the Vilociraptors (the Wii) at the last second.
Sony was the Top Dog of last generation though, and I'm pretty sure PS2's still sold more than Wii has. The Wii's success was an underdog story in this generation's beginning.
"Sales have declined for too long."
2-3 months, after years of routinely being in first place, is "too long" in your estimation, Kim? Geez, good thing you're not the boss at Microsoft. NOT being first for a while is ok, and their are many other ways to boost sales without dropping the price.
They'll bundle or introduce more colors before they drop the price, but it's not even that serious yet. Wii just needs some software. Japan is a software driven market - as evidenced by what's happening with the PS3 right now (and the 360 when Star Ocean 4 dropped). Wii hasn't had a big release this year yet in Japan - which explains the comparatively low sales from last year.
Japan cracks me up. One week Wii, the next 360, then this week PSP. Ahhhhh their reputation precedes them.
Be careful with your slightly racist remarks. Without the Japanese we'd probably be stuck with atari and worse- 3DO. Most of the very basic elements of games now like power-ups, bosses, character experience points, and even the lone-hero versus multiple adversaries concept were their inventions.
Slightly racist? You're a bit silly aren't you, have you been to Japan? I have, and they are out there. I was just referring to the well known fact that the Japanese are little bit crazy. But If you're just going to get all beat up about it, have your sensibilities insulted over a comment based on an opinion by someone on the Interwebs, then you are not going to have fun on the internet. Wake up to yourself mate.
Talk about revisionist history. You do realize that literally every "innovation" you listed first appeared in a Western developed game (albeit usually on PC)? Also, the Atari consoles were fine for their time.
Absolutely spot on grognard. Most innovations happened in the UK and US in the early 80's by niche developers on PC, usually Amigas and Spectrums. It's just they were popularised by Japanese devs a few years later, mainly Nintendo and Konami.
No need to enlighten me on your videogame history knowledge. I am fully aware of how videogames originated. I was speaking more about the Japanese indelible influence on videogame mechanics, storytelling and gameplay. For that I suggest read: "Power Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life" by Chris Kohler
Funny how they talk about "combined numbers" from DSL and DSi this week, while every other week those "combo" were ignored.. specially not mentioning what is PSP 2000 and PSP3000 :-)