Japanese Hardware Sales: April 23 - 29
by Nick Doerr 
{ May 10th 2007 at 11:00AM }
You love it as much as we love giving it, so here's our latest outing into the world of Japanese hardware sales. This month, you'll notice some things have changed up a bit. Like nothing. On the bright side, PS3 sales have increased. Sure, the increase is very small, but when you're dealing with small numbers to begin with, every little bit just seems a tad more significant. Without further ado, the numbers.- DS Lite: 255,971
- Wii: 102,522
- PSP: 33,860
- PS3: 12,791
- PS2: 12,584
- XBox 360: 3,162
What's this? The PS3 outsells the PS2? It's happened once before, we recall, but this may mean people are finally starting to phase out the old and save up for the new. Maybe not. It's tough to tell by a couple of weeklong charts. We'll keep you posted on sales as soon as the researchers give us the data.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kingofwale @ May 10th 2007 11:07AM
question: Is Japanese and US sales number only one we have?
Where's the European number? Gamespot shows Aussie numbers. those are also important.
Let's hope PS3 keeps saling more than PS2. it WOULD help out a lot if there's a must have PS3 games in Japan. so, when is Ninja Gaiden coming out in Japan?
TheSh0wstopper @ May 10th 2007 11:33AM
WOW,
a dark time for gaming may be upon us. The Wii is continuing to destroy all competition in sells. For all of our sake I hope it cools down and DOES NOT win this console war. Mark my words: If the Wii wins this cycle it will destroy gaming as we know it. Next Gen companies will make systems that are cheap, have gimmicky controls that we have to jump around the room like ape's to use, no bleeding edge tech and graphics that look like my 12 year old cousin drew the characters. Please Sony KILL THE Wii!!!
TheSh0wstopper
shase @ May 10th 2007 11:45AM
@3. I agree with you. I think if Wii's hype crushes competition and Sony and MS dont make enough money they will most likely make the next run X720/PS4 less "bleeding edge" since it will no doubt take even more money to design and develope for. Wii is basically destroying Hardcore gamers period - we will end up seeing a bunch of low graphic gimmicky games with some fantastic non-gimmick games and thats it.
I also think if Wii crushes this time it may be better for MS and Sony to join forces (like it will ever happen) because if they dont join forces both of them will drop out of it and it will of course hurt Sony the most (unless by that time everyone uses linux/mac :) ).
I really hope the wii flops at this point and dont care 360 or PS3 be on top because if Wii is on top then the overall quality of all games will be set at a lower standard and really turn off the hardcore gamers - then again, we are the minority so its probably a drop in the bucket anyway :(
yomanDS @ May 10th 2007 12:33PM
"Mark my words: If the Wii wins this cycle it will destroy gaming as we know it."
"Wii is basically destroying Hardcore gamers period - we will end up seeing a bunch of low graphic gimmicky games with some fantastic non-gimmick games and thats it."
Hahahaha. This whole time I thought the "analysts" PS3FBOY reported on earlier were as pretentious as anybody could get. I was wrong. Come on, lighten up guys.
justin @ May 10th 2007 1:02PM
What was Sony doing 20 years ago? Trying to get Beta Max on the scene. What was M$ doing 20 years ago? Trying to get Windows on the scene. What was Nintendo doing 20 years ago? Making video games. Sony and M$ will get out of the video game market at some point and someone new will start making something that no one has thought of yet, and Nintendo will still be around. I have a Wii, you know why, PRICE! I even have a HDTV, but I can't see spending over $800 after you buy a game and the HDMI cable and an extra controller. Sony and M$ will price themselves right out of the running for the top spot.
Andir3.0 @ May 10th 2007 12:35PM
"may be better for MS and Sony to join forces"
You should be banned for even thinking it.
Actually, if anything, this might have a little affect on the consoles. You'll start to see a "DS like" game market for the Wii and the third parties will still develop "high end" games as usual. The Wii will continue to sell first(second) party title like wildfire and the third parties will be hurt by it more than ever. At that point, Nintendo will be your source for anything decent and nobody will risk trying to topple Grand Theft Mushroom, Zombio Attacks, Command and Yoshi 2, and Mario Tournament: Gold. If that happens, be prepared for the next Mario/Wario/Luigi/Zelda/Yoshi/Samus gaming rut.
Though, as much as everyone likes to cry about the end of the world for Sony, I still don't think a slow start is bad for the PS3 at all (contrary to fanboy belief)
jojonyc @ May 10th 2007 12:38PM
@5
i agree - in fact, i'll also wager that the next wii has high def graphics.
the two will inevitably converge. the real question was which to do this go round...
pete @ May 10th 2007 1:09PM
to all who comment that the wii is will kill gaming if it 'wins' the console race. people in five years time, hdtvs will be more prevelant in homes. the next wii console will have hd graphics and the like and will probably sell around the 300-250 range. it might even have a 'next gen' optical drive, probably bluray. i mean five years is a long time, but tech wise five years is a hella of a long time.
rfom @ May 10th 2007 1:45PM
Pete, how will Nintendo explain their "graphics dont matter" hype when they launch their next-gen console? WOuld be a bit awkward.
Also, 100,000 is god but that means about 5 milion a year - a small bite of the market. The real test wil come when Super Mario World and MP3 go head-to-head with Halo3, MGS4 and FF13. Would be good fun to watch!
shase @ May 10th 2007 1:55PM
@11
Nintendo wouldnt need to - there will be enough foolowers by that time that whatever nintendo does negatively wont matter much. Reggie said "no game drought, you will get 1st party reiterations like metroid, mario, etc." And now there is a drought. He went back and then said "well we want the best quality for our customers." The fact is this- nintendo will most likely make an HD console in a couple of years that has tech that is somewhat comparable to PS3/360 at a cheaper price. Those people who felt "ripped off" will have already paid Nintendo the check and cant do anything about it (besides trading in the wii).
Bottom line- even if people find out the wii is gimicky and have no "good games" and stops buying it nintendo could scrap it and make a new higher tech console and still make money since they sold the wii at a profit.
kingnick @ May 10th 2007 2:01PM
I don't think the Wii winning this generation would have a significant impact on future systems, if anything Microsoft and Sony will do what they do best by copying the competition once again.
Microsoft and Sony are the types of companies that like to slug it out for ePenis points and I don't see this changing anytime soon.
I think a unified Microsoft/Sony console wouldn't be a bad idea but god knows how they'd make it work considering their past relations to one another and business practices.
I have an Xbox360 and I will be getting a PS3 after some good games come out for it but I can't see myself buying the Wii as it doesn't interest me and like many hardcore gamers I found the motion controls gimmicky and lacking in depth as well as preciseness.
Next-Gen-Gamer @ May 10th 2007 4:11PM
DS Lite: 702,844
DS: 2,211
PSP: 158,291
GBA SP: 3,749
GB Micro: 3,626
PS2: 67,673
Wii: 287,722
PS3: 71,247
Xbox 360: 17,094
GameCube: 258
Just thought I'd throw that up for anyone wondering. Its the Month of April numbers.
Next-Gen-Gamer @ May 10th 2007 4:23PM
"Pete, how will Nintendo explain their "graphics dont matter" hype when they launch their next-gen console? WOuld be a bit awkward."
I was under the impression (from actual Nintendo press conferences) that their motto was "Playing = Believing". No one said anything about "graphics don't matter". Nintendo is telling people that gameplay comes first. I find it hard to believe that Nintendo doesn't care about graphics, when they were already discussing HD at last year's E3. It isn't "graphics don't matter". Its "graphics are second". Besides, who would it be awkward for? Most consumers don't spend their time online, reading gaming news.
"The real test wil come when Super Mario World and MP3 go head-to-head with Halo3, MGS4 and FF13. Would be good fun to watch!"
I would say the real test is 2008. What happens after Halo 3, Mass Effect, BioShock, MGS4, FFXIII, FFvsXII, SMG, SSBB, and MP3C all release?
mccomber @ May 10th 2007 5:23PM
"What happens after Halo 3, Mass Effect, BioShock, MGS4, FFXIII, FFvsXII, SMG, SSBB, and MP3C all release?"
I don't leave my house, or sleep, for two weeks straight?
Next-Gen-Gamer @ May 10th 2007 5:54PM
"I don't leave my house, or sleep, for two weeks straight?"
Agreed. Aside from that though. I mean, with online play in both Halo 3 and S.S.B.B., the replay value is pretty high. So those won't ever be going away. I just wonder what these three consoles are going to do for 2008.
MIke Z @ May 10th 2007 7:41PM
End The WAR between blue ray and HDDVD so we all can stop being scared about buying either format.. Sign the petition to get Universal to support blue ray and watch HDDVD fall..
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?BD4UNI&1
pete @ May 11th 2007 12:56AM
@11 what i meant to say is that in five years time. the tech to create great hd graphics will be pretty cheap. right now to get the best you get the ps3. i am not saying either that the next nintendo system will be the strongest tech wise. just that they will be able to deliver hd at a resonable price kinda like the wii now. i am not saying the wii delivers hd graphics i am saying im just saying its the cheapest of the next gen systems. i dont know what the next big thing will be. maybe nintendo will have maybe it wont
magic dave the mushroom @ May 11th 2007 8:03AM
@ 9:
$800? How about an xbox elite which comes with a bundled HDMI cable for $480 plus $60 on a game is not $800.
Betamax - well that was a success wasn't it. On paper a much higher quality than VHS but you don't see them about too much these days! Wonder if that'll happen with Blu-Ray...
Windows however - seems to be pretty popular these days...
Flame away :)