Wii outsells the PS3 4-to-1 in Japan, Sony execs "not psyched"

Sony, we know you're trying hard, which is why we think it must sting all the worse when you wake up to sales figures like this. According to a report, the Wii outsold PS3s in Japan 4-to-1 in the month of February, and its games dominated bestseller lists. What does that look like in cold, hard numbers? Nintendo moved 331,627 consoles over the month, while Sony only managed 89,131 units in the same time. But wait, there's more: in January, the ratio was 3-to-1, which means that Nintendo's lead seems to be growing as the year moves forward. Still, Sony could have it worse, the Xbox 360 only scraped up a paltry 14,079 Xbox 360 sales in that same span of time.

[js @ Feb 29th 2008 5:00AM]

Fail? Really?

Are you ignorant enough forgetting the fact that games from the major game franchises in PS3 didn't even come out yet?

[Spamslurpee @ Feb 29th 2008 5:06AM]

Well when is it coming and when does Sony expect to take off? I suspect by the time the PS3 is able to compete with the Wii, Nintendo will announce the next model, with HD and all that..

[egotman @ Feb 29th 2008 5:06AM]

Fail? Yes since this about now, not tomorrow.

[matjet @ Feb 29th 2008 6:25AM]

maybe people are holding out for a yakusa 3 bundle coming soon.

[E71 @ Feb 29th 2008 6:48AM]

The cheaper, lower spec device outsold the more expensive, higher spec device. I didn't see that coming... I thought everyone's rich.

[Fahad @ Feb 29th 2008 7:00AM]

Maybe because Super Mario Brawl was released in February.

[Chuckles McGee @ Feb 29th 2008 8:21AM]

The console was released November 11 2006... ~15 months isn't enough time to get releases from major game franchises?

[FrankTheCrank @ Feb 29th 2008 8:25AM]

I own both the Wii and the PS3....

I laughs at the Wii's power.

Strapping waggles to the Gamecube, just brilliant!

[Pdexter @ Feb 29th 2008 8:33AM]

Sony did Nintendos..or what Nintendo did with N64(btw that was great machine).
I dont think they where expecting any huge sales from the start(you cant with that old price), but i'm sure they where hoping more after those price cuts. Well any ways it has served Sony well with the format war and they won that.
I have played alot of console games and owned them all exept all Segas and PS2 and Wii should be at least as good experience to play as Xbox or PS3 there's no reason to underestimate Wii. Thought i have to say that i have pretty much lost my intrest on consoles and maybe just because of that i enjoy Wii the most because it offers something new.

[Pdexter @ Feb 29th 2008 8:46AM]

Just to add. I got HD tv and it bothers me that i'm not able to use for real when Wii is plugged and PS3 plugged in it really feels you are pushing the limits what it can display.
My point is just that playing PS3 games feels i have already done it and dosent offer much. Wii isnt really the answer either as it's true that the idea of it seems to be lost in many games. Like Zelda: The Wind Waker was great with GameCube, but i got bored already at the start with Twilight Princess it was again, the same old.
Hopefully Smashbros delivers as my PS3 and Wii have both been doing nothing for some months.... exept PS3 playing bluerays =D

[naxe @ Feb 29th 2008 10:08AM]

@Spamslurpee
If the wii came out with DVD playback and (HD and all that) it wouldnt be at the $250 price point now would it?
the only reason nintendo is selling so well is because of the price. you cant tell me super mario galaxy was that good. or zelda was a good game. Its a novelty. with more minigames then actual games. its not hard to see the wii wont last more then 2-3 years tops.

i grew up with nintendo NES and SNES 4 gameboys. but at some point you grow up and dont find jumping on turtles fun anymore.

Its not much fun to play with your wii by yourself.

Its funny how engadget managed to leave out that the single most anticipated game for the wii was released in japan in feb.

[slyd3z @ Feb 29th 2008 10:24AM]

@naxe

"Its not much fun to play with your wii by yourself."

More true words have never been spoken, as I'm sure any Engadget reader knows all too well...

[Justin Eaton @ Feb 29th 2008 10:33AM]

Let's be honest. Selling one PS3 and three Wii's are pretty equivalent, as far as Sony/Nintendo are concerned. Let's be honest again. Two in every four Wii owners will buy three good games, and then let the console dust over, until another comes out in six months. One more time? The Wii is an expensive toy, not a true gaming console. Only the 360 and PS3 should even be compared, Nintendo is doing their own thing.

Disclaimer: I own a PS3 and a Wii.

[aus @ Feb 29th 2008 11:24AM]

According to some the PS3 is the best console in the galaxy. Yet when I play the same game on the 360 and compare them side by side on a $3K 1080P LCD the graphics are much better on the 360.

[sinjinn @ Feb 29th 2008 2:54PM]

"you cant tell me super mario galaxy was that good. or zelda was a good game. Its a novelty. with more minigames then actual games. its not hard to see the wii wont last more then 2-3 years tops.

i grew up with nintendo NES and SNES 4 gameboys. but at some point you grow up and dont find jumping on turtles fun anymore."


zelda was good and jumping on turtles is still fun.

honestly though , i think the success of the system was unexpected by game designers , and to make truly great games takes a couple of years. after it was clear that the wii was going to be a runaway hit some game developers started rushing out these mini games , others probably started designing great games , but great games take a while to make so they havnt reached the wii yet .

the systems potential seems to remain untapped but i think the console is worth keeping , because those great games are bound to show uo soon, and you can always rely on nintendos first party ip's .

[Andy Anonymous @ Mar 1st 2008 2:56AM]

"you cant tell me super mario galaxy was that good. or zelda was a good game."

I can, and I will.

SMG won Game of the Year honors from most of the major gaming media, but I guess you know better than they do.

[Krish the Fish @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:15PM]

@ andy anonymous

wait a second, i thought Bioshock won GOTY from most "major gaming media"

and well, i can attest to the wii craze. i bought one about a year ago (stood out in the 6" snow), and in the past 6 months i can honestly say i can count the number of times i played it on one hand. maybe SSB Brawl will change that, but I dunno... :-\

[Mark Simmons @ Apr 29th 2008 7:38AM]

Its still intereesting to see the WII doing so well espcially when so many folks think the graphic quality of the games is quite weak. Guess it looks like the appeal of the WII is its concept and ability to appeal to a wider mainstream audience? Certainly alof of women seem to enjoy playing the Wii - whereas they are not so interested in traditional games consoles.

[technophobe @ Feb 29th 2008 5:05AM]

Nintendo always does well in Japan because it's a Japanese company, oh wait...

[Prey521 @ Feb 29th 2008 5:46AM]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Kurian @ Feb 29th 2008 7:52AM]

Its like comparing sales of a cheapo Hyundai and a Bentley. The cheapo sales are irrelevant in affecting the sales of a Bentley.

[guerilla779 @ Feb 29th 2008 9:07AM]

@ Kurian

dude dont ever ever compare japanese stuff to european and specially korean stuff. One day some pissed off japanese guy will kick your ass.

seriously they dont like koreans at all. Samsung isnt even in japan anymore and hyundai sold like 60 cars in japan last year.

[Shinigami @ Feb 29th 2008 5:13AM]

Yay arcades win :)

[Dahk @ Feb 29th 2008 3:24PM]

Forgive me for my reply spam, but I had to get this in.

There's only ONE mention here of the reason the Wii is doing so hot these couple months?

Super Smash Bros Brawl was released end of January. This is Nintendo's BIGGEST game yet. 1.2 million copies (way more than Super Mario Galaxy) in Japan ONLY, in close to 3 weeks!

I admit my PS3 bias, but hey I even bought a Wii last week in anticipation for this game coming out in the US.

[Marc @ Feb 29th 2008 5:16AM]

I can't believe people compare the PS3 to the Wii. Obviously there's a PS3 VS 360 scenario but the Wii is a totaly different device. It's aimed at different market segments and does different things. It's the same as comparing the sale of point-and-shoots to SLR's. Know what I mean?

[harveyhanson @ Feb 29th 2008 5:30AM]

Totally agree, price ranges are different, plus age ranges also are.

PS3 with its pricing is aimed at the adult and rich teenage market, whereas wii is aimed at younger more easily pleased generation.

I dont know about you, but i am dissapointed by the Wii, once the thrill of the controller wears off, the games seem a little kiddish and the graphics just seem so last gen, whereas PS3 not only has tilting but also the more rounded experience, and rather than the Wii, i could still see myself interested in the PS3 a year down the line

[ScooterDe @ Feb 29th 2008 6:35AM]

different buyers - to some degree (I have Wii and a 360) - but same bottom lines to the shareholders. Nintendo is raking in the money. Sony is failing. Same difference.

[AJ in the East Bay @ Feb 29th 2008 6:50AM]

Well, since it's a console war and both PS3 and Wii are consoles, then yes, they are competing.

[Krommenaas @ Feb 29th 2008 7:24AM]

@HarveyHanson: "whereas wii is aimed at younger more easily pleased generation" - err, the average PS3 gamer is a lot younger than the average Wii gamer, I'm sure. Wii appeals more to adults with little time to game, PS3 more to teenage gamers. The Wii's "kiddy" graphics are only desturbing to teenagers who are still desperate to appear cool.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 29th 2008 8:13AM]

"Well, since it's a console war and both PS3 and Wii are consoles, then yes, they are competing."

That's kind of like saying Denon and Magnavox (BMW and Kia?) are in the same market... Well, maybe not Denon.

[Vanillacide @ Feb 29th 2008 10:02AM]

Krommenaas speaks the most sense, it's obvious why he's been voted down.

Personally I know loads of people with Wii who are 35 or older, some even 50 or over, and not one of these adult people has a PS3; moreover none of these people have bought games consoles before. The adults I do know with PS3 use them as cheap Blu-ray players, the adult hardcore gamers I know all use 360 or PC.

Most game playing PS3 owners I know or see are male teenagers or young adults. You only have to read the naive posts in this comment section to prove that is absolutely the case.

Although cliched to be the largest market sector, teenage boys / young males are not, they are niche. Wii pwns the mass-market, which is why it outsells the PS3 by considerable numbers.

[Danny @ Feb 29th 2008 5:18AM]

"FAIL"? Wow, for a second there, I thought I was reading Joystiq.

[Matt B @ Feb 29th 2008 8:59AM]

No kidding.

[Optimus Rhyme @ Feb 29th 2008 6:04AM]

I have a PS3 and a Wii.

I have tons of games for my Wii but hardly any or my PS3. I really just bought it for MGS4 and GTAIV. The problem is that every other game released for the PS3 is an FPS (which I've never really gotten into). Little Big Planet is the only unexpected game I'm waiting for.

[harveyhanson @ Feb 29th 2008 8:08AM]

Try Drakes Adventune, or COD4, awesome games, cant fault either of them :-)

[tekdroid @ Feb 29th 2008 5:22AM]

considering the price difference between the two...

[Twitchy @ Feb 29th 2008 5:32AM]

...and the OVERALL difference between the two. One is built for fun arcade gaming, the other for deeper gaming/simulator experiences.

As mentioned previously, a fairer comparison would be between the PS3 and the XBox 360.

[Raheem @ Feb 29th 2008 9:09AM]

Not really, since we know the bias of japanese gamers towards homegrown consoles. I can't believe the low rankings that all the people who speak common sense are getting.

[caramelzappa @ Feb 29th 2008 5:30AM]

Is this really unexpected? The ps3 is almost twice the price and has no system selling games "yet"

Interesting that this is a huge deal for the ps3 but the 360 is just a sidenote, then again the japanese were never interested in the xbox at all, were they?

[Got Beef @ Feb 29th 2008 5:31AM]

Wii is just a wii little bit unpowered, ps3 will overtake eventually!

[AJ in the East Bay @ Feb 29th 2008 6:51AM]

Dream on, man! It'll never happen.

[Semi @ Feb 29th 2008 5:31AM]

my wii has been sittin in its box for the past 4 months... my ps3 gets turned on once a week...

[NG @ Feb 29th 2008 7:35PM]

Same here, my wii has been eating dust for months now.

I don't have a PS3 tho, but a xbox360, play only once a month... :(

should have saved the money up for something else...

[PRP @ Mar 25th 2008 6:16PM]

I'll buy it from you

seriously

[Moonwhaler @ Feb 29th 2008 5:39AM]

Actually I own a Wii, but the fun in party games doesn't really translate well into single player "home alone" kind of arcades (I love Mario Galaxy a lot though). Now that BlueRay has won the fight and a new TV is on my budget-horizon, I am really considering buying a PS3. Although this beast costs about 399€ (nearly $600) here in Germany it's nice to have something that supports both HD gaming and HD video content (+DivX / Xvid anyone?). Oh well. So the Wii outsells the PS3? Just wait a few more months, I predict...

[timatl @ Feb 29th 2008 11:12PM]

i purchase a PS3 last night to replace the HD DVD player last night. I now own all next gen consoles. the 360 is used almost daily, the wii is mostly used by my daughter and family times on the weekend and the ps3 will be primaily a blu-ray player.

I have listed some pros for the ps3:

quiet
great audio codecs (still missing DTS-MA)
bluetooth for head set
i love the built-in wifi
blu-ray support

I have listed some cons for the ps3:

blu-ray menus sucks compared to hd-dvd
does not work with my harmony remote (this really sucks bad)
i don't care for the controller

so as of now the pros outway cons.

[ManekiNeko @ Feb 29th 2008 5:42AM]

Hear that crunching noise? That's the people who claimed that the Wii was a fad, eating their words. Would you guys like some milk with that?

[do @ Feb 29th 2008 5:51AM]

wrong. people are buying wii's because they're still impossible to find and they still dont know its a fad yet. you can ask as many wii owners as you want (who have had it for about two months) how often they play their wii and they'll all say they're waiting for smash bros. though smash is already out in japan, that would probably have a lot to do with it. either way, i still dont understand the "WII IS WINNING THE CONSOLE WAR" shit. the wii is a very different machine that really has no competition.

[Will @ Feb 29th 2008 5:52AM]

The Wii may or may not be a fad; I know several people who never use theirs.

Using "FAIL" certainly is.

[ScooterDe @ Feb 29th 2008 6:37AM]

using my wii every week. xbox too. Different games, different experience: both fun.