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Finally Nintendo Wii overtakes Microsoft Xbox 360 install base

By: Daniel Chubb | May 29, 2008 | 9 Comments


We all know that the Nintendo Wii is creating a massive Buzz in the gaming world and seems unstoppable in ruling the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3, while I game more on the Playstation 3, the Nintendo Wii is both amazing and gets its share of gaming time. Today we are hearing that the Nintendo Wii has finally overtaken the Microsoft Xbox 360 install base in the United States.

According to VGChartz, the lifetime sales of the Wii have passed the lifetime sales of the 360 and this is an amazing achievement considering the 360 has been around so long. With the Sony PS3 also catching the 360, it does look like the next generation Xbox is going to come third in this battle of the three next-gen games consoles.

VGChartz said the “Wii has officially passed 360 in the Americas in lifetime sales as of the week ending May 24th, 2008”, when you think it is a whole year extra the 360 had in the market place, it gives you an idea of how fast the Nintendo Wii has grown. In the Wii’s 79th week available it has reached 11.7M sales in the U.S., compared to the 360’s 11.5M in 131st week.

Can the Sony PS3 overtake the Xbox 360 in lifetime sales, considering it’s at 4.9M after it’s 80th week in the U.S.?

The Playstation 3 has had a much stronger uptake in Europe, but has grown much slower in the United States. With many more exclusives coming to the PS3 and with its upcoming Home platform, it will be interesting to see the results in another 12 months and we will be hear to share them with you.

Source: Read

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  • rix

    Bare in mind this information is for The Americas, not just the USA, I do wish people would stop getting them mixed up.

    The Americas includes Canada, Mexico and all the rest, which even combined are admitedly a smaller part than the USA, but they still count.

    USA = 1 country
    Americas = 2 continents… bit of a difference.

  • cirej2000

    Yeah, I thought that those numbers were a bit off for just the US.

    And not 100% sure about the US numbers until I see NPD.

    Still, it’s not a shock that the Wii could pass the 360 in the US this month.

  • bill

    i can’t believe people measure the relative success of a console by the number of units they sell.

    nintendo was able to sell a crapload of units because the console appeals to women and old people. nintendo has the lowest attach rate among the three primary consoles right now. XBL has the most subscribers (which generates revenue btw). also isn’t the attach rate for the 360 like 7+?

  • DarthGamer

    To rix:
    If you are going to try to educate everyone, please get your facts straight, America is spitted in 3 political divisions: North America, Central America, and South America, even though it’s common for North Americans to consider Central and South the same, it’s not. And event though, that political division exists, the America continent is only 1. If you remember your Geography right, there are only 5 continents: America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

  • SF

    DarthGamer get YOUR facts straight.

    First off there are more than 5 continents, you forgot antartica. In Europe they are taught there are only 6 continents with North and South America combined into one.

    In other countries such as america and australia they are taught that there are 7 (with north and south america being split into two).

    Don’t base “assumptions” of others based on the assumptions that you have being personally taught. Some countries or governments do or teach things differently.

  • cirej2000

    Bill -

    Take a look at some more recent numbers and you’ll see that there has been a Wii bit of misinformation about the Wii’s attach rate.

    It’s still lower than the 360′s, but not as much as you’d think. It’s also higher than the PS3′s attach rate.

    Finally, the Wii is selling boatloads because it does offer games for a wide range of tastes and has a lower entry level with games like Wii Sports, Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, etc. And more mainstream games like Mario Galaxy, Brawl, Mario Kart, et al.

    I love my 360 (Just finished playing R6V2) and my PS3 (countdown to MGS4), but the Wii has gotten the majority of the playing time thusfar in 2008.

    And yeah, we still consider North America (Canada, Mexico and the US) as a seperate continent from South America. Central America? Well, what the heck IS that?

  • rix

    Geographically there are 7 continents (I am from UK btw) though I have heard of N.A. and S.A. being combined.

    Central America is not seperate from N.A. geographically, perhaps is is politically I am not sure. (I know if you look at an atlus the political maps of N.A. will include down to Panama… there are 16 countries in N.A. I think, 17 if you add Greenland but as it is part of Denmark I’m not sure it counts.)

    And yes the Wii’s attach ratio/rate in America is in fact higher than the PS3s, If taking out Wii Sports it is a little lower but not much. (something like 4.9 for PS3 to 4.8 for Wii)

    The Wiis attach rate is also higher than 360s was at the same point in it’s life, 360s is highest at the moment because of extra time.

    In Japan Wii’s attach rate is much higher than PS3s. and in Europe I imagine it is lower but not by too much.

  • J.W.

    vgchartz is a hack site – thieving site owner is no good and his numbers are questionable at best.

  • Shadow-Keeper

    As a history buff I have to make something clear here. The America’s are two continents.
    North and South.
    In 1914 it became official that the United States (with the help of the French) completed the operation to sever the once mighty land mass into two groups allowing a connection of the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. ‘Panama Canal’ With over 27,000 lives given in the effort. For political quantification the misnomer of Central America still exist only to specify geographical location.

    Now to the Wii……..every one wants one, but after they get it, most sit gathering dust.
    Last night was the first time the kids played with it in over three months and it was only because they had friends staying over otherwise they fight for the Xbox 360. The playstation 3 is still waiting for the price of blue-ray to drop so we can finally put it to use.