72 comments and already three people have invoked the tired old "RROD" chestnut.

Here's how I see the update reactions.
Xbox 360: "RROD!"
PS3: "Not enough games!"
Wii: "Third-party gets screwed!"

From here on out, I move that only one person gets to make the respective reference per update article. After that, the rest of us have to discuss the article and not resort to slavish loyalty-driven commenting.

Does Not Equal

I love MS spin.

weasl

@mva5580: You think the Wii will be second in 2009? sorry but its pretty obvious its not going to happen unless Sony do a severe pricecut at some point or another, and even then it'd be hard pushed to beat the Wii! In europe though I think with a pricecut Sony could easily outdo 360 and even come close to Wii sales

Actually the main thing that surprises me about this was how well GTA IV sold for the PS3, of course it sold less for the PS3 but the degree to which it sold (I believe the ratio in the UK was 59/41 for 360/PS3) Very impressive considering the advertising campaign was so 360 focused it almost seemed like a 360 exclusive.

One thing though....there leading worldwide with 19 million consoles sold but the Wii has 25 million sold....okkaaayyy

excel_excel

@JustJake:

Nintendo has sold about 10m Wiis in America and 22m DSs in America. I think total worldwide DS sales are at 75m now.

CCCombobreaker

Nah.

Nintendo + printing money= Everyone else loses.

KM91

"History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle. "

10 million might have mattered vs. the Xbox, PS2, and GC generation, but it's pretty clear that since the market has expanded (and I'm not talking "Nintendo" expand, but really just more of the core gamers as well), that 10 million isn't really what it used to be anymore.

A great achievement considering it's MS's 2nd attempt on a console platform in a competitive environment, but it also signifies MS using an old measuring stick in a larger environment. And let's not get too carried away either - the PS2 was Sony's 2nd generation system and it arguably had a much more dominant position vs. what Mattrick is claiming the 360 possesses right now.

Most of the times, people only blow their own horn when they know there's trouble coming... (see SCE busting out all the sales figures on every PS platform to claim that the PS "brand" dominates vs. how they were against original Xbox and GC)

Noc

@Scott3D: You could've also said the same thing about Sony though when they came into the market to compete against Nintendo and Sega.

mva5580

To be honest, I was a X-Box fan. I had the X-box and 360 around launch. I also had a PS2 but prefered the X-Box.

However, I went through 2 X-box's. And two 360's (first I returned to the store, second red ringed on me).

While I love the 360, I have to say I'm a Sony fan now since the PS3 is so much more dependable. Any game I get that dual launches I will get on the PS3 first.

I can only take so many burns before giving up on the damn thing.

I hope the PS3 over takes it to be honest. Serve MS right for making such a shoddy product. Everybody I know whom has a 360 has had it red ring on them. EVERYBODY.

FrigidAir44

I find it interesting that the xbox 360 has actually sold the same amount of systems as the xbox in the same period of time(check VG charts if you don't believe me). That seems to indicate to me that they haven't won any new customers over....

dsmx

Honestly, the day Microsoft is #1 in home video game consoles is the day that there is no Sony or Nintendo competing against them.

Scott3D

Ahem... PS3 is selling faster than 360, the 360 simply came out sooner (by 12 months...). Wait until the PS3 has reached the same age as the 360 (November this year), and then we'll compare the numbers to these. See if the PS3 doesn't outsell the 360... Which it probably will, if sales continue to be as strong for the PS3 as they currently are.

NoMoreTrolls

@Kovitlac: Console life spans are longer than 1-2 years so there's still a long way to go. This war certainly seems to be more balanced than the last one, and there's not a chance of the 360 suddenly doing like the PS2 and pulling a hundred million unit lead out of nowhere. I also don't think it's realistic to say Microsoft has won when it's regularly being outsold by both it's competitors.

MattB

The PS3 is losing to the 360 only at the US.. and still, it's not that big of a difference. And we are yet to see MGS4, FFXIII and GOW3. I'm betting it will pass the 360 on 2009..

I don't see any of them passing the Wii though. Of course, I don't think that the Wii will last as much as the other 2 consoles.

CockroachMan

@jun581: has = having

jun581

How can MS make the claim as the global leader when the Wii has sold 7 million more consoles worldwide?

Is there some funky math or clarification in there?

LedRush

@Fallible: i think he's talking about universal voice chat...but i could be wrong. If he talking about PS3 has no games, then...this is 2008.

jun581

@mizzle:

According to what I've read, not only here but from other sources as well, Microsoft is currently gaining the most from GTA sales by far. I'm not saying something can't change, but I really can't see it happening on that large of a scale.

And by winning this round, I mean in the US, which is what this entire article is relating to.

Kovitlac

I'd love to know how many individual users that equates too, as every 360 owner I know has bought a replacement at some point.

Still, nice that they hit such a magic number before....... Nintendo?

Shome mishtake shurely?

JudgeNutmeg

@TrekVogel: I think 10 million people will disagree with you. And if you actually read the article like normal people, you would see that it has indeed been selling games. And many (16 to be exact) have sold well over a million copies.

Ra is on Arrested Development!

no ones won this console "war" until the next Versions come so saying the Wii "won" the 360 "Winning" or the PS3 "Lost" it is way to early get back to me in 2011/2012.

Raziel Dune

@Killtacular: Someone's still living a few years behind us all, I wonder if the next trick you pull out of your hat will be the one where the PS3 hasn't got any games.

I miss those days.

Fallible

huh, xbox 360 games play better? huh...is he talking about acheivements? otherwise, how does he figure the games play better on the 360? oh well

jun581

@Kovitlac: Microsoft won this round? Japan and Europe don't think so. Not to mention that the US market has PS3 tracking higher through the first year. PS3 has taken a few months from 360 already and a couple analysts (Pachter is one, I believe) predict PS3 to gain the most from GTA.

It's far from over.

mizzle

@KafkaTamura: So it's just MS bashing Sony then? I'm doubtful if even that's going to work for Microsoft long term, but I guess they might get in today while the numbers still look good.

MattB

The 360 is a good system. It is. Xbox Live is, by far, the best online solution for consoles and it's not even close. They undoubtedly have the online portion down, but of course it SHOULD be the best considering you have to pay for it while all others are free.

Anyway, my (personal) problem with the 360 is that its exclusives are just not compelling enough to warrant having it over the PS3.

Halo, Forza, Gears, Ninja Gaiden 2, Fable, Banjo(will it be good?)

Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, God of War, Resistance (I guess, it's not for me), MLB: The Show.

I'm taking the PS3 games, and honestly it's not even close. Add in the fact that the PS3 is a very versatile, powerful machine and to me it's just the better overall package than the 360. I had a 360, but I just didn't play it enough so I got rid of it. The 360 is winning the battle, but between the two the PS3 will win the war.

And it's hard to even bring the Wii into the conversation because it's so entirely different from the other two. If you're a "hardcore" gamer, odds are you have a Wii plus either a 360 or PS3. Where as the casual gamers will most likely just have a Wii. And the "casual" audience is ALWAYS going to be higher in numbers than hardcore. That's just the way it is.

But at the same time I cannot possibly imagine that the Wii has the same expected lifespan as the PS3. I would expect that at worst, we'll see a new Nintendo system 3 years from now. And probably 2. The Wii has already had most all of the big 1st party franchise games released, I would expect their sales to slow down. Where as the PS3 hasn't even had most of its "big guns" released yet.

I would predict that once it's all said and done, Xbox 360 will actually finish last in this generation. PS3 1st, Wii 2nd. Remember this is not right now, I'm talking end of 2009/early 2010.

mva5580

From what I can see, everyone is going to win this generation. I can't believe any of these companies are going under or becoming irrelevant in the industry like in the past.

homernoy

To MS RE:Winning the worldwide console sales race:Good luck with that.You may say the Wii isn't your competition,but that's bullshit,and the Wii already shot past the 360 in total sales months ago.The PS3 is closing the gap month by month,consistantly outselling the 360 in Europe and Japan.The 360's lead in North America has been eroding as well,with 2 of the last 3 months seeing the PS3 out-sell the 360 and this months NPD numbers are expected to reveal another PS3 victory over the 360.I would expect this gap to only widen a the MSG4 release date approches.MS had their year(18 months in Europe!)head start,and has fired the biggest gun in itès aresenal.It will not be enough though.

coktoe

The last generation there was a lot of "I bought this console so I will never buy this console", but that doesn't seem to be the case this generation. There of course is still plenty of fanboy venom spitting about, but I see a lot more, "I bought this console, but I'll pick up that one later", if not outright, "I own every device that can play Doom".

I know this a fun fight and all, but for all this talk of who is going to win it seems to miss the point that all three seem to be "winning". I'm curious what these hardware numbers look like compared to this deep into the last generation. My guess and hope is that the market it quite a bit larger than it used to be, which means a more robust industry that will have the money and the talent to continue to create better hardware and software.

mouroutaru

With this level of confidence (though faked to a degree since both HD consoles are being trumped by the Wii), I hope it means that they'll "do a PS2". Meaning not kill the 360 once they get the new console out in 3-4 years or so.

SG79

Still in denial apperently. Japan hates the 360 and Europe doesn't seem be care very much either. Only a lead in the US does not mean you win! We know nobody cares about Europe apart from Sony a bit but the world is bigger than the US.

Even though the 360 is a pretty decent effort, it's not enough for universal appeal. Reaching 10 million is not that big a deal when you launch a year ahead of the rest, especially when you consider the winner of the past 2 generations sold 100+ million. Being outsold by the Wii, which is $50 more expensive and not even half the power doesn't make you look that good. Not even mentioning that the PS2 still is the most profitable platform and is still kicking ass all around the world. Sony is about to overtake MS in almost every regio where they haven't already and we all know Sony dropped the ball a couple of times this generation. If they would have gone all out again, the 360 would be this generation's Dreamcast.

"The next generation doesn't start until we say so" may be a bit arrogant and as much as I hate their attitude, Sony was right. Keep your RROD fps console in America please MS, the rest of the world prefers consoles that actually work and are fun.

TrekVogel

Yay! Fanboy circle jerk! Can I join in? I'll bring lube.

dry-roasted-peanuts

I want MS to celebrate with a "First!!!!!" cake...

exkon

@Ryumeka: Umm, I think it matters to the company that's making all the consoles, especially if it (read: Nintendo) turns a profit on those console sales. Not trying to make a my-console-can-beat-up-your-console argument here, so hopefully will evade misguided flames, but the absolute number of consoles sold is not an insignificant value.

AtomicPlayboy

@sascha23:

thats in the eye of the beholder, i could very well say that The Biggest Catch is going to be a AAA game for me, or say something like "nah MGS4 doesn't look like it would intrest me"

or something like that but the lineup is different for everyone.

Dakobah

PS3 will win !!!!!!

ajay_solidsnake

And honestly, it does no good pointing out the Wii's lead. They're cheap as dirt and appeal more to parents with young children. Hardly what I would take as a serious gaming platform.

Kovitlac

So wait, if we're using the "first to reach 10 million" rule, doesn't that mean Nintendo won this generation? ;)

Either way, I see 360 falling behind Sony once again this generation. This year's lineup just doesn't cut it when compared to the PS3 lineup.

At least M$ can feel good knowing their system will be relevant this time around and will keep up this time. :)

sascha23

@avern: Well I'd say the same thing about the PS3, except no one has a mic and the games are silent, so I can't tell.

Killtacular

The 360's year lead doesn't matter in the least. Sony knew what they were doing when they delayed the PS3 to add the Blu-Ray player. They basically sacrificed an earlier release for winning the format war.

They chose. And Microsoft won this console round.

Kovitlac

@MattB: I wouldn't include the Wii in the console war, not because it's a bad console, but because it's aimed at a different market. It's only a war when there's direct competition for a very similar market - as with Sony and Microsoft.

KafkaTamura

Each company's definition of winning the war is having a higher number on a metric to which the competition also subscribes. Which means that each company touts different numbers that cater to their different strengths. MS brags about their attach rate, Sony with their winning Blu-ray format and higher numbers in Europe, and Nintendo with their most...money???

Nintendo is the 3rd largest Japanese company by market cap. They're not a finance company, they don't do heavy industries or provide an intergral product or service for peoples lives. They make video games, plain and simple. And they're #3. Damn.

I'm a MSFT fanboy if I had to choose, but Nintendo wins hands down.

0ldb0y

Microsoft's boasting aside, at this point all they can do is wait for Sony to catch up(Worldwide: soon, US: eventually) and Nintendo to leave them in the dust in console sales. Gaining ground in is likely to be difficult in Europe and impossible in Japan.
I would think their best hope lies in releasing a small, low cost console\set top box(<$149) in the next year, aimed at the casual market and featuring the Live Arcade/Marketplace.

aka Bitter

Well you would hope they would be in this position given their "first to market" 360. What IMO is not looking so good for them is how well the Wii has sold (and is selling) and the fact that the PS3 even with its rough start, aint all that far behind.

That all said, I could give a shit competition is what drives a good market and keep people on their toes.

-EDGE-

@Ryumeka: which the 360 has.. your point?

MisterFeeny

Uh oh, I smell damage control for tomorrows NPD numbers.

BTW damage control smells like Preparation H but tastes like Ginger.

Barbara

MS are just doing damage control. NPD Hardware numbers tomorrow will be VERY interesting.

HamThePharoah

@Sloopydrew: as in, everyone knows the type of kid you encounter on xbox live...a retarded 10 year old

avern

It is estimated that in June or July Wii will take the lead in the US market. As little as 500k separate the two.
[gamefunk.net]

It also does not lead worldwide. Wii has it by a grip of millions.

Worldwide Hardware Sales (End of March 2008)
Wii - 24.45 million
Xbox 360 - 19 million
PS3 - 12.81 million
[www.shacknews.com]

It probably has the online lead though. It's hard to find solid Nintendo numbers.

mizzle

I must be missing something here. I know the 360 is doing great in the US, but didn't the Wii already pass the 360 in worldwide install base sometime last year?

MattB

10 mil reached.. leveled up.. STR +7, LUCK +8, RROD -10

Playstation

This means Woawrrr!!

KafkaTamura

@Sloopydrew:

"To such a degree," not "such a drastic measure." Sorry about that.

@avern:

What the hell does that even mean?

Sloopydrew

Rrrrrriight. Sometimes, these comments by Company Execs, are damned ridiculous. But lets play along with Crack Addict Mattick's marvelous ideas and forget about:

the Wii's 5 million console lead,
the 360 had a year advantage,
sales of the 360 have declined year over year, despite the launch of the 360's premiere title Halo 3,
historic console sales mean nothing in a growing video game market
its 3 years into the gen
the ps3 is outselling the 360 in worldwide sales monthly.

risingphoenix

Do MS realise that the US isnt the world, and that winning the US market wont win them the console war. Wii will win the console war, 360vsPS3 is still up in the air, i think we will know by Jan next year.

LSDARBY

@AndrewMP:

"Good thing that Microsoft has the industry's highest attachment rate in history, to boot!"

I wonder how much that has to do with Xbox Live. I've bought a couple of games I wouldn't have considered just because a friend bought it and wanted me to play online. I've also kept games I would have sold due to the online play, which means one more person will have to buy a new copy rather than used. MS won't sell the most consoles this generation, but it may take in the most money. I think MS and Sony have both written the Wii off as competition as it's separated itself from traditional gaming in such a drastic measure (sort of like how MS and Sony don't go up against game sales on cellphones or "all in one" type game systems).

Sloopydrew

as long as the xbox player stereotype stays at retarded 10 year old kid, i'm okay with it

avern

the only way to win is to buy Sony and Nintendo.. then possibly Vii too.

Playstation

NOTICE: 10 million in the U.S. not world wide.

pridex

MS Rep: "Your house caught on fire due to our overheated 360?"

Victim: "Yeap."

MS Rep: "That is lies and slander!"

Fireman: "We investigated, sir, it was the 360 that caused it."

MS Rep: "Not my problem."

A_Zombie

@NeoAkira: I don't know, Nintendo has been making a profit off of every Wii console it has sold. Whereas Microsoft used to (where as Sony still does, I believe?) take a loss on each console sold. How that will flesh out in the end with software and accessory revenues, who knows.

AndrewMP

Ah, the "We've been out longer, neener-neener!" approach.

Fallible

yay! more mud to fling at each other

^throws mud at person above me

Dakobah

@NeoAkira:

brining = bringing

NeoAkira

@Ryumeka: Good thing that Microsoft has the industry's highest attachment rate in history, to boot!

AndrewMP

I really hope a rival exec does just say "Not my problem".

@JustJake: I think it's just in terms of home consoles sold in the US. The DS is way past the 10 million mark and the Wii is probably just a stone's throw away from it.

electroshockwave

Really? Considering the Wii consistently sells at least 2X as much more than the 360 everywhere (and in Japan 10X as much) I doubt reaching 10 Million first will do anything more than prove that their year head start has barely allowed them to reach 10 Million faster than the Wii.

But how exactly do you "Win" the console war. If it means selling the most systems then Nintendo is clearly going to beat MS at that. But if it is brining in the most profits, then MS probably has a good shot at that.

NeoAkira

Not really a shock IMO. Let's face it, the 360's two biggest titles, Halo 3 and GOW, are both North American hits, and to much lesser degrees elsewhere.

My guess is the 360 will win the American war, but will lose handily elsewhere.

And honestly, they should be damn well happy with that. Quite an accomplishment in just 2 generations for a software company.

Sonic_and_Tails

They need more decent exclusives for me to want to buy a 360. All I see worth getting is NG2 and GoW2 (which will probably have a PC port anyway).

Now, Perfect Dark/Goldeneye remake would be enough to convince me to buy one!

wicko

@Ryumeka: You're aware that Xbox 360 has the highest console : games attach rate, yes?

This is good news, except I think history won't repeat itself here. I love the 360, but the Wii will obviously lead this generation once Nintendo can make/decides to release enough of them for people to buy.

karasu is my homeboy

@Laxcat: LOL

Michael McWhertor

/play achievement sound

gibfather

@kerplunk17: I did and have edited! Thanks for the heads up, tho! :)

Michael McWhertor

Microsoft For the With.

Laxcat

Psst. MS, please make color-coordinated accessories. e.g. black, pink, blue, and new colors like red, green and purple.
White is just so...Wii...

SigmundTheSeaMonster

It doesn't matter how any consoles are sold compared to how much software is sold (and perhaps the average ratings?)

The best selling console is nothing without the best selling games.

Ryumeka

I think you mean "win" the console war?

kerplunk17

Nintendo hasn't sold 10 million Wii's or DS's yet?

JustJake

"Not my problem" FTW!

Shiryu

@Donutta: Are you serious? You must link if you are. I can't believe they said that.

mizzle

@Fallible:My comment blows your mind because you didn't get my point, which was to say that anyone that claims one consoles line up is better than the other as a fact is a retard. I thought I wrote it plain enough, apparently not

I_Hate_This_Place

@mizzle: I should say, DS numbers would count if we had them. Nintendo WFC is probably a lot closer than most people think. Before anyone shouts something about paid services meaning more, Microsoft has never differentiated between paid or free members.

mizzle

'GameDaily contacted Microsoft to remind them that the Wii is currently sitting at 25 million worldwide, to which they said, "we apologize for any confusion. Xbox 360 has the largest global install base of any current gen, high definition gaming console" (emphasis added).'

LOLOLOLOLOL!! That. Is. Awesome. It's like -- Yeah, we're number one, if you don't count those guys. They're not current gen. They're like... old gen with waggle tech (which we're ripping off).

Oh Microsoft, please, please stop talking.

Donutta

@exkon: I just hope this cake doesn't turn out to be a lie too...

(yeah... i know... old one...)

dynosaulo

Congrats to the guys in Redmond.Some good numbers there...
But console wars are decided when the next versions are launched.There's a long way to go.

enewtabie

@VishusBurn: Now I counted up the 360 number and came up with 40 1m+ selling titles, which would make it 20:7.[vgchartz.com]

@Michael McWhertor:
Are they using US only numbers, really old numbers, or is VGchartz just really that inaccurate.

VishusBurn

@Yetanotheruninspiredscreename: That's a lot of Wii online.

Also, since we are comparing service for service, XBL v WFC, DS numbers do count. Xbox Live numbers have always been from the start which include Xbox users. The last actual number I saw was 4 million from Nintendo. That was about a year, I think, after MKDS.

The problem Ive always had with Wii attach rate is that Nintendo releases SHIPPED numbers which infuriate me. NPD is great but it is always incomplete.

mizzle

Nobody is gonna 'win' the console war! its not like the hd war, there isnt going to be a winner, there is always gonna be competition

Flurp

havent we been talking about 360 passing the 10 millino mark for at least a year now? oh yeah, they shipped 10 million, and a year later they finally sold all those systems. really not that impressive seeing as the wii looks to pass 360's LTD in the US at some point this year.

sitsalot

"Every day, in every way, I still have a snowball's chance in Hell to win the console race."
To be repeated ten times mornings and nights in front of a mirror.

You know, it's alright if you don't win, all we want are nice games... As long as you perform decently enough to give the other two a run for their money (which you're certainly doing), we'll still talk to you.

Antiterra

@I_Hate_This_Place: Games that will sell well aren't a plus? Interesting, I thought the community agreed that despite GoW2 being generically same-y it was still a good thing for the 360. Your comment has completely blown my mind.

Fallible

@karasu is my homeboy: Oh yes, I'm aware. I just chose the 360 as an example as it was the subject of this story.

Ryumeka

Software ultimately does determine if a console "wins" a generation war. Even then, the meaning of the phrase is subjective.

We'll see if MS "wins" next generation against direct competition from EA's console.

Furysetzer

"giving Xbox 360 two times more platinum-selling titles than the Wii and a 16:2 lead over the PlayStation 3 in game titles topping one million in sales."

I'm confused. I count 14 1M+ selling titles for the PS3, which would really make the ratio 8:7. [vgchartz.com]

Am i doing it wrong?

VishusBurn

Lol. The usual haters have showed up to spew their anti-MS venom. I LOL hard at the people who say bullshit like "the PS3 has a better lineup this year than the 360". Considering a comment like that boils down to personal preference, anyone stating that as a plus for the PS3 is a retard.

I_Hate_This_Place

@AndrewMP: "Good thing that Microsoft has the industry's highest attachment rate in history, to boot!"

I doubt it beat the NES when that was like the only thing to buy. I'm sure MS says they have the best attach rate ever because they want to be number one in something but this is a company that seems to think they're beating Nintendo.

Also attach rate doesn't mean anything. No company will develop for you if you only see 500,000 consoles even if each user buys on average 25 games. The numbers still won't add up to anything decent because they aren't going to buy more than one copy of any game.

Attach rate only benefits the console maker since they have licence fees, not the publisher / developer.

toadwarrior

@Kovitlac: Time will tell I guess. NPD numbers are coming soon, although May's numbers will be more informative since GTA released pretty late in April.

I understand the release was US centric. That is why I mentioned each systems first year sales. PS3's are higher. However, the article does bring worldwide numbers into focus as well. Goes so far as to claim 360 is leading with 19 million - which is hilarious. 360 lost that a while ago.

mizzle

@mizzle:

A wiiware dev in an interview stated that 60% of wiis were online.

As for attach rates the wii software has for the best few months been outselling the software of the xbox 360 and PS3. Top ten doesn't matter it's the whole amount of sales. You could have a hundred titles selling 100,000 or less a month and it wouldn't be in the top ten yet it would be outselling the top ten as a whole. That is the wii and DS software strength. People don't just mass buy a few wii and ds titles they buy a lot of others. While if you look at a ps3 or xbox 360 top ten game that particular game is 90% of the console's monthly game sales.

Attach rate counting wii sports sales in Japan, plus wii play since it is a game the attach rate of the wii is higher then the PS3 and steadily growing to match the xbox 360s when due to high wii sales the wii attach numbers would be shrinking if software sales stayed the same the prior year. Wii software sales are just increasing as more of the wii userbase goes out looking for games.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

It's like a fat kid being given a 100m headstart in the 800m, only beating second place by a second, and then claiming he's the fasted kid in school. This kind of self-indulgent bombastic backslapping makes me want to vomit.

Donutta

@LedRush:

I guess they are saying that the Wii isn't a "current generation console".

LedRush

@Ryumeka:

Tell that to Sega.

Why is it Microsoft wants so hard to believe that they're outselling the Wii and some how they're number one?

Oh that's right, Nintendo is in another market. They don't make video games so Microsoft is number one!

toadwarrior

There is one thing im tryin to figure out. I know a few people who bought a premium 360 and then traded it in to buy a new elite when it came out. Since a lot of shops seemed to be doin deals for trade in your old console and get an elite for a lot less I wonder how many people did this and how many sales that counts as

batstimpy

@kylo4:

The Wii has a good chance of reaching PS2 heights, if Nintendo stands by it. I believe it's outpacing it in sales so far. It has some ways to go though and who knows if they can keep the "hype" up. First party games can only take a console so far. The PS2 had a huge advantage as far as third party software, and that helped to increase its quality library.

LittleBigPlaneteer

@VishusBurn: All the numbers are US only, including games. VG Chartz million-selling game numbers are I believe based on reliable sources unlike their weekly sales etc, so should be pretty good.

@Yetanotheruninspiredscreename: Agreed with what you said, but attach rates aren't even all that relevant to the three system owners. The most relevant number is the total software sales (regardless of hardware sales). If you sell ten million consoles and twenty million games, you make more money on software licenses than if you sell five million consoles and fifteen million games - even with a significantly worse attach rate.

360 sales are pretty good, anyway - but not near good enough in the US to make up for elsewhere. So there's still a 'war' for second place in the US, but not in Europe or Japan where Sony have it on lock. (I wonder what the position would be like if 360 hadn't had reliability issues, though? It kind of seems like Microsoft threw away their chances with that - but then, if they'd taken the time to stabilise the design and so on, maybe they wouldn't have been able to release a year early.)

quen

@Fallible:Wow. You are ridiculous, and thickheaded too! No, we are not "all mature enough to admit PS3 has a better lineup", becaus eit has nothing to do with maturity, it has to do with what you like as an individual. I don't see the Ps3's lineup as better than the 360, and it has nothing to do with my maturity. I just happen to like the games that are coming out on the 360 more than the ones coming out for the PS3. How you are taking yourself seriously while you try to argue over something like an OPINION amazes me. There are plenty of people WHO DO NOT agree that the Ps3 has the better lineup, and that does not make them immature. If anything, someone trying to claim one is better than the other besides as a point of personal preference is the immature one. My point was that you, nor anyone else, can claim as a fact, that one lineup is better than the other. The only fact in that statement is that it is an OPINION.

I_Hate_This_Place

@Fallible: Way to turn my comment in to something else. Because I say something that is negative about the PS3, I'm automatically guilty of saying it has no games?

Come on, if you really play online on the PS3 then you can't deny that a much higher percentage of lobbies are silent. Completely quiet.

Why is that such a bad thing to say? Especially in response to the statement I was addressing.

Killtacular

@NeoAkira:

If you're going by profits, MS actually has the worst shot at it. Analysts estimate that the 360 is now the biggest loss per console sold, and MS' $1bn write-off on their patchwork replacement/warranty plan may have been excluded in last year's report, but it won't be forever. Even with that write-off last fiscal year, MS needed a super powerhouse killer app (Halo 3) plus some big hits (CoD4) to just barely pull a profit. I don't think even GTA IV will be enough to balance the scales this time around though.

The Wii is of course profitable all around. Even if its attach rate was poor (which it isn't recently), every single thing Nintendo sells makes them money.

The PS3 surprisingly is estimated to break even with the 40GB model, with a slight loss on the 80GB model. Their only real big source of loss are possible development flops like Heavenly Sword of last year costing millions upon millions to make but barely breaking the 1M sold barrier, however recent titles suggest that phase is over now that Sony actually has a decent install base.

Nintendo's going to make the most money. MS and Sony are too busy throwing around the e-peen to do it. It happened last generation as well. PS2 may have been the undisputed "winner" but Nintendo actually beat out Sony's gaming division for overall profit, even though the Gamecube was supposedly the "loser."

I keep thinking that the majority of people will eventually figure out that they bought a $250 copy of WiiSports and Nintendo's momentum might actually slow down, but apparently not.

cowondinosaur

This is still pretty bad compared to last gen. PS2 at one time cost $350, and look at how many it sold. Even if Xbox were to get a less than half that the sales would be better. All consoles combined this gen haven't even beaten the PS2.

kylo4

@Donutta: That is the funniest thing I've read all day. Wii is whooping butt, so of course it doesnt count. Not when the spin cycle is set to stun.

mizzle

@I_Hate_This_Place: Nope, you didn't. To be frank, it still doesn't make much sense. Considering that I think we're all mature enough to admit that the PS3 certainly has a better line-up this year than the 360 does - which dominated in terms of line-ups are concerned last year - it deserves to be called a plus.

I don't think that makes me, or anyone, 'retarded' for seeing that and to be honest calling anyone that is doing nothing but making you look like a troll.

Fallible

@Barbara:
Remind me never to kiss you.

Oh, corporate spin, the business equivalent of touched up screen shots, nobody should take them seriously including the companies themselves.

Weirdwolf

@VakeroRokero: So you must definitely be rooting for the PS3 then right? :D

LittleBigPlaneteer

@KingBroly: Didn't Cube have around a 9 game attach rate? 360 cant be that high, can it?

mizzle

@HamThePharoah: Hardware numbers don't matter. The money are made by software sales - each month whichever platform has most money made by selling games in the NPD software chart has won that month...

mx5

@mizzle: About halfway down.

Donutta

I'm glad for Microsoft, I always root for the underdog...

VakeroRokero

Probably counting the RROD's

Idree

Having a high attach rate does not mean you're automatically #1. Look at the Gamecube.

@Donutta: Oh, Microsoft. Giving stand-up comics jokes since 1995!

KingBroly

"Games not only sell better on the Xbox 360, they play better, too."

MS needs to print t-shirts with this line with an added embossed 360 logo offcourse. They get my € 20,-

But seriously: games Do play better on 360.

Doesn't it want to make you wanna buy another 360 just to show your appreciation?

cartoonsmart

@KafkaTamura: I can't believe people are still trotting out the "Wii is in a different market" rubbish.

If the Wii didn't exist then would some current Wii owners have bought an Xbox or PS3 instead?

The answer to that question is an obvious "yes" (I'm one of them).
Therefore the Wii is competition for the other consoles.

The Wii targets a wider audience (though MS is increasingly trying to compete in the casual market, not so much Sony) but the Wii still competes for core gamers.

paulmcg

I don't get you people trying to talk figures that are hardly reliable - since the real deal is sold by Nielsen for many thousands of dollars and none of you have seen any of these figures nor have any of you access to the management accounting strategies of any of the Three big players here.

I say let the games speak for the console. I have said it many times before, and I'll say it again: Left 4 Dead, Dead Island, Fable 2, Gears of War 2, Episodic content for GTA IV, Alan Wake, Too Human, Halo Wars another Mass Effect, Banjo and Kazooie, Ninja Gaiden 2 (all exclusives) and all the great stuff that's still to come. Playstation's line up doesn't even come close to this. Final Fantasy is years away and besides MGS 4 (has my deep respect) - a game that Playstation badly needs - there's nothing on the horizon. Only ignorant gamers would kling on to there second life home clone. And Resistance... please GoW is lightyears ahead of this. Face it all the titles that made Sony steal the light from Ninty back in the days with PSX and later with PS2 have gone multiplatform except for MGS and FF. Sony hasn't addapted. MS got the message right away. Games make a console not some fancy branding and a promise that you'll play great games in 2010. I wanna play games now thank you.

cartoonsmart

What the hell is he on about?! Let's quote and examine:

"Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system has sold over 10 million units in the U.S., making it the first current-generation gaming console to break the 10 million mark in the U.S."

According to my version of wikipedia, the Wii sold 10.61 million units by march 31st, which makes those guys the first.

"The U.S. install base contributes to global sales of over 19 million, more than any other current-generation console."

Again, Wii sales are 25 million worldwide. This article is a lie isn't it?

Lov3

@LittleBigPlaneteer: We still have yet to hear anything about Animal Crossing or Pikmin. A new Mario Party title is sure to come. A Warioware title will be made for the Balance Board (count on it). There has been talk of a new Zelda. All that could conceivably get them 2+ years of game coverage.

Then there are those Kid Icarus models. I know it's just concept art, but Nintendo has to be thinking about it. They dont put characters in a game like Brawl without reason. Fire Emblem taught us that. F Zero is another franchise floating around in the rumormill.

And third parties are slowly catching on. A lot is hit or miss, but I think Wii will be fine as far as games go.

mizzle

Well, it's clear the other two consoles will pass this mile stone eventually as they are all doing well on the world stage. I think everyone is happy :) Microsoft, with this, can say that the 360 is performing up to expectation which can give the investors a sigh of relief and that's not bad for the other platform holders... it's just good for Microsoft ;)

okenny :)

@batstimpy: You raise a good point. I did that myself (mostly because the white 360 looked like a plasticky wart in my all-black AV setup). The store clerk told me that Elites were selling well, but mostly as replacement for Premium and Core trade-ins. It was more of an upgrade option for existing owners.

Antiterra

@I_Hate_This_Place: ...Right. I'm not trying to prove anything, but if you believe that the 360's line-up this year is as strong, or stronger, as the PS3's then just say it; don't go calling people morons for wanting to chip in with their two cents. From what you've said - and caps locked - your opinion is just an opinion but my opinion is retarded. Way to be, guy.

@Killtacular: I can't comment for all of the PS3's games, but CoD4 is never silent. I find myself having to regularly mute people just to get on with the game. Resistance is much and such the same, the only game that's been quiet for me is GTAIV because that has the whole phone thing going for it.

Fallible

@LittleBigPlaneteer: Yes, I wouldn't rule out the Wii reaching PS2 level sales either, although I doubt it's selling games to the same people that bought all those PS2s last generation. Seems to me it's a significantly different market. One that I personally am not part of, but hey, more power to them.

360 fans can say we shouldn't count the Wii in the console war all they want, but at the end of the day it's profits and unit sales that matter and Nintendo must surely be hiring new staff to help count what they're raking in.

MattB

I like how MS and well, everybody, seem to be forgetting the head start that the 360 had on PS3. PS3 is selling faster. "We got there first!" but "We did it faster!" won't mean anything until the next revs of the respective consoles hit. PS2 has been doing it longer, better and faster than the lot of them. Lets talk about "winners" when the thing is actually over, yanno, like we did with the Format War c_c;

cable83

@Fallible: "Way to be, guy."
Hey, don't call him guy buddie.

VishusBurn

Still anyone's game as far as I'm concerned.

M

@cartoonsmart: When companies release their fiscal year reports, we have all the numbers we need. They are bound by law to be accurate. NPD and Media Create help fill in the gaps and get us as close as we need to weigh in on the situation. Nielsen does something different entirely.

mizzle

Oh I forget to put down that the earning report which stated over ten million wiis have been sold in the US as of March 2008 was put out on the offical Japanese Nintendo site and therby the world of business on April 24. 21 days before this Moron from Microsoft opened his mouth. He needs to get called on this because it sounds like Microsoft is already admitting defeat but doesn't realize it.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

@cartoonsmart: You're talking subjective taste, not hard facts. I own all current gen consoles and happily buy games for all of them where they appeal. I have nothing against the 360 at all, and I like much about the platform. Having said that I've bought little for the 360 in recent months and am not especially interested in most of those games you mention. There are definitely more games coming on the PS3 I am personally interested in. Everyone will decide based on their own tastes and we'll see at the end of the day which platform had the best games library.

Oh, and I wouldn't play the "all the good PS3 games are years away" card. Exactly how many slips have the likes of Alan Wake and Too Human had now? I've lost count. Alan Wake was originally on 2006 release lists.

MattB

@Lov3:

According to this financial report from Nintendo at [www.nintendo.co.jp]
The wii is over ten million units sold in the US as of March 2008.

Nintendo is also estimating an additional 25 million wiis will be sold for the next fiscal year ending in April 2009.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

I love how MS still touts the Metacritic scores, even though PS3 games as a whole haved score higher than 360 games as a whole.

liquidcross

I am perfectly content with only playing gamers in the US. Nothing against all the Euro guys and all that, but I prefer good connections when playing.

I Spit On Your Comments

Does anyone else think that if you replace the blue background on the picture with an orange one, then it looks like the cover for 40 Year Old Virgin?

Sqrfrk

@VishusBurn:

Ah the Nintendo financial reports mention sold units not shipped. They state how many discs and hardware they are planning to ship but when games are listed and overall units of software as well as hardware it's always sold to consumers. Nintendo doesn't use the old Sony tatic of shipped meaning sold.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

@LittleBigPlaneteer:

I forgot to write the fact that at the time it was cheaper to buy a PS2 than a DVD player, and so that's why it sold like it did. It was also the first system out so it had a lead, and at the time the graphics and technology were a huge improvement from what had been seen. I think it just had to do with the factors involved.

The Wii I believe may stall at around 55 million, but that in itself is no small feat. I only wonder what Nintendo will do next. Will they go with motion controls again or go back to basics and take a hit?

kylo4

@mizzle: How about Kirby, Mr Game & Watch, Dr. Mario, Ice Climbers, or Ness? They were all in Melee and pretty much nothing came of that.

zPhreak

@Yetanotheruninspiredscreename:
?? I didn't say anything about Nintendo.
I was talking about how the above release claimed the ratio of platinum selling software titles for the 360 and PS3 to be
16:2, yet when adding up million plus selling titles from VGchartz you come up with 40 for 360 and 14 for the PS3 with is actually a 20:7 ratio. Equating the to ratios gives you 40:5(MS's #s) vs 40:14(VGcharz) which is quite a discrepancy.

Not trying to start a dick waving contest or anything. Just trying to figure it out which numbers are correct.

VishusBurn

@Dakobah: That's a valid point. The AAA lineup of the systems (PS3 & 360) may bring in different audiences like you said.

I own both systems and definitely love my 360, but find that it's hardly on now that the PS3 has started hitting its stride.

This will change when Too Human and Gears 2 come out.

sascha23

i'm not convinced that they will win against the monster Wii. They absolutely have to price beat Wii with the premium console to at least stand a chance. As we speak, even in America, 360 is losing ground to the PS3.

mcool93

I just bought my first 360 last week so, doin' my part.

tollwaytroll

19 million sold units in their case is not a 19 million install base, considering the number of their dead boxes ;]

coladict

History has shown us that Microsoft counts all their chickens and then when they don't hatch they say that they were really very successful but that they really weren't all that interested in it in the first place. HD-DVD, UltimateTV, PlayForSure...

Shut up Microsoft.

warlock7