Wii tops Japanese console sales; PS3 out-sells Xbox 360

Console wars rage on as PS3 claims its place in Japan

December 13, 2006

The verdict is in on the first wave of next-gen console sales in the Japanese market. The Wii has come out on top with about 400,000 consoles sold in the region, vastly overpowering the two competing systems: the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

The PS3 took the number two spot, having sold over 187,000 consoles as of last week. That number is a significant step over Microsoft, whose Xbox 360 has sold only 178,000 units in Japan over the past year.

The power of Sony in the Japanese market isn't particularly suprising, since Sony already has strong business connections in its home nation of Japan, and since the system was designed with the Japanese market as a major consideration.

Despite the fact that Microsoft signed on more Japanese developers for the Xbox 360 (after proving itself with the original Xbox), the system still has a fairly low adoption.

The PS3's success may not be duplicated in the western world, however. The Xbox 360 is already very popular in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in much of Europe, and the PS3's Blu-ray technology and high price point have both made the console a bit less attractive to gamers.

Meanwhile, Nintendo is sweeping the floor with the PS3 worldwide, as it was able to fulfill a much larger shipment. The PS3 continues to be a rare find. Various retailers in Ontario, Canada said they were not expecting PS3 systems until late February or March.