PS3 outsells Xbox 360 in the US

By Robert Purchese Published 13 June, 2008

But Nintendo still top of the pile.

PlayStation 3 has surged ahead of Xbox 360 in the US this month, with over 20,000 more units sold.

According to NPD data for May, Sony shifted 208,700 consoles while Microsoft sold 186,000.

Despite the rush to pick up Grand Theft Auto IV, which finished top of the charts, Nintendo managed to thump its hardware competitors.

The Wii racked up an enormous 675,000 sales. The DS was in second, selling 452,600 units.

Nintendo was helped largely by games featuring a peripheral of some sort: Mario Kart with the Wii wheel, Wii Fit with the Balance Board and Wii Play with the Wiimote took two, three, and five, respectively.

Further down were the still-to-be-released-in-Europe Super Smash Bros. Brawl at seven and Guitar Hero III on Wii at eight.

The only games not for Nintendo platforms in the top 10 were Grand Theft Auto IV at one (Xbox 360) and four (PS3), and PS2 movie tie-in Iron Man on at seven.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness and Explorers of Time for DS rounded that chart off at nine and 10, respectively.

Although not present in the top 10, Guitar Hero III continues to outsell Rock Band in the US - with 2.5 million lifetime sales to 1.3 million, respectively.

Total sales for the month, compared to last year, were up 37 per cent, hitting a whopping USD 1.12 billion.

Here's those hardware sales figures in full:

  1. Wii - 675,100
  2. Nintendo DS - 452,600
  3. PlayStation 3 - 208,700
  4. Xbox 360 - 186,600
  5. PSP - 182,300
  6. PS2 - 132,000
Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (87) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • moggsy #1 4 years ago

    MGS4 has done the trick then. Will Sony be able to maintain the sales lead though?

  • KayJay #2 4 years ago

    Thats a really impressive haul by Nintendo's Wii and DS, they have kicked everything else's ar$e...

  • Widge #3 4 years ago

    OH MY GOD! LETS START A CONSOLE WAR BATTLE THREAD NOW!

  • Rirekon #4 4 years ago

    So, to put this in perspective, the Wii has out-sold the 360 and PS3 combined by nearly 2-1, even the DS has out-sold them by a clear margin...
    Yeah good job Sony and MS, you win the console war.

  • Dizzy #5 4 years ago

    VERY weak numbers for 360 and PS3. Looks like the "HD" consoles have a very hard time to really take off. GTA didn't really have a big effect on console sales apparently.

  • alimokrane #6 4 years ago

    It's time for a price cut for Both PS3 and Xbox 360 clearly. GTA hasnt done th trick and I am sure MGS4 wont either.

  • Xerx3s #7 4 years ago

    THIS IS WHY WE NEED SWAM!

  • menage #8 4 years ago

    I wonder who the hell buys all these Wii's

  • seasidebaz #9 4 years ago

    "MGS4 has done the trick then"

    It wasn't out for the period that these numbers were produced...

  • CannonAnBall #10 4 years ago

    Give the 360 another price cut? I thought you could pick one up for Ł150?

    Soon it'll be 'get a free Xbox360 with this game'!! ;-)

  • DFawkes #11 4 years ago

    Nice to see people gaming, regardless of their chosen machine.

  • sargemat #12 4 years ago

    Its funny to watch all the fanboys every time these numbers come out. PS3 is going to out sell the 360 next month as well because of MGS4. 360 also has a good winter come up with a lot of good titles, so i would expect to see it do better than the PS3 then.

    I have to say I was expecting to see the 360 and PS3 doing 500,000+ each after GTAIV.

  • mazzl #13 4 years ago

    yes dizzy :S ....

  • Dizzy #14 4 years ago

    Hehe.. browser went haywire ;)

    >Give the 360 another price cut?

    BTW 360 has not had price cut in the US (NPD).

  • jebus #15 4 years ago

    LOL - this is funniest thing I have read this week.

  • Skywise #16 4 years ago

    @Bloodkult: on the contrary, Wii is doing great XD

  • monkie_king #17 4 years ago

    Yeah, where's swam when you need him.

    THIS SHOULD BE HIS MOMENT OF GLORY!

  • peteb #18 4 years ago

    "MGS4 has done the trick then"

    It wasn't out for the period that these numbers were produced...

    People may have been aware it was coming out and maybe bought one in advance.

  • jebus #19 4 years ago

    This is the funniest thing I have seen this week. The wii has nearly sold as many units as all the others combined (excluding the DS obviously).

    LOL

  • Widge #20 4 years ago

    Someone please hide this from Swam, I love my little shiny black box, but he makes me cry blood when he starts up.

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #21 4 years ago

    I just don't understand it. The shit games to good games ratio of the DS and the Wii is absolutely apalling.

    I'm starting to believe that this "casual gaming" will be the death of hardcore games =o( Why would publishers invest money in hardcore games when a million mindless drones will stumble into their nearest Game (no doubt drooling and screaming "BRAAINNNS!!";) and buy their over-priced, under-produced SHIT!

    /rant over.

  • Vordred #22 4 years ago

    though im guessing alot of those ps3 were for MGS4 as this month GTA4 sold 871,300 copies on the 360 and only 442,900 on the PS3

  • Kryon #23 4 years ago

    But, but... The Wii isn't a mass market product, only the PS3 is a mass market product according to Rash'...

  • CannonAnBall #24 4 years ago

    Just out of interest...

    ....is the Wii that much better? Why is it selling that much more than anything else?


  • CannonAnBall #25 4 years ago

    just so you know...

    ...I bought a DS for my girlfriend.

    ...I bought a Wii for my mum.

  • muscleblade #26 4 years ago

    "PS3 outsells Xbox 360 in the US"

    Why???

  • jebus #27 4 years ago

    This is the funniest thing I have seen this week. The wii has nearly sold as many units as all the others combined (excluding the DS obviously).

    LOL

  • escapedape #28 4 years ago

    I think swam spontaneously combusted over on a 360-related thread yesterday.

    Bit of a shame because his head-in-sand rants were awesome.

    Wasn't my fault. Ahem.

  • penhalion #29 4 years ago

    To be expected really. The 360 may be at the near impulse but price here in europe but, it's still about 50 dollars too much stateside. I also think Microsoft need to consolidate it's range to just 1 machine now. Prices are such that simply having the elite for a single (lower) price will make all the difference. Maybe they will do this when the roumoured cooler and quieter model appears.

  • Beano #30 4 years ago

    "People may have been aware it was coming out and maybe bought one in advance. "

    Some have of course - but I doubt the majority has and have instead bought the machine with the game... next month's numbers will show either way ;)

  • alimokrane #31 4 years ago

    @CannonAnBall

    I meant a price cut for the US!

  • penguin_overlord #32 4 years ago

    I think it's further proof again that a lot of people just aren't bothered about the jump to HD and that Microsoft's exclusivity on GTA4 DLC was not money well spent. It's hard to see how the 360 can regain ground this year as so many of the big hitters are for the PS3. They could cut the cost again but that is clearly not the issue as there's already a big price difference between both consoles and the PS3 is still doing better.

  • Eighthours #33 4 years ago

    "Surged". Really?

    (The answer is no.)

  • mossychops001 #34 4 years ago

    I wonder how much the HD WII will cost?

    Because Nindendo will have to build it sooner than they think.

  • PlugMonkey #35 4 years ago

    I just don't understand it. The shit games to good games ratio of the DS and the Wii is absolutely apalling.

    The shit games to good games ratio of every system is absolutely appalling. Especially true of the PC in fact - the home of hardcore gaming. The only determining factor of this is hardware units sold. The PC is the single most common system and so gets the most shovelware. Then the Wii and the DS. If you were making a low budget game which was going to sell small numbers purely on customer stupidity, why would you release it on a niche system? YOU WOULDN'T!

    You have to look at the good games, not the bad ones, and the Wii and DS both have plenty.

    Honestly, I can't believe the number of people now coming out with this "Waah! Waah! 'Casual' games are destroying everything! The sky is falling in!" bullshit. If some games start going back to a good-old-days 8-bit level of complexity, and thereby attract more people into joining in my hobby, then that can only be a good thing for everyone.

  • mossychops001 #36 4 years ago

    I wonder how much the HD WII will cost?

    Because Nindendo will have to build it sooner than they think.

  • menage #37 4 years ago

    @redneon

    Just because Hollywood blockbusters always top the freaking charts, doesn't mean that good movies aren't going to be made anymore. And otherwise we can always become retrogamers:p

  • miiiguel #38 4 years ago

    "Give the 360 another price cut?"
    360 didn't have a price cut in US. It's still the release day price.

    MGS done the (litle) trick. Not impressive. Not an Halo, that's for sure.

    Edited by 1 at 13/06/08 @ 10:43

  • chris_ace #39 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • miiiguel #40 4 years ago

    ^^ that's an impressive litle box, yes it is...

  • escapedape #41 4 years ago

    @ mossychops

    I don't think so. The ongoing success of the Wii shows that the majority of consumers really aren't bothered about HD.

    Reminds me of the success of the original Game Boy vs Lynx vs Game Gear etc. Showing my age but I remember everyone thinking Nintendo were crazy to stick with a monochrome machine. And that hardly ended in failure did it?

  • PlugMonkey #42 4 years ago

    escapedape - I agree. I think the HD focus is a cycle too early. Most people I know don't have it and don't much care.

  • miiiguel #43 4 years ago

    There are clearly 2 markets, one for a younger audience, the console to have in the kids bedroom (that's the Wii), and then the living room console, for the + 25 "kids" (that's the 360). Imo (er... I can be wrong, as usual).

    Then you have the contemplative market (the "oh look it's a Sony!), but let disregard that, this is a video-games site.

    edit: shitty english, and ;)
    Edited by 4 at 13/06/08 @ 10:54

  • BadBoyBonner #44 4 years ago

    I wonder how much the HD WII will cost?

    Because Nindendo will have to build it sooner than they think.

    I thought that too until I played Mario Kart on Monday for the first time (hides head in shame for not playing earlier).

    The graphics on it are so far ahead of anything else on the system (when it is being run at 50" progressive) that it defies belief.

    Only other game to come close was Sonic - both using some trickery to give an anti-aliased image or the "illusion" of one ( not sure if they are using the de-flicker call or theGX ProgSoft call - combined with depth blur-fade and near bloom-blur) but the results speak for themselves - more so when they are running so smoothly.

    Hope Nintendo share the graphical "wealth" with other developers on their system.

  • miiiguel #45 4 years ago

    At this rate PS3 only needs 300 months to beat 360.

    25 years is a bit too much, even for PS3.

  • systems #46 4 years ago

    In terms of business, "HD" doesn't seem to be doing very well. Most people are happy with DVD rather than BD and the "general public" are falling over themselves to get a Wii and DS as they're not seen as "geeky" but cool and stylish instead (rather like how everyone wants iPods but not other players).

    I know a lot of people who wouldn't be seen dead with a PS3 or 360. They've all either got a Wii or want a Wii. There are massive sales to be had from the non-gaming public and the profits are high from the low development costs of SDTV gaming.

    The only other people I know with BD or HD-DVD players are people I've met on forums. None of my "real life" friends have bothered, gamers or otherwise (all happy with upscaling DVDs). HD is nothing this generation.

  • penguin_overlord #47 4 years ago

    I think we can expect a much bigger sales difference in June and early July for the PS3 over the 360 with the impact of MGS4. It's true that it's no Halo but without any significant 360 releases during this period, all attention will be on the PS3. It's no longer possible for people to say there are no decent games on the PS3. It's now a very attractive purchase for many people. Expect the PS3 outselling the 360 to be the norm, as it has been for most of this year.

  • Ryltar #48 4 years ago

    " The only determining factor of this is hardware units sold."

    I disagree with this, it isn’t the *only* determining factor. Game attachment rates are equally important in my opinion, as this is what greatly influences games publishers decisions and what not.

    Last i checked the 360 attachment rate is 8.8 games per console or something, which is better than both the PS3 and Wii.

    Both measure success of a console.

  • Gaol #49 4 years ago

    MGS4 has little to do with these numbers; people buying hardware for that would have waited for the gun metal grey 40gb or 80gb dual shock pack launched alongside MGS4.

  • BadBoyBonner #50 4 years ago

    PlayStation 3 has limped slowly ahead of the equally slow selling Xbox 360 in the US this month, with only 20,000 more units sold.

    According to NPD Hardware data, Sony shifted 208,700, Microsoft sold 186,000 and Nintendo kicked the living shit out of them both with Wii racking up an enormous 675,000 sales, and the with DS selling 452,600 units, the figures are obviously showing that Nintendo shifted over 1.1 million units of hardware in May alone.

    There fixed!
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/08 @ 11:21

  • PlugMonkey #51 4 years ago

    "Both measure success of a console."

    But I'm not measuring the success of a console, just its attraction to people who make low budget, impulse purchase games. The 360 has a high attach rate, but a relatively small market of reasonably savvy buyers - hence a lower ratio of low budget, crap games.

    I suppose the other major factor is development cost. The PC and Wii are relatively cheap to develop on, which makes low budget/low quality products more viable, but it also attracts more avantguard developers like GSC Game World and Suda51, so it swings both ways.

  • Dizzy #52 4 years ago

    "The 360 has a high attach rate, but a relatively small market of reasonably savvy buyers "

    BTW both Wii and 360 now stand at 10.5M units in the US. It will be interesting to see how much bigger Nintendo can expand their market now.

  • monkie_king #53 4 years ago

    'Hope Nintendo share the graphical "wealth" with other developers on their system.'

    Sadly they don't have a history of doing so -- they were notoriously unhelpful when it came to distributing tools for the N64 RSP microcode for instance. Apparently the standard SGI microcode was horribly inefficient for games, but it was only really Rare and Factor5 who had the support from Nintendo to develop their own, which helps explain why their games stood out.

  • Razz #54 4 years ago

    I just don't understand it. The shit games to good games ratio of the DS and the Wii is absolutely apalling.

    I'm starting to believe that this "casual gaming" will be the death of hardcore games =o( Why would publishers invest money in hardcore games when a million mindless drones will stumble into their nearest Game (no doubt drooling and screaming "BRAAINNNS!!";) and buy their over-priced, under-produced SHIT!

    /rant over.


    I think you're forgetting the PS2 mate. It had a very similar shit/good games ratio.

  • PlugMonkey #55 4 years ago

    I love how you all put on your analyst caps when the numbers come out, like your opinions matter. Just play the games, forget the system warz, and remember your opinions mean shit.

    Especially yours. So we're not supposed to have any interest in the details of our hobby? Wow. You must be a really interesting person.

    Edit: Razz - And also a massive installed user base...
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/08 @ 11:57

  • Rash' #56 4 years ago

    Kyron don't be an immature twat.

  • Nikanoru #57 4 years ago

    I thought that too until I played Mario Kart on Monday for the first time (hides head in shame for not playing earlier).

    The graphics on it are so far ahead of anything else on the system (when it is being run at 50" progressive) that it defies belief.


    What? What Wii games have you been playing? No wonder people think it's two N64's stapled together if all they've played is effin Ninjabreadman.


    Who the hell keeps buying Wii's? The're shit LOL

    LOL LOL

    What are you even really saying? I can just picture you sitting there, waving that remote in the air a few times like a retard, then going "LOL it's shit LOL!". Like a fucking chav looking and pointing at any random object on the street that he for whatever non-reason decided to disapprove of, going "it's shit LOL!".

  • Kryon #58 4 years ago

    Rash', what's up? I'm only repeating what you yourself said a day or so ago. No need to get your panties in a panic!

  • penguin_overlord #59 4 years ago

    Microsoft have found themselves in a very difficult situation this generation. Although the original Xbox didn't even approach the success of the PS2, it was at least technically the best console. Games like Halo would have been impossible on other machines and multi-platform titles nearly always performed better on it. That was enough for it to carve itself out a niche with hardcore gamers and put themselves in second position.

    But this time they don't have that advantage. Despite how many multi-platform games perform better on the 360, that's just due to lazy programming on the PS3. The PS3 is technically the better machine. MGS4 would be impossible in its current form on the 360. It needs a hard dive and a Blu-Ray player. So what does the 360 have going for it going forward? Its increasingly looking stale and graphically games peaked with the release of Gears of War, whereas PS3 games are getting better and better.

  • Teamallstar #60 4 years ago

    Why does anyone care about the NPD numbers.

    Yes there are hundreds of thousands of uninformed 10 - 16 yr old PS2 users who have never played a 360 who will buy the PS3. (ie SWAM)

    Yes the Xbox sells to people with more money who will buy more games

    Yes there are millions of morons who will dump Ł200 on a Wii that they will play once and then leave to collect dust whilst they go back to watching big brother and whatever reality crap is on this month.

    I am happy to let my PS3 work as an expensive door stop. I do actually use it for that purpose now.

    From my perspective the 360 is better than the others. But then other people who don't care about online useability will probably think differently.

    I am shocked that Playstation can bring out such a useless second rate machine and still hundreds of thousands of people flock to buy it.

  • penhalion #61 4 years ago

    To be expected really. The 360 may be at the near impulse but price here in europe but, it's still about 50 dollars too much stateside. I also think Microsoft need to consolidate it's range to just 1 machine now. Prices are such that simply having the elite for a single (lower) price will make all the difference. Maybe they will do this when the roumoured cooler and quieter model appears.

  • penguin_overlord #62 4 years ago

    @Teamallstar - "I am shocked that Playstation can bring out such a useless second rate machine and still hundreds of thousands of people flock to buy it."

    Er, isn't it the 360 that's second rate? I mean that's the one that's unreliable and doesn't even have a HD storage device.

  • penguin_overlord #63 4 years ago

    @farticusmaximus - "Dream on penguin, dream on. There's not a shred of evidence in any game that says the PS3 can even match the 360, let alone outperform it (HD and needlessly expensive and excessive optical media aside). "

    What about MGS4? What about Motorstorm? What about Burnout? What about GTA4? The list goes on. That's typical fanboy rubbish. I'm talking cold, hard facts and you're spouting stupid things just because you're precuous about your 360.

  • Rash' #64 4 years ago

    Kryon, please... spare me your fractious remarks. Not everyone sees things your way, mate. Just can't let it be can you. It's not me getting my "panties" in twist.

  • Rash' #65 4 years ago

    farticusmaximus, Burnout Paradise and CoD4 are calling for your attention.

  • makeamazing #66 4 years ago

    Teamallstar thats really some silly comments...

    So now your saying people with money only buy the Xbox, but the PS3 is the more expensive machine and is outselling the XBox?

    You say the PS3 is a second rate machine, well perhaps its not as good as the Xbox in certain technical aspects, but the machines perform pretty much similar that no one can tell the difference without using specific hardware and screen capturing programs to tell you that one has 1 frame a second performance gains.

    You say "But then other people who don't care about online useability will probably think differently"... perhaps the Xbox online aspect is "better" useability wise, but then I dont pay for it and playing online is pretty much easy anyway... Ive used the online side lots and its pretty simple to use.

    Anyway, it kinda tells me everything when you say you use (apparently) your PS3 for a door stop... shows how dumb you are! They always say some people have more money than sense.

    I dont care if you use a Xbox, PS3 or a Wii, childish, BUT silly comments like yours just make fanboys look totally stupid.

  • Yaster #67 4 years ago

    Congratulation to Sony on selling more PS3s than 360s :)

  • makeamazing #68 4 years ago

    trebell I think its pretty clear that both MS and Sony will do pricecuts at some time in the next 12-18 months. So even if MS do release a chapear machine I think Sony will be able to match it within a time period that doesnt do it a disadvantage.

    I read somewhere (perhaps it was here or IGN) that Sony is going to release a thinner/lighter PS3 at some point in the future and this will allow them to price cut the machine further. I wouldnt be surprised if that appears before the end of 2nd Q year and probably allow another Ł40-50 price cut at least.

  • Rash' #69 4 years ago

    farticusmaximus, This "better online intregration" you keep spouting will be redundent by the in-game XMB rumoured to be in the next fireware update.

    An additional note. You argument was there isn't a shred of evidence PS3 can equal 360 graphically let alone beat it. Well Burnout is graphically better on PS3 and CoD4 is equal so you my friend are simply wrong with that statement.
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/08 @ 14:19

  • Dizzy #70 4 years ago

    "farticusmaximus, This "better online intregration" you keep spouting will be redundent by the in-game XMB rumoured to be in the next fireware update. "

    Yea any day now it will be better!!! Just wait and see!!! The POTENTIAL!!!

    Dude.. you sound like a broken record sadly.

  • L42yB #71 4 years ago

    lol

    flame-baiting headline there eq...

    :)

  • dk_rare #72 4 years ago

    lol, Wii more than triples PS3 in America in the month before MGS4 launch, Wii more than doubles total PS3 sales in America all up. Not bad considering the PS3 was released before the Wii over there. Nintendo back as market leader, who woulda thunked it.

  • Kryon #73 4 years ago

    "Nintendo back as market leader, who woulda thunked it."

    Not Rash', that's for sure.

  • Rash' #74 4 years ago

    Dizzy, if you use that ignore button, you won't have to keep listening to the broken record. :o)

  • Rash' #75 4 years ago

    farticusmaximus, Burnout is graphically better on PS3 and it's fact. I have nothing more to say on that so remain in denial all you want. It doesn't bother me in the slightest.

  • Rash' #76 4 years ago

    Kryon, I pity your sad existence no more. The first time I use the ignore button. Bye! ;o)

  • Rash' #77 4 years ago

    That's amazing! You're removed completely from the thread! No more pointless reading.

  • Kryon #78 4 years ago

    Quadruple posts? Seems someone has upset himself ;_;

    Is NappyRash' filling in for swam today or what?

  • penguin_overlord #79 4 years ago

    I do wonder how Nintendo will manage to convince existing Wii owners to upgrade again in a few years when their next console is released. I think it's easy to imagine 360 and PS3 gamers upgrading to get a more powerful machine as that's a key driver for that audience. However, it's just as obvious that many Wii owners just don't care about how powerful their console is and just want to play games. Coupled with the fact that so many Wii owners are very casual gamers that only get their machine out a handful of times each month, it's not hard to imagine Nintendo may be burying themselves a big hole that just happens to be very profitable at the moment.

    Does the world need a HD Wii? Many people can't tell the difference between SD and HD (strange, I know, but true) so it will be hard in a few years to get them to caugh up another couple of hundred pounds. It's very different to the handheld market where Nintendo will succeed with a DS successor because people will want something slimmer and more refined.

  • bitesize #80 4 years ago


    ^ i'd imagine what they'll do is the same as sony have done this gen - keep the games coming out for the previous gen machine that's got the enormous casual userbase, and hope the more tech-savvy of them will upgrade to the new machine. they'd be daft to just drop the wii, after it's built up this huge lead...

  • VMerken #81 4 years ago

    Um, yay?

  • zedzee #82 4 years ago

    It's official then. Nintendo wins this round of the console wars...

  • DAL9000 #83 4 years ago

    I seriously question the accuracy of these numbers. Over a million people bought a Nintendo gaming platform in May? Really? One out of every three hundred Americans?

  • zedzee #84 4 years ago

    Nintendo won. Not because how wonderful the Revolution is (sorry, but I can't bring myself to call it by its commercial name) but simply because of Sony's arrogance and marketing blunders. Simple as that.

    When it's all said and done, whether the figures are right or not, you only need to look at the recent history of the PS3 in Europe, from the delayed launch until now, to conclude that. It's inescapable.

  • stallion185 #85 4 years ago

    "5) Buying a Nintendo product makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside."

    QFT :p

  • Foxclose #86 4 years ago

    Congrats to Sony!

  • Ryze #87 4 years ago

    @DAL9000

    Tonnes of those Wiis are being sold outside of the US.

    In Europe, the games take too long to release - Nintendo Europe are dicks, so the US console is the one to get.