Wii outsells PS3 by 3 to 1

By Ellie Gibson Published 3 September, 2007

In Japan. Gap is narrowing.

The Nintendo Wii is proving three times as popular as PS3 in Japan - but the latest Enterbrain figures show the gap could be starting to narrow.

Bloomberg reports that in the four weeks ending August 26 Nintendo sold 245,653 Wii units. That means they've shifted more than 3.4 million in the region so far.

The figure for PS3 stood at 81,541 units, pushing lifetime sales past the 1.1 million mark. Just 11,288 Xbox 360 consoles were sold, with lifetime sales now at 442,290.

Wii outsold PS3 by 3 to 1 during August, but the ratio was 4 to 1 the previous month and 6 to 1 in May and June.

Between July and August Wii sales fell by 38 per cent, while Xbox 360 was down 37 per cent. The number of PlayStation 3 units sold dropped by 11 per cent.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (87) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • Aretak #1 5 years ago

    Imagine how well they'll both sell when there's something worth playing on them...

  • el_pollo_diablo #2 5 years ago

    Too many stats for this early in the morning.

  • Santino #3 5 years ago

    i dont see how this is a gap narrowing, it just isnt increasing its lead by as much as it has been. there is talk of shipments being lower in japan to increase allocation to here and the US

  • Genji #4 5 years ago

    I DEMAND MORE STATS

  • Zomoniac #5 5 years ago

    Who's Will?

  • macksed #6 5 years ago

    "there is talk of shipments being lower in japan to increase allocation to here and the US"

    but it's easy to get a wii here - shops normally have them in stock these days.

  • Headache #7 5 years ago

    Surely the gap between the Wii and the PS3 will only narrow once (actually I should probably say IF) the PS3 starts to outsell the Wii. At the moment I'd say that the gap between them is still increasing, just at a slower pace.

  • sharpfish #8 5 years ago

    It's all about the games. Wii and PS3 don't have any worth buying the system for yet. Wii is an impulse purchase for all kinds of gamers even with it's lack of lots of good games.

    Xbox360 is still where it's at, can anyone not list all the good games available for 360 without getting RSI?

  • Tonka #9 5 years ago

    Go Will, go Will.
    It's your birthday
    It's your birthday.

  • macksed #10 5 years ago

    i cant wait to get me one of those tintendo Wills!

  • Killerbee #11 5 years ago

    What headache said.

    The subtitle plain wrong - the gap is still widening, just at a slower rate than it was before.

    /pedant.

    Anyway, seems like sales were a bit flatter across the board, so I wouldn't imagine this is anything for Nintendo to worry about. It's still pretty unprecedented for stock shortages to continue this long after a console's launch, so they must be pretty pleased. I'm sure there's be a bit of a spike towards Christmas too.

  • miiiguel #12 5 years ago

    Ppl talk about PS3 getting bad press, but I can only imagine if 360 had library and features (more lack of both) that Sony machine has. XBox would be dead. Sony is very, very lucky, and manage to survive on the "ooooh its a Sony"-thing.

  • Steroyd #13 5 years ago

    Headbog... you don't believe VGchartz do you?

    It's all about the games. Wii and PS3 don't have any worth buying the system for yet. Wii is an impulse purchase for all kinds of gamers even with it's lack of lots of good games.

    Xbox360 is still where it's at, can anyone not list all the good games available for 360 without getting RSI?

    Nice advertisement but in Japan?

  • ChrisOTR #14 5 years ago

    I want a Will.
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 10:20

  • abelardie #15 5 years ago

    The gap in numbers is still increasing, but the rate of growth of the gap in numbers is not.

    Someone at EG has forgotten their calculus [/nerd]

    And "Will"!!? Come on guys....

  • Kazzahdrane #16 5 years ago

    Even if it's the case that the gap between PS3 and Wii in weekly/monthly sales is closing, I'd expect this to all change once Mario Galaxy comes out. Not to be a PS3-hater, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a game releasing between now and Xmas that 90+% of the platforms owners will buy.

    Galaxy is pretty much a guaranteed purchase for existing Wii owners, and it will no doubt be sold with just about every Wii console sold in the Xmas rush.

    Could argue there'll be nothing *else* to buy for the machine but my point stands.

  • richardiox #17 5 years ago

    The gap is narrowing but the REAL gap (total sales) just gets bigger and bigger. The question is, if there comes a point when PS3 is outselling Wii, how long will it take to make up this early deficit?

  • Gurgeh #18 5 years ago

    "Even if it's the case that the gap between PS3 and Wii in weekly/monthly sales is closing"

    It isnt. Someone at Eurogamer failed at maths.

  • 3william56 #19 5 years ago

    William G Stewart 20 to one.

    Slow news day, huh?

  • mkreku #20 5 years ago

    Miiiguel: Ok, I agree about the PS3 game library lacking, but lack of features? I don't know any machine that can do more than the PS3. What kind of features do you mean?

  • GingerNathan #21 5 years ago

    Don't use nextgenwars.net unless you enjoy cleaning your PC from Spyware and Malware.

  • crazyhorse174 #22 5 years ago

    Stop releasing these figures - its just fodder for fan-boys.

  • zuljin #23 5 years ago

    @headbog
    You're linking a page that has this as one of its news articles:
    [link url= http://nexgenwars.com/gaming_news/545/Halo-3-is-gay-(or- at-least-ONE-character-comes-out-of-the-closet)-*spoilers* ]http://ne xgenwars.com/gaming_news/545/Ha...[/link]

    o_O

  • Christian_Otte #24 5 years ago

    Will? Seriously?

  • miiiguel #25 5 years ago

    mkreku: rumble. It is a big deal to me. Imagine MS having a speech like "we don't need to pay for rumble"; "we don't need games"; "we know you need this great thing we invented and called the Blu-Ray", just imagine where the XBox brand would be now -> dead.
    And imagine PS3 with 360 games (and rumble, and price, and even without Blu-Ray, heck... the same box, just with the Sony logo on it)...: it would have sold 453534 millions by now. Why?: "ooooooh it's a Sony!"
    Edited by 2 at 03/09/07 @ 10:56

  • ralphwolfenstein #26 5 years ago

    The relative gap is narrowing, but in real numbers, Wii continues to pull further and further ahead

    But then it wouldn't be Eurogamer without a strapline that was sensationalist, obtuse, deliberately misleading or just plain wrong would it?

  • Tonka #27 5 years ago

    My NOD says that vgchartz wants to install a trojan on my computer.

  • Kenshin001 #28 5 years ago

    PS3 sales were bumped by MnG 5. Though interesting that Wii has dropped off 38% compared to the PS3 11%. Bladestorm was released on 30/8 and sold 40,000 on its first day, another big hitter for the PS3. The 360 is still doing terribly in Japan. Sells less in Japan in one month than the PS3 in one week and the PS3 has far less games. It's getting outsold 20 to 1 by the Wii. Without MGS4 and FFVIII it is screwed.
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 11:10

  • Katsumoto #29 5 years ago

    Bah, I think there are enough of these threads now. It just inspires the same users to come on make a random comment including the words and phrases "wiilol" or "ps3 has no games ROFL!!!". because the 360 launched with an excellent line up, eh? Anyway, besides the point. Who fucking cares. WE're gamers here, not market analysts, let's do what we supposedly enjoy doing most - play games, amd maybe even talk about games.

    All this my console is bigger than your console bollocks is really grating. Who...cares. If you think your 360 is so superior to everything else on the fucking planet... go and PLAY on it, rather than spam forums about how the other consoles suck.

  • teabagger #30 5 years ago

    @Katsumoto: Yes indeed!

  • SniperWolf #31 5 years ago

    I can't stand people who say we're all gamers, let's all play together and stop fighting.

    Damn hippies need a reality check.

  • SniperWolf #32 5 years ago

    And my 360 is better than your console, and I'm playing Bioshock on it, so suck balls.

  • Katsumoto #33 5 years ago

    I'm playing bioshock on my pc, so suck mine more?!? As it looks better on mine?! rofl rofl

  • Slamhound #34 5 years ago

    Will?

    I thought slavery was abolished.

  • zuljin #35 5 years ago

    @headbog
    "For a truer picture of how it is doing in Europe and America - take Japan out of the equation"

    Surely you mean: "For a perspective which supports my point more, lets remove Japan".

    Why can't you just see it as x number of consoles sold by MS, x number of people happy.

    Y number of console sold by Sony, y number of people happy.

    Ditto for Will.

    EDIT:
    And this: "So, if it weren't for the bias Japanese have against American games and consoles". WTF? Do you understand cultural differences? Are we all supposed to find the exact same games entertaining?
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 12:21

  • Carlo #36 5 years ago

    Sooooooo the PS3 is gaining popularity then?

  • Chufty #37 5 years ago

    If all three consoles sold equally in all parts of the world, what the fuck would we talk about?

  • miiiguel #38 5 years ago

    "Are we all supposed to find the exact same games entertaining?" - Do you know which games sold more on the PS3 ?
    - Motorstorm
    - CoD with Aliens (but worse)

    Shock! A racer and a shooter! PS-only gamers love their RPG's don't they ?

  • thepiedpiper #39 5 years ago

    Why doesn't Japan like the 360? Is it patriotism?
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 12:32

  • Sid-Nice #40 5 years ago

    The Will sales are testament to Nintendo.

    Ellie is one of these people in the Gamestation ads "Have you got Malteaser Galaxy for the Nintendo Will?"

  • miiiguel #41 5 years ago

    thepiedpiper: post Hiroshima syndrome.

    For example, it must be the only country in the world where Sony MP3 player outsells iPod.
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 12:37

  • zuljin #42 5 years ago

    @miiiguel
    What on earth is your point? Note also I didn't even mention PS3. Are you saying its wrong to enjoy Motorstorm and Resistance?

    Game most sold on 360; Gears. Oh its an fps. What does that not count because it is a slightly saturated genre? No, enjoy it because its a good game, and whilst I share your sentiments on Motorstorm, I happen to think Resistance is a good blast.

    Note: I actually have no idea whether Gears is most sold, but it wouldn't surprise me.

  • thepiedpiper #43 5 years ago

    "post Hiroshima syndrome.

    For example, it must be the only country in the world where Sony MP3 player outsells iPod."

    yeah, there is an element of that I think.

  • miiiguel #44 5 years ago

    zuljin: didn't want to sound harsh (toneless speech), I just wanted to state that many gamers (consumers) base their choices on a brand, a name, a "skin thing". They don't (most) think: "let me see... which system should I buy, this has these games, and that...", no. They think "oooooh it's a Sony!, I want!".

  • mossychops001 #45 5 years ago

    See you lot later, just going for a Wii, And a Wii fit..

    Back in ten.
    Edited by 2 at 03/09/07 @ 12:45

  • Santino #46 5 years ago

    "They think "oooooh it's a Sony!, I want!"

    one time i was buying something in gamestation when this random dude started telling me he was playing tennis by actually swinging a racket on his sisters new Sony Wii and he was going to buy one....i had to laugh

  • Kami #47 5 years ago

    I'm used to EG typos and misleading information, but both in the front-page headline? Isn't that a sign of the apocalypse or something?

    On the sales, the fact Wii still pulls ahead is a good reminder that it's not what you got, it's how you market it and the Wii (and the DS) have been very cleverly marketed. This leads to sales and to perhaps one of the largest profits Nintendo has seen in... well. Ever! It also means, since they make a profit on each machine, they're much less reliant on churning out games for the sake of it - yeah, it's meant a games shortage but since it seems most have been perfectly happy with Wii Sports, this for the most has meant nothing to anyone but the core gamers (Who now seem to be getting some Wii love!).

    Anyway, I think the PS3 will need to do something extraordinary to close the gap quickly... time to pull off that FF7 remake?

  • GingerNathan #48 5 years ago

    "Why doesn't Japan like the 360? Is it patriotism?
    "
    It has nothing to do with patriotism. It's just that the Japanese are terribly anal when it comes to reliability in electronic hardware, the original Xbox had a lot of hardware failures over there which originally put the Japanese off the brand, and the 360's hardware problems have just made the situation worse.
    Combine that with the limited selection of games tailored to the Japanese market means that nothing short of DQ10 or FFXIII exclusivity on the format will save it in this particular region.

  • ProfessorLesser #49 5 years ago

    IT'S A TRAP!

  • Kenshin001 #50 5 years ago

    @thepiedpiper, no it is because Sony and Nintendo are too well established and the 360 has a reputation of being poorly made, noisy and unreliable and the console for pimply faced hardcore otaku who like Western shooters and Idolmaster. The advertising is terrible too.

  • Hughes. #51 5 years ago

    Looks like it's all over for Colecovision!

  • ZeroAX #52 5 years ago

    imo 360 ain't doing good in japan cause japaneese marketing......just doesn't make sense. have you seen their adverts? they are so silly. how are they supposed to get me into buying something? then again american advertising is kind of stupid also sometimes. like those adds with the item having everyone say "wow new that that. the best that there is".....


    i always wondered how a european console will do. imo good in japan but not good in US. ofc it would own Europe :D

  • miiiguel #53 5 years ago

    rdexter: either you want it or not, it's true. Yet again, imagine the 360 with the PS3 library, and Sony speech, XBox would be dead.
    "PS3 I choose you" is quite illustrative.

    Anyways, your arguments seem to reflect that bitter taste in your mouth.
    Edited by 2 at 03/09/07 @ 13:54

  • Katsumoto #54 5 years ago

    Well, you've made your point, and we alll know you're never going to buy a ps3. Is that it, now? Good.

  • miiiguel #55 5 years ago

    I had a PS3.

  • Katsumoto #56 5 years ago

    Really! Even tho its got no games lol rip off lol blu-ray ftl lol? You suprise me

    Still, I once had a 360.

  • zuljin #57 5 years ago

    @headbog
    I think market analysts probably don't read as much into those numbers as you do.

    Like I said before, why not just see sales figures as number of happy customers? As opposed to "x, y, z is going to win".
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 14:36

  • Foxclose #58 5 years ago

    Yep the PS3 is doing well in all areas!!

    GO SONY, GO!!!!! :D

  • Amazing Bryan #59 5 years ago

    LOL - this thread is a magnet for fanboys/girls.

    No, blue is a better colour than red, because that is what colour the sky is.

  • AcidSnake #60 5 years ago

    @Amazing Bryan:
    To hell with you! Without the colour red there'd be millions of accidents!
    Are you on the blue payroll or something?!

  • Genji #61 5 years ago

    "No, blue is a better colour than red, because that is what colour the sky is."

    ????

    WHAT KIND OF FUCKED UP BIZARRO WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN? RED IS THE BEST COLOUR *EVER*

  • TheUnionFrag #62 5 years ago

    Let the statisticians have their fun. What really matters is that all 3 consoles and the PC have a glut of good games and innovation. I couldn't care less about how the PS3 and Wii are doing as long as I've got good games on the 360 and PC.

    Peace people!

  • Genji #63 5 years ago

    Quiet, hippie!

  • MDL199 #64 5 years ago

    "post Hiroshima syndrome.

    For example, it must be the only country in the world where Sony MP3 player outsells iPod."

    ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------

    I don't think they're anti american they are just pro Japanese.

    I remember reading an article in the run up to the launch of the original Xbox and different developers were asked how they thought Microsofts then new platform would perform and a spokesman from Konami said Microsoft would do well but fail totally in Japan as the Japenese believed video games were their domain and buying a console by a non Japanese company would be unpatriotic.

    I do agree to much importance is placed on Japan as it's nowhere near as profitable a territory as the west and very unrepresentative of the rest of the worlds tastes.
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 16:03

  • Xerx3s #65 5 years ago

    OMG Wii = t3h d00med!

  • Xerx3s #66 5 years ago

    It has nothing to do with patriotism. It's just that the Japanese are terribly anal when it comes to reliability in electronic hardware, the original Xbox had a lot of hardware failures over there which originally put the Japanese off the brand, and the 360's hardware problems have just made the situation worse.

    Sorry, I was enjoying the fanboy drivel in this section but this takes it to a new level. Seriously, do you actually believe that? What a load of rubbish. The PS2 is one of the most unreliable pieces of machinery ever made. And the xbox was anything but unreliable.

  • Kenshin001 #67 5 years ago

    "For example, it must be the only country in the world where Sony MP3 player outsells iPod."

    Er, afaik iPod has more than 50% share of the MP3 player market in Japan, it overtook the Sony player late 2005. It has more of a market share in Japan than in European countries.

  • MDL199 #68 5 years ago

    I think the unreliabilty of the PS2 is vastly over dramatised. I've had mine for nearly 5 years and played it hours and never had a single problem.

    Games consoles are pretty reliable across the board in my experience.

  • zuljin #69 5 years ago

    @headbog
    Back out? You're making statements like:

    "If you take Japan out of the equation, the Ps3 will drop significantly behind the 360, also."

    Again, Japanese people don't count?

    "So the Ps3 is doing slightly better overall than the 360 did, but that is partly due to the fact that the 360 launched with a significant shortage"

    Don't go on "ifs" and "buts", just go on the actual events. The Wii would probably have sold 20mill "if" it had enough supply. But it didn't. The 360 wouldn't have sold as much as it did "if" Gears or Crackdown didn't get a 360 release. But they did.

    I have no problem with your numbers, I personally couldn't even care, I'm happy with my 4 consoles. I have a problem with your "but this is due to" and "if this were the case".

    At least TheUnionFrag speaks some sense.

  • Zane #70 5 years ago

    "Gap narrowing" nice term if you're hopeful for Sony's machine :p

    Japan isnt the major territory anymore. Proven by Xbox360 still being successful, at least right now.

    But the Wii is certainly doing well, no arguing with that.

    However, I am dissapointed with Sony so far.

  • ZeroAX #71 5 years ago

    japan ain't important? you know how many DS have been sold worldwide and how many of them have been sold in japan???????????????????

  • GingerNathan #72 5 years ago

    "And the xbox was anything but unreliable. "

    Actually the original had a terrible launch in Japan due to massive defects in the early batches (defects that didn't occur in US NTSC and Pal consoles), even though the problem was solved pretty quickly the damage had already been don, in the eyes of the Japanese Xbox = unreliability, the brand hasn't recovered since. Maybe you should learn about a particular subject before you make comments about it? :/

  • eEZER #73 5 years ago

    This is all Microsoft's fault.

  • secombe #74 5 years ago

    So for the first time, erm, ever, THREE consoles are selling in fairly big numbers (even in the summer months) and not to mention the frankly ridiculous numbers of DS' that are sold on a daily basis. Forget the fanboy arguments, that has got to be good for gaming.

    With the Wii software lineup between now and Christmas I would be amazed if they could even get close to keeping stock on the shelves come December, Pokemon, Dewy's Adventure, Zack & Wiki, Lego Star Wars, Metroid Prime 3, Resident Evil, EA Playground, Endless Ocean, FIFA 08 and not to mention two fairly huge Mario games.

  • smelly #75 5 years ago

    Nah.. the 360 isnt doing any better than the xbox did.

    i expect the xbox 3 to be announced within a year (prolly in the shops for chrimble 08)

  • FaceOmeter #76 5 years ago

    You've all completely lost the drill

  • AOFanboi #77 5 years ago

    Much like us PS3 owners, I am sure Ferrari owners cry themselves to sleep every night for not buying a car of the much-better-selling Toyota brand...

    NOT!

    Face it, phe PS3 price difference to the (here in Norway at least) largely overpriced Wii is far less than say the 3DO to SNES price difference back in the day. Its time will come when the 33-year-average video game player will realize the Miis are for kids and see Home demonstrated on the PS3, thinking: "That's for me".

  • smelly #78 5 years ago

    But if you want to own a "Ferrari" then surely you'd get a 360? What with it being more powerful, having more ram accessible to games, etc etc?

    As opposed to paying "Ferrari" prices for a skoda?

  • ZeroAX #79 5 years ago

    i li9ke skoda :( then again from nothing even a beatle would be nice. dawm maybe i should save money from games for a car.... nah

  • Goffee #80 5 years ago

    I hope you're all remembering that in most households three people play Wii games whereas PS3s are owned solely my masturbating spotty oiks with no friends or families (having put spotty oik up for adoption)

  • smelly #81 5 years ago

    @Goffee: doesnt bode well for 360 owners that then does it? :-)

  • RazorObsession #82 5 years ago

    I love my 360, its given me many hours of pleasure. and thats just the sex. the games on it are terrific too.

    Microsoft are simply wasting their time in Japan, the inherent xenophobia that has always been there (for hundreds of years anyone got washed up on a beach from a ship wreck simply looking for directions home, that wasn't Japanese, would have been cut down where they stood, which is why tom cruises last samurai was extreme bollocks) means a league of gentleman style distrust of anyone not 'local'.

    how good your machine is, how big your library of great games is, doesnt mean shit.

    you could have the most wondrous tasting fillet mignon on planet earth, you just aint gonna convince a vegan to buy it.

  • Genji #83 5 years ago

    If the X360 had more train driving simulators, RPGs and games based around anime series, then the Japanese would be more amiable to the system as a whole. Get this "OMG they're racist because they don't buy an American console" shit out of my discussion, thanks. There are heaps of popular Western things around here, without even mentioning the Ipod.
    Edited by 1 at 04/09/07 @ 02:46

  • Daikon #84 5 years ago

    post Hiroshima syndrome.

    For example, it must be the only country in the world where Sony MP3 player outsells iPod.

    What utter nonsense. You're an ignorant moron and I pity you.
    Have you ever been to Japan? You don't know a thing about Japan and the Japanese people.

    Oh and FYI the iPod is the most popular thing in Japan since cooked rice with pickles.

  • Nikanoru #85 5 years ago

    I'm not reading this whole thread, but something interesting was brought to my attention:

    Wii sales vs PS2 sales:

    November 8:1
    December 3:1
    January 3:1
    February 3:1
    March 2:1
    April 4:1
    May 6:1
    June 7:1
    July 4:1
    August 3:1

    So, no, they're not "closing the gap" if these numbers are to be believed, because they were seemingly closing it in March, too. They're merely at a high point from which they're likely to fall again.

  • Nikanoru #86 5 years ago

    Its time will come when the 33-year-average video game player will realize the Miis are for kids and see Home demonstrated on the PS3, thinking: "That's for me".


    LMAO, dream on about being an adult yet, kid. Like someone said, Home is for pimply teenagers right at the start of puberty, aching to be taken seriously and looking like a grown-up. Their balls have just dropped and they see Home demonstrated on the PS3, thinking: "That's for me".

  • ronuds #87 5 years ago

    Right...I'm 32 and don't see Home as a form of adult entertainment.

    And why complain of fanboys, folks? How boring would these comment sections be without them?

    Sift through the complete rubbish and focus on what's actually debatable. Even fanboys can make a good case now and again.