Xbox 360 has best US February "ever"

By Robert Purchese Published 11 March, 2010

BioShock 2 dominates monthly NPD table.

2K Games' sequel BioShock 2 has finished as February's best selling game in the US. Big new entry Heavy Rain had to settle for 10th.

February turned out to be a bumper month for Xbox 360, which counted four top 10 entries: BioShock 2 (1st), Modern Warfare 2 (3rd), Mass Effect 2 (7th) and Dante's Inferno (9th).

They took Microsoft's console to the top of the pile with 422,000 units sold. Wii followed with 397,000 and PS3 trailed with 360,100.

US Xbox 360 bigwig Aaron Greenberg called it the "best February in Xbox 360 history" on Twitter.

However, Nintendo's DS shifted the most machines overall and recorded 613,000 sales. That's a night and day contrast with PSP, which flogged 133,400 units.

Wii champions New Super Mario Bros. (2nd), Just Dance (4th) and Wii Sports Resort (5th) filled out the top half of the table, while PS3 games Modern Warfare 2 (6th), Dante's Inferno (8th) and Heavy Rain (10th) rounded out the top 10.

US Software February 2010

  1. BioShock 2 (Xbox 360): 562,900
  2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii): 555,600
  3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360): 314,300
  4. Just Dance (Wii): 275,400
  5. Wii Sports Resort (Wii): 272,500
  6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3): 252,800
  7. Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360): 246,500
  8. Dante's Inferno: Divine Edition (PS3): 242,500
  9. Dante's Inferno (Xbox 360): 224,700
  10. Heavy Rain (PS3): 219,300

US Hardware February 2010

  1. DS: 613,200
  2. Xbox 360: 422,000
  3. Wii: 397,000
  4. PS3: 360,100
  5. PSP: 133,400
  6. PS2: 102,900
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.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • M4RV #1 2 years ago

    ^ ^ ^ ^

    I would easier interpret your nickname.

    - - - -

    I own the PC version, but once again, glad to see that Bioshock 2 turned out to be successfull, comercially... Despite some issues, that game turns out to be better and better, every single time I play it; Same thing with ME2. Surprised Dante's Inferno didn't flop though... Slow burner I assume.

  • Shikasama #2 2 years ago

    Its crazy to think that so many people are still buying consoles, I'd have thought most people who wanted one would have one by now

  • coolbritannia #3 2 years ago

    wow, +1 for the adult gamers I guess.

  • MiniAmin #4 2 years ago

    PS2 still manages to shift 100k. What a brilliant console. Just goes to show that true quality doesn't need "10 year plans", because true quality simply endures.

  • Moz #5 2 years ago

    @shikasama Its crazy to think that so many people are still buying consoles, I'd have thought most people who wanted one would have one by now

    Did you really just say that!!! There are plenty of reason for people to have not got next gen consoles yet, Cost and Having games they want being the main factors

    PS2 has sold some 120 million units in it's life time and is still selling.

    Not everyone can go out and buy something they want stright away!

  • captain_Carl #6 2 years ago

    360, wii and PS3 all did well really. Surprised PS3 is so high, after apparent shortages...Surprised 360 is so high too!

    Lol Bioshock fail on PS3. Either PS3 owners really hate Bioshock or it is seen as a 360 game. I go for the latter!

    Good to see Heavy Rain do well, too.

  • TonyHarrison #7 2 years ago

    February had many reports of Wii/PS3 shortages, people buy 360's instead. Simples.

  • enfilade #8 2 years ago

    I'm just stunned that consoles continue to sell in the numbers that they do. I mean, you'd expect that February would be a slow month, but Nintendo sold over one million consoles in the United States alone, and you're talking $120-$200 a console there. And 400k+ Xbox Consoles at $300 isn't to be sniffed at either. That's a lot of money changing hands...

    Oh, but the games industry is in trouble because sales were down 9% from 2008. Give me a break :p

    Edit: @Shikasama Yeah, what you said.
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/10 @ 00:46

  • NewbieZilla #9 2 years ago

    "February had many reports of Wii/PS3 shortages, people buy 360's instead. Simples."

    I don't think many people go shopping for that new console fix and take it where they get it. So, er, maybe you are simple, but not your assumed solution.

  • des #10 2 years ago

    PS3 fans have such bad taste...poor Bioshock 2

  • Shikasama #11 2 years ago

    Moz - I know what you are saying but it is hardly a case of 'straight away' is it? It's even a not inconsiderable amount fo tiem since the latest price drop.

    I wonder how much of it is student fed. Kids growing up and moving away from home and getting a console for themselves.

  • Moz #12 2 years ago

    @Shikasama

    True though If i'm not mistaken it was 3ish years into the PS2s life cycle when it started shifting silly numbers of units. Though the Wii effect has completely changed the shape of the market this anyway so comparison are hard to draw.

    Though with talk of yet more hardware revisions for playstation and xbox we could see some hefty price drops later this (septemberish at a guess) which opens up the market even more to all those kids with tight parents ;)

    Your student idea is also probably quite true too, though can probaly be expanded to all "new adults"

  • Dizzy #13 2 years ago

    I think you can expect the 360 to do really well this year in the USA, might even outdo the mighty Wii.

  • GamerG #14 2 years ago

    Wow I thought with the release of the slim and the cut of the PS3 price to the same as the 360 the PS3 would dominate HD gaming in the US untill MS released a new machine of their own.

    Sony must be kicking themselves, blu ray, free wifi, free online gaming etc and still getting their arse handed to them
    Edited by 2 at 12/03/10 @ 09:15

  • stuntmaster #15 2 years ago

    ps2 still sells in us but you can`t get them in uk as looked everywhere

  • Mono_X #16 2 years ago

    @enfilade

    'Oh, but the games industry is in trouble because sales were down 9% from 2008. Give me a break :p '

    Try earning a living from within the industry and your perspective might be somewhat altered.....

  • muscleblade #17 2 years ago

    "Not everyone can go out and buy something they want stright away! "

    Why??

    Consoles arent exactly a big investment.
    Edited by 2 at 12/03/10 @ 08:57

  • Lord_BeeJee #18 2 years ago

    so... muscleblade =everyone

  • muscleblade #19 2 years ago

    "so... muscleblade =everyone"

    Of course not. What i mean is that consoles arent exactly expensive compared to other things. Im talking about adults here though not 5 year old kids.

    The other day i bought a headset that cost twice as much as my 360 Elite. That was expensive.
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/10 @ 08:53

  • reality_cheque #20 2 years ago

    When your 4ish year out of date console sells nearly as well as your current handheld, it may be time to get out of the hand held market and just leave it to Nintendo.

  • dingo75 #21 2 years ago

    @Shikasama:

    I still wait to pick up a Wii and a Xbox360.
    I have plenty of games for them already (picked up cheap).
    I wait for 1-2 more price drops before I bite since I have my PC to play.
    Might even pick up the PS3 in a few years.

    I love playing games sitting in front of my screen instead of sitting on a couch.
    However I want to play the "must haves" of games so in the end I will end up with all the consoles.
    Happened with the PS2, DC and GC as well that I all got for cheap to play the few must haves years later.
    Since my friends don't play games I don't need Xbox Live etc. so there is no urgency to pick the consoles up as long as they are "in".
    I'm probably not the norm but people like me do exist.

  • duckncover #22 2 years ago

    @paddy29 - Small ears maybe?

  • TopKatt #23 2 years ago

    I'd say I'm a fairly typical PS3 owner and I will definitely get Bioshock 2 eventually, but I need my pennies for Heavy Rain and God of War 3 at the moment.

  • muscleblade #24 2 years ago

    @paddy29

    Not really. I just needed some really good ones with noise cancelling because i hate background noise when i watch movies or play games. I dont live alone you see.

  • doulema #25 2 years ago

    @TonyHarrison
    Wow that explains it. I bet you are a very bright one in order to go buy a PS3 and end up leaving with a Wii/360 and a very selfaware consumer to think that way.

  • sjmlondon #26 2 years ago

    > muscleblade.
    "Not everyone can go out and buy something they want stright away!

    Why?? "


    Sorry Muscleblade, but that was a bid of a crass comment.


    The basic console / bundles may not be that expensive for certain people if you live at home with mummy (patronising comment) but most people in the UK have got more than enough bills coming in every month for gaming to be considered a luxury especially with new games coming in at nearly £40 a pop, plus broadband fee, second controller, wireless adaptor, live subscription.

    I'm also sure with the UK economy heading for a cliff edge, households are going to be thinking twice were they spend their money.

    Re sales declining.
    Possible reasons for sales declining again apart from the economy, is the high price of new games @ £40 and the growth of the rental and second hand markets. It is worth considering you can rent 4 brand new games a month from Lovefilm for under a tenner compared to £160 it would cost to buy. For every Bioshock 2 , Modern Warfare 2 and Battlefield BC2 there is plenty of tut out there (Dark Void anyone?)

    The second hand market has also grown massively. Apart from high street retailers cashing in on the second hand market, (with no benefit to the publisher or developer), it is also much easier to get rid of used games on Ebay etc. No wonder publishers are pushing DLC at us with virtually every game these days.



  • bladdard #27 2 years ago

    Excellent sales figures for the 360 I also thought it might have reached saturation in the US but obviously I was wrong.

    Does anyone not think with such an impressive release shedule of top titles PS3 gamers have bioshock on their list but probably not at the top. Also many PS3 owners (myself included) also own a PC and I'll be getting the PC version of bioshock for obvious reasons.

  • GreyBeard #28 2 years ago

    Well done MS, very nice numbers for 360.
    Well done Sony, even with supply constraints they are 30% up YoY.
    Nintendo... ummm... big slip...

  • sfp_noodle #29 2 years ago

    since the ps3 and 360 are so close in what they offer minus blu-ray, its easy to see why somone looking to buy a ps3 plumps for the 360 if its unavailable. not only tht, but the sales include arcade units which are cheaper. having said tht, ps3 still did pretty fantastic considering this time there were very real supply shortages. unlike 3 years ago at launch where some sony ppl think shit sales were down to low stock and not the fucking mental price tag! :p
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/10 @ 09:48

  • SUNDANSS #30 2 years ago

    I still can't believe the DS still sells so many units. How many have they now sold world wide I wonder? I reckon it must be getting close to an average of every 4th household in 1st world countries having one, or is that a bit over the top.

  • miiiguel #31 2 years ago

    Enough of damage controll kids.

    I was going to have a cofee but since I'm out of it, I'll just take a piss.

  • Monkey_Puncher #32 2 years ago

    Not a good month for Wii, those numbers don't look bad but I bet they were selling a hell of a lot this time last year.

  • sfp_noodle #33 2 years ago

    its kind of sad to see the ps2 numbers so low these days. i still look back fondly on the many years of joy it provided me with. having bought it back in 2002, i still remember thinking what a beast i have sitting underneath my telly. it looked so futuristic and sexy with its sliding disc tray and slick interface. playing gran turismo 3 on it felt unreal. gaming relly cudnt get better than this i thought...and it hasnt sadly. not living off nostalgia or anythhing, but this gen has been dominated by fps 'me too's' and dumbing down of genres to appeal to wider audiences. the truely great games for me this gen tht remind me of the quality of old are gears of war, uncharted, batman, bioshock 1, mass effect and heavy rain.

    notice tht theyre all single player games? single player games are seriously borked for the 'online experience' these days. uncharted 2 and gears are the only games tht stand up IMO. they both have excellent SP and MP. but honestly, bar a select few games mentioned, this gen we've jus had recycled shit thrown at us. the worst part is, as ppl continue to buy it, it will stay tht way

  • tiny_Eggy #34 2 years ago

    Bioshock 2 is overrated anyway. It's full of plot holes and inconsistencies and nowhere near the quality of Bioshock 1. The fact that the graphics haven't improved all since the first part is damning as well. The same jarring lowres textures that are really not necessary these days, not even to mention the widescreen issues which already were in the original game for crying out loud.

    It has gotten the same overhyped review scores most console games get these days.

    PS. it's good to see that heavy rain did really well. Something different I wish was available on the PC, I loved Fahrenheit.

  • muscleblade #35 2 years ago

    "Sorry Muscleblade, but that was a bid of a crass comment. "

    I know. Im sorry im just in that kind of mood today.

  • TonyHarrison #36 2 years ago

    @NewbieZilla @doulema

    Don't underestimate the stupidity of a random mother buying a console for little Timmy. She won't care what it is as long as she gets something, so if she goes to a store and only one is in stock, and there's no knowledge of when supply for the other two will come in, it's obvious what is going to happen...

    People like us who know what we want wouldn't do such a thing, but pretending the above doesn't happen is naive at best.

  • muscleblade #37 2 years ago

    @paddy29

    Im not the right person to ask im afraid, i had a friend helping me picking them out for me. The brand is Bose i dont remember more. I tried them in the store and was amazed at how quiet it became when the noise cancelling was turned on. I didnt notice how noisy everything was before using them. That made me drop the huge amount to get them. I felt the money was well spent since i spend atleast 15.-20 hours playing games or waching movies each week.

    edit. Now i dont need to install games to reduce the noise from my 360 either. I still do though because of loading times.
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/10 @ 12:28

  • Bigglesworth #38 2 years ago

    Nintendo sold over one million consoles in the United States alone

    The US has a population of over 300 million so, at the same time, they only sold a machine to 0.003% of the market. Perspective is key.

  • ParanoidZombie #39 2 years ago

    In other news, zero Dreamcasts were sold in february. Sega blames shortages and second hand market.

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #40 2 years ago

    I hate that bloddy compare the meerkats advert, thats why I marked you down Tony Harrison.

  • GreyBeard #41 2 years ago

    Btw, just in case anyone thought I was bashing Nintendo for fun, remember that this months Wii figure is down 47% YoY.
    That's a very substantial drop, and would be a cause for concern for any platform holder.

  • harhol #42 2 years ago

    When your 4ish year out of date console sells nearly as well as your current handheld, it may be time to get out of the hand held market and just leave it to Nintendo.

    PSP has sold more than 60 million units worldwide. Under what circumstances could that possibly be considered a failure?

  • electrolite #43 2 years ago

    Wow. January. middle of the worst recession in years.

    MS - best-selling console and biggest-selling game
    Nintendo - shifted a million
    Sony - shifted over 600k despite reported stock shortages.

    Impressive stuff all round

  • sfp_noodle #44 2 years ago

    love how myclub jus copied and pasted minanims comment from the 1st page

    *rolls eyes*

  • Quixz #45 2 years ago

    Nice to see Mass Effect selling at a steady rate. WHO IS BUYING ALL THOSE PS2?!

  • Ryze #46 2 years ago

    ^ People who want to play PS2 games?