Xbox 360 outsells PS3 by 2 to 1 in US

By Ellie Gibson Published 16 January, 2009

But Wii and DS beat both, as usual.

The latest figures from data trackers NPD have revealed the Xbox 360 outsold PS3 by nearly 2 to 1 during December.

The number of 360 units shifted stood at 1.44 million, up from 1.26 million in December 2007. PS3 sales were down year-on-year, however - 726,000 consoles were sold, compared to 798,000 in 2007.

The PSP proved more popular, with 1.02 million units sold, while the figure for PS2 stood at 410,000.

But Nintendo came out on top once again. US consumers bought 3.04 million DS handhelds in December and 2.15 million Wiis.

It was a bumper month for videogames overall - US shoppers spent USD 5 billion (GBP 3.37 billion / EUR 3.77 billion) on games, hardware and accessories during December, racking up the highest revenues in videogame history.

Sales for December were up 9 per cent year-on-year. Sales for the whole of 2008 were up by 19 per cent compared to 2007, reaching USD 21.33 billion (GBP 14.39 billion / EUR 16.12 billion).

Here's that console sales figure list in full:

  • Nintendo DS - 3.04 million
  • Wii - 2.15 million
  • Xbox 360 - 1.44 million
  • PSP - 1.02 million
  • PlayStation 3 - 726,000
  • PlayStation 2 - 410,000
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.

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Comments (37) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • keyboardmonkey #1 3 years ago

    PS3 sales were down year-on-year, however - 726,000 consoles were sold, compared to 798,000 in 2007.

    2009 will be the year of the PS3 ;P

  • mcbi4kh2 #2 3 years ago

    The PS3 year on year are up slightly, where as the 360 year on year is relatively flat. As usual these stats can be spun as much as you like.

    Also, @KeyBoardMonkey
    Great joke, we are 16 days into the year and I must have read that hilarious line about 100 times.
    Edited by 1 at 16/01/09 @ 08:14

  • drumbaby #3 3 years ago

    The Msoft handheld and its Xbox 1 meant their games unit sold even more hardware tha --

    Oh, wait....

  • keyboardmonkey #4 3 years ago

    @mcbi4kh2

    Sorry i heard it so many times last year from Sony, i just thought i would keep it going!

    "The PS3 year on year are up slightly" and at this rate will have caught up with the 360 in 2011/2/3/4/5/6?

    Either way doesn't matter. I am happy to see Nintendo rewarded for trying something different and it paying off after they had a rough time under Sega and Sony, and didn't help themselves with products like Virtual Boy, Mario Paint etc...
    Edited by 1 at 16/01/09 @ 08:36

  • Kryon #5 3 years ago

    PS3lol

    No, but seriously.........
















    PS3lol

  • Doctor_What #6 3 years ago

    It's weird, because I've heard a lot of my friends lately saying that they're thinking about getting a PS3, even ones who previously were thinking of a 360. I'm not sure what's changed their minds. I suspect a price drop will certainly smooth Sony's path, but they've got a hell of a lot of catching up to do.

  • The_vorlon_man #7 3 years ago

    Here's a shocker for you, no price cut for Sony = No increased sales.
    Big price cut (twice) for 360 = almost the same sales as last year.
    Wii continues to trash the 360 over and over again, so MS conveniently ignore that fact in every press statement, instead aiming for the soft target to make their sales look better.

  • miiiguel #8 3 years ago

    "...a lot of my friends..."

    Don't take me wrong, but those statics analysis always make me laugh.

    Believe it or not Wii hit the PS3 much more then you arch-enemy MS, it was most the PS2-casual gamer that went Wii. But, MS is sexier to bash I understand.
    Somoene who really loves games has to have a 360, and probably someday (next year - the year?) a PS3.
    Edited by 1 at 16/01/09 @ 09:02

  • miiiguel #9 3 years ago

    If one can forget the brands for a second or two, could probably realise, generally:

    The guy who bought the PS3, bought it because of the good times he had with a PS1/PS2.
    The guy who bought a Wii bought for the novelty, trend.
    The guy who bought a 360 did it for the games (or the 2nd turn for the rrod...)

  • SilentScream #10 3 years ago

    Someone pointed out that even though Xbox 360 are selling 2 - 1 than Playstation 3, Xbox 360 is half the price, so they're getting the exact same amount of money, and it's all about the money ladies and gentlemen.
    Edited by 1 at 16/01/09 @ 09:29

  • interceptor #11 3 years ago

    @kcbi4kh2
    "The PS3 year on year are up slightly, where as the 360 year on year is relatively flat. As usual these stats can be spun as much as you like"

    How do you work that out? The PS3 sold 798k in December last year, whereas this december, they sold 726k. Doesn't look that it's "up slightly" to me, that looks like its gone down by 72,000 consoles.

    @SilentScream - that would be right, except, if reports to are believed, Sony is already making a significant loss on each console sold.

    Edited by 2 at 16/01/09 @ 09:30

  • miiiguel #12 3 years ago

    "Someone pointed out that even though Xbox are selling 2 - 1 than Playstation, Xbox is half the price, so they're getting the exact same amount of money. "

    omg...! When everything fails, month after month, let's be real crazy!

    next month:
    "it doesn't matter PS3 winies avarage size is 3x the 360 owners, so we are the champions... of the world!".

    Forget one point that 360 already makes a profit on each unit while Sony loses money in each PS3 sold. Then again... if one starts throwing variables, like number of ppl working for the brand, litres of fuel spent by each guy in PS and Xbox team..., one can do anything, the sky is the limit.
    Edited by 1 at 16/01/09 @ 09:36

  • SilentScream #13 3 years ago

    Your argument became irrelevant as soon as I read "winies avarage" whatever that is...

    whinies average? weiners average?

  • miiiguel #14 3 years ago

    Is more like "lousy english" really..., which I'm quite aware mine is. I do my best though, sometimes it fails...

    ;)
    Edited by 1 at 16/01/09 @ 09:40

  • BarcaAzul #15 3 years ago

    Why do we never get European figures?

  • Petulant_Radish #16 3 years ago

    Why does everyone go on about the Xbox only selling well because they cut the price, of course that’s the case, and that’s exactly what Microsoft planned. Seeing as the console itself is longer into the life cycle than the PS3 I’m sure Microsoft are very happy to be doing that.

    And just because one is half the price does not mean they get the same amount of money form sales, one sells at a minimal profit, one sells at a medium loss per unit. Though most profit is in the software, not hardware.

  • Dizzy #17 3 years ago

    "Someone pointed out that even though Xbox 360 are selling 2 - 1 than Playstation 3, Xbox 360 is half the price, so they're getting the exact same amount of money, and it's all about the money ladies and gentlemen. "

    What? I hope this is a joke post.

  • Les #18 3 years ago

    "How do you work that out? The PS3 sold 798k in December last year, whereas this december, they sold 726k. Doesn't look that it's "up slightly" to me, that looks like its gone down by 72,000 consoles."

    There are 11 other months in a year you know...

    Some 'facts':
    - 360 sold most in its first year thanks to clever shipping methods from the part of MS, year 2 was down, year 3 was flat thanks to a great sprint after the huge price drop
    - PS3 sold more in its second year than in its first and sold more units than 360 in its first two and a bit years (around 20m vs. 18m)
    - Given where PlayStation came from, PS3 is doing terrible (and relative to the upfront expectations by idiot industry experts it's still not even on the radar)
    - Given where Xbox came from 360 is doing better but not that great (failed to meet each and every (even downwards revised) MS target)
    - All of the above is irrelevant as Wii has redefined the video gaming industry, making PS3 and 360 poorly positioned for both this gen and the next.

  • Les #19 3 years ago

    "3rd parties will soon stop supporting it as nobody buys their games"

    3rd parties have never supported it which is the main reason for them not making money. Given that there are too few people with business sense in gaming, it'll probably take them at least another year of losses before they realise that it might be a better idea to commit your best resources to the most viable platform (as well as make 90% of the 3D artists redundant)...

  • DanC89 #20 3 years ago

    Recession? What recession ;)

  • Penguinzoot #21 3 years ago

    3rd parties have never supported it

    /glances at store shelves
    /is confused

  • des #22 3 years ago

    Year of the PS3 has ended-total knockout

    It sold less this holiday season than the year before,and its last year sales where shit,amazing...
    Software wise,a new PSP is rising,and that is not a good thing.

  • Les #23 3 years ago

    "/glances at store shelves
    /is confused"

    I'm happy to remove your confusion. :)

    Having the janitor hack together a couple of uninspired mini game collections and doing a couple of PS2 ports does not count as 'support'.

  • Sunyavadin #24 3 years ago

    Neither Sony or MS took the Wii seriously, but I think they're starting to see it as a serious competitor now they realise that while many consumers are getting a Wii AND a 360 or PS3, a very large number are getting it INSTEAD of either of those, and market saturation is going to be reached far sooner than either of them expected or hoped for. PS3 sales already look to have peaked, while 360 sales are levelling off with only the price cuts giving them a boost.

  • NHDave #25 3 years ago

    But..but... PS3 has da powah of da cell and teh bluray.!!!!!!!!!!

  • Les #26 3 years ago

    "3rd parties are supporting it just now but they are not getting enough back."

    Like I said, producing shit does not count as support. Though I suspect that most of their poorly selling Wii titles still make a profit unlike their reasonable selling PS3 and 360 titles.

  • Les #27 3 years ago

    "I dont see what else they can produce on such dated hardware."

    LOL, hope you're not being serious... :)

  • The_vorlon_man #28 3 years ago

    Les:

    On all points I agree. The Wii is the tells us that there is more to gaming than shooting and racing things.

    Sony dipped their toes in it with the Ps2, but never really pushed it as the central stratergy - just simply letting quantity and bredth sell the thing.

    What I sincerely hope is that we have more than parlour games on our consoles for the next decade. The Wii is fantastic, but it alone does not satisfy 100% of the market. There are still 30+million (PS3+360) people who want to play Shooters, racers and RPGs, alongside the 40 odd million Wii owners.

    Absolutely MS and Sony will have to rethink their strategies and go for casual more than hardcore if they want to have larger market-shares, but at the end of the day, when most high profile games are shifting 1 million + copies in a few months, who is complaining? Sony simply want to turn a profit now, as they know it's highly unlikely they will outsell the competition for a while yet.
    MS are turning a profit already, so all they have left is to be bombastic and try to talk down the competition.

    Both MS and Sony refuse to admit the Wii is their main competitor, as both want to grab the casual markets desperately (Lips, Singstar LBP, Banjo Kazooie:nuts and bolts, Viva Pinata, EyeToy, Scene IT? Buzz!, etc,etc.



  • The_vorlon_man #29 3 years ago

    retibra:

    100% with you on that.

    People forget the 360 was behind the PS3 for most of the year on sales, and even in the GTAIV launch months, there was barely a hairs bredth between them in the US.

    Most of the sales for the 360 have been post price cut this year, and that was merely a necessity for MS.

  • Penguinzoot #30 3 years ago

    Les:

    I'm happy to remove your confusion. :)

    Having the janitor hack together a couple of uninspired mini game collections and doing a couple of PS2 ports does not count as 'support'.

    I had an idea you would say something like that ;)

  • bonker #31 3 years ago

    A bizarre amount of, pretty desperate, analysis and spin on the figures going on in here.

    The 360 outgunned the PS3 by a ratio of 2:1 at Xmas.

    End of.

    Live with it.

  • zedzee #32 3 years ago

    Wow, PS2 sold 410k units. If Sony are lucky it might surpass the PS3 soon! ;-)

  • ronuds #33 3 years ago

    Seriously, who gives a shit about the Wii? This is a gaming website mostly for people who are seriously into games and the Wii is probably the least talked about console. Is it selling because it's the best console with the best games? Hell no. I'm sure MS and Sony would love to have some of those sales, but I don't think if the Wii sold a billion consoles it would have any affect on the 360's or PS3's sales, whereas the same can't be said of the 360 vs. PS3 and vice versa. It's nice the Wii is selling so much for Nintendo and I'm glad for them, but continually going on about how MS and Sony should be embarrassed of their sales vs the Wii's is getting old already because it's nonsense. Ferrari's and Kia's co-exist just fine, thanks.

    And why does every Sony zealot so conveniently forget that the PS3 over time has been reduced in price just as much as the 360 in the US and most other places? The 360 Pro started at $400 in the US and is now $300. The 40gb PS3 (20gb at launch) started at $500 and is now $400. So price drops obviously aren't the only factor - not to mention that you would need to know the average price spent on a 360 vs. PS3 to get an accurate reading of what people are willing to spend on each. Yes, there IS a 360 half the price, but are most people buying that model? Maybe...maybe not.

  • Les #34 3 years ago

    "The 360 outgunned the PS3 by a ratio of 2:1 at Xmas.

    End of.

    Live with it. "

    A bizarre statement to make as none of the people whose posts I can view contest that fact. So what exactly is your point?

  • bonker #35 3 years ago

    ""The 360 outgunned the PS3 by a ratio of 2:1 at Xmas.

    End of.

    Live with it. "

    A bizarre statement to make as none of the people whose posts I can view contest that fact. So what exactly is your point? "

    I mispoke - I meant to say that noone is actually referring to the facts/figures in the article but talking about anything but the facts/figures :)

    BTW, HTF does this article only get 41 posts??? SDF on holiday or summat???

  • steviepunk #36 3 years ago

    "Someone pointed out that even though Xbox 360 are selling 2 - 1 than Playstation 3, Xbox 360 is half the price, so they're getting the exact same amount of money, and it's all about the money ladies and gentlemen."

    Aside from being a daft arguement, your facts are wrong (according to the 'analysts' anyway):
    1. Sony make a loss on each PS3 sold
    2. MS break even on the Xbox

    That would mean that Sony are losing lots of money, while MS are not losing anything.

    However, analysts are not necessarily correct, but they are the only information we have on the profitability of the actual consoles themselves.


    @keyboardmonkey - fixed this for you:
    "2009 will be the year of the PS3 price cut ;P "

    The rest remains to be seen, though if the price cut if reasonable I certainly hope to have my hands on one by the end of the year :)

  • Sunyavadin #37 3 years ago

    @ronuds
    "Seriously, who gives a shit about the Wii? This is a gaming website mostly for people who are seriously into games and the Wii is probably the least talked about console. Is it selling because it's the best console with the best games? Hell no. I'm sure MS and Sony would love to have some of those sales, but I don't think if the Wii sold a billion consoles it would have any affect on the 360's or PS3's sales"

    Actually, my point is that the Wii *IS* cutting into a sinificant part of the market that last gen was primarily cornered by Sony. The cheap console with all the fun party games on it. That's what half the PS2 owners I ever knew owned it for. And big surprise, most of them, living as they are on state benefits, student loans, or minimum wage jobs, can't afford a PS3 for the same use. But they CAN afford a Wii for that job.