Xbox 360 tops Wii and PS3 for 1st time in yearly global sales

[heartgold]

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been dominating its home turf for the past couple of years, sitting atop the monthly sales charts for the U.S. video-game console market, but the Redmond company has just taken the title of top-selling home console worldwide, as well.

Sony’s earnings report, issued yesterday, puts the PlayStation 3 at 6.5 million units sold worldwide for the holiday quarter, topping the 5.6 million units registered by Nintendo’s Wii for the same period — but falling short of the 8.2 million Xbox 360 sales reported by Microsoft.

According to data compiled by GeekWire, it’s the first time since 2006 that the Xbox 360 has led worldwide holiday sales since 2006, when the PlayStation 3 and Wii were just being launched, posting a partial quarter and not yet ramping up their manufacturing to meet demand.

Here’s the bigger news: The Xbox 360′s strong holiday quarter also put the Microsoft console ahead in worldwide sales globally for the full year of 2011, with 14.9 million units sold, compared with 14.1 million for the PS3 and 10.33 million for the Wii.

According to our data, compiled from historical earnings reports, it’s first time the Xbox 360 has topped the worldwide console market for a full year of head-to-head competition with the PS3 and Wii.

Microsoft’s surge reflects the strong reception for the Kinect motion sensor and the expansion of the console as a home entertainment device, enabled by regular software updates.
Don Mattrick, the Microsoft video-game chief, had predicted last year at the E3 conference that Xbox 360 would become the No. 1 console globally.

On a cumulative basis, Nintendo is still the king of the current console generation, with 95 million Wiis sold worldwide, compared with 66 million Xbox 360 for Microsoft and 62 million PS3s for Sony.

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=139561

Wii is definitely at the end of its life cycle. Not shocking.

 

[shakirmoledina]

hmm how come? any new game released? or is there is a calculation issue? many xbxs have already been sold so i wonder who is buying them now that the ps3 is rising. as above stated, probably it is now increasing its range of countries or distribution while the ps3 is probably not doing so

 

[princefarzan]

hmm how come? any new game released? or is there is a calculation issue? many xbxs have already been sold so i wonder who is buying them now that the ps3 is rising. as above stated, probably it is now increasing its range of countries or distribution while the ps3 is probably not doing so

Kinect that's what (coupled with few but quality first party "HARDCORE" titles and 3rd party support/exclusives).

 

[spotanjo3]

To my opinion.. Wii isn't competitive with those two because those two are almost alike and they are more competitive at each others. Wii is almost like PS2 but more powerful and it doesnt count anyway. Silly link.

 

[gloweyjoey]

XBOX 360 CONTINUES ITS REIGN OF TERROR!

*waits for [member='valwin'] to show up*

 

[Foxi4]

Well done XBox! Looks like Live still IS a magnet for players. Plus, the store is quite good - dare I say, the best this generation?

 

[Valwin]

XBOX 360 CONTINUES ITS REIGN OF TERROR!

*waits for [member='valwin'] to show up*

yet the wii have sold more

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

I just got my first 360 last year, so I'm citing a finally lowered price as the cause of this.
(it was the main selling point for me)

 

[gloweyjoey]

XBOX 360 CONTINUES ITS REIGN OF TERROR!

*waits for [member='valwin'] to show up*

yet the wii have sold more

Indeed it has. By 30million units

 

[FluffyLunamoth]

I think everyone and their mom just owns a Wii at this point, it had it's run, sold like hotcakes. Now it'll die down, right on time for the WiiU

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

I think everyone and their mom just owns a Wii at this point, it had it's run, sold like hotcakes. Now it'll die down, right on time for the WiiU

My mom does own a wii.

She's 52.

Now she can play board games without losing the pieces....

 

[FireGrey]

I'm considering getting a 360, just I want to wait for E3 so i don't get annoyed if they announce something new.
But then again... WiiU...
If the Windows 360 rumors are true for E3 then... 360...

 

[FluffyLunamoth]

I think everyone and their mom just owns a Wii at this point, it had it's run, sold like hotcakes. Now it'll die down, right on time for the WiiU

My mom does own a wii.

She's 52.

Now she can play board games without losing the pieces....

See? I was being totally literal! My mom owns one too.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

LOL I would only buy an XBOX 360 for console excusive games. Multi-platforms game might as well be played on a PS3. Ex. FF XIII-2 lags on XBOX 360. Doesn't on the PS3.

Anyway, this makes sense since the Wii is nearing the end of its life and the XBOX 360 has been revamped with the Kinect. WOOT.

 

[chris888222]

LOL I would only buy an XBOX 360 for console excusive games. Multi-platforms game might as well be played on a PS3. Ex. FF XIII-2 lags on XBOX 360. Doesn't on the PS3.

Anyway, this makes sense since the Wii is nearing the end of its life and the XBOX 360 has been revamped with the Kinect. WOOT.

Pretty much this. I do like some of the Wii games (MONSTER HUNTER TRI ZOMG) but yeah it's pretty much at the end of its lifespan.

And meh. I'll only get an Xbox when Live Silver has more stuff added to it. Live is fantastic IMO, but the free version is just so plain.

 

[stinkoman]

Wow, they actually got pretty cheap. Didn't notice because I've been busy playing PC games with glorious visuals, cheap prices, and free multiplayer.

 

[YayMii]

LOL I would only buy an XBOX 360 for console excusive games. Multi-platforms game might as well be played on a PS3. Ex. FF XIII-2 lags on XBOX 360. Doesn't on the PS3.

Anyway, this makes sense since the Wii is nearing the end of its life and the XBOX 360 has been revamped with the Kinect. WOOT.

Actually, the majority of multiplatform games are developed on the 360 first (resulting in less bugs). Yes, there are exceptions like the one you mentioned, but I can easily name 5 multiplatform games that run better on the 360 from the top of my head (Skyrim, Bayonetta, Call of Duty, Fallout 3, the earlier games in the GH/Rock Band series).

 

[Gahars]

Wow, they actually got pretty cheap. Didn't notice because I've been busy playing PC games with glorious visuals, cheap prices, and free multiplayer.

Fascinating.

Anyway, this is some pretty great news for Microsoft. The only problem is that it kind of puts them in a bind; they'll need to announce a new console sometime soon to compete with Nintendo while not cutting the 360's life short in the process. I wouldn't be surprised if they will unveil any new services/Live adjustments (Cheaper Gold, more robust Silver, etc.) to keep it selling like hotcakes.

 

[Qtis]

Once I see a good offer for a 360 and it's (almost) fully hackable for the nice homebrew (USB/HDD loading in particular), I may consider buying one. So many games already waiting to be played so it really is about how cheap one could get it..

ps. Comparing a good gaming PC costs with a console is quite funny.. At least you can trust that the console runs the game without any problems (glitches yes, but no major issues)

 

[triassic911]

You would think after seeing such high sales year after year... Everyone would have one already!