Wii beats Xbox 360 in total consoles sold

by David Hinkle { Aug 23rd 2007 at 1:30PM }

Today is being marked as the official day that the Wii overtook the Xbox 360 in total console sales. As you can see above, the console is still losing in the U.S. market, however due to its popularity in Japan, was able to edge out the Xbox 360 and claim the top spot. With the console releasing last November, its continued shortages only make this feat that much more impressive.

[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]

Tags: consolesales, microsoft, sales, xbox360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:44PM

And in half the time with shortages!

Nushio @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:49PM

I still think that VGChartz's methodology is flawed, and provides just a "guesstimate".

A victory is a victory anyhow :=D

Hirsbrunner @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:53PM

Suhh-weet!

Archibold @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:01PM

Wahoo! Let's hope these sales figures will amount to third parties making good games for the Wii soon! Let's revel in our victory!

Scaught @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:06PM

Not sure if this is a "victory". Unless of course you are a Nintendo stock holder.

I have a fear that the Wii will be flooded with fucking awful games designed for "non-gamers" instead of some legitimately good shit.

samfish @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:11PM

Though good news, it's still a god damn shame that the game library shows absolutely no sign of shaping up into one the leading system deserves.

TVGenius @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:31PM

Hey, at least it's less flawed than the way Sirius counts subscribers (unsold cars sitting on lots count for them).

But I'll take it, since it's not like anyone else puts out semi-reputable numbers in a timely fashion...

x silence x @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:31PM

I agree with Samfish. Although the Wii is selling like crazy the attachment rate is very low in comparison to the 360. My Wii has been collecting dust and I've actually thought about selling it. Strikers is an awesome game but Mario Party was a HUGE let down. I'm going to hold off on selling it until I play Mario Galaxy and the other holiday titles. As of right now though... this means nothing to me. On a side note, I don't even consider the Wii as competition to the 360. Almost everyone I know with a Wii owns a 360 as well. Oh well... at the least the PS3 is choking.

4sakenaiden @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:32PM

totally agree with you on that, samfish. The fact that one of my favorite developers, Rockstar, is having such a bitch-and-a-half with Manhunt2 doesnt help either.

Nick @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:41PM

@samfish

Uhhh, where have you been. LOZ:TP was sweet. RE4 was a nice addition. You have Metroid Prime 3 in less than a week. Mario Galaxy in a few months. Smash Bros a month after that. RE:UC. Mario Strikers. Rockstar has a a rumored Wii exclusive. Christ, someone tell me if I'm missing anything. So...exactly how is this game library not shaping up in the near future?

Blue Sam @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:49PM

Anyone can find Wii available at small town at Wal-Mart, they're usually available.

samfish @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:50PM

Let's go through those games, Nick.

Twilight Princess: Great game. If it weren't for Godhand, it'd have been the best game I played in 2006

RE4: Port

Mario Galaxy: Good game, but made by Nintendo.

Smash Bros: Ditto

Metroid: Ditto

RE: UC: Spin-off. Let me know if they down-port RE5.

Mario Strikers: It's ok, I guess...

Rockstar game: A rumor's a romor and really doesn't count.

So yay. I really do hate to say it, but the Wii is starting to look frighteningly similar to the Gamecube. Developers are putting their D-teams on Wii game development. Fuck that.
Aside from Nintendo, there ARE a few gems coming out from 3rd parties, I admit. But NONE of them compares to the caliber of games the 360 and PS3 are getting.

samfish @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:59PM

Hmm...I should note that I'm not writing off the games made by Nintendo (I'm, like, seriously the last person who would ever do that), just that all the quality "mega ton" titles are all coming from them (again) and we're getting only a handful of equally good stuff from 3rd parties.

And even then, the stuff doesn't really do a lot to broaden the library, admittedly.

thebigfatj @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:14PM

[quote] I still think that VGChartz's methodology is flawed, and provides just a "guesstimate". [/quote]

You don't know how they work, do you? You're just saying things about them without having any understanding of their methods. You know, they explain their methods right on the site. Go have a look.

Similarly to the NPD, VGChartz polls retailers to find a cross-section of how many units of each sold during a specific period (weekly). It extrapolates those numbers using a slightly more complex formula than straight extrapolation. When the NPD, Media Create or Chart Track provide their numbers, VGChartz assumes they're more accurate and 'corrects' its own numbers.

The numbers you see at VGChartz are a compilation of the most accurate known numbers in the world (NPD, Chart Track, Media Create) with the addition of recent numbers gathered directly from retailers before the numbers are made public by the aforementioned companies.

Gordon @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:37PM

When do we get to see the NPD charts? I want to see if ps3 actually outsold 360.

Whit Rothe @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:37PM

What about Zack and Wiki? That game looks solid.

Madden on the Wii has been better than its counterparts.

SoulBlade @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:44PM

unfortunately, i gotta agree w/ Samfish. devs see the Wii as a money maker, but they don't realy compete w/ the "hardcore" games Nintendo will be offering... instead they'll just crap out games and they'll sell, much like many games from the PS2 days.

that said, i still have hope that some devs will actually try - capcom's Zak and Wiki gives me hope. I hope it sells so other devs start putting effort into their games...

I think many devs won't make ridiculous games for the Wii because the hardware can't really handle it compared to the 360 / ps3 and making any good game cross platform will be a pain for the Wii.

musleem @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:51PM

ok look i know nintendo will win the console war, even though it does not hav the best libary it has only been out like 10 months. Xbox 360 has been out mor then a year, all u hav to do is wait a while so nintendo gets better games. Also halo3 or any other xbox 360 games will not make xb0x 360 sales go up. Because people could buy a $100 system (xbox) for halo 2 but no one will pay $400 for one game (halo3). but the wii has the big three and one of my favorites mario kart wii and they are all good and the wii is less then $300. so haha!!

Nushio @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:14PM

@Big Fat J:
Yes, I read their website, and checked their methodology, thus my comment regarding it.

As for third party games?
Trauma Center and Budokai Tenkaichi 2 are very solid games.

AJ @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:22PM

360 fanboy is that way»
I think Microsoft is confusing
non-hardcore video gamers
with all these different versions
of the Xbox 360.Who knows?
Or really cares? Microsoft jumped the gun w/ a console.
that was obviously incomplete
now let's watch them suffer
because of it.
It's a great day for the good
guys.

Nick @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:28PM

@samfish

What does the fact that their made by Nintendo have to do with anything. You commented on the Wii getting poor titles (in general) and not having much in the future. I gave you a list of titles that are stellar by most accounts. Your response is that it's made by Nintendo. I don't understand.

If your argument is about 3rd party say so. And, I tend to agree there. The best thing that will happen to the Wii is when PS2 and XBox development ceases. Developers are being lazy and porting those titles because they don't know what the Wii can do. That will change...it will have to...the lack of PS2 and XBox dev cycles will force developers to work. The laziness ends when these two consoles are completely done. However, if they develope between the PSP and Wii, then even I will eat my hat...doubtful.

Further, Nintendo's "apparent" lead creates an unignorable user base. Lending to my belief that the games will come....as UNGamecube-like as you can possibly be.

As a personal note...I've never played a Madden game in my life. When Madden 08 hit Blockbuster, I snatched it up just to try. I was sweet on the Wii. When developers start putting time and effort into this...things will improve. Madden is a testament to that.

samfish @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:30PM

"I think many devs won't make ridiculous games for the Wii because the hardware can't really handle it compared to the 360 / ps3 and making any good game cross platform will be a pain for the Wii."

See, but now the Wii is in a position where you make games for the Wii FIRST and then port them over to the 360 and PS3.
If it were still the 360 leading the pack, I'd understand that way of thinking and wouldn't blame them for it. But it's just...not the way it is, anymore. Common business sense says they should be putting the biggest efforts towards the Wii.

And this writing has been on the wall for a while, too. That's the worst part. It's not like they can't say they didn't see this coming.
Yeah, almost surely the 360 will re-take the lead next month...but after that, we'll be right back to where we are today, with the Wii leading the pack again.
There are obviously some games you couldn't/wouldn't port from the Wii to the more powerful systems. But games like Sonic and Dewey's Adventure would port rather nicely to the PS3, at least.

T-bone and Razor @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:35PM

Huzzah huzzah

Its the first time Nintendo's been ahead in console sales at all since 1995

And the solid titles (of both casual and hardcore make, but solid games and not just party titles) are on the horizon. Spielberg's blocks sounded like a throwaway title at first, but the more we hear, the more solid it sounds. NiGHTS 2, Zack and Wiki, Project O, FF Crystal Chronicles. the third party focus is coming. 2008 will probably be the year for Wii 3rd party titles to really take off

samfish @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:53PM

"What does the fact that their made by Nintendo have to do with anything. You commented on the Wii getting poor titles (in general) and not having much in the future. I gave you a list of titles that are stellar by most accounts. Your response is that it's made by Nintendo. I don't understand.

If your argument is about 3rd party say so. And, I tend to agree there."

Yeah, it's about 3rd parties...but at the same time, while Nintendo games are pretty much universally considered the best of the best, they're still Nintendo games. For the most part, they have a...style. Having a system primarily supported by Nintendo games doesn't exactly give you a diverse library of games, even if they are all excellent.

Obviously Nintendo is going to treat their system good...it's their system! But aside from arguably Sega (maybe), no one is pulling the big guns out for the Wii.

Basically, I'd like to see a wider range of games to play on the Wii (even if I hate personally dislike them, such as FPS games)...and we aren't going to achieve that with just Nintendo being on board.

T-bone and Razor @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:58PM

Well, yes, but as its been said, they are getting on board, its taking time, and the big companies are hedging their bets to put the surefire hits on the more traditional systems

NiGHTS 2 is really the first great 3rd party sequel for Wii, taking an epic series and putting it there in non-spinoff form, and more series will probably come

Szu @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:02PM

First of all, congratulations to Nintendo. Even if these numbers may not be accurrate. I think Nintendo is a lock for number one within a few weeks.

I reading how people are complaining about how Wii's software library doesn't reflect that of a leading console.

The 360 has a better library right now, but then the system has been out for two years. Anyone remember the kind of games it had during it's first year. Perfect Dark Zero, anyone. It wasn't until Dead Rising and Gears of War that I started to take notice at it. Both those games came out during the second year of its life cycle. Basically, they're second-generation big hitters. Bioshock and Halo 3 are also part of its second generation.

The Wii hasn't been out for a year. Now let's take a look at it's first-generation big hitters. Metroid 3, SSBB, and Super Mario Galaxy. Yeah, they're first party. That's because Nintendo knows how to maximize their hardware. Let's see what happens when third parties get their act going and start working on the Wii second-generation.

jdub @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:30PM

I don't like VGChartz ... it's never felt that accurate to me. Although there's really no way of knowing for sure, I'll take nexgenwars.com numbers over vgchartz. According to nexgenwars.com the Wii still has a little ways to go (approximately 950,000 consoles) .... either way, it's all good for Nintendo and only a matter of time.

samfish @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:37PM

"The 360 has a better library right now, but then the system has been out for two years. Anyone remember the kind of games it had during it's first year. Perfect Dark Zero, anyone. It wasn't until Dead Rising and Gears of War that I started to take notice at it. Both those games came out during the second year of its life cycle."

First, Dead Rising came out in August '06. Hardly the second year of the 360's life. GoW was a first year game, too. Just closer towards the end.
Subject to those quibbles aside, we knew about nearly all the games for the 360 and PS3 coming out soon or already by this time last year.

And what do we know is coming out for the Wii next year?
Billy the Wizard and Crusin'.

I know, I know – Crystal Chronicals and Decca Sports (I think that's it's name) look promising and I'm sure I'm forgetting one or two more potentially big games for next year, too.
But there were a lot more of those potentially big games announced or shown by this time last year for the 360 and PS3, however.
At this point in the Wii's life, given where it's at especially, we should at least be aware that there are some heavy hitters on the horizon next year.

Hirsbrunner @ Aug 23rd 2007 7:37PM

It was at least a year, year & a 1/2 before the DS began to see more and more excellent 3rd party titles. And the flow hasn't stopped, imo.

I feel the same will occur for the Wii. Waiting is the hardest part.

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:02PM

NPD's are up on Joystiq. 425k Wii 400k DS. Poor poor sick GBA sticking with 85k finally PS3's clearance sale bucking 100k stride.

kevinm2k @ Aug 24th 2007 4:00AM

I have to admit, I own a Wii and a 360 and in my own opinion I believe the 360 is miles better than the Wii. Yeah the Wii is great for parties, but its hardly a 'next gen console' when it comes to graphics.

There are hardly any decent games out for it as well that aren't ports from either the gamecube or the DS, so again the 360 wins there. Someone really needs to start bringing out decent games for it, and it might do a little better. The only place Wii is doing better than the 360 is Japan.

Badger @ Aug 24th 2007 9:05AM

That's a lot of Wii(s).

carrierj1 @ Aug 24th 2007 12:48PM

3rd Parties do need to get on the ball with the Wii. It's been reported that the Wii actually has more third party exclusives coming out than the other consoles and that third parties are starting to flock towards it. All I want to see are games like Devil May Cry and Metal Gear anounced for the Wii.

LV426 @ Aug 24th 2007 6:02PM

31@ ALOT better in Japan...

Btw, there is a reason there are no ports from cube... cube games work on it! Admittedly, Id like to see Giest redone, but thats me not liking analogs for FPSs... all the same, what kind of complaint is that?

And to answer next year's games: No More Heros, Mario Kart, Dragonball Z... We havent even hit the X-mas season and we know these will be on the way.

Honestly, all I want that isnt happening yet, is a C&C on the Wii... THAT would be incredible (You listening EA? WE DONT WANT PLAYGROUND, WE WANT TO PLAY WITH KANE!!!)

LosCakes @ Sep 9th 2007 12:09AM

@musleem

"Also halo3 or any other xbox 360 games will not make xb0x 360 sales go up. Because people could buy a $100 system (xbox) for halo 2 but no one will pay $400 for one game (halo3). but the wii has the big three and one of my favorites mario kart wii and they are all good and the wii is less then $300. so haha!!"

Wow, where to begin...

Ok first of all, your comment on the xbox and halo2 is completely irrelevant. Anyone who buys an xbox or halo2 at this point has no valid opinion. Secondly, although also irrelevant, people WILL buy a 360 only for Halo3. But most will buy it for the insane amount of good games for the 360, not just halo3. The big three? Are you fucking serious? Do you live in a hole or something? Microsoft is MURDERING Nintendo's library presently and in the near future. Even wii fanboys can admit it. I had planned to buy a wii at launch but that will never happen until there are more than the same 1st party franchises to enjoy. Mario Pary 45, Mario Kart: Van Edition, can I get some variety? Don't get me wrong, I see the potential. Brawl will own, Galaxy will own, Chrystal Chronicals will own. But, take a look at the 360 lineup for the following 365 days. Scary isn't
it?

So enjoy your moment of glory because of Japanese racism but if your fanboy tendencies have you discard this entire response, always remember one thing: The Volkswagen Beetle is the best selling car of all time. Does that make it better than a Ferrari?

Oh and ps3 sucks.

Blaze @ Oct 15th 2007 5:18PM

I own a 360, and all systems are awsome.
All this war crap is for you to buy more games and consoles -.-'
So yeah, i like the Xbox a bit more cause i own it, but ive played all of them, and theyre all great.
It would just be cool if everyone just stopped cursing at other ppl about which sytem is superior and all that..
Just like what you like and get on with your gaming.
Good job Wii. =)

And another thing, i didnt get mah Xbox for Halo, im not really into Halo.
So please stop the stereotypes.