Report: Wii holiday sales hit 744k in Japan

Famitsu publisher Enterbrain's Japanese sales figures for five-week period ended December 30 put Nintendo's console on top of Sony's 232,000 PS3s, Microsoft's 38,994 Xbox 360s.

In anticipation of its press conference at this year's Consumer Electronics Show yesterday, Sony gave the number-crunching crowd a bit of a gristle with word that 3.9 million PlayStation-branded products in North America had sold during the busy holiday shopping season, 1.2 million of which were PlayStation 3s.

With the NPD Group's sales statistics not expected until later this month, it's difficult to say how the console race shook out for each of the hardware manufacturers. However, adding further shades of color, Microsoft issued its own self-congratulatory stats feed last week, noting 17.7 million Xbox 360s had been sold since the console's November 2005 launch. Though the hardware maker did not disclose exact sales figures for 2007, previously announced tallies indicate approximately 7.3 million Xbox 360s were sold on the year.

While Nintendo has yet to trumpet its sales figures for the holiday season and the year, Famitsu publisher and industry stat-tracker Enterbrain has called the Japanese holiday-season console race in favor of Nintendo, as reported by Reuters. According to Enterbrain's figures, Nintendo's five-week tally ending December 30 amounted to 774,123 Wiis sold in the island nation, compared with 232,421 PS3s sold during the same period. Microsoft, which continues to flounder in the Japanese market, shifted a mere 38,994 units for the busy holiday month in Japan.

As noted in the Reuters report, Nintendo boasted a strong holiday lineup in Japan. Headlining the console maker's release slate for the month of December was Wii Fit, which isn't expected to arrive in North America until early 2008. According to the latest sales feed from Japan's other stat-trackers, Media Create, Wii Fit has sold 749,000 units since it launched in Japan on December 1.

153 Comments

  • lbjkurono23

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    Wow! thats impressive.

  • sun_spirit

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 7:56 am PT

    Ha, PWNED!

  • theKSMM

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 9:31 pm PT

    No wonder Nintendo can't keep Wiis on the shelves here in the states. They're all being purchased in Japan before we get to see 'em!

    And I'm finally going to admit that Microsoft should give up on the XBOX in Japan. They don't appreciate it to an extent that's becoming embarrassing for Microsoft. Their efforts would be better applied in other markets.

  • kornscore04

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 8:47 pm PT

    Ooooo....just shy of the Now That's Impressive achievement!

  • IHeartCloud

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:52 pm PT

    N-flames, learn how to talk! How hard is it to type out the whole word, seriously?

  • strategyking92

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:15 pm PT

    yeah, thanks nintendo, for bringing ninjabread man to the average gamer.

    You really do let people put good games on your system..................................................................not........................ apparently.


    If microsoft manages 1 million in japan by the end of the xbox 360's life in japan, it did twice as better as the original.. GO 360!

  • 123625

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 3:38 pm PT

    I think its great that Ninterndo is bringing in more potentiai gamers. So i hope they keep it up.

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 2:58 pm PT

    that's a major butt kicking there

  • mikemetroid5565

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 1:08 pm PT

    Owned.

  • ChuckNorris82 posted Jan 8, 2008 12:39 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    ChuckNorris82

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:39 pm PT (hide)

    Franzkill I agree.........nintendo thinks they made the touch screen. Losers...

  • N-Flames

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:37 pm PT

    i cant take all this hating!!! who da hell said PS3 has sold 9 million **** man only 8 million man and that da 5 million 360s had RROB is also ****

    i ses either da wii or xbox 360 winning the console war i dunno why people are saying that PS3 is genna have some major comeback, i failed to see what blu-ray (or HD-DVD for that matter) has 2 do with gaming nintendo dont seems 2 give a **** n as 4 da Sony fans, PS3 and 360 are seling at da rate but 360 had sold around double of PS3 so why people are saying that the PS3 is genna overtake MS i have no idea, PS: MGS4 aint genna do ****

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:18 pm PT

    Bufta

    Its nice to see Ninty doing well, i just wish the Wii was more of a Hardcore gaming machine. I mean its so middle of the road it hurts. I have all three consoles and the PS3 is my fav, the wii gets played the least mainly because it looks rubbish on a HDTV and the games are mostly poop. Although i have to admit that Mario galaxy and Resi evil are top shelf..

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

    Funny that, I have a 1080p TV and all 3 of the consoles, my Wii looks fine, I play the 360 most, then my Wii and then the PS3, I have over 50 games for my 360, 20 for my Wii +(24 Virtual Consoles games) and 14 for my PS3.

    But then again I don't rate a game on Graphics, I rate a game on GAME PLAY, look at lair on the PS3, what a load of crap, but it looks great, Assassins Creed what a fantastic looking game, but then again a bit crap with 1 button kills. But Warioware, looks like a 30 year old game, but really fun to play, I'd rate it higher than all of my PS3 games.

    Mind you the best game I played last year was Bioshock, looked great and played great followed by Mario Galaxy, looked great, played great. We are all different.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Bit concerned your HDTV might be on the blink though, unless you actually have an HD Monitor, do your cables attach to the back of the TV like all of the cheap models or do you have a proper TV with a seperate media centre? Or have you bought cheaper 3rd party cables, I have no problems on my TV, but then you get what you paid for.

  • pencilpusher69

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:11 pm PT

    Proust "Wii has terrible software tie in rate though. Good for nintendo but I don't think this is going to translate into that many more 3rd party games."

    Wii software sales are *now higher* than 360 software sales. Nintendo revelealed a fact to USA today, a few days ago, that 60 percent of Wii game sales are now 3rd party.

    Anybody who touts the 360's game tie in rate, should really harken back to it's first year, rather than try to compare 1st year sales of the Wii software, to the 2nd year 360.

    Things weren't so damned rosy for the 360 until after a year of it's being out.

    The Wii didn't have 3rd party developers BANKING on it being a success and making games for it beginning two years before its release. The 360 did.

    Now that things have turned around, hardware wise, the giant industry is moving in it's direction, but it takes TIME.

    Christmas 08 is going to really rain on the parades of those who hope the Wii will die.

  • Franzkill posted Jan 8, 2008 12:05 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Franzkill

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:05 pm PT (hide)

    @osxgp Nintendo hasn't re-invented anything. PDAs which were released years before with touch screen functionality were pretty good but it wasn't mind blowing technology back then so I don't see why it should be now.

    OMG! OMG! I'M TOUCHING THE SCREEN WITH A PEN AND THE CHARACTER AND OBJECTS ARE MOVING! Such a revolution as Ninten fanboys are hailing eh?

  • DaLegendKilla92

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:02 pm PT

    WOW, that is alot of Wii Fits sold in Japan....If people drop 100$ on a rock band set, they porbably might drop 180$ on a Wii Fit, if they dont have the rockstar body. I just wish the Wii had more good games being released one after the other, but that doesnt happen much on every system. Less shovelware=better sales

  • imPERSONater10

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 12:01 pm PT

    The Wii has been slow to start as many "hardcore" gamers predicited. But the thing people fail to realize is the fact that game-makers go where the money is. If there are millions of more Wii on the market, it is a larger fan base and more likely to sell more games. As the Wii's lead continues to grow, more third party companies will try to produce successful games for it in the hopes that the games will appeal to the fan base. The future is looking bright for Nintendo and its game series because of its all appealing quality, not in spite of it...

  • CrushedGroove

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 11:45 am PT

    I'm not going to compare systems, but what I am going to say is that if your idea of what makes a good system is based on graphics, then you are playing right into the hands of the marketing reps for the systems. Graphics are not, will not be, and have never been what make a good game OR system.

  • Sly_Hippo

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Glad the wii's doing rly welll, i think it can only get better with games like mario kart and super smash bros coming out.
    I agree that the console may not be as hardcore but thats why i have more than one console and play games on PC too.
    They compliment each other and I'm happy with em.

  • Megawizard1

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:59 am PT

    "Its nice to see Ninty doing well, i just wish the Wii was more of a Hardcore gaming machine."

    I just wish I could even find one. >.>

  • Bufta

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:14 am PT

    Its nice to see Ninty doing well, i just wish the Wii was more of a Hardcore gaming machine. I mean its so middle of the road it hurts. I have all three consoles and the PS3 is my fav, the wii gets played the least mainly because it looks rubbish on a HDTV and the games are mostly poop. Although i have to admit that Mario galaxy and Resi evil are top shelf.

    It seems considering these figutres this is what people want sub par 8 year old technology. I see this shift towards middle of the road gaming quite worrying because developers will just stagnate artistically and keep on bringin the same old graphics and indeed games out that they have done for the past decade. Thats why i like PS3, the potential for awe inspiring games is massive and its exciting to see the next level whereas with wii its more of why bother itll be nothing new.

  • thelegendlives5

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 9:56 am PT

    mmm the Wii outsold the PS3 almost 4:1 that's an amazing lead.

  • edhc44

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 9:38 am PT

    I'm a long-time Nintendo fan and I'm glad they're doing this good. I don't own a Wii, I own a 360 and I time and again I say it was the best decision I could have made, I don't care if it doesn't suit japanese gamers tastes, most of the good japanese franchises are multiplatform now anyway, so regardless of what, I'll still be playing good J-RPG's and the likes of Silent Hill and DMC either way.

    Regardless of my feelings towards Nintendo, I suppose I wouldn't have a Wii as my only console, but it's looking more promising as a second console by the day.

  • fanboy_killa

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 9:30 am PT

    @commando611------------------------

    neo geo pocket
    nintendo DS
    xbox 360
    original xbox
    gamecube
    SNES
    NES
    genesis
    dreamcast
    PS2
    PSone
    and the Wii......these are the systems my wife and i own, and because we love playing the Wii this excludes us from being 'real gamers'???

    the wii plays games, therefore its a game system.

  • Dualmask

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 9:27 am PT

    Real gamers play whatever they want and don't care what others think about their gaming choices.

  • The_Reckoner

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 8:40 am PT

    "Real gamers don't play wii."? "Haven't seen that many serious games other than the resi evil games."? Commando611, another example of someone who doesn't think before typing. If he really believes what he said he's out of it.

  • dartingd

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 8:32 am PT

    I find it interesting that a lot of you are saying the Wii has no good games. Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, Resident Evil 4, Dragon Ball Z 2, Twilight Princess, and the list goes on. A good game isn't made by graphics. A good game is made by gameplay, story, yes graphics help, ect... Define serious games when you say that the Wii has none.

  • bardkieran

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 7:41 am PT

    Figures Nintendo would be doing so well, the system is addictive! I think that from my family and friends that have come over and played it, half of them went out to buy one within the next week.

    The games are great, I have a blast with them, whether it be party games like Raving Rabbids, or shooters like RE:Umbrella Chronicles, or an adventure title like Zelda and SMG, I always find something that just locks me in for hours of play. I've even stopped PC gaming because I'd rather play on the Wii. The library is getting pretty awesome, and the 08 lineup is looking great too.

    I'm a little bummed about Wii Fit being sold out in Japan, because that means its going to take longer for it to get released here in the US.

    I have to say, people who say Wii has no games just have no clue what they're talking about, and are just closeminded fanboys. The system is fun and the popularity of it shows it.

  • Slash_out

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 7:14 am PT

    And the wii is ilimited by it's stock, if they were more Wii, more would have been sold.
    Unlike the other 2 consoles.
    That said I am happy to see microsoft making a good year, that means my purchase of an x360 wasn't for nothing and even more good games will come :p.

  • felshs

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 7:04 am PT

    not surprise that Wii will outsold anything. They will sell at least 200millions before the next gene come out.
    well its only $250 so it wont hurt much if the hype was just a hype , so everyone will get and experience a wii. But i spent way more time playing online game with my PS3 than on single playing game like mario galaxy. spent 3 time more hours on PS3 on warhawk,COD4, and resistance than on my Wii mario galaxy,wii sport, and zelda.

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 6:33 am PT

    I used to love my Wii, but really it's newness ahs died down and i've settled into my xbox 360 a lot more. In my mind the war is technically the Wii on it's own and 360 vs ps3, with both having similar capabilities. One or the other, they are both good consoles. I personally like the games lineup on the 360 but that doesnt make the ps3 better or worse in anyway.

  • Proust

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 6:29 am PT

    Wii has terrible software tie in rate though. Good for nintendo but I don't think this is going to translate into that many more 3rd party games.

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 6:26 am PT

    Microsoft's choice of what to annouce seems odd. Not that talking about a single territory is much better. This is why "reports" should be left to NPD. Apples to apples you know.

  • u8nogard

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:56 am PT

    Interesting article...

  • angelGP32

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:54 am PT

    where did the 30% failure rate figures come from? There's no way the number is that high, microsoft wouldn't be in the console business if it was that high, maybe .3% fail rate.

  • darkzerogamer

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:50 am PT

    30% failure rate : 5.31 million Xbox360 down>>>

    And those 5.31 million xboxs were REPLACED for FREE.

  • truenextgen

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:27 am PT

    Wii doing vary well. Their on record pace. Sony will be fine thow also.

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:46 am PT

    More shooters please nintendo. Quality ones aswell please.

  • Ice_man_1985

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:33 am PT

    it's super fun when it comes for playing a party game with wii and plus i don't have brothers to play with, but if i had any brothers, that would change the subject and i would buy one without hesitation.

  • johncalmc

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:28 am PT

    "its incredibly sad that some of you sony fanboys think the PS3 is actually going to come back and win the console war! haha. even with metal gear and final fantasy it still wont matter, because you will be competeing with Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart two titles that are instant hits and will only sell millions more consoles"

    Yawn. The only sad thing is how people constantly need to label other people as fanboys every time they present an opinion that says something good about a console.

    I've got all three systems, and if I had to be honest, I'd predict that the PS3 will win the console war. You've just got to look at things sensibly instead of blindly following a console, i.e. being a fanboy, which is exactly what you're accusing other people of doing.

    Plenty of people think the PS3 will come out on top. Just like plenty think the Wii or 360 will - each argument has good reasoning behind it, and it's tough to call.

    The way I see it, the 360 has been out a year longer than both and is already being dominated by the Wii, with PS3 catching up in some territories.

    The problem with the Wii, as I see it, is a lack of third party titles making any sort of impact, and that in a few years time it's going to look really dated.

    A lot of true gamers don't care about graphics. Hell, I'm playing Final Fantasy VI at the minute and loving it. But a lot of gamers do. The PS3 already looks as good as the 360, and once developers have got to grips with the hardware, it's only going to look better and better.

    I don't think it's going to be overnight. Not by a long shot. But more and more people seem to be seeing the Wii as a bit of a fad, and a bit of a party machine, and for a years head start, the 360 hasn't gained as much ground as it should have.

    For me, in a few years time, the PS3 will be leading the pack.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:18 am PT

    Miiguel:

    You are completely wrong in all regards.

    Japan does not 'love their own' That's absurd.

    It's a simple fact that a Japanese company is more able to understand the Japanese market, and meet the needs and wants of that market's consumers. In fact western culture is considered 'cool' or 'quirky' in Japan. Just as we in the west find some humorous interest in their culture.

    The reason they aren't buying Xbox is because it's packed with games like Gears of War, The Darkness, or Halo 3. And the games they might be interested in like Blue Dragon or Eternal Sonata, just aren't as good as some of the recent PS2 RPG's, so why waste the money?

    Saying that they are nationalist (or even racist) in their buying habits it's such an ignorant thing to say. When consoles are one of the few things that they dont take to well from overseas, not the majority product.

    Ipod for example is as far from an eastern invention as you can get, yet they buy them in droves. Same goes for music, Japan imports western music, and television/movies like crazy.

    Just because they have a different taste in games doesnt mean they hate you.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:13 am PT

    WhiteRabbit8:

    Unnecassary fluff? WTF are you talking about? The combat system is Enchanted Arms ONE and ONLY good point. It was superb. Everything else was far below 'mediocre'

    Regardless, all this "real" or "hardcore" gamer rubbish needs to stop.

    The only person you are deluding with these statements is yourself, a 'real' 'true' whatever, Gamer, plays the games he wants to play, and enjoys them. He doesn't play MGS, or Halo etc because it's popular, he makes up his own mind about whether or not he likes it.

    He plays anything from Animal Crossing to Grand Theft Auto, and enjoys every minute of it.

  • miiiguel posted Jan 8, 2008 3:21 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    miiiguel

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 3:21 am PT (hide)

    IceStorm-Br , you're so clever. Never thought of that, I thought Microsoft repaired them.

    360 doesn't have RPGs, PS3 has the best ones so far right ?
    PS3 the eternal "to be" machine.

    young men getting all excited with a Wii-fitness, that's sad...
    young men excited with a 90's brand, Playstation, that's sad...

    One thing's true, though. Japan love their own. Europe loves Japan (don't have "their own", and they hold a grudge to America, for some readson). America mostly loves their own too, with some strange exceptions.

  • raze-boi

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 3:16 am PT

    I own both X360 and Wii and I have to say that both of them did a good job. Especially Wii, I love Paper Mario and Mario Galaxy, they are incredible!

    P.S: Wii60 FTW!!! Wii is more FTW, IMO!!!

  • PS3_3DO

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 2:40 am PT

    PS2 sold 120 million but all those DRE one's accounted for 50% so it only sold 60 million.

  • IceStorm-Br

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 1:56 am PT

    17.7 million Xbox360 SOLD
    30% failure rate : 5.31 million Xbox360 down

    So there are 12.39 million Xbox in the world !

  • MSG-Deathscythe

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 1:46 am PT

    The Japanese people like products that work longer than 3 months.

  • The_Dude1212

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 1:27 am PT

    @Tripwolf:

    Real gamers know they wouldn't have had their precious Halo if it weren't for Nintendo and Super Mario Bros.

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