Nintendo Trouncing Sony in Japan
The Wii-PS3 battle is starting to look a lot like the DS-PSP blowout - at least for now.
The drubbing the PSP is getting at the hands of the relatively underpowered DS is already well known. Recent numbers out of Japan point to the console wars going down a similar path in that country.
According to publisher Enterbrain, Nintendo sold 405,000 Wiis in January - nearly three times the 148,000 PlayStation 3s Sony was able to sell, Reuters reports.
Worse still for Sony are the anecdotal reports of PS3s starting to pile up not just in Japan bit in North America too.
In Japan Wii sales have now hit 1.4 million units, compared to just 614,000 units of the PS3.
Price is clearly an issue that is weighing on Sony's mind, and company representatives have recently admitted that Sony is pondering a price drop. The talk echoes the feelings of Enterbrain president Hirokazu Hamamura, who told Reuters:
"There could be a price cut for the PS3 by the end of the year, and more software titles will hit the market. I expect the PS3 to be doing better after a while."
Sony's biggest challenge right now is to pull off a successful launch in Europe. The PS3 is due here on 23 March in just the higher priced 60 GB variant.
Will price be an issue here too? Already some retailers and would-be buyers are up in arms, according to a recent MCV report.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo
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