I don't think most people are putting their thinking for this issue in the right perspective.

In regards to comparing it to other launches, you can't.  The PS3 had more supply than demand, that is the biggest issue here.  Therefore there weren't people waiting for shipments to come in.  If you look at historical data the other consoles took as much of a plummet (maybe not quite as much) in their second week, but the demand was still huge... X360 and Wii were both considered 'sold out' for weeks after they were released... the Wii is STILL sold out.

I seriously wonder the number the Wii could have been pulling if there was more supply, I think Nintendo may have killed some demand because of leaving supply levels too low for too long. 

To put this in perspective, I think the console sold exceedingly well for it's first week (as someone said it's like the launch of a videogame up huge at the start, and then plummets down below the weeks after) and then it will continue to drop slightly week on week after this.  This isn't good for sony because it follows the typical hardcore gamer trend, and therefore without any new reasons to purchase games the weekly sales would continue to drop.  I would say 15k a week would be a good estimate as to what it will reach.

For once I agree with Hus about 30k a week being bad sales, it is bad ESPECIALLY in it's second week, no way will week 3 be that high, demand isn't as high as people think that it is - ongoing. 

Honestly, I think that the system needs to KEEP atleast 30 - 40k a week to not follow the rest of the worlds current sales trend for that console (which I expect it will anyway - what reason is there in the UK that it will not?)

Typically week range in the UK are from Sunday - Saturday.

First week (2 days sales) were Friday & Saturday, this range is from Sunday (25th) to Saturday (31st).

To add fuel to the fire, this little piece of media is now doing the rounds (re: PS3 performance in Japan). The poor media is bad enough...:

"According to a recent Bloomberg report on the sales of Wii vs. PS3 in Japan, Nintendo's new console has gained an overwhelming lead over Sony's HD console, selling at a 2:1 ratio over Playstation 3 to continue the Big N's domination of Japan.

Based on a sales research report by Enterbrain Inc., Nintendo has sold 1.95 million units of Wii through March 25. In comparison, Sony's console has sold 812,000 systems in its five months on the shelves since November 11. It is also important to remember that Wii launched a month after PlayStation 3 in Japan.

So while Nintendo's console continues to generate a profit on each system sold (as previously announced by Nintendo), sales also double Sony's console, expanding the profit gap between Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft substantially based on previous cost/profit information on hardware sales. Sony continues to stay afloat in both American and Japan despite a lack of hardware-driving games, though the company is undoubtedly losing a foothold on its previously uncontested mass-market appeal in every major region."

http://au.wii.ign.com/articles/777/777967p1.html

...

This really is terrible news for Sony - if they "lose" Japan (goes the same way as the PSP - taking a couple of years to build any solid momentum?) there could be dire consequences for the company. The Japanese developers who solely supported Sony over the last few years with either switch to Nintendo, or instigate a long-term "multi-platform" policy. Without exclusives such as FF, DQ, MGS, DMC (and indeed this is already happening) Sony will not have a chance of reaching their former glory (of the PS1/PS2).

Fanboy much? The demand hasn't been satisified, not even close. With the high price tag of course the sale will drop. It will contine to sell at or near this rate until November, when it will skyrocket.

In other words fan the flames and stick your tounge out at sony fans.. Was that your goal? Stop digging sony's grave, they are not dead yet, They are still selling better there than the 360 and have sold more since launch than the 360 did after launch over the same time period. Go dig Microsofts grave.

FYI, The PS3 is still selling faster than the PS1...So why can't theyt pick up? The PS1 did and somehow a faster selling system can't? Riiiight.

Ask yourself why the PS1 was selling slowly at the time it was selling slowly though?  Is the PS3 in the same situation?

My best guess was a new unproven system with a BAD selection of games. What reason did people have to buy it then? I almost got a saturn...Glad I didn't. But the PS3 has one problem the PS1 had, not a very good selection. I am saying the PS3 could pick up after some games come out, not promising it will, just that it could.

 Launch demand has been satisfied...now it's selling steadily until the holidays, yes...just like the other consoles as well.  And the other consoles will skyrocket in November as well, so I don't see your point.

 360 aint selling more now, gap is decreasing.

How was ps1 first... saturn was first.