In what is probably the most successful console re-launch in history, over half a million PS3 "slims" were sold last week worldwide according to our preliminary data - this represents over a 400% increase week on week (and a number of retailers in the US had already started selling the new model PS3 last week).

In Europe, some regions saw as much as a tenfold increase in PS3 sales (admittedly, sales had been low the previous week as consumers anticipated the new model launch) - over 200,000 units were sold in other regions according to our preliminary data. In Japan, reports have already been confirmed from Famitsu magazine of over 150,000 units sold - twice as much as the previous best week for PS3. Sales in Americas also saw a large increase, over 125,000 units according to preliminary data (although this could be higher as more info comes in).

PS3 software also saw significant increases - many PS3 versions of multi-platform titles comfortably outselling their 360 counterparts this week.

Stay tuned for more data as it comes in...

http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=5105

Others: +200k
Americas: +125k
Japan: +150k

Total: +500k

Simply incredible! Might have been around 550k first week, if it hadn't had an early, limited release in some American retailers for the last week of August. This is a week for hardware you just don't see outside of the holiday season.

What interests me most, however, is what impact this will have on software:

Sales of PlayStation 3 games have rocketed in the UK following the release of the PS3 Slim.

Batman Arkham Asylum holds onto the UK top spot again in the week ending 5th September. The title was able to beat out Wii Sports Resort once again in part thanks to the release of the PS3 Slim.

The £249.99 slimmer console has had a boost in sales nearing 1000 per cent according to Chart-Track, which has resulted in some sales increases for PS3 titles.

The greatest beneficiary is the 2007 title Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which saw a massive 128 per cent rise in sales, climbing from tenth to third. This is the game's highest position in the UK All Formats Chart for almost one-and-a-half years.

Sales for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 climb 38 per cent, Call of Duty: World at War 7 per cent and Fight Night Round 4 re-enters the top ten with a 68 per cent rise in sales.

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/playstation3/ps3-software-sales-rocket-in-uk-following-slim-release-$1325246.htm

PS3 software sales have increased by 17% (units) over week 35 to claim 3rd place in terms of software format units behind 360 & Wii (up from 4th place in week 35).

http://www.vg247.com/2009/09/07/uk-ps3-sales-explode-1000-on-slims-release/

This is promising for PS3 software sales. Hopefully titles like inFamous and others that have come under criticism for their chart performances lately will also pick up over the coming weeks.

Discuss.

So COD4 got the biggest boost? I guess Activision knew what they're talking about when asking for a PS3 price cut.

I think Arkham Asylum will see a very small drop in its second week. That would make me happy :)

Infamous, Killzone 2, and Metal Gear Solid 4 will see the biggest boosts I think, as far as older releases go.

What I wanna know is why were initial hardware predictions so far off?! When I mean far off, I dont mean by a few %, I mean:

http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=4917

“We project that September sales worldwide will be around double that of August - around 600,000 units.”

- Week 1 will nearly outdo the ENTIRE PROJECTED MONTH

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/post.php?id=2551780

"PS3 is up about 85% this week (~70k) - slims available but limited to only some retailers and in limited quantities - next week should be 90-100k in the Americas with the slim being fully available everywhere"

- Taking the high end of this estimate, still 25% off!

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/post.php?id=2557196

“I'd say 50k [week 1 in Japan] is a reasonable estimate, 100k seems a little high to me but who knows?”

-50k week 1 in Japan is INCREDIBLY far off from 150k. Hell, even 100k is!

So what gives? Why were all of these predictions so bad?

This is going to be good for bargain bin games like MSG4 and GTAIV, I think.

There are a lot of great games that people have been wanting for a long time now, but haven't gotten.

I hope even minimal boost for Valkyria Chronicles. This game deserves to sell million! =P

With 150k consoles on the move in Japan, you better believe that game is going to get a minimal boost.

Yea lots of popular games will get a boost i think like GTA IV, Uncharted, MGS4 etc.

sales up jp = more good rpgs. :)