You're probably right. But the thread was kind of a joke so I wasn't really taking it so serious. :P

That's insane.... there was a statistic (I think NPD?) which had US multi-console ownership for last generation at about 3-4%, in other words of about 60 million US consoles, there were about 58 million gamers, and about 2 million of them owned more than 1 console.

That seems a fair figure to me, because really very few people own more than 1 console. (per gen) I only know 2 people that have... one of them had a PS1 and N64, but stopped gaming after that (in truth he mainly used the PS1 for music and frogger) and another friend had both an x-box and PS2 last gen, but never had more than 1 console for the other generations.

This is why I like using software to judge the success of a platform. Even with the 360's hardware failures, it still shows how succesful the console is due to its high attach rate. Also, while the PSP has done very well in moving hardware, the software gives us a different story - it isn't very successful as a gaming handheld.

It's too bad VGC (or probably any tracker) is unable to get a reliable hold on total software sales.

edit: @TWRoO

This is only for current gen, and they say it's "very low," so I'm assuming it was probably higher last gen. With these figures (given Q2 08), 60mil consoles would be knocked down to 56mil users.

PS2 is extremely reliable. I've had mine since 2000 and it works just fine. I played it up until early 2007 when I got PS3.

PS2 is the most unreliable console ever. My friend went through five of them, compared to just two 360s.

Anecdotes ftw!

I was in a Gamestop earlier this week and they were actually sending back a defective Wii. It was a first time anyone could remember that happening.

Most consoles have had their problems. But after a while, if they work, they will continue to work for a long time.

That being said, does anyone know where I can get a Fairchild Channel F fixed. The sound has gone out on the this 1976 console.

Mike from Morgantown

When did he get his first PS2 and when did he get his first 360?

If we go ahead and say he got both on their release dates then he is on pace for 6 or more 360s.

They won't last five years if all the Wii Fit customers stick their credit cards in the disk drive.

He got both pretty close to launch, I think. However! He gave up on the PS2 well before this generation started. So there's no telling how many he could have broken!

I honestly don't know what he was doing to them. I know the early ones were flaky, but damn.

Nintendo consoles are obviously more reliable than other consoles. That is why sales data is so useless as a measure of popularity or in an argument over which console is better. In order to make sales data actually mean something, you have to factor in the return rate, people buying multiple of the same console when they both work, and the flow of used consoles throughout the market. If used consoles are sold in large quantities, it is likely that the console in question is more of a fad than a permanent gem.
You also have to factor in that while consoles are usually one per family, families are more likely to have every kid own a ds than 1 for the family to share. This is why ds sales are getting so close to passing the ps2 also.
On another note, I actually was able to buy my wii at a gamestop around thanksgiving 07 because someone faked that their console was defective so they had extra backups in the back that nobody knew about. It was quite the stroke of luck.