Tokyo, Apr 16, 2009 (JCN) - Sony has been given a vital boost in the battle for the multibillion-dollar video game industry, with a survey showing its PlayStation 3 outsold Nintendo's Wii in Japan for the first time in 16 months. Japanese sales of the PS3 surged 80 percent in the five weeks to March 29 from a year earlier to 146,948 consoles, while demand for the Wii plunged almost 63 percent to 99,335.
The PS3 got a boost from the release of popular new games such as Resident Evil 5, putting the console ahead of the Wii for the first time since November 2007, when Sony was lifted by the launch of a new slimmed down version. Nintendo has already sold so many Wii consoles that it appears to be struggling to find new buyers, but it should continue to enjoy strong demand for games and accessories.
The Wii, launched in 2006, is known for its innovative motion-sensitive controller which has appealed to people buying a video-game machine for the first time. While Sony put the emphasis on chip power and ultra-realistic graphics for the latest addition to the PlayStation series, Nintendo opted to develop a cheaper, easy-to-use console that would appeal to a wider audience.
Good for you SONY!
