For the information, I've just noticed the Japanese WII got, since today, a price drop, via a store I know, excluding shipment only 189 Euro... Come to think of it... not a good sign at all, considering the fact regular Japanese prices are cheaper. No price drop from the PS3 yet.

http://www.neoamusement.com/product_info.php?cPath=44&products_id=2189&language=en

Sounds very made-up to me as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's close to the truth. I thought the software drought was over with Metroid Prime 3, but looks like there'll be a few more empty weeks before the rest of the great titles arrive, and Japan doesn't even have a release date for it yet.

Then again Wii software sales are more than twice the PS3 software sales, and on a regular week still way more than 360 sales on Halo 3's launch week. I wouldn't be too worried, especially with the games the Wii has coming during the next few months.

4 out of 4 people prefer the Wii over the PS3. Of course this stat is true.............but what you weren't told was that I only asked the 4 people in my household. You don't know how the question was framed, or how many people I asked. So for that to be meaningful, you would have to only care about the opinion of the 4 people that live at my house.

The fact that the figure conveniantly comes out to 67% (i.e. two in three) tells me that there is a high pissibility that the sample size was very low, especially for a console with an install base of 3.66 million in Japan.

Which is ironic seeing that their very name Famitsuu is the shorthand form of 'Famicom Tsuushin' or Famicom News. Family Computer News. Nintendo's 2nd and breakout home console system.

Hard to hate Nintendo when it's in your very name. Hope they understand that. Else they might as well call it Pureitsuu (Pureetsuu). Playstation News.

John Lucas 

So, let us in on the joke... this is genious level sarcasm, right?  

Somehow I doubt third parties would consider that a success though.

what i want to know is how that "number" will look once mario hits the street

whats funny about all this is even if its 1 outa 3 that still more people playing the wii then the 360 and ps3 combined

Read this book.  Everybody should. 

Most importantly the point is moot: Casual gamers are going to play less and casual games are going to be played less than core.   What matters is that the casual market keeps the bloated carcass of core gaming afloat.

Next, the precise value given.  When ever you see some odd or complex statistical statement (multiple variable: Wii ownership, playtime, last played, competitive market, new users) there are often too many factors influencing users answers and interviewers interpretation. I am pretty sure that the interviewed has little to no knowledge or consideration of other factors: total household use, channel time usage, total household time spent thinking about using the product (which any gamer knows how much this influences future purchases)

Last here, but not for the sake of statistical argument,  people who do surveys do not reflect the true population.  Internet surveys get a closed audience who answers to prove a point and phone surveys... well, who really answers their home phone anymore?  I'll tell you who, people who are so lonely that they can't wait for the next pollster or telemarketer and people who are so completely out of touch with the reality of wireless communication that they refuse to let the wired phone go... like my internet company who forces me to have a phone (which I don't even have plugged in).

Add:

What's really funny? If we are to believe Nintendo's spin, then a phone survey would be have a high level of confidence. Old people answer their home phones.

(I love my Wii, done with MP3, and I am still playing Elebits and Rabbids for god's sake. Oh and Hottest Party.)