Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/06/wii_vs_ps3/
Enterbrain - Japan's largest videogames magazine publisher, according to the Reuters newsagency - today claimed Nintendo's Wii outsold Sony's PlayStation 3 by almost - appropriately - three to one during January.
Enterbrain's research puts January's Wii shipments at 405,000, while Sony sold 148,000 PS3s.
Sony recently sniffingly described the Wii as an impulse purchase, the implication being the PS3 is a more considered buy, acquired for the longer term and less for instant gratification. The Wii is certainly priced to make such purchases more likely, but since half the battle is getting the console in punters' hands, maybe that's no bad thing.
Potential PS3 buyers, we'd imagine, are more likely to put off buying the console until they can be sure they'll be able to buy the kind of games they want to play. Crucially, Enterbrain pointed to a growing range of PS3 software through the year, which will help shift more PS3s. The rumoured price cut will help too - particularly if it's as high as the forecast 25 per cent (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/29/sony_price_cut_forecast/).
Nintendo nudges sales forecast upward (5 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/05/nintendo_ups_sales_forecast/
Wii wins in US during February (2 April 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/04/02/us_wii_sales/
Sony pledges to balance PS3 supply, demand by May (28 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/28/ps3_supply_to_match_demand/
Reduced backwards compatibility for European PS3 (23 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/23/reduced_backwards_ps3_compatibility/
Whopping widescreen Wii (21 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/21/whopping_widescreen_wii/
Amazon.co.uk PS3 pre-order offer pops up over four hours late (15 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/15/amazon-co-uk_ps3_preorder_debacle/
3G gamers opt for simple gaming (12 February 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/12/3g_games_just_for_fun/
Nintendo patents games console phone (7 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/07/nintendo_patents_nphone/
Sword-wielding robot smites by Wii Remote (5 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/05/wii_remote_controlled_wobot/
Dell developing handheld games console (1 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/01/dell_developing_handheld_games_console/
Sony to slash PS3 price by 25% (29 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/29/sony_price_cut_forecast/
No 20GB PS3 for Europe, Sony reveals (25 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/25/sony_announces_euro_ps3_launch/
UK consumers bought 200,000 Nintendo Wiis over Xmas (16 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/16/nintendo_wii_uk_xmas_sales/
Nintendo faces Wii Remote wrist-strap class action lawsuit (20 December 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/12/20/nintendo_wii_strap_class_action/