Japanese Hardware: DS Outpaces PSP For Third Week

For the third week in a row the Nintendo DS has been the best selling console in Japan, although its sales fell substantially as its lead over Sony’s portable eroded slightly. All formats saw a drop in sales this week, though, as software sales also dipped, with the DS down by 22,500 units to 55,995. With the PSP’s market catalyst Monster Hunter Portable 2 G now down to number 14 in the charts, sales for the console have been slipping steadily all monthly. This week sales were down almost 17,000 units to a total of 47,604. With only two titles in the top 10 and few new major titles for some time the Wii also continued its own decline, down nearly 18,000 units to a total of just 35,173. After a brief bump last week PlayStation 3 sales again continued to fall, with a drop in sales of over 2,000 units to 9,020. Despite success in the software charts the PlayStation 2 also saw sales decrease, by almost 2,000 units to 8,420. With Namco Bandai’s Tales Of Vesperia charting at only number 21, due to continued stock problems, the Xbox 360 also saw its sales decline, down by nearly 4,000 units to 3,551. Overall in the top 50 there were 27 titles for the Nintendo DS, 10 for the Wii, five each for the PSP and PlayStation 2, two for the PS3 and one for the 360.