Japanese Hardware: Xbox 360 Keeps PS3 Lead For Fifth Week

Hardware sales in Japan have fallen sharply again, with an even slower week of sales than the software charts. The Nintendo DS was again the best-selling platform, but with one of its worst-ever weekly totals of 31,914 units – down over 10,000 on the previous seven days. The PSP was in second place with 23,901 units sold, down just over 2,000 on the previous week. As usual the Wii was the best-selling home console, with its sales down by a similar number to the PSP, for a total of 22,877 units. Despite the slower sales for the other formats, the Xbox 360’s total was still well above its normal average from the first half of the year, falling only 500 units to 7,762. With the PlayStation 2 falling by a more precipitous 1,500 units to a total of 6,982, Microsoft’s console managed to outsell both of Sony’s home consoles this week. This left the PlayStation 3 in last place, with sales down by almost 1,500 units to a recent low of just 5,734 units. Overall in the top 50, there were 22 titles for the Nintendo DS, eight each on the Wii, PSP and PlayStation 2, three on the PlayStation 3 and one on the Xbox 360.