Pachter: MGS4 Bumping PS3 Sales In June NPD

Ahead of NPD's June U.S. hardware and software sales report, Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter has predicted an uptick in PS3 sales on the release of Metal Gear Solid 4, but still sees the Wii easily topping the hardware charts. Pachter expects combined market sales to be up 19 percent over the year prior at $645 million, up from 2007's $542 million. Metal Gear Solid 4, Ninja Gaiden II, Lego: Indiana Jones, Guitar Hero: On Tour and Guitar Hero Aerosmith are expected to be the top new titles, but Pachter says he also expects "a dramatic drop-off in sales from last month's performance of Take-Two's GTA IV and Nintendo's Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii." Looking at hardware performance, Pachter predicts the Wii will outsell the Xbox 360 and PS3 combined, with PS3 sales up "due to the release of PS3 exclusive MGS 4 and a special Wal-Mart promotion." The full list is as follows: Wii - 750,000 DS - 625,000 PS3 - 375,000 Xbox 360 - 235,000 PSP - 235,000 PS2 - 160,000 "Next generation console unit sales are running well ahead of the level in the analogous period of 2003 (when console prices averaged under $200)," he concluded, "implying room for significant sales growth as price cuts are implemented."