Nintendo: Wii Thumps PS2's Software Sales Record

Dissecting sales figures can be a little like making sense of a gyrating Rubik's Cube. Case in point: Nintendo 's just claimed it beat Sony's 18 month sales record after tipping past 50 million games sold on or around May 19, 2008. By comparison, claims Nintendo, Sony only sold around 42 million its first 18 month at bat.

While that may be true, it misleadingly suggests the Wii's winning the software war, which it isn't. In fact, Microsoft's Xbox 360 continues to outsell the Wii in year over year totals. That's the case even if you count the 11.2 million "sales" of the system's bundled Wii Sports game, which Nintendo keeps claiming (somewhat disingenuously, I say) as part of the deal.

In 2007 in the U.S., Microsoft undershot Nintendo by around 2.1 million in consoles sales, but in fact outsold Nintendo by a whopping 10.6 million in software sales. In 2008, Microsoft's under Nintendo by about 1.2 million consoles, but still ahead (though less assuredly) by around a million in software units. We've yet to see the full extent of the impact Grand Theft Auto IV's going to have on 2008's numbers, but weekly sales have the 360 version alone handily beating Mario Kart Wii and Wii Sports as we roll through May. Add the Wii Fit and Ninja Gaiden 2 for the 360 to the mix and you've got an interesting summer looming.

On the other hand, you have to hand it to Nintendo for closing the distance with Microsoft so far this year, especially in the U.S. where Microsoft still retains the hardware install base edge, something it bragged about misleadingly last week. I guess turnabout's fair play.

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