The story of the Xbox 360's success in Japan has taken another bizarre twist, as it has now pulled ahead of the dominating Nintendo on its home turf. As Wii sales slow down, the Xbox 360 has managed to snatch the top home console post, doubtlessly helped by its huge 30% price drop.
The 360 sold 28,681 units from September 8 to September 14, beating out the Wii's 27,057 sales and trouncing the PS3's 8,050. To further put this success into context, the 360 only shifted a dismal 845 units the previous week.
The Xbox 360's recent mini-victories in Japan can be also be attributed to the launch of exclusive JRPGs in Tales of Vesperia and Infinite Undiscovery. Japan can't get enough of their androgynous coming-of-age stories and so far they have proved to be a wise investment for Microsoft.
The 360 now enjoys over 717,275 Japanese sales which, when compared to the last Xbox's paltry figure of 500,000, is definitely worth a golf clap.
[Via Steel Squirrel]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
5:31 AM on 09.18.2008
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Is Japan really so xenophobic?
Do you even really have to ask that question?
Oh, right...
The Wii isn't even at 7 million units sold yet in Japan. So do you honestly think there's only 7 million people in Japan? Sure that's a lot sold overall compared to Sony, and Microsoft, but still its not that much when you consider the DS has sold over 23 million units in Japan thus far.
I recently want away for the weekend with a group of about 10 Japanese friends and took my Wii. None of them had a Wii, and at least 3 of them want one. When I say that I also want to get a PS3 (let alone an Xbox 360), they don't really care. And at least once they must have been gamers, because they kicked my arse in pretty much every VC game we played.
Based on that small cross section, I think the Wii will keep selling in Japan.