Nintendo president Satoru Iwata adjusts his crotch, spits off to the side, and then steps up to the mic to say that the PlayStation 2 sales are nothing compared to what the Wii’s could be. Okay, maybe it was less like that and more like forum postings by a fanboy, but yes, Iwata just brought it. In a recent interview with Reuters:
“Sony’s PS2 sales of 100 million units is an extraordinary number that our home game console business has not achieved. But if we can make our bid to expand the gaming population a continued success, we could exceed that.”
So, Iwata says that the Nintendo Wii could exceed the total lifetime sales of Sony’s PlayStation 2. Those are very strong words as the PS2 is the most successful home console in history. Keep in mind that Nintendo does have some ammo to back up the statement. Gamasutra says that the Wii is currently beating out the PS3 and Xbox 360 in most major markets and is likely to have the largest user base in the next half year.
For now, the PS2 is still on top. It continues to outsell the PS3 and Xbox 360 in both the United States and Japan, racking up sales of 120 million units worldwide.
Iwata lays a bit more smack down, this time commenting on the $100 price drop as well as the new, redesigned PSP:
“I wouldn’t say there is no overlap between the group of customers Sony is targeting and the group of users that Nintendo is targeting. But that overlap is quite small.”
Do you think it is possible for the Wii to overcome the PS3? Is Nintendo being overconfident? Sony had a good head start on the PS2, and it demolished the sales of both the Xbox and the GameCube. Both Xbox and GameCube releases have since dried up, while the PS2 still enjoys a steady stream of titles. The Wii had a strong release out of the gate, but will its specialized gameplay and limited third-party support allow it to overcome Sony’s pride and joy?
[via Gamasutra]
