In the land of the rising sun, the PlayStation brand has seen much appreciation and success throughout the region. While that dominance has recently been overran by Nintendo hardware such as the DS and Wii, Sony hardware still continues to hold a firm grip on the market, giving Nintendo their much need competition all while trotting over the Xbox 360.
From November 26 through December 2, the hardware sales figures in Japan looks like thus:
1. Nintendo DS: 124,627
2. Nintendo Wii: 74,764
3. PlayStation Portable: 74,626
4. PlayStation 3: 37,092
5. PlayStation 2: 13,703
6. Xbox 360: 6632
Sony platforms occupy positions 3, 4 and 5 respectively, with the PSP leading the pack. The PS2 still holds strong among a market of higher end hardware while the PSP is expected to hit the 7 million units sold mark sometime next week. Interestingly, PS3’s recent lead over the Wii in weekly sales has for now, ceased. Meanwhile, sales of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in the region remain sluggish, with just over 6,600 consoles sold.

not bad, if they stay consistend like they have been they'll reach PS2 numbers
I don`t know why Microsoft even bother going near Japan, Nintendo and Sony own the Japanese market, because their Japanese company`s..
ps3 gotta focus big time on software if they wanna win da console war. . . hope that the big titles they have 4 2008 dont go multi-platform
I'm just glad to see the 360 in last place. Microsoft doesn't need to have control over the video gaming market too.
i guess the wii sales aided by the release of the new Super Mario Galaxy. I am still very anxious to know how things will turn out when the BIG titles we all know start hitting the ps3 shelves....Well let's wait and c.
Whoa!!the wii is back with a vengeance,it sold more than twice as much as ps3.Then again,our battle isn't with Ninty,at least not yet.
Damn, sad to see the 360 behing hit heavy in Japan.
psp is doing good.
Psp is doing preaty well over there. Hopefully that means more RPGs.
Holy crap, the 360 is gaining fast! Watch out Wii! M$ for teh win!!
(no sarcasm at all there....)
am I the only one that cracks up everytime I see the PS2 kick'n the 360's ***? cuz that's just the greatest and I enjoy seeing that for some reason.
Come on Ps2
Damn the PSP is doing really well and of course Nintendomination is still going strong.
@Jk-Sin Sonys big titles ar programed for the ps3 in such ways that makes it impossible porting them over to other platforms without doing the programing al over agan from scratch... those games ar optimised for the PS3 hardware like ffs and mgs4. I like how bad it goes for 360 in Japan
Leeman, SHUT THE FCK UP. You're defending a dead console. The ONLY place 360 is doing any thing at is North America, and sadly, the PS3 is even killing THAT now. Just admit it, M$ fcked up. All their exclusives are OUT and PS3's have just barely got started.
Thanks for the info.
But why is it always in Japan? Why not worldwide?
no modern console has ever "won" without the support of Japan.
Whether you like or dislike the 360, you have to admit... sales are not slow because the console is overpriced or has lackluster games. It's because it's... American. We have embraced Sony's console's as well as its electronics brand, but yet Japan wants nothing to do with an American console. Look at the cars we drive, the electronics in our homes, and the support we have given them. Too bad this is not reciprocated!
I thought they would be up a bit higher but not bad considering the host of games that have been pushed back etc.
I'm not overly surprised that Nintendo is doing well over there. Japan has always taken to more cartoonish more child like focuses. This is even pointed out in the "rise of the video game' series.
I think you see even more numbers once the big titles come out.
I like leeman99's repeateded use of the word "boy" to end his statements. Are you a 40 year old pig farmer? Actually I take that back, it's derogatory towards pig farmers. Anyways, I really don't think you should declare a winner just yet. It's only been 1 year since the PS3 and Wii have been out. Although I realize that the Wii has a very large market share, I don't think it's in direct competition with the 360 and PS3 ( which are aimed at similiar demographics). Also, how can you claim that the Japanese market is "small?" The market is a keyplayer in the video game industry.
@ tom ass
If the Japanese prefer a superior and more reliable product then why did they not embrace the original Xbox which was arguably a superior and more reliable console than the ps2?
I just understand the facination with the Wii´. In Europe it isent even that cheap compared to the 360 or even the small PS3. Yes Wii sports is a fun party game and Mario G is pretty cool, but thats it. It becomes a party machine.
@leeman99
Would you just GTFO. All you do is bash PS3 and Sony on here. Im sick of you posting your crap. What does it say about the 360 when the PS2, which came out in 2001 and is the last gen, is out selling the crashbox3fixme ?
@ tom ass
if its the games then why aren't they 360 which has had the better games so far? the point i'm making is that the Japanese buy Japanes products and it has nothing to with any other factor. if the 360 had the sony logo on it it would be selling well over there. stop using irrelevant statistics to fuel a pointless my console's better than yours debate.
@Amoebalove... The 360 doesn't do well in Japan because like I stated above it is not quality hardware and does not last long. As for games, the best 360 offers are Bioshock, Halo 3, Mass Effect, COD 4, all shooters, a genre extremely popular everywhere except Japan. Thats why MS has failed in that part of the world. And if you think Japan dislikes american products then why are more ipods sold in Japan than america? Why do they love Starbucks and McDonalds? McDonalds OWNS fast food over there. Why do Levi's sell well over there? Why does Coca Cola sell well? These are american products right? Want some more? Why does western music sell almost as well as japanese music? If they hate MS then why is the most used chat program in Japan MSN messenger? Japanese people love America despite what many people seem to misbelieve.
@ tom ass
We’re not talking about fast food though are we! Japanese gamers are and always have been loyal to Japanese gaming products this is a well known fact and while I agree that the 360 line up is not exactly tailored to the tastes of the Japanese market the same could be said about the ps3 at the moment. More to the point you first of all stated that it was down to reliability not games and like I said you are using this article to have yet another pointless dig at the 360. What gets me the most with you is that you are one of the few people on this site that is intelligent enough to put together a coherent argument, yet you insist on being such a fanboy! I don’t know why people can’t just enjoy the games and stop blindly insulting a console just because its not the one they own.