360 sells nearly 2X as many games per console as Wii, PS3

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 31st 2007 at 4:30PM }

Joystiq got their greasy manhooks on some interesting market data from NPD. Savvy Xbox 360 fans know that the Xbox 360 sells quite a few games, but according to this data, the Xbox 360 sells nearly twice as many games per console as the PS3 and Wii. On average, there are nearly seven games sold per Xbox 360, compared to between three and four sold for every PS3 or Wii. Take a look at this delicious data.

Xbox 360: hardware to software ratio: 6.59 (hardware total sold = 6.8 million; software total sold = 44.8 million)
PlayStation 3: hardware to software ratio: 3.58 (hardware total sold = 1.9 million; software total sold = 6.8 million)
Wii: hardware to software ratio: 3.44 (hardware total sold = 4.5 million; software total sold = 15.5 million)

Those numbers are bound to make current publishers happy, and serve as an attractive incentive to prospective publishers. It makes sense to publish your game for an audience that's more likely to buy it, you see. With the Wii finally getting Mario Galaxy (arguably its next killer app) and the PS3 finally approaching a market-friendly price this holiday, we're eager to see where the 360 sits at the end of the year.

Tags: business, npd

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

tlowe77 @ Oct 31st 2007 4:40PM

PS3- has no software to sell....
Wii- Includes the most interesting game with the console.....

TORO @ Oct 31st 2007 4:43PM

Good to be an owner :)

Etchasketchist @ Oct 31st 2007 4:44PM

How does XBLArcade fit into this equation? Do downloads count? What about backward compatibility? I never had an Xbox but I bought Halo CE and Halo 2 for my 360.

Grant @ Oct 31st 2007 4:48PM

This isn't really a mystery,
I own all 3 and only have 2 games each for the wii and PS3. I have 10 360 games.

Theres no good games to buy as of current, Wii has a good handful coming, PS3 has a few, but up until now, it's just been crazy limited. 360 has had so many recently i can't keep up.

MDJ2010 @ Oct 31st 2007 4:58PM

This is great news for the future of games on the 360 aswell. More and more great exclusives to come surely!

bo @ Oct 31st 2007 6:18PM

sorry, but since the 360 has been around for about a year longer than the others, is this report really a suprise?

Asforoneday @ Oct 31st 2007 5:23PM

If we take halo out of the equation the numbers might be different

Major Suckage @ Oct 31st 2007 5:25PM

I have 18 games for my 360 so far and I have three more that I plan on picking up within the next month. Hell, if you counted XBLA games, the number would probably be around 40 or so. I love my 360.

Kyle @ Oct 31st 2007 5:29PM

@ 6. That is the dumbest thing i've heard. Assuming each Xbox 360 owner has 1 copy of halo 3 per console, if you take halo 3 away the 360 still has 5.59 games per console, much more than ps3 and wii!!!!

Mr Cool @ Oct 31st 2007 5:32PM

Kyle is right, and thats assuming EVERY 360 owner has a copy of Halo 3, which isnt happening.

therza2169 @ Oct 31st 2007 5:43PM

Can't go wrong with skeletons.

Brent Kailbourn @ Oct 31st 2007 5:48PM

But does the Wii numbers double dip by counting the Wii Sports game that's included. If it does then there is about 5million less games being bought by people that have the Wii.

Daryl @ Oct 31st 2007 5:55PM

I bought 21 games for the 360 so far.

Daryl @ Oct 31st 2007 5:56PM

Many more to come ...

Aaron @ Oct 31st 2007 6:03PM

Amazing, although the 360 platform has been out a year longer than the other two.

Also interesting is that there are probably more than a few owners using the 360 solely as a media center extender which would effectively lower the 360 ratio.

Dale @ Oct 31st 2007 6:05PM

I don't own Halo 3, nor do I wish to, so I wouldn't affect figures in any way.

Dragod @ Oct 31st 2007 6:09PM

I own both an Xbox 360 and Wii.
I have 8 360 titles + my old Xbox games.
I have 3 Wii titles. Wii Play, Wii Sports, and Twilight Princess... I just find my 360 more fun. The only time I play my Wii is when my niece comes over... And when she's done with bowling, we play Guitar Hero on my 360...

james @ Oct 31st 2007 6:29PM

Dude...the fact 360 has been out longer has barely anything to do with it, since it's comparing the CONSOLE:SOFTWARE ratio.

So what if 360's were out longer? It's comparing how many games each console owner buys. Mainly Wii owners and PS3 owners don't buy many games...what was the attachment for PS3 on launch? Wasn't it incredibly low like ".5", meaning many people didn't even buy a game with their PS3. And as for Wii, why buy a game when the best game is included free.

M$ already pointed out, even subtracting the 1 year headstart, their attachment rate is still double PS3's and Wii's since November.

SadisticHam @ Oct 31st 2007 6:46PM

#6 gets dumbest post award, wonder how many people he thought brought halo 3 6 times.

thebaka07 @ Oct 31st 2007 6:54PM

17. Last year the attach rate was more than 5.

hhttp://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4487&Itemid=2

baka_07 @ Oct 31st 2007 7:01PM

Anyway, even though xbox games sold more in 2 years than in one year only(ps3, wii), since the numbers of the hardware that sold over 2 years also increasing, this is still a good news for MS.

The only problem is since it's great games and services that sells the xbox 360 compare to hype n casual( wii) and hardware potentials 4D gaming( ps3), when AAA games numbers slow down in the future, so will the numbers of Xbox 360 sold every month.

The only thing that MS have to do is just continue the flow of great games to survive which i believe they can.

LesbianHam @ Oct 31st 2007 8:01PM

Halo 3 launch can only have hurt this figure.. I say that because I know a few people and I'm sure there are many others who bought a 360 solely for Halo 3 - that gives each of them a hardware/software ratio of 1.

maest @ Oct 31st 2007 8:15PM

You have your ratios backwards. It should be software to hardware ratio of 6.59.

Rob @ Oct 31st 2007 8:21PM

@18

sorry, to burst your bubble bud, but a year headstart should have a HUGE effect on attach rate. Look at it from a business point of view. People have a set yearly income and they can only spend x amount of dollars on video games a year. So say I have $200 to spend on games a year, I'll only buy about 3 new games. But if you spread this over 2 years, now you have $400 to spend on games and you can now buy 6 games. To further prove my point... Say you are someone who plans on having 2 or even all three of the 'next gen' console. Obviously in the year that the 360 came out, a large percentage of your earnings go exclusively to buying games for that system. After a year, say when you bought a PS3 or Wii to go with your 360, your income would then be divided amongst 2 or even 3 consoles, thereby reducing the number of games you buy for Wii/PS3 quite drastically. Anyways, that's just my 2 cents, so please children, please just step back for a while from your fanboy haven and use your brain before you open your mouth.

PeacefulOutrage @ Oct 31st 2007 8:49PM

@24

Dude, you must not have read #20's post, which proves your theory doesn't justify your answer.

SPARTAN 420 III XxX @ Oct 31st 2007 9:05PM

i think as far as the ps3 for all of the consoles being used primarily as super computers i'm sure it messes with the results a bit. also the fact that there really hasnt been a bunch of good games, which is turning around because they have way more games between now and next summer that i'm excited about thanfor my 360. for the wii i'm guessing at least some of the people with wii's have less money for games as their reason for the wii instead of the other consoles is the price, so they probably cant afford a ton of games as well, and they always seem to come with one or 2 of the most popular titles. really i love the 360 but unless you buy an hddvd add on it is all you can do is play games. i doubt anyone bought the thing to stream music from their computer to their tv.
i know a couple people that arent big gamers that bought the ps3 just for blu-ray movies and of course maybe an occasional game.

of course the 360 has the best library right now but by next christmas i'm not so sure that they are gonna still be on top of the ps3 in that catagory, number yes but not quality. either way i've got the 2 "now gen" consoles so i'm set. i dont even want a wii and dont enclude that as my psp is better than that thing.

Will @ Oct 31st 2007 9:15PM

@ 26
Riiiight. Since by next Christmas the PS3 will have like a whole 5 (if they don't get delayed, that is...) good games added to its library.

SPARTAN 420 III XxX @ Oct 31st 2007 9:22PM

@ james
i would guess it is even higher if you are just saying this year. i wanna know what their first year of software to hardware ratio was, it would be a little more even. this last year being it's been out for a while would mean less people have to shell out for the system and be able to use some of their yearly extra income on all games which lets say they have 600 bucks the could buy 60 games not including tax if they choose to, they wouldent have to buy a system and games if you use 600 bucks again lets say you spend 500 on a system that leaves 1 game maybe 2 if you beg the wife for another game.
so of course with the numbers for just this year they are gonna be on top of the ratio. either way we are at an advantage as we dont have to spend for a console. i've got a 360 also but come on these numbers are unfair and completely irrelavant.

SPARTAN 420 III XxX @ Oct 31st 2007 9:22PM

@will
go check em out there are 5 before THIS christmas i'd like to have for the ps3, not so much for my 360. so obviously there are gonna be more than five before next year. the ONLY game i really am excited for that is 360 exclusive that i want to play is mass effect.

the game thing really is starting to go away for sony that isnt gonna be a very good comback for the MS loyalists. i love to play games on my 360 but if you look at everything the ps3 can do the value for it is much higher, plus they actually have games coming to. by the way if you have a ps3 pick up ratchet and clank it's my favorite game of both the consoles right behind halo 3 of course, but i'm already getting sick of that game as the campaign was pretty short and the story i think kind of blows, the game play is still awesome but i'm kind of getting sick of multiplayer, a big part of that is all the stupid 12 year olds on there.

dancingtosirens @ Oct 31st 2007 9:33PM

You still have to remember that the 360 has been on the market twice as long, which means that there has been a lot longer for an attach rate.
Not that Im trying to spark anything, just making an observation.

Rob Pribish @ Oct 31st 2007 9:36PM

Shouldn't that say software to hardware ratio... if there's more software the 'hardware to software ratio would be less than one for all of them.

bigciafan @ Oct 31st 2007 9:57PM

wow a system that has games worth playing actually sells games?
listen to that nintendo and sony. it works!

baka_07 @ Oct 31st 2007 11:18PM

Another one thing, since Xbox 360 has been out for 2 years older games cannot be ignored completely and not just upcoming games( like a certain console).

Imagine a new guy go a to store to buy a brand new xbox 360, he will definitely get older and sometimes already discounted games.

The list on their mind will be likely like this:

Gears of War, Dead Rising, Call of Duty 3, Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell DA, Oblivion, Blue Dragon, Forza 2, PGR3,4, Ghost Recon AW2, DOA4, Crackdown, Viva Pinata(lol),Lost Planet, etc.

I wonder maybe this is the reason that Xbox 360 attach rate is very huge.

David W. @ Nov 1st 2007 1:23AM

Wow, that's pretty impressive, and definitely great news for Microsoft. I remember when I worked in Electronics at Target they would give us these kind of figures because they wanted each store to increase their games and accessories sales. What I always that was interesting, and in my opinion may be more telling then the figures given in the article would be...what's the average number of games sold at the time of console purchase...I remember when I saw the figures (a long time ago) it was around 1.6...as in people bought on average 1.6 games when they bought the console...

I just actually counted my games...and holy crap...I have 19...wow...and there's more coming out that I want :( haha

that's around $1k in games :( damn...haha

popozao @ Nov 1st 2007 2:52AM

And it breaks 5X as often!!!

Snife @ Nov 1st 2007 8:17AM

I have to agree that the 360 games are just more enjoyable and thats why you buy more - every game i've bought for the wii has been boring, except wii sports so this is the only game I have left for it, and i'm not buying any more for wii until nights/samba de amigo come out as I know they will have to be good.

AK @ Nov 1st 2007 10:07AM

most sales of the ps3 are just people buying a HD blu ray player with some fun games to play every once in a while and a great 2008 lineup.

AK @ Nov 1st 2007 10:08AM

and im sticking to PC until MGS4 and FF13 come out. or maybe upon the release of home and littlebigplanet.

IncredibleBulk92 @ Nov 1st 2007 10:37AM

Yea this is a sorta stating the obvious post X3F, I couldn't name any game coming out this year I want for my Wii (Brawl got delayed right?) or PS3. My 360 however is getting a hell of a lot of love this xmas

danny. (fdf.) @ Nov 1st 2007 11:11AM

I have one game for my 360. Unless the Orange Box counts as five games and the pack in games forza 2 and marvel UA count. Oh and XBLA games...

In that scenario I have aqcuired 10 games in just under two weeks. Otherwise, I have one.

nizzy1115 @ Nov 1st 2007 11:39AM

I've got 13 amazing games for my 360. I wish i could afford more!

Cain @ Nov 1st 2007 1:28PM

At what point does the argument that the 360 has been out longer than the PS3 stop? Dreamcast came out first too before the PS2, we see how well that worked out.

Heffer @ Nov 1st 2007 1:39PM

@6 I understand what you're trying to state, but if you want to judge this olympic figure skating style--by throwing out the highest and lowest scores--you need to do it for all three systems.

So for Wii owners it'd be tossing out Wii Sports

For PS3, um I don't know, Madden?

For the Xbox 360, its Halo.

Xbox 360 still crushes the competition.

SPARTAN 420 III XxX @ Nov 1st 2007 2:09PM

@cain
at what point does the comparing to dreamcast stop. whether the 360 comtinues to outsell ps3 til the end wont make the ps3 go away, it's not gonna be the next dreamcast. there is to stong of fan base, and the ps3 to valued of a system with all the things it can do. there will undoubtably in my mind be a ps4, they are already making/planning the damn thing.

this is about the games per console, not a system that is gonna die, because i know for a fact it's not gonna go away.

Spartacus @ Nov 1st 2007 2:24PM

FOR ALL THE NAYSAYERS:

As mentioned before, the 360 had an attach rate of 5.3 its first year.

THE XBOX 360 SIMPLY HAS A BETTER GAME LIBRARY WITH MORE APPEAL TO HARDCORE GAMERS.

LV426 @ Nov 5th 2007 6:19PM

Just to put in my 2 cents....

For the Wii, I have 5 titles
Gamecube, I have 9
Computer, I wont even count...

But, I can understand the sales, because just glancing at half my collection I can see at least 10 titles that are also on Xbox/360. It really does have an impressive line-up... I just have preference to another control scheme (and the ability to custom hardware... even if it is a little more money).

I expect this kind of balance to continue for a while... after all, I have my PC to play most games... my Wii is basically for Nintendo's own titles.