Analyst: 1.5 million 360s sold in December, twice as many as the PS3
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jan 12th 2009 at 4:30PM }
According to his estimates, Divnich predicts that 1.5 million Xbox 360 consoles were sold in North America with the Wii selling around 3.2 million and the Playstation 3 a much lower 700,000 units. As far as software goes, it's predicted that Xbox 360 titles sold rather well, with World at War selling an estimated 1.2 million copies in December, Gears of War 2 selling around 800,000 units and both Left 4 Dead and Prince of Persia hovering around the 500,000 unit mark. Official December NPD figures are expected to be released later this week.
[Image via TimmyGUNZ]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
john paul @ Jan 12th 2009 4:40PM
Wow, surprised at the L4D sales...didn't know it would sell as well as it did. That is really really good...
john paul @ Jan 12th 2009 4:42PM
It's also its second month, so it looks like it was the word of mouth that projected it..
E.J. @ Jan 12th 2009 5:11PM
I guess people saw the value in getting L4D. A game that can do co-op offline AND online!
Jcarpio @ Jan 12th 2009 5:17PM
Add in the fact that some purchasers were probably discouraged by the Gears2 Multiplayer.
Mattchewie @ Jan 12th 2009 5:42PM
I picked up L4D over the holidays. I have to say its a decent game but I find it to WAY over hyped.
Seb @ Jan 12th 2009 4:44PM
I read an article why the PS3 is sucking, it basically said:
-No price cut.
-Blu ray isnt a factor (because standalone blu rays are ~$100).
-Boring software.
360 doesn't suffer from any of these problems.
kastonie @ Jan 13th 2009 10:00AM
I ended up actually getting 2... because the one i bought in november of 2007 died 3 weeks after the 1 year warranty. It died of E74, not the rrod, so microsoft didnt want to fix it under the 3 year warranty they give rrod's. so i got another one... that one was freezing up at least once a day, so i exchanged that one out...so far so good... but all you people defending this product as a greatly built product just dont know the truth. I do believe most people are probably buying 360's 2 and 3 times...
DSloan @ Jan 12th 2009 4:49PM
Yeah, what percentage of the sales are purchases due to failures of the initial console puchase. Every single one of my gaming friends (9), myself included, have puchased at least 2 xboxes due to the red ring......
mrpeatie @ Jan 12th 2009 4:51PM
maybe that was Microsoft's plan all along...
FNG @ Jan 12th 2009 4:56PM
Did you purchase those because you couldn't wait for the FREE RRoD repair?
Tim @ Jan 12th 2009 4:59PM
Why purchase one when Microsoft will repair it for red ring? Cause you can't wait the two weeks? Wow, that says even more about how much you like it. My system failed from an E-304 error or something like that, and I managed to tough out the two weeks without running out and buying another.
Sammy D Kat @ Jan 12th 2009 5:11PM
My 360 has never RRODed & I've had it since about 6 months after launch.
E.J. @ Jan 12th 2009 5:12PM
He probably chips them.
Jcarpio @ Jan 12th 2009 4:51PM
I look at that and see one number of interest.
3.2 million Wiis in one month?!!?
And DSloan.. it's probably a small number.. less than 3 percent i'm guessing.
brian @ Jan 12th 2009 5:20PM
Completely agree with you.
Nintendo is CASHING in right now. Talk about a company weathering the recession.
EdgeOne @ Jan 13th 2009 11:55AM
I really enjoy my 360 and my Wii, but everyone I know either has a Wii or wants one. Nintendo couldn't have hit a bigger home run with its system. I don't understand why MS hasn't come out with a motion sensing controller like the Wiimote and put some some games out there.
You can pick up a 360 for cheaper than the Wii now so its not a price point issue, its an experience issue. Step up to the plate MS!
In other words while its fun to gloat over beating PS3 the real story her is we're getting our ass kicked by Nintendo. MS should want the 360 in every home and that's not going to happen as long as customers see its a only a game system with too many buttons. It can be so much more as is, and way more with some effort and new development options.
Jcarpio @ Jan 13th 2009 12:01PM
Here's the chicken and egg question then.
Do people buy the wii because of the control scheme, or because the control scheme makes it easier to play the games.
Like the latest fancast fan talk. some people are just intimidated by the controller for some reason.
e:leaf @ Jan 12th 2009 5:33PM
The Wii is selling like hot cakes, but it still sucks. Everyone I know that has one hasn't touched it in months, and most wish they had not bought it to begin with.
Let me say it here in the even it hasn't been said: high sales != good product; the Wii is a gimmick that will never see my game room. I may break down and buy one for my son, but at 2 the Wii is a perfect fit for him.
Chuckles @ Jan 12th 2009 5:39PM
I never would have bought a wii for myself. Then this Christmas I purchased one along with Wii fit as my wife was dying to get one. Now that we have one she uses it almost every day as the games are suited for her tastes and interactivity. We like to play Tennis together and I have enjoyed Mario Galaxy.
I will say that I agree the system sucks if you are looking at it from a hard core gamers view, but to a casual gamer it is a great system.
Don't get me wrong when I'm gaming by myself it is all about 360 still. But for fun casual gaming you can't beat the Wii. Hell even my mom wants one, now that's saying something.
DSloan @ Jan 12th 2009 11:30PM
I'm no saying that I don't enjoy my 360....obviously I do, as do my friends. It's just that the hardware failures are out of control. Microsoft charges $100 to repair their crappy consoles once it is out of the 1 year warranty.
The PS3 (I have one too) is a way better machine with FAR more potential....the games just completely bite and their UI is not as intuitive. If they somehow update the PS3 to run 3D graphics and even a single game makes it to market....game over.
David @ Jan 13th 2009 3:20AM
I'm not surprised by these numbers in the least, especially based on the trend established with the NPD November sales numbers.
It's kinda funny how many people think the only reason Microsoft is winning the battle vs. Sony is the "price cut."
And BTW, The PS3 isn't "WAY" better. Some better tech specs, obviously--but to the everyday consumer, there's really no difference in gameplay and visuals... I know the people on this board might not be "average" consumers, but the ones making up these sales numbers *are.*
Also: Microsoft does NOT charge for "red rings of death" repairs on every console since it's launch.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1564184/20070706/story.jhtml
Yea, it sucks that the console still craps out, but at least they don't charge.
craigyip @ Jan 13th 2009 6:30AM
I bought an Xbox 360 this Xmas! Though I bought a PS3 2 years ago...and a Wii 2 years ago...
Lothars @ Jan 13th 2009 10:21AM
DSloan - your right and I would say that the percentage is at least 50%
Especially with how every sku of the 360 is gonna give the rrod sooner than later, it's a great system with horrible hardware quality.
I wish it would hurt them badly but such is life, the system honestly doesn't deserve to sell especially compared to the quality of the PS3.
Ponokyo @ Jan 13th 2009 1:16PM
I don't understand the point of bragging about the 360 selling more systems than the PS3. Its only because they are so cheap. If the price was the same for both systems there is no way the 360 would sell more. Microsoft should feel a bit shamed that they had to make their system the cheapest on the market to keep up. The question is whats going to happen if and when Sony drops the price of the PS3. And before anyone says it, I'm not a PS3 fanboy. I actually have both systems and can't see myself without either one of them.