Wii is now next-gen’s biggest-selling console, reports Financial Times

Who’s that out in front, leaving a pair of lumbering consoles huffing and puffing in its wake? Why it’s the Wii, of course, so says a report on the website of Britain’s premier pink periodical, the Financial Times. Drawing statistical data from various continental sales trackers, they’re pleased to announce that the Wii has now sold 9m units, currently making it the world’s biggest selling console. In comparison the 360 has sold 8.9m, and the opulent PS3 a disappointing 3.7m. Follow-up analysis from Next-Gen, however, points out that these stats are partly based on sales to retailers instead of consumers, so may not be wholly accurate on a per user basis. Also, take note that we’ve also reported the Wii selling over 10 million, so, er, who’s right?

The Wii’s figures are naturally attributed to the low price, leading to steady, consistent sales over summer, PlayStation 3’s slow, expensive run off the blocks, and to Microsoft’s failure to charm over Japan, even with a massive head start. Despite Nintendo’s success, though, the FT do still describe them as a “quirky Kyoto company”, which makes it sound like they’re a crackpot ramshackle factory run by a whimsical, wizened old man with a bushy beard (wait, they’re not? - a reader).

But with the Wii’s supply problems, Halo 3’s imminent release, and the PS3’s first real Christmas, the question, really, is how much of a sales margin can the Wii keep, and for how long?

Source: Next-Gen

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