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Sony PS2 Outsells PS3

Though PlayStation 2 came out on the market nearly seven years ago, and the newer version PlayStation3 only months ago, the sales of the older version have outshone those of the brand-new version in Japan for the first time in the fourth week of January. Figures released have PS2 selling 20,995 units during the week, nearly a thousand more than PS3. The numbers collected from 3,000 stores across Japan are enough for Sony to base its nationwide estimate.

Partly responsible for the surprising figures is the price of the new model, at $414 to $497 compared with the PS2 more reasonable tag of only $133. To add to the bad news, as far as Sony is concerned, is the missed shipment target for the console, a month or so late on the initial shipment of 2 million units. Its goal of 6 million units by March is still unchanged. The wider catalogue of games available on PS2 is another explanation for the numbers released.

Sony?s are not the only game consoles sold in Japan. Nintendo`s competing Wii, which was launched at approximately the same time PS3 was launched, sold as many as 83,754 consoles in the same week between January 22 and 28. Microsoft`s Xbox 360sold 7,365 units in the week, and Nintendo`s DS Lite sold 194,526 units. Of the games and softare for the consoles, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" beat all others with sales of over 200,000 units, placing it well ahead second place "Dragon Quest Monsters Joker.?