Wii is the fastest-selling games console in UK history

[Readykilowatt]

The Nintendo Wii has become the fastest-selling games console in UK history, with more than one million consoles sold since it was released in December, latest figures show.

The Wii passed the milestone just 38 weeks after going on sale, 11 weeks faster than the PlayStation 2 took to reach this target, and 22 weeks faster than the Xbox 360, according to Chart Track, an independent sales tracking company for the gaming industry.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/30/nwii130.xml

The Wii is more popular than the PS2 ever was. No surprises here.

 

[Arwin]

11 weeks faster than the Playstation 2 eh? But what was the PS2's launch price in the UK, I wonder ...

 

[DuckThor Evil]

The Wii is more popular than the PS2 ever was. No surprises here.

I think Wii needs to break quite a few milestones before you can say that it's more popular than PS2 ever was. Like a 100 million milestone for starters.

 

[Arwin]

No I mean seriously, look at the price history of the PS2:

GB£299 (November 24, 2000, Launch Price)
GB£269 (June 2001)
GB£199 (September 28, 2001)
GB£169.99 (August 27, 2002)
GB£139.99 (October 1, 2003)
GB£104.99 (August 18, 2004)
GB£94.99 (August 21, 2006)[3] (current RRP)
GB£69.99 (November 19, 2006)

"Europe":
€500 (November 23, 2000)
€249-€279 (August 27, 2002)
€199 (June 2003)
€149 (August 2004)
€129,99 (August 23, 2006)[24]

 

[Arwin]

WoW, almost as studborn than PS3 forums.........

Well, I mean, what do you call stubborn? I think there are different circumstances. Of course, if you were to say that the end result is still that the Wii is breaking console sales records in the UK, you are right, obviously. It's just that I personally like to see things in their proper context. That doesn't mean the Wii isn't a great success. But I'm just pointing out that there are some issues with comparing the Wii's sales curve to a console selling at double the price point of the Wii for the same period. If you think that's stubborn, well, suit yourself.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

No I mean seriously, look at the price history of the PS2:

GB£94.99 (August 21, 2006)[3] (current RRP)
GB£69.99 (November 19, 2006)

What's going on there?

 

[Arwin]

I don't know. There's obviously a note in there, so check Wiki.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Well, I mean, what do you call stubborn? I think there are different circumstances. Of course, if you were to say that the end result is still that the Wii is breaking console sales records in the UK, you are right, obviously. It's just that I personally like to see things in their proper context. That doesn't mean the Wii isn't a great success. But I'm just pointing out that there are some issues with comparing the Wii's sales curve to a console selling at double the price point of the Wii for the same period. If you think that's stubborn, well, suit yourself.

As in ''Gamecube launched for 220 euro's but didnt sell anywere close to wii either''?

 

[DuckThor Evil]

I don't know. There's obviously a note in there, so check Wiki.

Well I did not see anything explaining that 69.99£ price. So I was wondering where did that price come from as it's not the official price.

 

[DJ12]

It might've been to get rid of the larger PS2s they had in stock when they unleashed the "slim" on us all.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

It might've been to get rid of the larger PS2s they had in stock when they unleashed the "slim" on us all.

Slim was wayy before that.

 

[Vic]

As in ''Gamecube launched for 220 euro's but didnt sell anywere close to wii either''?

Where does GC some into it? It was a flop, that much is evident.

I dont think anyone is calling the current success of the Wii into question; its selling very well regardless of the competition. I think its the OP's suggestion that its more popular in the UK than the 'PS2 ever was', which isnt a valid comment given the duration that Wii has been on the market.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

I named the GC because arwin was talking about ps2 prices being higher than that of wii. GC showed price isnt everything.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Obviously price isn't everything. But it's a factor, and Arwin's point, a valid point in its way, is you'd expect a cheaper console to sell better all other things being equal. Wii has outsold PS2 to the first million, but would PS2 have done better if it had been cheaper? Well the point about console price is pretty moot. Would Wii outsell PS3 if PS3 was the same price as Wii? It's a ridiculous hypothetical situation that would never arise because of the design decisions. Likewise PS2 would have sold better if cheaper, but couldn't have sold better because the price was fixed at higher than Wii's by the choice to use more cutting edge technology for the time. A system that sells well in part due to low price owes some of its success to the decision to price it low. That can't detract from Wii's success - Wii is the fastest selling console to 1 million units in UK history. However Wii is not the most popular platform in the UK of all time, whether you measure that by most units sold over lifetime, or most units sold in it's most successful year. PS2 maintains that crown, and will do for a while yet. Some people are in far too much of a rush to crown new all-time-champions.

 

[Vic]

Fair enough.

It'll be interesting to see how long strong Wii sales continue for, given it has come out at such a low price. Will the 'casual' market be tapped for Wii before it has for PS3/360, or will it 'expand' the games market?

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Probably a bit of both. I dont believe Wii will suddenly pull in like 20million non gamers in the next 5 years. I think the low price attracts casuals and probably gamers too. I bought a Wii at launch because of the price. I would like to have a x360 and ps3 too, but im not going to spend 400 or 600 euro's on a console. I think there are (alot) more gamers who think like that.

 

[thatdude90210]

Article from the Guardian has another interesting nugget: "In the early run-up to Christmas, sales show little sign of slowing with Wii's share of the home console market at 68% in recent weeks."

So recent sales wise, the xbox 360, PS3, & PS2 are splitting the remaining 32%. The UK is the new Japan.

Edit: here's the official press release from Nintendo:
gamesindustry.biz

 

[valioso]

We all know the Wii is selling very fast, but are they moving software too or only hardware, because without software sales, 3rd party publishers will still not come as fast and hard to the wii as Nintendo want them or people expect.

 

[PatrickL]

PSP is not selling software at all and PS3 not a lot so I doubt that Nintendo has a lot of things to be afraid of

 

[valioso]

PSP is not selling software at all and PS3 not a lot so I doubt that Nintendo has a lot of things to be afraid of

Unlike Sony their 3rd party relations have been quite poor from the last couple of gens... so in order to lure them back i think they should at least care a little.