We get the feeling that Japan just doesn't really care anymore. Hardware sales in the country have been slipping week-on-week, but today's Media Create chart (18th - 24th January 2010) is an even more depressing continuation of the trend, with the top-selling platform shifting a shade under 53,000 units.
Home Console
Wii: 45,167 (57,349)
PS3: 26,966 (35,156)
360: 3,343 (4,622)
PS2: 2,088 (2,580)
Handheld
PSP: 52,909 (71,186)
DSi LL: 24,059 (30,418)
DSi: 20,373 (27,292)
DS Lite: 4,966 (6,574)
PSP Go: 1,773 (2,027)
(Previous week's unit sales in brackets for comparison)
You would think, with two high-profile games this week and a spin-off of a hugely successful franchise earlier in the month, that the PSP would be generating quite the sales spike. But in fact, units are down dramatically since last week, and its chart win only seems to be a case of being the platform that sucked the least.
The Wii topped the home console chart today, but its drop in week-on-week sales is a bit more understandable, given that barely anything was even released for the console in the last seven days. The impressive sales of New Super Mario Bros. Wii appear to be mainly responsible for the console's 45,000 units this week, while the lack of Final Fantasy XIII has resulted in a slump in the PlayStation 3's fortunes.
Still, this is only January – the low numbers are to be expected to a degree, given the dearth of games released. 2010 seems to be the anomaly in the West, with Bayonetta, Darksiders and Mass Effect 2 among other things, but in Japan there's no such avalanche to enjoy. Despite this, it still seems like the PSP could have fared a little better this week.
In other news, the Microsoft and Capcom news this week doesn't seem to have ignited sales of the Xbox 360 at all – maybe that'll change when Monster Hunter Frontier's actually released - and the PS2 looks like it's finally got it's foot out the door. Won't be long now, old friend.
Home Console
Wii: 45,167 (57,349)
PS3: 26,966 (35,156)
360: 3,343 (4,622)
PS2: 2,088 (2,580)
Handheld
PSP: 52,909 (71,186)
DSi LL: 24,059 (30,418)
DSi: 20,373 (27,292)
DS Lite: 4,966 (6,574)
PSP Go: 1,773 (2,027)
(Previous week's unit sales in brackets for comparison)
You would think, with two high-profile games this week and a spin-off of a hugely successful franchise earlier in the month, that the PSP would be generating quite the sales spike. But in fact, units are down dramatically since last week, and its chart win only seems to be a case of being the platform that sucked the least.
The Wii topped the home console chart today, but its drop in week-on-week sales is a bit more understandable, given that barely anything was even released for the console in the last seven days. The impressive sales of New Super Mario Bros. Wii appear to be mainly responsible for the console's 45,000 units this week, while the lack of Final Fantasy XIII has resulted in a slump in the PlayStation 3's fortunes.
Still, this is only January – the low numbers are to be expected to a degree, given the dearth of games released. 2010 seems to be the anomaly in the West, with Bayonetta, Darksiders and Mass Effect 2 among other things, but in Japan there's no such avalanche to enjoy. Despite this, it still seems like the PSP could have fared a little better this week.
In other news, the Microsoft and Capcom news this week doesn't seem to have ignited sales of the Xbox 360 at all – maybe that'll change when Monster Hunter Frontier's actually released - and the PS2 looks like it's finally got it's foot out the door. Won't be long now, old friend.
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