The PlayStation 3 is expected to outsell both of its rivals over the lifetime of the current generation, according to a report from Strategy Analytics. Current numbers put global sales of the PS3 around 35 million compared to nearly 70 million for the Wii. The Xbox 360 will soon sell its 40 millionth console.
“Although global sales to date of the Nintendo Wii have exceeded those of the PS3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360, this report… predicts that the PS3 will still be a commercial platform five years after the Wii has been replaced. Lifetime PS3 sales are predicted to reach 127 million units, compared to 103 million Wii units,” they said. No numbers were given for the Xbox 360, but it is predicted to be third.
This year is expected to be another winner for Nintendo, although by much lower margins than previous years. The Wii is expected to sell some 17.5 million units, the PS3 14 million, the Xbox 360 10.5 million and the PS2 5.5 million.
“Nintendo has done a great job with the Wii in bringing console games to new audiences,” says David Mercer, Principal Analyst and report author. “But its sales are now falling, particularly in mature markets, and its installed base will peak in 2011. Ownership of both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 will hit their highest points between 2012 and 2014.”
