Xbox 360 is now selling better than the PS2 did

The PS2 has always been the darling of the industry with sales now well over 100 million and it still selling well across the globe, especially in the emerging economies.

However VGChartz has been crunching some numbers and has come up with a surprising situation, the Xbox 360 is selling far better now than the PS2 was at this point in it’s life cycle (In the US).

[Bigpappy]

I have always heard that records were made to be broken.

[phatak]

but will the 360 have the long legs that the ps2 has and still does ?

[El_Colombiano]

Nope.

[rroded]

the only thing these guys can count is falmebait hits...

seriously why is this site news?

[DualConsoleOwner]

VGchart stated that Xbox 360 sold 2.4 million units in US December.

however, NPD said that it only sold 1.8 million units in December.

meaning, VGcahrt is OVER TRACKING AGAIN

[shoddy]

and VGchart.

it's a marathon not a sprint.

will the 360 reach 100mil mark?

base on the data it'll take the xbox another 5 years to sell another 50mil units.

it's doubtable.

[hoops]

It can if MS still supports it the way SOny did with the PS2.

[ThanatosDMC]

Gonna be hard with almost all multiplatform games.

[lowcarb]

"Gonna be hard with almost all multiplatform games."

Apparently not to hard (trouncing PS3 in USA)even though last year 360 put out either equal or more exclusives throughout the year. This year might turn out in 360's favor as well come E3 so will be interesting to follow.

[siyrobbo]

the 360 practically spent the last few years dependant on 3rd party, hasn't done it any harm

[Soldierone]

How can you say that? It hasn't done severe harm because Sony has prounced on it till this year (2011). Last year Sony started it, and look PS3 sales went way up. Now this year they are firing their guns and releasing what 13 exclusive titles confirmed with several more depending? You honestly think that won't do any harm?

If MS wants it to beat PS2 then they have to pull the same cards out of their hand to do so. Running a platform on titles that are availible elsehwere with nothing special about yours isn't gonna get you to PS3 rankings. Timed exclusive COD content will only push you so far. Sony just has to market MOH the same way, get content to that, and watch Activision release another broken Black Ops title, then bam where do all the FPS fans go?

[NewMonday]

Wii Wii Wii

[NeoBasch]

Even so, the 360 would have to sell an additional 50 million to catch up with the PS2. I don't see that happening. The PS2 is at 147 million as of November of last year. That's a lot! I don't see this record being broken anytime soon. Well, unless you count the DS, which they'll probably manage in the next year.

[HolyOrangeCows]

LOL, give or take 100 Million consoles.
The 360 gets a short-term boost from Kinect and we get this.

"It can if MS still supports it the way SOny did with the PS2"
When the Kinect-2.0-Box launches, they will drop the 360 like a brick, just like Xbox original.

[Dragon_Hiko]

Well theres just a couple points I want to make. One, the industry is a lot larger now, than 10 years ago time, so consoles reaching 'benchmarks' that previous consoles did in the same amount of time is...redundant. In 30 years time I'm sure every console will push well over 500+ million if not far far more by then.

And secondly, at five years into the ps2's life span, it was hitting it's 'stride'. Where they started to get tons, upon tons of quality games coming out, a lot of which were exclusive to the system, AND the competition for the ps2 was by this point, obviously never going to catch the ps2.

And thirdly, if you truly want the same scenario applied to another console, it would have to be the ps3, which in it's fifth year is hitting it's stride in the exact same way as the ps2...game quality. Yes the ps3 has much, much more stiff competition than the ps2 ever did, and yet if you look at the ps3 numbers, (world wide) the ps3 has been selling absolutely amazingly, and again everyone, it did come out a year after the 360, and this article is usa only.

[SiLeNt KNighT]

1. its vg chartz =?

2. the ps3 has been doing this since launch. finally, good job 360!

3. Subtract the 33% failure rate and it brings the 360 to around 35m 'sold'...or on shelves/warehouses. ps2 was being played in homes not rrod on a shelf or warehouse. big difference.

cant wait for the next halo!

[plenty a tool]

to all the "first party studio" idiots the mighty ps1 didnt really have many of those either, and that never hurt it.

it's different now for sony because they have purchased many first partys, in their attempt to monopolise the industry.

but im sorry fanboys, even with the 7 or 8 exclusives i will buy for my ps3 in 2011, i will still buy games more games for my 360....funny that

[hassi94]

People can say all they want about VG Chartz but they're usually only ever off by 0.1 mil, or 0.2 mil at max.

[hikayu]

@hassi94

how about you take the .6 off from NPD and rub it on your sorry ass ?! people can talk all they want , microsoft attempt at video game still havent pay off in reality . 10 years and billions of dollars , only to have worse reputation than they were 10 years ago and not much profit , if negligible at all . i doubt all those XBL money really went anywhere but to secure timed exclusive and to repair all those broken xbox .

[Edito]

The 360 have legs??? With kinetic being the wow thing of the moment and only with Gears and more Halos i don't think sou.

[thats_just_prime]

Its funny how all the ps3 fangirls talk about exclusives. When the truth is they are the only one that really care about them. You think joe blow knows how many exclusivves each systems comes out with each year or how about tiny tims parents ? The only exclusive that really matter or the ones people have heard about. You think anyone ever heard of unplayable ? or Lagzone ? How about lil big flop ? Joe blow and tiny tims parents have heard of Halo tho

[CoxMulder]

"(In the US)"

[ChrisW]

@Shoddy: who said, "you can't count broken console. that's cheating."

Ever hear of DRE?

[gamer2010]

A good game is a good game. I am tired of ignorant people acting like exclusives have some magical quality that makes them better than everything else. In reality there are far more multiplats I love this gen than exclusives. I am not saying exclusives are bad, just that many of them are way overhyped and not as good as many multiplats.

[TheLastGuardian]

That's BS how I got marked as trolling. It's not trolling if it's the truth. I lost the 4th bubble I just got back the other day :(

[Wikkid666]

@DualConsoleOwner

Not defending VChartz, but NPD is US only data. VGChartz is North America. That includes Mexico, US, and Canada.

[cannon8800]

There's no way that the 360 will ever break the 140+ million record. Never. Back in 2007 there were already 120 million ps2s in people's homes. So I'm guessing there's probably like 150/160 million ps2 out there right now.

[Tinasumsum]

This article states Microsoft's goal all along. Win market share and cement the 360 success through 3rd party developers like PS2 did.

[HungryGoku]

Honestly who cares just play games not numbers like I give a shit who is in the lead and who isn't stop the bs. I own a Ps3 and I don't shout out "it's the best" everywhere I go and congrats for the 360.

[Shepherd 214]

Yea, many people seem to forget that Microsoft is doing the exact same thing that the PS2 did, which is grab up third party devs and increase their market share.

[DeathMetal1474]

get the crap kicked out of you for that hair. OMG how lame.

[MysticStrummer]

I've always heard selective math doesn't give a true answer.

[internalbit]

Y wouldn't it? 54% failure rate, every second one dies. Doesn't every one least buy 2. Y do Americans love it so much, is it the exclusives, the dvd player, the $60 / year for online, disk scratching, or is it the air craft noise simulation that the Americans love of the 360?

Please explain to an non American?

[gamer2010]

You sound like the typical America basher. Lame.

But I'll answer you anyway.

The 360 never had a 54% failure rate.

Nope, I have only ever owned one 360. Nobody that I know has bought more than one either.

Yes, there are some great exclusives that I love such as Halo Reach, Alan Wake, Lost Odyssey, Fable 3, Gears of War 1 and 2, to name a few.

The dvd player has done just fine. I don't use it to play movies, but it has worked fine for games. I think I have played maybe 3 games that were multidisc and it didn't bother me at all.

I would prefer not to have to pay for Xbox Live just as I would prefer not to have to pay for my games, but in the end it is still the best online service I have used and I enjoy it enough to pay the $50 a year.

Disk scratching...never experienced it. You have to be pretty stupid to think you can move your console while the disc is spinning inside.

My 360 isn't that much louder than my PS3.

The 360 has some great exclusives, performs the best out of the consoles on multiplatform games and has a great interface and online service. Those are the reasons I like it.

Now, if you want to know why a "dumb American" like me enjoys his PS3, feel free to ask and I will gladly answer.

[Patrick]

I dont know how to answer your question cause I myself dont get why people buy the 360 over the PS3. But I can tell you why my brother in law bought his 360...or why he has one. It was a RROD console that his nephew had and he bought a new one and gave the RROD console to my Brother in law and he sent it back to MS for repair. He tells me all the time I need to support the AMERICAN company and not the other two. So some people here unfortunately are just biased no matter how bad the product is... I however have to see quality which for me the PS3 has alot more of.

I myself owned an original xbox and loved it, but just not so much with the 360. I refuse to pay to play online which should be free since I pay for online already, I would constantly worry about it up and dying on me(just like buying a pet hamster, its probably only gonna give you a year maybe two before its kills over and you have to replace it with another that looks just like it, so why bother)and all the multiplats i have played on PS3 do fine and the exclusives are outstanding and end up being for the most part, the best on the market.. Some day i may buy a 360... just not yet.

Oh and as far as the PS3 being as loud as the 360... um no, not even close, I have had my 60gb (with backwards compatibility) since launch and its still whisper quiet.. so, thats false unless yours is so dusty its having to work harder to cool itself.

[wu-stix]

Yeah that's funny. Support your american chinese products instead of the japanese chinese products.

[Viper7]

Maybe this is yet another good sign that console gaming gets more popular year by year.

[Vherostar]

In the US though NOT worldwide we all know the people in the US buy it because its a home made product over PS3 not because its a better/more value product.

[Patrick]

Honestly yes, SOME Americans (not all) would see "American based Company" Microsoft as being an advantage over a Japanese based company Sony, even though Sony is actually much better quality. Oh and 360 is cheaper... that helps alot, some of us would rather pay less and get less quality just because we are saving money. lol.. I think if the PS3 and 360 were both the SAME price, like if the PS3 was $199 and $299 like the 360, the PS3 would be doing much better here. Most people I have spoken to that have a 360 its because its cheaper and thats the only reason they bought it, even though they admit the PS3 is the one they wanted.

[Bigpappy]

BS. I did not buy my 360 because it was cheaper! I do not know any one who did. People are not buy 360 because it is made in America. People in US buy more foreign made products than any where else in the world, including Sony's. The ps2 sold mor in the US and anywhere else in the world. The wii sold 50Mil out out the 80Mil to US to US customers alone.

You people like to make up all kinds of excuses for PS3 getting smaked around by 360 this gen. When PS3 launched it didn't even have and online plan. 360 gained a lot of traction, because Xbox Live was so much better than PSN; Some people prefer the controller especially for FPS; There are many on PSN who still don't use headsets.

360 is leading in the UK also. So are they buying 360 to support America?

There is a lot of anti-america blable on this site, and it mostly come from the PS3 side. You guys are so caught up in your love for your PS3 that it has devoid you of any rational thinking. PS3 must be your only girl friend, Vherostar.

[Ashby_JC]

So HOW is the Wii selling like crazy in the US?

And HOW was the PS2 Crushing the competition last gen?

The reason the 360 is selling well in the US is simple. It released before the PS3. Alot of consumers who most likely wouldnt have gotten the system ended up getting one.

Its a snowball effect. You see all your friends have it...so you end up getting one. By the time the PS3 released the price was so high...alot of ppl including myself refused to buy.

Things have changed as the price dropped more ppl jumped on the PS3...myself included.

The PS3 being the better more valued product is subjective.

In the year + that I have owned the PS3. I have played almost all the top games on it. And you know what...the MOST played game I play...BFBC 2 and MAG (a game that some PS3 owners I know never even heard of!!!)

So I MYSELF did not buy a 360 because it was made by an US company!

[lil Titan]

PS2 still has a better gaming library than the xbox 360 at this point in it's life cycle. and maybe people have to buy a new one since there old one has the redring...im just saying its statistics

[CleanUP-CharliE]

This is ONLY in the USA (and maybe CANADA).

Why don't they show WORLDWIDE Numbers?

[Stealth20k]

for a month?

the ps3/psp/wii/ds has been outselling the 360 worldwide

[gaffyh]

Exactly. You can't say that it is NOW selling better, when it has only done it for 1 month.

[Ryudo]

Actually you can, that's the whole point of "NOW" being in the moment.

[gaffyh]

Except it isn't NOW, because it's the next month. All we actually know, is that it was selling better BEFORE (for one month), and not NOW.

[jessupj]

And we all know what happens when you live in the moment and don't plan anything.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

@Ryudo

Now that you so well contextualized "NOW", don't forget to do the same about "HERE" (in US).

I believe December would look just like Stealth20k pointed out in WW numbern, if we had such charts... Oh well, WW 2010 sales numbers are probably about to hit anyway.

[visualb]

"However VGChartz"

"(In the US)"

"for a month"

...

[Shepherd 214]

Because the US, being the largest location for western developers and consumers, doesnt count and all.

[gaffyh]

@Shepherd - It's the largest SINGLE location (mainly because the country consists of 50 states, most of which are bigger than some entire countries). EMEA is actually bigger .

[visualb]

I never said anything to doubt U.S's weight as a video game consumer

I just mocked the editing of the title, article and source of "data"

[Blacktric]

"...the Xbox 360 is selling far better now than the PS2 was at this point in it’s life cycle (In the US)".

IN THE US. Xbox brand have always been catered mainly to the US market while PlayStation aimed the Europe and rest of the world. It's not a surprise. Just ask a couple of kids and teenagers what they want most. You're probably gonna get "Xbox/Xbox 360" as the answer in the US.

[PatchowPietro]

They dont even know what blu-ray is over there.

[SuperLupe]

Playstation isnt "aimed" at Europe or the rest of the world. Its just that Sony isnt as succesful in the US like they were with the PS and PS2.

The PS2 wasnt more "americanized" than the PS3. On the contrary I would even say, jrpg's for instance have disappeared in the favor of the likes of the Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Dragons Age etc.

[Soldierone]

Its not targeted at Europe, its just selling better there because SCEE is good at marketing there and Sony has focused companies there. Meanwhile MS is American based an only know how to control the NA region, thus better sales since they are actually focused. If Sony were to focus in NA and only NA then MS wouldnt be winning by so much.

The blu ray comment was just all around stupid.

[DarthBigE]

All the people that i know who have a 360 want a ps3.
IDK why they dont get one, but they want one.
And basically everyone i know have owned a ps2 at some point. I still have 3 of them.

[redDevil87]

Wtf, they made an article based on VGChartz lol

[dkblackhawk50]

Yeah uh...fake?

[Kon]

Sadly this is only for now.

[awesomeperson]

I don't feel too sad :P

[Kon]

PS3 owners don't have to feel bad. This year is PS3 only.

[awesomeperson]

Yayy :D

[emil1]

wii 80 million sold in 4 years=20 million per year
ps3 around 45 million sold in 4 years=11 million per year
x360 50 million in 5 years=10 million per year

[tyrex]

thats what i was thinking isnt the selling rate a lil better for the ps3 and or wii. so that would mean all of this gen is selling faster than ps2 in that case.
-well duh stupid stupid me, I forget they are usually talking america. facepalm

[jukins]

whoa there emil1 and tyrex you guys are treading dangerous waters providing facts and logic

[Lovable]

@jukins

hahaha

[Fruit Loops]

haha

[mrv321]

PS2 150 MILLION, That's right Sony has made enough PS2's for 1 in EVERY 20 people IN THE WORLD!