Xbox 360 outsold PS3 in Japan last week

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 9th 2007 at 8:46AM }

Kiss your loved ones, hug your friends, because if this keeps up we've reached the end of days -- the Xbox 360 outsold the PlayStation 3 last week in Japan. We'll break down all the numbers in our weekly Japanese hardware sales post later today. For now (while we pack our towels), the Xbox 360 sold 17,673 fueled by (raise an eyebrow) Namco Bandai's Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, which debuted at the #2 spot behind Super Mario Galaxy.

The PS3 sold 17,434 units compared to Xbox 360's 17,673, a slight 200 unit separation. But to just give an idea how dramatic the increase in sales was, the previous week Xbox 360 only sold 3,718 units, increasing its sales almost five fold. Repent while you still can.

Tags: japan, mediacreate, ps3, sales, xbox360

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Guzzie @ Nov 9th 2007 8:52AM

WHAT.
Halo 3 didn't even beat the PS3.
Guess they REALLY like Ace Combat over there.

The1 @ Nov 9th 2007 8:59AM

Ace Combat is nice...... The 360 needs to take this win because it will be the only one.

Psaakyrn @ Nov 9th 2007 9:04AM

If it can be done, it can be done again. Think of this as a "proof-of-concept". With all likelihood, Ace Combat 7 (yay sequels) would push the sales of XBox again.

BeeKnuckle @ Nov 9th 2007 9:11AM

This shows the power of advertising... In all electronics shops in downtown Tokyo, every ad is for either Super Mario Galaxy, Ace Combat 6, or some remake of Dragon Quest for DS.

Psaakyrn @ Nov 9th 2007 9:13AM

It is? We need photos! :o

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Nov 9th 2007 9:44AM

ace combat is a hella good game

and btw

http://ps3.justgotowned.com/

Digi Smalls @ Nov 9th 2007 9:53AM

Ace Combat is nice.

and unlike the duo of great Japanese hopes Blue Dragon or Eternal Sonata, one of Ace Combat 6's big new features is online play.

if Namco stumbles onto igniting japan's general sheepishness toward online console gaming (online FPSs like Halo don't cut it there) maybe they'll spread the Xbox Live fever that has caught on so fervently here in the U.S.

has Virtua Fighter 5 Online for 360 come out there yet?

.

Slaziman @ Nov 9th 2007 9:54AM

Here is a video of some Japanese advertising for Ace Combat 6, it's friggin insane!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

GRANTED @ Nov 9th 2007 9:56AM

well... i got rolled.

ssuk @ Nov 9th 2007 10:31AM

Famitsu also loves this game to bits. I mean, REALLY loved it. So it shows the power media outlets have on people over there. Over here we treat them as bias reviews, they treat them like the word of god.

Jtenma @ Nov 9th 2007 10:34AM

@ ukick

That had to be the funniest thing I've seen all day. SRSLY LMFAOZOMGWTFBBQSAUCECOMBOBURGERW/FRIESWAFFLES!BAGEL.

No really LOL!

Zsavior @ Nov 9th 2007 4:17PM

HOly crap UKICKmydog My ghost will haunt your body when I die. I almost died laughing at that damn thing, No seriously people were looking at me. I was freaking crying with laughter there has to be a warning for stuff like that.

dan stabbingworth @ Nov 9th 2007 8:52AM

I'm not sure if this is a case of MS finally prevailing through persistence, or just a result of Sony's massive failure.

I do hope that Sony gets it together so MS has to continue fighting in a crowded market. An MS monopoly on hardcore gaming would be scary, IMO.

Thomas Alan @ Nov 9th 2007 8:54AM

I know it's very trollish of me, but I just love watching the PS3 crash and burn.

yakapo @ Nov 9th 2007 9:04AM

as much fun as that is, competition is good for the consumer. less competition = less motivation for the companies to reduce prices, make better hardware etc.

Jtenma @ Nov 9th 2007 9:04AM

Go to your cave, YOU DAMN TROLL!

Also, lol.

Evan @ Nov 9th 2007 9:42AM

@yakapo
Competition is most effective when the leader fails and changes every generation. Microsoft Windows has competition from Apple OS X, but Microsoft's dominance makes it an effective monopoly. With the PS2, Sony was approaching a similar virtual monopoly. A change is leadership every generation or two will help assure that no single company dominates consoles like Windows dominates PCs.

Ants @ Nov 9th 2007 1:20PM

i know!!! how awsome is that?!?! ps3 got burned by the 360 in sony's turf!!! lol i'll buy ps3 when it is only $100.

Benny @ Nov 9th 2007 2:03PM

But is console competition really that important? As long as the developers and publishers were still competing for our cash, then a single format would generate great games.

Psaakyrn @ Nov 9th 2007 8:54AM

Ouch. Both for Wii and PS3. Somehow I thought SMG would have enough monopoly to command total absolute domination, but some other game manages to get reasonable sales? And on the XBox, no less?

Well, at least now that XBox managed to get a console seller game in Japan, hopefully they can recreate this "miracle" with other games, it'd be nice if it's not a one-off thing.

Also, if Sony wasn't already scared, they should be now. XBox is getting more popularity as time goes on while PS3 seems to be losing it.

Frankly though, so long as no other console have anything remotely similar to XNA, I have to support the XBox.

Tukulito-Zakayama @ Nov 9th 2007 10:18AM

Oh i get now, the reason you are happy it`s because you love Xbox 360 and hate PS3...

you should it tell me that from the begining..
shame on you....

Henry @ Nov 9th 2007 12:31PM

A similar thing happened when Blue Dragon was released so this is a repeat.

I looked at Amazon Japan a few times during last week. The 360 was shown as out of stock every time. Maybe Microsoft was taken by surprise as well.

Superstar90 @ Nov 9th 2007 4:59PM

SMG made 250k in 3 days in Japan. For a country that has only 3.7 million Wii's that is a HUGE number.

TheQFactor @ Nov 9th 2007 8:55AM

I agree with dan here, there's no way Japan suddenly decided to try out an American console just for the heck of it. Maybe when MGS4 comes out or something good for the PS3 it'll change.

Psaakyrn @ Nov 9th 2007 8:56AM

On a minor note: My popcorn's ready!

(watches as the SDF prepares their comeback)

Silent Xenocide @ Nov 9th 2007 8:59AM

It's great and all that the sales of the 360 increased. But Ace Combat 6? Come on...

d-pad @ Nov 9th 2007 9:00AM

Ace Combat 6 is money.

tcc3 @ Nov 9th 2007 10:55AM

It's money and it doesn't even know it?

Cyro @ Nov 9th 2007 9:36AM

I am as surprised as you are man... I mean WTF?? Ace Combat?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 9th 2007 10:34AM

Ace combat is definitely a great series.

I'm tempted to get the flight stick and this game.

d-pad @ Nov 9th 2007 8:59AM

This is going to get ugly.

Joystiq, can you re-active Curmeo, Konny, and Godsamyth's account for just this thread?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 9th 2007 9:09AM

LOL

Synner @ Nov 9th 2007 9:13AM

Somone is probably thinking that right now, figuring they could show the resulting 1000 post thread to potential advertisers

carg0 @ Nov 9th 2007 9:00AM

0_o

Synner @ Nov 9th 2007 9:00AM

OH NOES SDF ASSEMBLE!!!

I thought this would NEVER happen?

Tukulito-Zakayama @ Nov 9th 2007 9:03AM

But why Joystiq and people are soo happy about it...??

I don`t get it..??

Psaakyrn @ Nov 9th 2007 9:05AM

You don't like it when good stuff happens to others?

Synner @ Nov 9th 2007 9:08AM

Because about every time an Xbox thread comes up we have to hear the same 6 jerkoffs saying "it will never get a foothold in Japan"

McWeen @ Nov 9th 2007 9:02AM

I hope all 3 systems succeed in Japan, that just means more games for everyone and more choices. Glad to see Xbox selling more there but I can't help but wish it was for something that made more sense than Ace Combat. (i.e. Blue Dragon or Eternal Sonata)

Silver R. Wolfe @ Nov 9th 2007 9:02AM

I think I just saw a pig fly! D:

It's the end of the world as we know it, repent sinners! The cake is a lie!

Thomas Alan @ Nov 9th 2007 9:17AM

Big companies + huge cockiness = shadenfreud

yakapo @ Nov 9th 2007 9:09AM

Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:19

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 9th 2007 9:10AM

Its almost like Solomon was thinking of Sony when he penned those words.

Korova @ Nov 9th 2007 1:17PM

WOW! Xbox the messiah!

Jouten @ Nov 9th 2007 6:15PM

Xbox 3:16 says, "I just whooped your ass!"...

darthpoontang @ Nov 9th 2007 9:12AM

And now; the spin you've all been waiting for................

That's pretty pathetic; outselling a console with no hit games for the week by only 200. Halo 3 and Ace combat along with Blue Dragon and a ton of other exclusives and a two year head start in the market can only outsell a system by 200. The bigger news here is what in the hell is going on with Mario and Nintendo?

Yep; big pat on the back; this will be a week that every desperate pimple faced 360 fanboy will remember for the rest of their lives.