PS3 vs. Xbox 360: European install base tiff muddled by murky borders

*leaves Joystiq to go make me some lunch*...Not stickin around for this one.

Since 360 was launched A FULL YEAR before and at a lower price, would be pathetic if the "install base" were not higher than PS3.

This wouldn't be a problem, except Microsoft is an American company, and we use a different measuring system than the rest of the world.

They're obviously counting in English consoles sold, whereas Sony is likely using metric consoles. Someone just forgot to factor in the conversion rate.

When Microsoft's figures reveal they are roughly 3.11 million units ahead in Europe at the time the PS3 launched there and now they are bragging about being 1 million units ahead it seems to let the air out of the boast.

9M+ could have been greater than 10M projected... except projected just meant they were using a projector for the powerpoint slide. Very tricky Joystiq!

I wonder what topic gets the fanboys most riled. Recently it has felt like Forza 3 vs. GT5, but sales articles are also fun.

Wiizer,

I also own a Launch Console w/BC, but would most likely buy those "PS2 games re-mastered on PS3 disc" collection.

I was always under the impression that "Europe" meant that funny-lookin' continent identified on all maps as "Europe", and not "Africa", "Asia", "Australia", and "The Middle East". But then again, I'm stupid.

sony pools from north america for its euro figures, kind of a joke then.

Microsoft do call it EMEA which is a well known region in business consisting of

E urope
M iddle E ast
A frica

pretty obvious really, there is also the americas and APAC, as the big three.


Sonys not Japan and not North America is rather wishy washy and population wise probably covers over twice the amout of people, so to say this much larger area is only 1 million behind is not such a great bost, but regardless being close to 10 million by any yardstick is good. Admitidly these extra people are not in high gdp countries so that does add weight to their achievement, but often these claims are not of retail units but units shipped from their factory to retail chains and distribution, so you can count all the unsold units as well.

However much you like one side or the other both are doing well enough to survive comfortably and thats all that matters healthy competition to push both sides forward for everyone benefit, nobody likes a one horse race if they have any grey matter. Microsofts enemy is its hardware, sony is itself, selling at a loss always puts you on the back foot, they need to get more games per console sold and thats their issue, total poluation is not really an issue.

Guy: "Now, what do I win?"

Navin Johnson: "Anything in this general area right in here.

Anything below the stereo and on this side of the bicentennial glasses.

Anything between the ashtrays and the thimble.

Anything in this three inches right in here, in this area. That includes the Chiclets, but not the erasers."

I don't fucking understand why they can't just give numbers for each country and let us decide whether we think the "Europe" region constitutes just Europe, or if it's Europe, ME, Africa, Australia, China, South Asia, Greenland, and the Moon.