Have the tides turned?

[Paco]

The PS3 is readily in stock as is the PSP, and Nintendo's Wii and DS are sold out everywhere you go. What is happening?! I was at Wal-Mart today picking out a PS2 game and all the while I was there (about 30 minutes, I just couldn't decide) not one person gave the two PS3's in stock a second glance. Nearly everyone went to the Nintendo section first only to find that they were out of DS and Wii; others went to the 360 section to play it, but I didn't see anyone buy one (they were in stock). This is the same situation at the Best Buy I went to the day previous.

The Playstation 3 is no doubt in what one would assume is short supply as they haven't been able to make very many units for and since launch. It seems people just aren't interested. I suppose it's a combination of the price and lack of games. In any case, this is a very different situation from the PS2 or Xbox 360 launch, where both consoles were very difficult to come by 5-6 months after launch. I wonder if Sony will be able to turn it around soon.

Anyone think the big N could come out on top this generation?

[Great Rumbler]

I imagine the price has at least something to do with it. And the DS has been selling like crazy all over the world since the Lite came out.

I don't know if they'll be able to top the Xbox360, since it's got a pretty big lead in Europe/North America, but enough it manages to pick up enough steam in those two regions and continue to stay on top in Japan then it stands a very good chance of coming in at a solid second place worldwide. And the DS is king of the world right now, no way around that.

[Dark Jaguar]

I haven't seen a single PS3 since launch, anywhere. I have seen SOME Wii's, being carried away from the store :D. DS Lites are plentiful, but that said, every time I've passed by a rack of them, they are in the process of being obtained.

[EdenMaster]

On top? No, I don't think Nintendo will get it's crown back this gen. It WILL, however, reaffirm itself as a majotr player in the console race, whereas the last two gens it has been the 3rd place finisher/only for hardcore fans system. Nintendo has a golden opportunity to prove themselves to the mainstream again, to shed their negative image, and start fresh.

Honestly, I would like to see that even more than N to end up on top.

[Dark Jaguar]

Actually, GCN was second place world wide, only 3rd place in America.

[Great Rumbler]

Actually, GCN was second place world wide, only 3rd place in America.

I believe it actually DID come in third worldwide, despite the Xbox's horrible sales in Japan.

And there are approximately zero DS's of any kind for sale where I live.

[Dark Jaguar]

"Any kind"? Didn't Nintendo pretty much instantly retire the old model already? At any rate, things are different here.

So anyway, you're saying that near the end, the XBox managed to do so well that it's American sells (and the piddly Europe and Japan sales) managed to overtake Nintendo's decent worldwide sales? Pardon my skepticism but do you have the number for that?

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, GC was third, though it was pretty close... GC had 21 million or so sold, Xbox 24 million shipped (most are assumed to have sold)...

I believe it actually DID come in third worldwide, despite the Xbox's horrible sales in Japan.

Nintendo's sales in Europe and Japan weren't exactly fantastic either with the GC/N64... Xbox did well enough in the US and Europe to make up for its total failure in Japan.

On top? No, I don't think Nintendo will get it's crown back this gen. It WILL, however, reaffirm itself as a majotr player in the console race, whereas the last two gens it has been the 3rd place finisher/only for hardcore fans system. Nintendo has a golden opportunity to prove themselves to the mainstream again, to shed their negative image, and start fresh.

Early leads can, and have, been overcome. Sometimes it happens fast -- DC vs. PS2 -- and sometimes slow -- Genesis vs. SNES -- but it definitely can happen, as it did in those cases... PS2-GC/Xbox of course wasn't surmountable, but the X360 isn't selling anywhere near PS2 numbers.