NEWS - Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Xbox 360 wins US holiday console battle
According to online traffic analysis group Compete’s latest report on US video game console shoppers, Microsoft Xbox 360 dominated holiday traffic, PS3 interest took a sharp hit, and the Wii is maintaining the highest level of new year demand. Compete’s analysis of video game console shoppers in December shows that demand for the Xbox 360 spiked at the start of the holiday shopping season thanks in part to a highly publicized sale on Amazon, spill-over interest in the Wii and PS3, and the introduction of the best-selling game ’Gears of War’. The Wii, the clear underdog with its relatively modest specs, surprised many skeptics by sustaining its post-launch interest and outselling the PS3. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who tried in vain to find a Wii at anywhere close to its suggested retail price. Sony PS3, in comparison, is described by the report as a "flash in the pan that fizzled on the backs of negative publicity, its lofty price and supply shortages,". It attracted barely as many shoppers as the year-old Xbox 360. The report also comments that it may be difficult for Sony to gain ground on Microsoft due to a perceived price disparity between the two consoles and Microsoft’s broader game catalogue. Compete found that Nintendo Wii has maintained the highest levels of post-holiday interest, and continues to outsell the PS3.Source: http://www.digitmag.co.uk
