14 DAY TRIAL // Japan is one of the most important countries for all of the major console manufacturers because it has a population very inclined to technology and new devices, guaranteeing a big market for their respective products, whether they are the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
But Japanese people are very patriotic and hesitant to buy things that are imported, like the North American Xbox 360. As such, Microsoft had to work quite hard to make its console popular there. By partnering up with local studios to provide titles catered for the preferences of Japanese gamers, the company even managed to trump the local Wii and PlayStation 3 in sales.
Now, Enterbrain, the publisher to one of the most popular Japanese gaming magazines, Famitsu, has published some recent statistics about the lifetime sales of the Xbox 360 in the Land of the Rising Sun. According to the charts, the North American console has sold 1,001,191 units, as of March 29. The console was released in Japan on December 10, 2005, meaning that it still isn't selling the way Redmond executives would wish.
On the other hand, Sony's PlayStation 3, despite its high price tag, has managed to sell over 3 million units since its release on November 11, 2006. This is quite a victory for Sony, which still hopes that the tide will turn and its device will trump the Xbox 360 all around the world.
The Wii's figures on the other hand haven't been released, but seeing just how popular the console is worldwide, they are bound to be much higher than its rivals’.