Wii Fit to battle GTA 4 to be top May seller – Wii to beat PS3, Xbox again?
The month of May will have surely been an important one in the gaming industry with the true effect of the late April release of Grand Theft Auto IV on PS3 and Xbox 360 seen, and the release of Wii Fit on the Nintendo Wii. But when the sales figures for both software and hardware are revealed next month, who will have come out on top?
Grand Theft Auto 4 was released on April 29th and sold phenomenally well, even better than expected, on bot the PS3 and Xbox 360. Just in the last 3 days of the month, the game sold 2.85 million copies in the US, according to the official NPD figures for April. However, the game didn’t seem to help shift any hardware as both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 paled in the face of the Wii once again.
Wii Fit, a videogame/lifestyle device was released in the US last week, and set up a colossal fight for best-seller with GTA 4. It also remains to be seen which game will help shift hardware the most.
So far, Wii Fit is reported to have sold 650,000 copies on its first day, with an estimate of 1.2 million by the end of the first week. While this isn’t as good as the record achieved by GTA 4 over the same time frame, it is certainly an astonishing result, especially when you realise that Wii Fit is retailing with the Balance Board at a much higher price than Rockstar’s latest, and that there are only 10 million Wii owners in the country compared to a combined 16 million PS3 and Xbox 360 owners.
Come the end of May, I think it’ll be very close to call which game ends up as the top seller across North America, with Wii Fit possibly only losing out due to supply shortages.
As for the hardware push, I agree with Gamestop, the games retailer whose executives took part in a conference call with investors this week. According to Gamasutra, company CEO Dick Fontaine said:
“We feel pretty damn strongly that Wii Fit itself going to be the most significant addition that will drive hardware sales.”
“It’s going to drive even more demand for the Wii, while we’ve been selling out everything that we get, so as long as we can get the supply.”
As much as Grand Theft Auto may persuade gamers to finally decide they need a next gen console and force them to choose between the Xbox 360 and PS3, Wii Fit is much more likely to make both non-gamers and existing console owners feel the need to finally purchase a Wii. For that reason, I think the Wii is going to cream its two rivals yet again in hardware sales. The rout continues.
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21 Responses to “Wii Fit to battle GTA 4 to be top May seller – Wii to beat PS3, Xbox again?”
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May 24th, 2008
i got Wii Fit a couple of weeks ago, its great. But then again I got GTA a couple of weeks ago, thats also great
but both are completely different so I guess they can just be left to coincide nicely 
and ofcourse the Wii will outsell them again, it always does. I’m startin to think why it is STILL doin so well, but hey, its obviously doin somethin right
May 24th, 2008
robb, your probably right, but the Wii doesn’t seem to fit in the same hierarchy in this generation, creating a sub-class on its own that is both affordable and fun. While it’s created it’s niche, both the 360 and PS3 will continue to gain sales, while the PS3 may actually overtake the 360 in 2009:
http://www.digitalmagazine.com.au/2008/05/25/the-2009-playstation-3-advantage-and-the-promises-to-come/
May 24th, 2008
gta4 sales are for two systems too….. wiifit sales are just for the wii (obviously) which makes it even more impressive
DAVE PARRACK
May 24th, 2008
I agree with what Spidey dog said… meaning “DAVE PARRACK!”
Seriously, though, if the world were a good place, Wii Fit would tank horribly. One big financial step for Nintendo, one giant kick in the balls to gamer-kind.
-Arvis
May 24th, 2008
My other half wants to get Wii Fit….I will just stick with my GTA4
May 25th, 2008
Arvis
You’re right…This is one giant kick in the balls for gamer kind.
Wii shouldn’t even be compared with the Ps3 or 360 cuz its not a games console.
When it comes to the wii, its women and children first. But real gamers play real games like Gta and they don’t do yoga with their nanny.
May 25th, 2008
Wii Fit is just for making fat children cry.
We all know it’s just the PS3 and the Xbox 360 running the gamer’s egg and spoon race. It’s a love hate relationship, one is nothing without the other.
May 27th, 2008
“gamerkind” has moved on…without you pseudo-gamer types.
face it; the wii is a success.
May 27th, 2008
Spoken like a true fat ass Kevin.
May 27th, 2008
hamburger – me a fatass? lmao…while calling yourself “hamburger”? nice one, genius…lol.
May 27th, 2008
Maybe I’m old fashion, but I go outside to exercise and don’t spend 400 dollars plus to do it. Anyone who uses WiiFit as their sole exercise device is a moron or has too much money and no friends.
May 27th, 2008
Gamerkind aren’t the people buying the Wii though, it is the new breed, the Mainstream.
Stash, I agree. We are just too old to keep up with this new generation, oh well.
May 27th, 2008
I do have a wii (other half does anyways), but I hope that we aren’t going to be forced to accept the wii as the direction gaming is headed in. I know that kids of today will be driving the gaming of tomorrow, which makes things a little scary…
360 and PS3 users unite to keep our gaming way of life !!???
May 28th, 2008
spidey – gamers ARE uniting. this is why the ps3 is in last place. the wii/360 is the way to go apparently.
May 28th, 2008
Hmmm, wouldn’t expect anything less from you, with a comment like that Kevin.
May 28th, 2008
spidey – do the math. the data is there. refusing to look at it doesn’t make it any less real. sorry.
it really makes sense when you think about it. wii for the kiddies, girls and old folks; 360 for everyone else.
May 28th, 2008
Hmmm, would’nt expect anything less from you Kevin with a comment like that.
May 28th, 2008
spidey – when you’re reduced to repeating yourself for lack of data, it’s time to give up the debate. you have to admit tho; that’s where the numbers are pointing…
May 29th, 2008
They are YOUR numbers Kevin, which you pull from either biased sources or you yourself will “spin” to make it look 360 favourable. You are bad as the console executives. Virtually no one here takes you seriously Kevin.
Facts and figures…Kevin, the facts and figures these days show the 360 being in real danger of being overtaken in sales in all regions, if it hasn’t already and your beloved consle has been out for 1 yr or so longer. Doesn’t speak well for it does it. I would say it is you that is blind and ignoring the stats out there. But it must be pretty hard to see through an eye patch eh, Kev.
For the record I don’t care for who is selling more or whatever and I like both systems, but it is you Kevin who is contiually bringing up 360′s “far superiority” (in your opinion) It seems to me that you hav some form of “complex” or are insecure about the 360….m8 there is no need to be, it is here to stay and will continue to sell as will the ps3
May 29th, 2008
Kevin’s mummy could only afford to buy him the inferior 360 and now he does everything he can to hide the shame, by bad mouthing anything which he deems is a threat.
June 9th, 2008
Hi I think its mean to Make fun of people for There Finical position. I am A Wii owner I was a 360 owner (but gremlins killed it (and ~10 repairs) about 3 times to many) I also liked the PS3 I haven’t been able to afford( I am an Apprentice bad pay hard work) on I find it PS2 all over again A head strong console that over vales its own ASS. I have played the PS3 a lot at a mate. the Xbox Has to rebuild or Get out and leave Gaming to the Big Boys, The old warrior Nintendo funny and some what excentric and the Sony Play Station the Bad ass Street kid with Rich Parents with no care what there son wastes his money on (see the PSP).
In my mind the Wii (the Happy little Cuboid) Is the Knight in Super Wacky armour saving us for only blowing the life out of things and our friends when we play games And the PS3 has good points but as I said thinks He is to stuck up in the clouds with Blue Ray (Which I here need yearly maintains) and it copying the Wii Mention detecting idea’s to care (very poorly But It could be good for Fighter Pilot games) what others think. And the Xbox Is Microsoft’s last chance at power what with Linux being Better and all. So Microsoft should work on fixing and making better Operating systems for computers and less time Wasting my money and time on Gaming consoles.
Or maybe it’s a wast of valuable time and money when we could be doing better things like getting layed With smoking hot Chicks just a thought.
Kall
WFTW (Wii For The Win)