Sales of the Sony PlayStation 3 console during its first full week of availability in Japan were sharply lower than those during the two days immediately following its launch, according to estimates published this week.During the seven days from Nov. 13 to 19, there were 43,378 of the consoles sold in Japan compared with 88,400 sold on Nov. 11 and 12, according to figures published by Enterbrain Friday. The company publishes local gaming magazine Famitsu, and its figures are generally regarded in the industry as reliable. Sony PlayStation 3 Another local market data supplier, Media Create, estimated sales in the first full week at 42,099 units and said they dropped further to 32,622 units in the week from Nov. 20 to 27. Media Create earlier estimated launch weekend shipments were 81,693 units.SCEI in Tokyo wouldn’t comment on the estimates but said that it is continuously shipping new consoles to retailers in Japan and the United States. The sharply lower number of consoles sold is likely due to tight supply of the machines. Sony Computer Entertainment has faced problems procuring blue-laser diodes for the PlayStation 3’s Blu-ray Disc drive and was forced to cut back on launch plans. It had originally planned to have 2 million consoles in Japanese, North American and European retailers for launch week, but this was reduced to 500,000 units, and the European launch was pushed back to March 2007.As a result, the consoles have been in high demand and fetching premium prices on Internet auction sites. Software sales for the PlayStation 3 have also gotten off to a slow start. Sales have been lower than expected in part because a large number of early buyers were getting the console to resell for a profit online. Enterbrain estimated that in Japan, less software than hardware was sold at launch, while in the United States, retailer Gamestop said an average of 1.5 games were sold with each console. In comparison, the retailer reported average software sales for the Nintendo Wii were three titles per console.The highest-ranking software title for PlayStation 3 on Media Create’s chart for the week of Nov. 20 to 27 was Ridge Racer 7, taking the 29 position.-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)Related Links: Hands On With Sony PlayStation 3 Experts: Nintendo Could Beat Sony in Console War Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii Prices Drop Online 88K Sony PlayStation 3 Consoles Sold in JapanCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content feature 7 ways to spot hidden IT talent within your ranks Your organization has hidden IT superstars in the making — both within and outside IT. Here’s how to find and elevate them for maximum impact. By John Edwards Jun 07, 2023 8 mins Staff Management feature The NBA’s digital transformation is a game-changer The National Basketball Association’s move to Azure cloud is helping improve fan experience and in-game performance due to analytics- and AI-assisted tools aimed at unlocking data’s full potential. By Paula Rooney Jun 07, 2023 9 mins Microsoft Azure Media and Entertainment Industry Digital Transformation case study How Palladium targets tech to better serve the business Palladium Hotel Group has prioritized strategies surrounding its digital transformation, with a focus on two primary objectives: to improve the business and better customize the customer experience. By Nuria Cordon Jun 07, 2023 4 mins CIO Travel and Hospitality Industry Digital Transformation Saudi Vision 2030: Why the Kingdom is becoming a hub in EdTech education By Andrea Benito Jun 07, 2023 5 mins Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe