by CIO Staff

600K Nintendo Wii Consoles Shipped in 8 Days

News
Nov 28, 20062 mins
Consumer Electronics

Sales of Nintendo’s Wii console surpassed 600,000 in its first eight days on sale, the company said Tuesday.

The Wii went on sale in North America on Nov. 19 to enthusiastic lines of people who snapped up most of the available consoles on launch day. The console costs US$250, and it made its debut two days after rival Sony Computer Entertainment launched its PlayStation 3.

Nintendo Wii
Nintendo Wii

Among launch software titles, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has sold 454,000 copies, which means three out of every four Wii console buyers are taking home a copy of the eagerly awaited game. Combined with sales of Nintendo software and accessories, the Wii already represents a US$190 million business, the company said.

Demand for the console continues to outstrip supply, said Nintendo in a statement. The company previously said that it plans to ship about 4 million units of the Wii to market before the end of this year. The console will launch next in Japan on Dec. 2, then in Australia on Dec. 7 and Europe on Dec. 8.

Sony has yet to provide sales estimates for the PlayStation 3.

-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)

Related Links:

  • Experts: Nintendo Could Beat Sony in Console War

  • Console War: Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

  • Nintendo Wii On Sale in U.S., Canada

  • Hands On With Sony PlayStation 3

  • 88K Sony PlayStation 3 Consoles Sold in Japan

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