Sales of Nintendo’s Wii surged in the third week of December in Japan as more supplies of the hard-to-get game console arrived in shops across the country.Sales totaled 279,277 units for the week, according to figures from Media Create. That’s more than double the number sold a week earlier and the greatest weekly sales yet with the exception of launch week, when 350,358 consoles were sold, according to Media Create.Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation 3 also saw sales jump on the previous week, although the climb was much more modest. A total of 76,882 units were sold, said Media Create.Sales of both consoles are constrained by supply at present, so it’s difficult from the figures to gauge which will eventually prove more popular among Japanese gamers. With the latest figures, Nintendo sits on the cusp of selling its millionth Wii console in Japan. To Dec. 24, a total of 824,311 units had been sold, putting the million mark well within reach during the last week of the year as long as the company can keep supplies flowing into shops. In contrast, total sales of the PlayStation 3, which has been on sale for three weeks longer than Wii, totaled 385,791 units due to lower supply.The figures also delivered some good news for Microsoft. Sales of the Xbox 360 were 17,213 units, which is almost unchanged from the week earlier and still well above their level in November. Microsoft launched the long-awaited Blue Dragon game in Japan in early December and offered a special-edition Xbox 360 console to accompany the title. That appears to have boosted sales for the machine. In the software chart, Wii Sports ranked fifth with sales of 152,756 units, making it the highest-selling software title of the week for any of the three consoles. The title is sold separately in Japan but bundled with the console in North America.Overall, the handheld Nintendo DS Lite maintained its strong lead with sales of 485,584 units, said Media Create. Its closest handheld rival, Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP), sold 138,588 units for the week. Six of the top 10 software titles were for the DS, including number-one-ranked Pokemon Diamond, while the PSP game Metal Gear Solid Portable ranked second.By Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)Related Links: Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii Sales Pick Up Console War: Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 Microsoft Sticks to Xbox 360 Shipment ForecastCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost It’s time to evolve beyond marketing to create meaningful metaverse moments Insights on the results of the Protiviti and Oxford University survey: Executive Outlook on the Metaverse, 2033 and Beyond By Kim Bozzella Jun 08, 2023 6 mins Digital Transformation feature 10 hottest IT jobs for salary growth in 2023 The demand for tech workers hasn’t slowed down, as rising salaries reveal the most sought-after tech professionals for 2023, according to data from Dice. By Sarah K. White Jun 08, 2023 8 mins Salaries IT Jobs Careers interview Oshkosh CIO Anu Khare on IT’s pursuit of value The specialty truck maker’s IT chief sees tech-enabled transformation being fueled by a relentless focus on strategic fit and customer value — and passionate business involvement. By Dan Roberts Jun 08, 2023 9 mins Automotive Industry Manufacturing Industry IT Strategy news analysis What LOB leaders really think about IT: IDC study Businesses leaders increasingly rely on digital innovation to meet their goals but are not always giving IT a say in key business decisions, a disconnect that could hinder innovation, a new IDC study has found. By Peter Sayer Jun 08, 2023 6 mins Business IT Alignment IT Strategy IT Leadership 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