Xbox 360 overtakes Nintendo's Wii UK sales tally
We’re on the cusp of the next generation of gaming consoles, but there’s life in Microsoft’s old dog yet – the Xbox 360 has overtaken the overall sales tally of rival Nintendo’s Wii.
Data collected by GFK Chart-Track shows that Microsoft’s console has surpassed sales of 8.4 million, meaning it is has now become the UK’s best-selling console of the current gaming generation.
Despite being launched roughly a year before the Wii, Microsoft’s console initially struggled to compete with the Wii’s low cost and inclusive, revolutionary motion controls that lured even non-gamers into Nintendo’s flock.
However, as the years went by and the Wii’s weak hardware began to look increasingly aged in comparison to the Xbox 360, sale started to shift in Microsoft’s favour. And, as Microsoft reduced the price of the Xbox 360 console, and Nintendo’s interests shifted towards the Wii’s successor, the Wii U, the Xbox 360 has finally had the momentum to overtake the Wii.
Speaking to MCV, Harvey Eagle (UK managing director of Xbox) said: “This is an historic milestone and our sincere thanks goes to each and every person that has bought and enjoyed Xbox 360 over the past eight years.”
The Xbox 360 is also expected to overtake sales of the Wii in the US by the end of the year.
Even with the Xbox One on its way, Microsoft have promised to support the Xbox 360 for a further five years. It’ll be interesting to see where those sales figures sit in 2018.
