PS3 overtakes Wii in Japan unit sales

After news on the Playstation Portable (PSP) Slim’s one-millionth unit sales milestone in Japan, Sony has again packed a solid wallop on console rival Nintendo.

According to the Financial Times of London, Sony’s Playstation 3 has outsold the Nintendo Wii in Japan, marking the first time the PS3 had overtaken the Wii in unit sales. In a report posted on its FT.com web site, the Playstation 3 sold 183,217 units as against the Wii’s 159,193 consoles. The report cited the trade magazine Enterbrain as source of its figures.

The sales surge of Sony’s consoles have become crucial for the entertainment and consumer electronics giant’s games division. The PS3 had lagged the Wii in overall sales the past year. But with the Japan figures coming in, the future seems bright for the embattled console. With console prices dropping in time for the holidays, including its cheap 40-GB version, Sony could emerge as the sales winner for the entire season, not only in Japan but in other countries as well.