Nintendo Wii takes the lead in console war

The Nintendo Wii is outselling its closest competitor in the console wars by nearly 50 percent, according to January sales data for North America from analyst firm NPD.

Nintendo sold 436,000 units in the month, data from the firm indicates. Sony's previous generation PS2 claimed the second position with 299,000 units, trailed by Microsoft's Xbox 360 (294,000 units) and the PS3 (244,000 units).

David Riley, senior marketing manager with NPD, told vnunet.com that all three console makers performed well.

But Nintendo outsold its competitors because it offered a more innovative product that is easy to use and set up and featured strong game titles at launch. It also sells at a better price point and didn't suffer from a limited availability as much as the PS3, Riley commented.

The Wii retails in the US for US$250, compared to US$300 and US$400 for two versions of the Xbox 360, and US$500 and US$600 for Playstation 3 models. Microsoft launched its Xbox 360 in 2005. Both Nintendo and Sony started shipping their latest consoles last November.

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