Xbox Gains Ground, Outsells PS2 In U.S.?

Thanks to Reuters for its story noting that Microsoft's Xbox is "expected to have outsold Sony's PlayStation 2 for the first time on a monthly basis in April" , apparently helped "by a price cut that made the Xbox cheaper than the PS2" - though a PlayStation 2 price cut to $149 is seemingly rumored for announcement at E3. The rise of the Xbox-exclusive title is also noted: "Titles like 'Ninja Gaiden' and 'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow' rode rave reviews to big sales, both finishing among the top five titles in sales for March, according to the NPD Group." Elsewhere in the same article, Dan Hsu of EGM comments on Xbox 2's possible showing at E3, commenting: "I think it'd be very strange for them to announce anything like that, because it would only hurt this holiday season for them... Even if this thing is not coming out for a year or two years, that still gives the impression that [the Xbox] is outdated technology."

Not all that surprising...

[NanoGator]

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the XBOX (or the GC) started to outsell the PS2. The PS2's been around longer, and was also a good deal more popular. Eventaully it'll hit a saturation point to where people start wondering what's going on with the other 2. Though I really don't care much for Sony or the PS2, I wouldn't be quick to jump on the "See, I told you that system sucks" bandwagon.

Re:Not all that surprising...

[MBCook]

I agree. I think that to a large degree the PS2 is reatching saturation. The people who want a PS2 by and large have one, so their sales will drop to lower levels.

At the same time, the people who bought a PS2 but want something else (like a GC or PS2) are likely to buy one with the low price, so theirs sales will go up.

The PS2 is the oldest system and will soon be replaced. It's only natural that it's sales are starting to dip at the end of it's life.

so what?

[Datasage]

If this was near the launch of the consoles it might mean something, but microsoft is going to keep playing a catchup game. There are still alot more PS2's on the market than there are xboxs.

Expected by who exactly?

[fondue]

Analysts? The same analysts who've been telling us online console gaming is going to be "like, so huge, maaan" and Nintendo should quit while they're drowning in money for the past five years now?

Pardon me while I laugh hysterically.

Re:The Beginning of the End...

[Anonymous Coward]

Percentages mean exactly that, and PS2 console and games sales were massively down in the first quarter, while XBOX sales of both games and consoles were very much up, with XBOX games up a massive 80%
That is what this battle is about.
In addition of course, XBOX sold a very nice 270,000 units in April far outselling the PS2 with only 200,000 sold and the Gamecube with 100,000 sold.

As for Japan sales, I couldn't give two hoots about that.
Its irrelevant to this idscussion. This discussion is about AMERICAN sales. Why bring in Japanese sales unless you are losing badly?
Plus the Japanese are notoriously jongoistic, inward looking and hostile to all foreign ideas and products anyway.

Bottom line: America is BY FAR the biggest video games market on the planet, nearly TWICE that of the Japanese market.
Plus American companies like Electronic Arts and Take Two Interactive now dominate the games business.
If XBOX rules in America, PS2 is in deep trouble.

As for the next generation console, Microsoft is now set to crush Sony when the next generatiuon consoles come out, having managed to get ready to launch the next XBOX BEFORE Sony even knows what hit them.

Re: by Phazz666 is the root of all evil

[incubusnb]

Spend an hour playing PGR2, TOCA 2, or Rallisport Challenge 2 on xbox live, then tell me all about Gran Turismo

done, done, done... Gran Turismo 3 still beats them in terms of overall Racing goodness, maybe not Graphically, but in Physics and Customisation GT has them beat, as well as in overall replayability

IMO, Gran Turismo 4 will crush them even more, 800+ cars, 50+ tracks, completely true-to-life Tuning and Customisation, Full Online, including Downloadable cars and tracks with the HD and NA Expansions, a Physics engine that is, in some cases, less than 1/10 of a second in difference from Reality(in comparative tests), and just about anything else a Hardcore racing fan could ever think of... How can anything else compare

now, in giving credit where credit is due, all three of the games you mentioned are very well done games and IMO are 3 of the best Racing games on the Market, but they just can't compare to the overall immersion that the GT Series gives you