nerdhook

The Nintendo Wii is poised to break the all time single year sales record of Sony’s Playstation 2. The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

The PS2 sold 43.2 million units in the United States over its lifetime and peaked at 8.2 million in 2002. The Wii, which has moved 15.4 million units so far, has sold about 8 million through 11 months of this year and is poised to shatter the PS2’s annual record with a strong December showing.

One of the more interesting aspects of the Wii’s success is it comes at a time where more and more consumers are placing a premium on a high definition display. The Wii, as you probably know, is not a stellar graphics performer. But the uniqueness of game play has proven to trump pure graphic performance, as it has broadened the appeal of the device to more non-traditional customers.

The tough economic times might actually be lifting Nintendo’s sales. The relatively cheap price of the $250 Wii console, along with its appeal to an entire family, makes it an even more appealing choice for households, said Dunaway.

“Families are looking for inexpensive and fun activities that they can enjoy at home together, and the Wii solves that need,” she said.

A salient point from Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. The sustained growth of Wii sales is almost certainly driven in large part by interest in the device from non-traditional buyers; customers who may not even be considering either of the competing consoles (Xbox360 or Playstation 3). Also, in the context of families, the $250 price tag is not much of a barrier for a device used by the majority a household.