Having consistently stomped the competing PlayStation 3 during 2008 and set sales records even during a recession, it should come as little surprise that the Nintendo’s Wii posted some pretty impressive numbers for the year – numbers that have never been touched by any other console. According to Nintendo, 10.17 million Wiis were sold in 2008 alone, a record-breaking figure for one-year console sales.
That number represents 55 percent of next-gen console sales, with both Microsoft and Sony getting packed into the remaining 45 percent share of the pie. Nintendo also dominated the sale of games, with the top four sellers for the year being Wii Play, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl, in order.
“Concepts like Wii Fit, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band never would have seemed feasible just a few years ago, and now they’re driving growth for our the entire industry.” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales and marketing.
For its part, the Nintendo DS also held it own in 2008, with 9.95 million units sold, representing 72 percent of all portable gaming system sales.