http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-11-13T103119Z_01_T35882_RTRIDST_0_TECH-SONY.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna
Sony sold 88,400 PS3s in Japan in 2 days-publisher
Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:31am ET
TOKYO, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Sony Corp. (6758.T: Quote, Profile,
Research) sold 88,400 units of its PlayStation 3 game console in
the first two days after the launch in Japan, leaving most stores
without any stock, video game magazine publisher Enterbrain said on
Monday.
Sony started selling the latest version of its blockbuster game
console in Japan on Saturday, and all indications point to a strong
start. Sony plans to have the PS3 on shelves in North America on
Nov. 17, followed by a European launch in March.
According to Enterbrain, Sony sold 88,400 units combined on
Saturday and Sunday, depleting stocks at most electronics retailers
that were able to get their hands on a limited supply of the
console.
Sony was able to ship only 100,000 units for the launch after a
glitch in blue laser diode production disrupted its output
plans.
An official at Enterbrain said the sales figure could be
interpreted as a promising start for the PS3, with thousands of
game fans queuing for hours at electronics stores in Tokyo over the
weekend to be among the first to play PS3 games.
The PS3 is up against Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile,
Research) Xbox 360, which has been on sale for the past year, and
Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s (7974.OS: Quote, Profile, Research) upcoming
Wii game console, which is scheduled to go on sale on Nov. 19 in
the United States and Dec. 2 in Japan.
Enterbrain said that Ridge Racer 7 and Mobile Suit Gundam: Target
in Sight, both from Namco Bandai Holdings (7832.T: Quote, Profile,
Research), were the top two selling games at about 30,000 units
each.
The basic model of the PS3, equipped with a 20-gigabyte hard disk
drive, sells for 49,980 yen ($425), while a more advanced
60-gigabyte version is retailing for about 60,000 yen.
Of the total sold so far in Japan, Enterbrain said 54,600, or about
62 percent, were of the more advanced model.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
