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 Even if this thing is not coming out for a year or two years, that still gives the impression that [the Xbox] is outdated technology."

Comments

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.