Japan: Xbox 360 gets boost, outsells PlayStation 3 2.5-to-1

The Xbox 360 is more popular that the PlayStation 3 in the US, and the opposite is true in Japan. That’s the way it’s been for a long time, until the PS3 started outselling the 360 in the US this year. Now it seems the tables are also being turned in Japan, with the 360 outselling the PS3 2.5-to-1 last week. Details in the full article.

There is a certain order to the universe one has to accept. The sky is blue, Mario has a red hat, and Master Chief’s face will always be hidden to the world (he’s mysterious like that). However, it looks like some rules are made to be broken.

Way back when, the Xbox 360 has always been more popular than the PlayStation 3 in the US, and the reverse was true in Japan. But then the PS3 started outselling the 360 in the US earlier this year – and now it looks like the tables may also be turning in Japan.

The Xbox 360 recently outsold the PlayStation 3 in Japan 2.5-to-1, thanks to the release of Namco Bandai‘s Tales of Vesperia. From a meager 4,941 units the previous week, Microsoft‘s console sold 24,962 for the week of August 10. That’s about a 500% increase in sales, if my math is right.

The DS and the PSP still lead the pack, and the Wii, of course, is still the highest selling console in the region. Here’s the rest of the numbers for the week of August 10:

• Nintendo DS – 60,434
• PSP – 58,501
• Wii – 38,506
• Xbox 360 – 24,962
• PlayStation 3 – 9,673
• PlayStation 2 – 8,503

• Media Create Japan: PSP still hogs top spot, reaches 2 million sales mark
• NPD January 2008 sales numbers: PS3 outsells Xbox 360 for the first time

Via Media Create