Following international trends, Nintendo's third-generation gaming console, the Wii, has shown "remarkable performance" in the local market.
This is according to official distributor Core Group CEO RJ van Spaandonk, speaking at the launch of Nintendo's handheld console, DS Light, on Friday. "Within the first month of its launch, Wii took 46% of the third-generation gaming console market. During Christmas, Wii outsold PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Xbox 360 combined."
Van Spaandonk's figures put Microsoft's Xbox at 29% of the market and Sony's PS3 at 23%. Core Group's sales records reflect international trends, which have seen the interactive home console outstrip its competitors.
In the US market alone, Nintendo's Wii, in November, sold 981 000 units, according to a Reuters report. In the same period, Microsoft's Xbox 360 console sold 770 000 units, while PS3 sold 466 000 units.
Nintendo is adamant, however, that the Wii should not be viewed as competition to PS3 and Xbox. "We are approaching a different market to Xbox and PS3. We are targeting non-gamers and gamers who find hard-core gaming intimidating."
The Core Group announced the immediate availability of its handheld console, Nintendo DS Light. The device should retail at around R1 799. "Four games will be available with this release: Brain Training (retailing at R349); Nintendogs (R499); Super Mario Bros - a popular title first released 20 years ago (R499); and Mario Kart (R499).
The company will also release several new Wii titles during the course of the first quarter of this year. Big Brain Academy and Metroid, a first person shooter style release, will be released in February. Mario Strikers Football, as well as Endless Ocean, will be available in February.
Super Mario Galaxy and Mario Party 8 are both currently available for the Wii.
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