Wii Is Top Console In April…Anyone Really Surprised?

At this point, hearing about the Wii on top has lost its’ luster. The Wii has been the reigning champ in hardware sales since its’ launch. What was so interesting about last month (April), was the GTA IV release. Would the Nintendo Wii be able to stand up to such an anticipated release?

Well of course they were. Although GTA IV was probably the most anticipated title since Halo 3, the XBOX 360 or PS3 just couldn’t stand up to the Wii. What’s funny is that neither of the consoles were even close in numbers. Despite GTA IV selling nearly 3 million units across the XBOX 360 and PS3.

Here are the numbers for Hardware and Software Sales for April:

Hardware Sales- (Units Sold)

- Wii: 714,200
- DS: 414,800
- PSP: 192,700
- Xbox 360: 188,000
- PS3: 187,100
- PS2: 124,000

Software Sales- (Units Sold)

1. GTA IV – Xbox 360 – 1.85 million
2. Mario Kart Wii – Wii – 1.12 million
3. GTA IV – PS3 – 1.00 million
4. Wii Play w/ remote – Wii – 360,000
5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl – Wii – 326,000
6. Gran Turismo 5: Prologue – PS3 – 224,000
7. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness – DS – 202,000
8. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time – DS – 202,000
9. Guitar Hero III – Wii – 152,000
10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Xbox 360 – 141,000

When a game like GTA IV sells like it did; it doesn’t necessarily equate to increased hardware sells. Most people who wanted GTA IV, were of the crowd who already owned a console (for the most part).

What really sets the Wii apart is that it’s so engaging on so many different levels, with so many different demographics. More than likely your grandma isn’t going to want to play GTA IV with you. But you show her the in-and-outs of Wii bowling, and you’ve got a shot at getting your granny to enjoy a video game (this is a true personal story).

When a product can attract nearly everyone from the age of 5-70, you can bet that their numbers are going to dominate. The only question is, “For how long will the Nintendo Wii be on top?”. Unfortunately, that’s something that’s a little harder to judge. If creative, and fun games keep coming our way, then the Wii has a good shot at seeing it through until the end.

So what are you opinions of the video game numbers in April? Is this yet another sign of how the Wii will dominate the rest of the video game hardware cycle? Feel free to leave your comments below.