Sony has to be happy that this month it was Microsoft how had to preempt the NPD data explaining why their sales were so low.  In January we saw the PS3 finally beat the Xbox 360 in the US and we also saw the Wii sell under 300K for the first time since last March!   Obviously the Xbox 360 and the Wii were supply constrained from both selling over a million consoles last month.  Here is the hardware data:

 - Nintendo Wii:           274K
 - Sony PS3:               269K
 - Sony PS2:               264K
 - Nintendo DS Lite:     251K
 - Microsoft Xbox 360:  230K
 - Sony PSP:              230K

Here is what stands out with this data: nothing sold over 300K units for the month.  The DS sold 2 million plus last month and can't sell more than 251k this month?  Obviously Microsoft and Nintendo are not producing as many consoles as they should be.  The PS3 was the only console with no supply issues because of their poor December showing.  By contract the 360 sold 60K less than last year, the Wii sold 160K less but the PS3 sold 25K more.  I hate to rain on Sony's parade but from looking at these software sales I'm guessing more people are buying a PS3 to play BluRay movies than video games.

   1.  Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) -- 330.9K
   2. Wii Play w/ Remote (Wii) -- 298.1K
   3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii) -- 239.6K
   4. Rock Band special edition bundle (Xbox 360) -- 183.8K
   5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Xbox 360) -- 182.7K
   6. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) -- 172K
   7. Burnout Paradise (Xbox 360) -- 144.1K
   8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3) -- 140K
   9. Mario Party (DS) -- 138.5K
  10. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS) -- 133K

With the continued success of Call of Duty 4 I'm beginning to wonder if it is this generation's Halo.  The game sells incredibly well months after being released and is doing well on both platforms.  If it were not for COD4 the PS3 would not have a single title in the top ten.  The Xbox 360 version of COD4, Guitar Hero 3, Rock Band and Burnout Paradise are all leading their PS3 versions.  Only Guitar Hero 3 on the Wii is doing better than the 360 version.  Even with a slow hardware sales month Microsoft can fall back on having an excellent software sales month with the number one game and four of the top ten positions.

I fully expect that Nintendo is still supply constrained across both their DS Lite and Wii.  I've been looking for a DS Lite for my wife and was not able to to find one anywhere last week.  Nintendo should probably be manufacturing more consoles but with an economic down turn coming to the US it seems wise to hold back.  Nintendo is the champion of the casual gamer and still their console of choice.  The most casual game out there, Guitar Hero 3, leads on the Wii and leading all Wii software is still Wii Play.  Maybe the PS3 would follow Wii Play and pack a controller in with a game.

Going back to my BluRay comment above there where 269K PS3s sold yet only one game sold 140K or better.  It could be that people are getting a packed in game with their PS3 purchase and are not buying any other games.  Or it could be the death of HD-DVD is giving the PS3 a boost.  Either way February is a notoriously poor month sales wise and it will be very interesting to see how things trend.  Will the PS3 beat the 360 again?  Will the PS3 get two or more titles in the top 10?  Sony will be pleased with themselves and I expect to read tons of pro PS3 articles on N4G.com saying the PS3 is on the raise and will surpass the Wii and 360.  Let the PS3 fan boys talk, I'm too busy playing games.