Seriously!!! The PS2 refuses to die as 351K units were sold last month in the US.  The only explanation is people are buying a PS2 along with Guitar Hero 3 to avoid buying a next generation console.  That or they decided to push off buying a PS3 and just replace their broken PS2.  Still it's a great month for Sony when both it's home consoles combined sell over half a million units.  Here is the data for February 2008:

 - Nintendo Wii:           432K
 - Sony PS2:               351K
 - Sony PS3:               280K
 - Microsoft Xbox 360:  254K

1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) – 296.2K
2. Devil May Cry 4 (Xbox 360) – 295.2K
3. Wii Play w/remote (Wii) – 289.7K
4. Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) – 233.5K
5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii) – 222.9K
6. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS) – 205.6K
7. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360) – 203.6K
8. Turok (Xbox 360) – 197.7K
9. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2) – 183.8K
10. Rock Band (Xbox 360) – 161.8K

Nintendo sells more Wiis than both 360 and PS3 combined but still is hardware constrained.  It's a shame Nintendo didn't have enough confidence in the Wii to manufacture enough to meet demand but is has to be a tragedy that over a year after launch they are unwilling to add more resources to manufacture more.  The PS2 is a shining example of why you should push out as many as you can.  Eight years after it's launch the PS2 still is selling better than next generation consoles.

I'm sure Sony is very pleased with these numbers as well.  Sony finally has a PS3 game to debut in the top five of game sales with Devil May Cry 4 as the PS3 outsells the 360 again.  Sales of Guitar Hero 3 for the PS2 seem to have boosted sales of the PS2 as well.  Sony feels these PS2 consumers will eventually make the move to the PS3 so they don't look at these as lost sales for the PS3.  Still you have to wonder why the older PS2 is out selling the PS3...probably price and a lack of games.

Microsoft will be happy to see they took 5 out of 10 in games sold but have to be a bit disappointed to see the PS3 pass them in console sales.  Microsoft will say they are supply constrained but I do not believe them.  The 360 needs a price cut to become more competitive.  The 360 did not break 250K units in half of the months last year and sold only 228K last February.  Last year that total was a win for the 360 but now in a more competitive market selling 25K more isn't going to cut it.  Microsoft needs to slash prices and/or remove models.

A rumor I have not chosen to post about until now is that a 60GB 360 is on the way.  Seems to me like this is a stupid idea because I assume the Pro would then be 60GB and the Elite would be 120GB.  What would happen to all those 20GB HDD you see in stores?  Who would buy one?  Well what if the Arcade came with a 20GB HDD instead of a memory unit?  Microsoft could give vouchers to those who bought an Arcade so they could get a free 20GB HDD.  No more complaining about games that can't use the hard drive for caching data, no more complaining about arcade games being too large and no more complaining about a tard pack.  This actually makes too much sense for Microsoft.  It would be great for consumers and game developers but the cost is too high so it won't happen.  Not in the year Microsoft wants the game division to be profitable.

In closing Capcom has to be very happy with their decision to go muliplatform with Devil May Cry 4.  The two SKUs sold 528.7K units in the US last month, by far this title's best launch.  I'm a bit shocked to see how close the PS3 version is to the 360 version in terms of sales but I suspect a lot of hard core Devil May Cry fans bought DMC4 along with a PS3.