Ramblings from the Marginalized

According to independent sales data released by the NPD Group, the Wiiâ„¢ from Nintendo was America's best-selling video game console in the U.S. again in February, with consumers snapping up virtually every system available in America totaling more than 335,000 units.

Only one game system sold more in February, the portable Nintendo DSâ„¢, with sell-through of 485,000 units!

How about that? Not only is the Wii dominating the console market but the DS is number two!

What's even more amazing is the true penetration factor of the Wii. Reports are surfacing all over the place telling of families that are getting together around the Wii for cross-generational gaming as well as "Wii parties" where the one lucky Wii owner in the group brings their Wii to a friends house and everyone has a night of video game goodness!

Not bad for a system that was originally mocked for being outdated before it even shipped.

Something some of the other console makers might learn from this is the fact that the Wii is not winning based on selling first person shooters (X-box) or super awesome graphics (PS3) but is instead winning based on the fun factor! Think about. What games are getting the most press attention? Aside from the mega Zelda line with Twilight Princess the big hit is Wii Sports. A game, along with its counterpart Wii Play, that is designed as an introductory game to teach you how to use the system.

The Wii is winning because it is not targeting the hard-core gamer to the exclusion of the casual or non-gamer. Who would have thought, when the Wii launched, that one of the most popular games would be Wii Sports bowling?

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