Wii named fastest-selling console in UK history

Nintendo has yet another reason to crack open the bubbly. Its Wii console has been named the fastest-selling games console in UK history by an independent sales tracking firm. However, in Japan, its lead over the PS3 is narrowing.

Analyst Chart Track claimed the Wii has notched up UK sales of more than 1m units, just 38 weeks after going on sale in the UK in December 2006. This positions the console ahead of the PS2, which achieved 1m sales after 50 weeks, and the Xbox 360, which sold 1m units after 60 weeks.

A representative of Nintendo UK has already proudly stated that the Wii is being enjoyed by both avid and new gamers of all ages, and that it's also achieving a non-stop sales demand during what it claims is a relatively slow sales period for video games in the UK.

Earlier this month, the console was named the world's best-selling next-gen videogames console by online gaming sales tracker VG Chartz, which said that, as of 23 August 2007, gamers worldwide has bought 10.57m Wiis to 10.51m Xbox 360s.

However, Japanese games magazine publisher Enterbrain reported that the Wii's lead over the PS3 is slowing in Japan. From a Wii sales lead of 6:1 in June, the ratio fell to 4:1 in July then to 3:1 in August, it said.

Nintendo sold 245,653 units of the Wii in the four weeks to 26 August. Sony sold 81,541 PS3s in the same period.