Xbox 360 is most-used game console, Nielsen says

[zalbard]

Source: http://news.cnet.com/

As the game console wars rage on, new findings from Nielsen may give Xbox 360 fans a little more fodder for their bragging rights.

According to the market researcher, Microsoft's Xbox 360 is the most-used console when measured by its share of total usage minutes, capturing 23.1 percent of gaming time. It is followed by the PlayStation 2 with 20.4 percent of usage time and the Nintendo Wii with 19 percent. Surprisingly, the PlayStation 3 didn't make the list top-three list.

But Nielsen didn't stop there. The company said that 54 percent of American homes own a game console or handheld system. And so far, 41 percent of homes have at least one current-gen console.

Perhaps one of Nielsen's most important findings relates to gamers themselves. The research firm found that active female gamers (those who play at least one hour per week) represent 45 percent of the entire gamer market.

The rise in the number of female gamers was buoyed by both the Nintendo Wii and Sony's PlayStation Portable, which have high female-gamer populations. According to Nielsen, 49 percent of Wii players and 52 percent of Sony PSP gamers are female.

Nielsen's study offers a lot of food for thought. Let's hear what you think about the Xbox 360 as the most-played game console, the ubiquity of gaming in the home, and the growth in female gamers.

This is some pretty interesting info, and I thought Wii was the most used console nowadays.

[Manicdan]

i think the most interesting part is how PS2 is still kicking hard

[Xyllian]

PS2 is king, big time!

Mine still sits by the TV, and so does my PS3 and Wii too!

[Frontl1ne]

I misread the title as "Xbox 360 is most-useless game console".

My new Xbox 360 rrod'd the other day.

[Katanai]

52 percent of Sony PSP gamers are female.

No. It's as simple as that. I don't care what this "research" is based one but that fact at least is wrong.

[Manicdan]

i wonder if they added up time a user spent with a controller in hand playing, or spent infront of the console. a Wii can have 8 people all enjoying a game together, even though only 1 is actually using it at a time (like bowling or other party games)

[hennyo]

Well the 360 usage numbers really come as no surprise to me as in my house I have every console there is for the past couple generations attached to my TV and the 360 gets about 3/4 of all play time of every console combined. Not only that, I often have a large number of friends that come around and play video games in my house and the 360's controller is the most preferred of all the controllers. Often times there will be multiple 360's in use at the same time in my house when playing games with 4+ people from Halo 3, to L4dead and MW2. One huge benefit to the 360 is the removable hard drive, the reason this is important, because things like download games can be moved from place to place with ease, for example castle crashers, and if you have memory sticks, people can keep their profiles and the hard drive content separate.

[Rmrdr13]

No. It's as simple as that. I don't care what this "research" is based one but that fact at least is wrong.

Agreed, I wouldn't be surprised if that was true for the Nintendo DSlite or Dsi though.

[saaya]

Surprisingly, the PlayStation 3 didn't make the list top-three list.

more like unsurprisingly :P

i doubt those numbers tho, how do they get their stats?
how about nintendo ds and psps for example?
in asia there are usually 2 psps and nintendo ds systems in use in every subway train car you walk through

[MrMojoZ]

This is some pretty interesting info, and I thought Wii was the most used console nowadays.

The general public that buys Wii's tend play with them for awhile then lose interest until Nintendo releases the next 1st party title.

[metachronos]

The general public that buys Wii's tend play with them for awhile then lose interest until Nintendo releases the next 1st party title.

True, I haven't touched my Wii(pun!) in months. I play my 360 just about every day.

[IFMU]

True, I haven't touched my Wii(pun!) in months. I play my 360 just about every day.

You know.... that pun wouldn't be nearly as funny without that avatar... LoL


The 360 being top dog doesn't suprise me too much. PS3 being beat out by the PS2 does to a degree... but then again, the cost for the PS3 just recently came down..
Saaya, this whole nielsen is just US though I think....
It doesnt suprise me too much on the women gamer numbers increasing, didnt realize by that much, but still not too suprising...

[Blacky]

PS3 not being in then top list its sony's fault, for being arrogant and stupid...

[Starscream]

more like unsurprisingly :P

i doubt those numbers tho, how do they get their stats?
how about nintendo ds and psps for example?
in asia there are usually 2 psps and nintendo ds systems in use in every subway train car you walk through

i gues the official console sales in the US and a survey gave them the info.

No possible way to figure out how accurate those figures are. Because surveys can be off by alot and people lie.



As an example there is a survey where 800 gamers was asked if they every purchased any DLC.
About 15% of them reported they already purchased DLC
About 41% of them are aware of the existence of DLC but never purchased any
About 43% of them aren't aware of the existence of DLC

So 43% out of 800 people did not know DLC existed. For example MS does alot of advertising for the GTA4 DLC so its hard to believe 43% of the people arent aware of it.

Therefor i dont really trust surveys that much.

[Helmore]

And the numbers don't add up

[IFMU]

DLC? downloadable content?
if so...
those numbers dont suprise me too much. Alot of people who game now-a-days call themselves 'gamers' even though they are far from true gamers.

[Aaronage]

Interesting stuff, doesn't surprise me really! Think the results would be different here in the UK, the PS3 seems to get more love here. I agree with what a few others have said, that PSP female use number sounds waaaaay off

The built in wifi, blu-ray, none-proprietary accessories (headsets, bluetooth keyboards, hard drives), free online, movie rentals, lower cost, F@H, BBC iPlayer app, quiet fan and (i know this might not be the case today) reliability of PS3 make it my console of choice.

[freeloader]

Probably the most returned too.....rim shot please! I've had two 360's go RROD. Bought a PS3 and haven't looked back.

[zanzabar]

i hate my 360 affter beating bayonetta i realized why i love my ps3, the controller its self has bad sticks but not only that the buttons have way to long of travel and no tactile and the dpad thats useless as a dpad. then for the console it cant even hold 20fps in 720p.

razer will make a ton of money if they really fixed the 360 controller.

on topic
the 360 has the most gaming consoles sold of this gen so what do u think if they were collecting data before aug then the ps3 had a vary small market share, and for the psp i dont know any1 who plays psp games on it and most people got rid of them, if it wasnt good as a PMP and didnt have emulators i dont think that i would ever use mine

[Hornet331]

DLC? downloadable content?
if so...
those numbers dont suprise me too much. Alot of people who game now-a-days call themselves 'gamers' even though they are far from true gamers.

yeah its the newest abomination that spilled over from consoles... imagine TF2 class updates as DLC.

[crash5s]

Probably the most returned too.....rim shot please! I've had two 360's go RROD. Bought a PS3 and haven't looked back.

Wait till you get a YLOD.

i hate my 360 affter beating bayonetta i realized why i love my ps3, the controller its self has bad sticks but not only that the buttons have way to long of travel and no tactile and the dpad thats useless as a dpad. then for the console it cant even hold 20fps in 720p.

Umm, bayonetta looks worse and runs like on the PS3.

[Vinas]

Nielsen's studies are notoriously bad. A few years ago they claimed the same story and were flamed, now this. I mean, this is like saying Britney Spears is the most widely listened to pop singer. Their metrics are all skewed for some reason.

Plus people who buy a Wii actually have money left over to do other things... Like play games on PC.

[Vinas]

on topic
the 360 has the most gaming consoles sold of this gen

This is false, the Wii has outsold them all. By almost double.

Source.

[initialised]

PS2 is king, big time!

Mine still sits by the TV, and so does my PS3 and Wii too!

Like wise alongside a pair of PCs!

The only thing that will kill off the PS2 is an emulator on the PS3 which is probably why Sony is holding back.

[zanzabar]

Umm, bayonetta looks worse and runs like on the PS3.

it wasnt coded for the ps3 native it ported, the 360 is a horrible system it cant do GH5 in 1080p ether but it lets u try it in 1080. the entire thing has been a disappointment if it wasnt $100 at walmart and didnt play backups and have a usb loader, i would have been really pissed about it. as i see it it has about the same graphics as a ps2 but in 720p (were as the ps2 only had gt4 and TT in 720/1080p) and its got what has to be the worst controller performance wise ever and overall the worst since the unusable xbox original. i dont remember dead space, analogue beak or long press buttons on the original xbox so having that on the 360 is just wrong. i just dont get how people can use it as their primary gaming platform /rant