Wii Sports is Now the Best Selling Game Ever

We knew it was coming eventually.  Wii Sports has now passed Super Mario Bros. (NES) as the number one selling game of all time, VGChartz reports.  The game reached a massive 40.24 million mark after 110 weeks of sales.

The impressive figures take out the previous record holder, Super Mario Bros., which held its place on an NES install base of 60.91 million units.  The Wii only has an install base of 45 million units.  With the rapid growth of the Wii, Wii Sports could be expected to reach the 50 million mark, especially if it continues to be packed-in with the console.

Based on the above graph from VGChartz, each of the highest selling games of all time here are a) Nintendo titles, and b) most have been packed-in with its respective console in one region or another at some point in its lifespan.  Which again adds to the theory that by packing-in a game with a console, the game will sell better.

It is interesting to note the presence of Wii Play on the list, a game that comes with a Wii Remote.  Could peripheral pack-in games become the next big marketing strategy for some?

The source article also brings up the perspective on whether bundled games deserve their place on a best seller list.  VGChartz brings up adequate explanation:

1. The bundling of Wii Sports with the Wii console is integral to the success of the Wii console - Wii Sports adds value to the package and isn't "given away" with the console. It is purchased alongside the console.
2. The game isn't bundled in Japan and has managed to sell at a 45% attach rate with the Wii console showing that many Wii owners in Japan bought a Wii for Wii Sports.
   
3. Bundle sales of all other games are counted. Super Mario Bros wouldn't have sold 40 million as a stand-alone title but who can say how many it would have sold - maybe 20 million, maybe 25 million. Same is true of Wii Sports, Tetris, Duck Hunt, Super Mario World and most of the other titles on the best seller list. Sure, the act of bundling the game with the console will serve to increase its sales but to totally remove the game because of the fact it has been bundled is not right either. It is totally conceivable that as a stand-alone title Wii Sports would have sold well over 20 million units by now given the attach rate seen in Japan and also seen with both Wii Play and Wii Fit in the west. So to remove the title also seems totally unfair - especially given point 1.
   

Congratulations to Nintendo for being mad geniuses in making Wii Sports.

UPDATE: Keep in mind that these sales figures are not official.  While VGChartz has been an accurate resource for me in the past, we'll have to assume this as speculation at the time.

VGChartz (via MLive)