Why is it that nothing draws ferocious reader comments like console stats? Anyhow, you're obviously after another does of lies, damned lies and statistics, which today come in the form of some global numbers from Nielsen Net//Ratings (which I'm pulling from the April 2 issue of Red Herring):

91 percent
Growth in web traffic to Nintendo.com, 2006-2007

47 percent
Growth in web traffic to Xbox.com, 2006-2007

-8 percent
Decline in web traffic to PlayStation.com, 2006-2007

These stats are a measure of each platform's momentum, rather than overall visitors. And they're not measuring the number of customers who play online. Still, it's worth adding, as I've previously noted, that Microsoft NZ has been aggressive in promoting online gameplay, and claims half the 35,000 local Xbox 360 buyers have joined Xbox Live.

Sony Computer Entertainment NZ has told me that New Zealand's broadband infrastructure is just too lousy, and they're going to wait for it to get better before pushing online options.

Wii's online options are pretty weak and by no means central to Nintendo's strategy at present. Still, the company recently jumped to a new NZ distributor, Softprint, which I'm expecting to be a lot more proactive than its predecessor on all fronts.