RE5 Japan launch: PS3 and Xbox 360 sales in near tie?

As Japanese consumers line up to buy Resident Evil 5, Famitsu reports that the two console versions appeared to be selling almost equally.

Famitsu.com reports on the Resident Evil 5 launch in Japan, where the game and hardware bundles went on sale today.

Reporters were posted at a major Tokyo retailer, where a queue had been lining up outside the store before its 10am opening time.

Famitsu.com reports that the media were impressed by the sight of the cash machine ringing, whilst the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 copies were selling in a "virtual tie."

It's doubtful that this will translate into equal sales for both console versions, mainly due to the larger PlayStation 3 hardware base and the strength of Sony's brand in the country.

However, it's clear that the game will do well in Japan, pushing hardware for both high-definition consoles as they take on Nintendo's Wii.

Resident Evil 5 releases in the UK next week on March 13th. Please visit the Resident Evil 5 game page for all the latest information.

[UPDATE] - As reports from other retailers come in, there's evidence that both hardware bundles are selling well, but at one store the PlayStation 3 bundle sold out in only 20 minutes.

At another store, described as the "video game mecca," a total of thirty hardware bundles were sold at a ratio of 3 to 1 in favour of the PlayStation 3. Software only sales also performed better for the PlayStation.