Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has overtaken the Wii as the most searched for games console in the U.S., according to figures from Hitwise. The research group said the increase in searches was due to a combination of factors – hype about new games, rumors of a drop in prices, as well as the “red ring of death” issues. The searches seem to be more about the console and forthcoming games than the problems. The top 12 that included the words “Xbox 360″ were not concerned with the repair problems.

Meanwhile, recent figures from Nielsen Media Research suggest the Xbox 360 is the most played of the three next generation consoles, accounting for eight percent of playing time on consoles and PCs. The Wii was next with four percent, while Sony’s PS3 trails with just 1.5 percent. However, the Playstation 2 dominates the figures, accounting for 42 percent of gaming time.

Source: e-consultancy