Sony and Microsoft have preempted the usual NPD sales figures for December 2008 with their own self-congratulatory announcements: the PS3's sales were up 130% from last year, but it still couldn't close the gap with rival Xbox 360.
Ian Jackson, SCEA's VP of Sales, told CNET that the PS3 had seen sales increase by 130% for the holiday season, and an overall growth of 40% for 2008 as a whole. He called 2008 "(A) pivotal year for PlayStation with the best software line up in the industry, a dramatic expansion of PlayStation Network including the launches of the video delivery service and the beta of the PlayStation Home."
It's certainly true that experiencing that type of growth is some good news for Sony (who needs all the good news it can get after a less-than-stellar November), but Microsoft fired back with the announcement that the Xbox 360 had sold 28 million consoles worldwide - widening its lead over the PS3 to 8 million units. Of course, the 360 still has quite a long way to go if it wants to even be in the same neighborhood as the massive 100-million-strong install base of the PlayStation 2 (which was still the most-played console in 2008).
Also, the Wii is probably still crushing both by increasingly-ludicrous margins, but hey - we'll get some official, third-party figures next week when NPD releases its numbers, and then we can look forward to the post-NPD PR spin instead of the pre-NPD PR spin.
All kidding aside, the fairly strong figures for the 2008 holiday season for all three entrants in the console war is a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economic forecast - even if the games industry isn't recession-proof like many were predicting, perhaps it's showing itself to be recession-resilient.
what a minute, if the 360 has 28 million sold and the ps3 has 20 million doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
cleverlymadeup: what a minute, if the 360 has 28 million sold and the ps3 has 20 million doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
Yep.
I can smell the fires of war that the gametrailers crowd are bringing over the hill.
cleverlymadeup: what a minute, if the 360 has 28 million sold and the ps3 has 20 million doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
it sure does. Also the OP saying the xbox's lead has been "widened" is wrong, because the gap has typically been 9-10 million.
I have a 360, but am avidily thinking 'bout getting a PS3 just for exclusives and Bluray. The only thing is it costs a bomb, especially in todays world.
cleverlymadeup: what a minute, if the 360 has 28 million sold and the ps3 has 20 million doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
Damn you. Now I'll have to attempt math.
The 360 was released in November 2005, making for 39 months difference between then and now. 28,000,000 / 39 = 718,000
The PS3 was released in November 2006, making for 27 months difference. 20,000,000 / 27 = 741,000
Making a nominal difference of 23,000 units sold per month.
Sales figures taken from this news article, release dates taken from Wikipedia. Numbers rounded.
PS3 will probably sell enough to start closing the gap. You've got exclusive like Killzone 2, Infamous, God of War 3 (though it's been pushed back twice), and Heavy Rain. And some of my friend have left the 360 and come over to the PS3 so maybe this will be Sony's year.
I can smell the fires of war that the gametrailers crowd are bringing over the hill.
it's not a flame it's just an observation and some basic math really
Gametrailers users don't care for observation and basic maths, they don't care for reason, they are the epitome of destruction, an engine of ignorance, and i fear they will find this place very soon.
cleverlymadeup: what a minute, if the 360 has 28 million sold and the ps3 has 20 million doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
Yep.
I can smell the fires of war that the gametrailers crowd are bringing over the hill.
What's that 'comin'over the hill? Is it a monster? Is it a monsteeeer
CarrionRoc: PS3 will probably sell enough to start closing the gap. You've got exclusive like Killzone 2, Infamous, God of War 3 (though it's been pushed back twice), and Heavy Rain. And some of my friend have left the 360 and come over to the PS3 so maybe this will be Sony's year.
cleverlymadeup: what a minute, if the 360 has 28 million sold and the ps3 has 20 million doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
Damn you. Now I'll have to attempt math.
The 360 was released in November 2005, making for 39 months difference between then and now. 28,000,000 / 39 = 718,000
The PS3 was released in November 2006, making for 27 months difference. 20,000,000 / 27 = 741,000
Making a nominal difference of 23,000 units sold per month.
Just for fun, the Wii was released in November 2006, same month as the PS3, making 27 months difference.
100,000,000 / 27 = 3,700,000
Making the Wii beat out both the 360 and the PS3 by a cool 3 Million.
Sales figures taken from this news article, release dates taken from Wikipedia. Numbers rounded.
Why'd you have to put the Wii in there? That wasn't fun.
cleverlymadeup: ...doesn't that mean that the ps3 has sold more faster than the 360 considering the 360 has been around for a year more than the ps3 has been
Damn you. Now I'll have to attempt math.
...
Just for fun, the Wii was released in November 2006, same month as the PS3, making 27 months difference.
100,000,000 / 27 = 3,700,000
Making the Wii beat out both the 360 and the PS3 by a cool 3 Million.
Sales figures taken from this news article, release dates taken from Wikipedia. Numbers rounded.
Please cite your source on that hundred million Wii figure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii I'm seeing 34.55 million units sold as of the end of September 2008. And given that one of the major criticisms of Nintendo's handling of the Wii is their slow production rate, I seriously doubt they've manufactured and sold 65.45 million units in the three months that Wikipedia's article doesn't cover. So let's go with the numbers I see there, 34.55M units from 11/06 to 9/08:
34,550,000 / 22 = 1,570,000
Still very impressive, but not quite the monstruous margin you're giving them.
I already own a 360, and the ongoing recession will impede my ability to acquire a Wii or a PS3. Which is fine, I don't see either console going away in the next two or three years, and really I need new windows and a new front door before I need a machine that will play Zack and Wiki or a Blu-ray player that happens to run God of War 3 as well.
Why all the flaming anyways? Why can't we just be glad we can get one of these technological toys to keep ourselves amused?
Just for fun, the Wii was released in November 2006, same month as the PS3, making 27 months difference.
100,000,000 / 27 = 3,700,000
Making the Wii beat out both the 360 and the PS3 by a cool 3 Million.
Sales figures taken from this news article, release dates taken from Wikipedia. Numbers rounded.
Please cite your source on that hundred million Wii figure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii I'm seeing 34.55 million units sold as of the end of September 2008. And given that one of the major criticisms of Nintendo's handling of the Wii is their slow production rate, I seriously doubt they've manufactured and sold 65.45 million units in the three months that Wikipedia's article doesn't cover. So let's go with the numbers I see there, 34.55M units from 11/06 to 9/08:
34,550,000 / 22 = 1,570,000
Still very impressive, but not quite the monstruous margin you're giving them.
I already own a 360, and the ongoing recession will impede my ability to acquire a Wii or a PS3. Which is fine, I don't see either console going away in the next two or three years, and really I need new windows and a new front door before I need a machine that will play Zack and Wiki or a Blu-ray player that happens to run God of War 3 as well.
Why all the flaming anyways? Why can't we just be glad we can get one of these technological toys to keep ourselves amused?
Oh bugger. I took the Hundred Million from this article, and that's the PS2's number of units sold. Typos. Very Sorry, and thankyou for pointing out the mistake.
I have a question that no one ever seems to consider in these discussions.
Of all the new PS3 or Xbox 360 owners.. how many are people who already OWN the other system? I have an xbox 360 i got on opening day and a PS3 I got on opening day. Regardless of which I tend to play the most, I always wonder in these "who is selling more systems" comparisons when people start using the numbers to argue which system is 'superior' if anybody ever takes into account that group of gamers who simply.. like GAMES and own BOTH systems because we like GAMES?
HyenaThePirate: I always wonder in these "who is selling more systems" comparisons when people start using the numbers to argue which system is 'superior' if anybody ever takes into account that group of gamers who simply.. like GAMES and own BOTH systems because we like GAMES?
So, if an 18% year on year drop was seen as the sight of consumers losing all interest as a number of analysts said, what does an increase of 130% mean?
PS3 Sales Up 130%, Xbox Hits 28 Million
Sony and Microsoft have preempted the usual NPD sales figures for December 2008 with their own self-congratulatory announcements: the PS3's sales were up 130% from last year, but it still couldn't close the gap with rival Xbox 360.
Ian Jackson, SCEA's VP of Sales, told CNET that the PS3 had seen sales increase by 130% for the holiday season, and an overall growth of 40% for 2008 as a whole. He called 2008 "(A) pivotal year for PlayStation with the best software line up in the industry, a dramatic expansion of PlayStation Network including the launches of the video delivery service and the beta of the PlayStation Home."
It's certainly true that experiencing that type of growth is some good news for Sony (who needs all the good news it can get after a less-than-stellar November), but Microsoft fired back with the announcement that the Xbox 360 had sold 28 million consoles worldwide - widening its lead over the PS3 to 8 million units. Of course, the 360 still has quite a long way to go if it wants to even be in the same neighborhood as the massive 100-million-strong install base of the PlayStation 2 (which was still the most-played console in 2008).
Also, the Wii is probably still crushing both by increasingly-ludicrous margins, but hey - we'll get some official, third-party figures next week when NPD releases its numbers, and then we can look forward to the post-NPD PR spin instead of the pre-NPD PR spin.
All kidding aside, the fairly strong figures for the 2008 holiday season for all three entrants in the console war is a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economic forecast - even if the games industry isn't recession-proof like many were predicting, perhaps it's showing itself to be recession-resilient.
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