Microsoft recently revealed its quarterly console sales figures, and lumped together the Xbox 360 with the Xbox one, obfuscating real data on sales of its new console. Sony’s now revealed its figures, and they’re doing exactly the same thing. I have no idea why though; the PlayStation family is outselling the Xbox family at a ratio of over 3 to 1.
Sony has, of course, always lumped its figures together, so that’s not all that surprising in itself. What is, is just how much better Sony’s machines are performing at retail.
Within Sony’s games division, quarterly sales have increased 95.7% year-on-year to 257.5 billion yen (2,550 million U.S. dollars). They peg most of this on the PlayStation 4
“This increase was primarily due to the contribution from sales of PS4 hardware which was
launched in November 2013, as well as a significant increase in network services revenues accompanying the launch of the PS4.”
That mandatory PlayStation Plus for multiplayer is obviously working out rather well for Sony. Here’s a look at the sales numbers.
Sony has sold in (that’s shipped) 3.5 million PlayStation consoles in the last quarter ending in June. That’s a combined sales tally between the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4. Using pure estimation, I’d figure that puts the PlayStation 4 at a number approaching 9.5 million units sold. In the very same quarter, Microsoft shipped 1.1 million combined. In the same quarter, Nintendo sold through – not shipped – half a million Wii U units. It’s ostensible that the Xbox One is performing about as well as Nintendo’s beleaguered console.
That has to be worrying for folks in the Redmond camp. On the whole, it seems Kaz Hirai’s One Sony approach is starting to pay off. It’s not just the games division and the finance and insurance bits of Sony that are making money. According to the latest financial documents, Sony as a whole made an overall profit of $250 million.
Microsoft dominated in the last generation, but it seems the company’s mixed messaging and perpetual 180 degree turns have come back to haunt them.
Last Updated: July 31, 2014
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 31, 2014 at 10:12
Impressive, are you sure of the figures Geoff? Just confirming if you are not missing a few 0’s
Her Highness the Hipster
July 31, 2014 at 10:16
*ninja edit* what are you talking about? 😛
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 31, 2014 at 10:26
NEVARRRR FORGET!!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 10:36
That’s in Aus dollars. The rest of the zeroes are there but were censored.
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 31, 2014 at 10:37
Aye, thought so
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI 4
July 31, 2014 at 10:42
Admiral Chief of Always Out to Get You 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 10:43
He be all like FUS ROH NAZI
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI 4
July 31, 2014 at 10:44
F T Looks like you got a spelling mistake
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 12:54
hahahahaha gg
Kikmi
July 31, 2014 at 10:30
EL OH EL
Martin du preez (D4RKL1NGza)
July 31, 2014 at 10:31
http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/428/4283637/2446985-373.gif
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 10:32
LOL
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 10:32
Microsoft will turn this around somehow, I mean they have master the 180 by now.
CAE9872
July 31, 2014 at 10:34
Even if those estimates by Geoff are half-right that is impressive numbers for Sony. Glad they have turned around the losses though!
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 31, 2014 at 10:34
Agreed!
CAE9872
July 31, 2014 at 10:34
I do wonder just how many more units can be sold by MS when they launch in rest of world – 1m units given the countries they launching they consider “marginal” at best!
Matthew Bryant
August 2, 2014 at 19:29
Are we really still making this argument? Japan won’t get Microsoft many sales. They’ve already released everywhere else. It’s just not selling well.
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI 4
July 31, 2014 at 10:36
Only thing I think about when it comes to Xbone
http://rowanjanuary.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/tumblr_magx3des9d1qcqckvo1_500.gif
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 10:39
Hahahaha
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 10:44
2,550 million U.S. dollars… Where are all the zeros I ask…
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 31, 2014 at 10:46
See below…
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 10:47
2,550 million U.S DOLLAHS http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/2292/7f96414615b541a08905d3c5da58e55b.gif
Pieter Kruger
July 31, 2014 at 12:14
Excellent news! This has caused MS to up it’s game on so many levels! Sadly, it seems Sony is feeling so powerful right now they think they can start pulling off 180’s (Playstation Now NOT supporting PS1 & 2 games as promised) and the now infamous EA Access rant “We don’t think asking our fans to pay an additional $5 a month for this EA-specific program represents good value to the PlayStation gamer” BUT asking them to pay $3 for 4 hours play on Playstation Now is ok? Also the free games PS+ is offering these days are laughable, they just got the 200% PSN subscriber increase they wanted and couldn’t care less now! Sad but true! They ONLY thing PS4 had over the Xbone was pixels, now what?
demfax
July 31, 2014 at 12:25
Now what? PS4 will keep its 1st place in global sales the entire gen, that’s what.
Pieter Kruger
July 31, 2014 at 12:57
And that’s exactly what will give them the entitlement to pull off shit like this! ????
demfax
July 31, 2014 at 13:05
They should change their mind on EA.
Ryanza
July 31, 2014 at 13:08
I don’t think all that online shit is PS4’s selling points. Microsoft marketed the Xbox One with online DRM and all those online features and look where that got them.
So most people buying the PS4 are not going to care about all those online added features shit.
There is a reason why PS4 is selling so well and it’s got to do with offline play. No internet = no Xbox One. No internet = PS4.
Matthew Bryant
August 2, 2014 at 19:35
Sony made very few promises regarded Playstation Now. They definitely never said it would allow us to play PS1 and PS2 games. That was the media making assumptions. PS+ offers plenty of value, especially if you own all 3 platforms. Someone just doesn’t like Sony.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
July 31, 2014 at 15:08
I don’t play sales, I play games…. Having said that…. Dat Domination
Ryanza
July 31, 2014 at 16:21
This, for the gamers, approach of Sony is really paying off for them.
Not having DRM. Being able to sell your games. Being able to lend games. Being able to borrow games. Being able to take your console with you and not worry about internet shit to play games. Being able to take your console from house to house, city to city, country to country, earth to the moon. Being able to play games in a submarine at the bottom of the ocean, play games at the South Pole, Army troops even play games and they not allowed consent internet access in Iraq.
Those are the key points, the main reasons, why people love consoles and why people buy consoles.
Sony made a TV that has the lowest input lag on the market. Real good for games. And now with the best console on the market. I’m not a Sony fanboi but I have to give create where create is due.
Plus. Microsoft with there DRM console and this:
Needs to not be destroyed. Sony outselling Microsoft just shows that Microsoft doesn’t understand what gamers want from a console.
Ryanza
July 31, 2014 at 16:24
fail. lol. anyway. needs to be destroyed damn it. destroy DRM, destroy Microsoft.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 1, 2014 at 07:03
Death to DRM
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 1, 2014 at 22:48
Ben Kutchera and Arthur Gies must be on suicide watch right about now… lol! #domination