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Sony: PS3 The “De Facto Purchase,” Right On Track

The differences between the late-2006 PlayStation 3 and the 2010 PlayStation 3 are significant. In fact, Sony says it has gone from a questionable $600 buy to the "de facto purchase."

This according to what Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president Andrew House told Eurogamer ; the new "entry level hardware price point" and the release of the PS3 Slim have proven to be sales catalysts. From the start, Sony has always called this generation (and indeed, every generation) a marathon rather than a sprint, which is why early on in each console era, the PlayStation brand met with a fair amount of criticism. But at the end of the day…well, the PS3 is certainly following that well-established line. Said House:

"We're really pleased. I'd characterise it as right on track. The important thing we always frame the discussion with is our view that the full length of the life cycle is likely to be significantly longer than anything we've seen before. We offered some fairly good reasons for that: the fact you have a network device, the value of the network that grows over time, a portfolio of services that grows over time.

Within the context of assuming this will be a different and much longer life cycle than previously, we're right on track where I would hope we would be at this point in the life cycle."

As of now, there are 38 million PS3s in households around the world and as the PS3 has routinely outsold the Xbox 360 in the past year, the gap between Sony and Microsoft has almost closed; Microsoft reports 41.7 million 360s sold globally. House said Sony now has the momentum and things like PlayStation Move will help. He says that after the "slow burn" that was the PS3's start, the system should now be the de facto purchase for anyone interested in getting involved in gaming. During his GamesCom briefing, House added that PS3 software sales are up 38%, and says that "software performance on a tie ratio basis is better on PS3 than it was at the same point on PS2." Finished the president:

"That's very good. We have sold all of these consoles at price points that are way significantly higher than those comparably at the same point in the life cycle on PS2. What that says to me is the consumer is seeing intrinsic value in the offering we're putting out there."

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Temjin001
Temjin001
14 years ago

It seems like it's been a couple years now where I keep reading that the PS3 is going to close the gap with 360's user-base. I know VGchartz isn't the most accurate, but I'd imagine it's at least ball park. Currently, it shows that the 360 has a solid lead in current sales in Europe and America, but it's performing horrible in Japan, as it always has.
It would appear that PS3's ability to close the gap will continue to be dependent on how much more Japanese adopt the PS3.

I just hope I don't keep reading headlines 2-3 years from now that keep claiming that the PS3 is going to close the gap or surpass.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Dude this time last year MS was ahead by what 6 million units? Not the case now.

They are catching up and fast. Why pay attention to numbers you know aren't accurate?

Temjin001
Temjin001
14 years ago

Jawknee, if they're at least ballpark it's something tangible for me to draw some assumptions. Do you know of another, maybe even, more accurate site to get numbers?
If so, I'd like to know. It's truth that I seek after all.

VGchartz currently shows 42 million 360's and 36.6 million PS3's sold globally.

That's a 5.4million gap.

So assuming that you're right about last year's gap, a 6 million lead, that's only about a 600,000 gain for a years span of sales. Doing some simply math, at that rate of increase it'll take many years for Sony to close the gap. That's 9 years from now, Jawknee. We really need to see Sony demolishing MS in sales regularly, and here domestically.
And when we read NPD numbers that are ballpark to VGchartz, it's a bit concerning that that isn't the case.

The main point I was trying to make, is that I tire of reading that it will, someday (some year even?), pass 360. I would rather read that it has.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

LOL no one is claiming is only 36 million. It's closer to 38, 39 million. Just google it and look any other source besides VCharts.

The gap is more likely 3 million give or take. Not 5.


Last edited by Jawknee on 8/19/2010 2:52:35 PM

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Heres some numbers off Sony's site.

http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataps3_sale_e.html

Temjin001
Temjin001
14 years ago

I've done a bit of digging. I went to Wikipedia and sourced their references for their numbers in the "Console Wars" area.

The PS3 source was a good one. It linked me to a Sony Corporate page that detail the Fiscal Year sales of PS3's through Q1 of 2010
Which was 38.1 million PS3's

The source for 360 was a headline for MS's announcement of 41.7 million units shipped.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Yea i found that too though im always reluctant to quote Wikipedia.

My previous comment hasn't been approved yet but its a link to Sony's site stating the number of units sold for each quarter each year.

By the way, i meant no hostility. Apologies if my initial comment came across that way.


Last edited by Jawknee on 8/19/2010 3:14:14 PM

Temjin001
Temjin001
14 years ago

Hey, no problem. Now I know that's not a good idea to base findings from VGchartz. Their PS3 number was pretty off.

godsman
godsman
14 years ago

I've been corrected a couple times before that VGchartz shows the PS3 sold only 36 million to consumers and 2 millions sitting on the shelf.

Since Microsoft only reveal shipped consoles, Vgchartz only show 41 million on the website. So VGchartz are assuming there are 0 Xbox sitting on the shelf, which is not true. That is the inaccurate part of Vgchartz.


Last edited by godsman on 8/19/2010 3:38:13 PM

manofchao5
manofchao5
14 years ago

sony has likely already caught up with microsoft in console sales.
why?
because microsoft has banned consoles over the years for modding and pirating and consoles have failed so much
without that extra crap i bet microsoft would be 4 million behind

manofchao5
manofchao5
14 years ago

sony has likely already caught up with microsoft in console sales.
why?
because microsoft has banned consoles over the years for modding and pirating and consoles have failed so much
without that extra crap i bet microsoft would be 4 million behind

CaptRon
CaptRon
14 years ago

There won't be an xbox 360 in 2 or 3 years..

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Why not? Are they all going to be transported back to the mother ship?

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

LOL!

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Sony is making great progress. Who cares if MS has a little over 3 million lead. Sony managed to close half that gap in a year. Give them another year or 2 and they will be ahead for sure.

shadowscorpio
shadowscorpio
14 years ago

Right. All in all even if 360 is in the lead the buzz for it is fading and the buzz for PS3 is growing.

RadioHeader
RadioHeader
14 years ago

Ceeeeeelebrate good times, COME ON!

lol The old sales argument was the one thing I couldn't get to grips with in the console war. The important thing is that my console's best, and the one I dumped three years ago (having been the worst money I ever spent) is showing its age.

StangMan80
StangMan80
14 years ago

I'm sure that gap will close completly mid year 2011, with the never ending list of exclusives, move and 3D. All I see for the 360 is halo reach and kinect.

Kinect works, looks and plays horible.
Halo, I personly don't like it and this is bungie's last.
I wonder if Halo will come to Sony's console as well, with there next dev? I most likely won't get it either way.

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Xbox360 = The Empire

PS3 = The Rebel Alliance

We all know how that turned out.

Ewok party at my house in a few years!

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Who gets to be Senator Palpatine?

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Well I suppose the obvious answer is Bill Gates.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Does Aaron Greentoad get to be Vader?

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Vader would have been Gabe, until he was converted at E3.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

The Force is strong young Padawan.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

I'm not black but I wanna be Lando. I entertained the idea of getting a 360, but ultimately remained loyal to Sony.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

Only if you can grow the stache World.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

Oh I can 🙂

Fane1024
Fane1024
14 years ago

Vader is way too cool for Greentoad.

*UNNECESSARY SPOILER ALERT*

Since Vader converted back in the end, I'd vote for Peter Moore.


Last edited by Fane1024 on 8/20/2010 6:20:26 PM

dkmrules
dkmrules
14 years ago

Too bad a lot of people bought it specifically for the blu-ray player.

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Why is that too bad? Will it all of a sudden not play BluRay movies anymore?

Xombito
Xombito
14 years ago

Many people have. But perhaps Move may bring them to gaming?

ace_boon_coon
ace_boon_coon
14 years ago

that's not true.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
14 years ago

That's what a lot of 360 fans say, but I don't know anyone who bought their PS3 only for BluRay playback. Even the one videophile I do know plays some games, and he's not a gamer.

Perhaps it's time to lay to rest that stupid argument along with "There's no games", "It's too hard to program", "It's as unreliable as the 360", "It's too expensive", "It downloads my firmware too slow", "Cross game chat is a deal breaker", "PSN is crap, Live is teh brilliant", "No one plays online on the PS3", "The PS3 will be gone within a year", "The PS3 is a failure", "The PS3 will never catch the 360", etc….

None of these arguments ever made much sense or had much merit, and neither does saying that a significant fraction of PS3 buyers only bought it as a BluRay player.

Thank you, and good night.

shadowscorpio
shadowscorpio
14 years ago

You got it Highlander.

I bought my PS3 primerily for gaming. If Sony wants to throw in all the extra goodies then I'll use 'em.

Enough of these assumptions that people got the PS3 only for the blueray,etc., etc, etc.
Sony was in the console gaming business long before Microsoft, hence they have more experience in it. One would be ignorant to think that Sony's console would just dissapear because the 360 had a 2 year headstart.

Fane1024
Fane1024
14 years ago

My father has convinced some of his co-workers to buy PS3s as Blu-ray players. I doubt they're playing many games.

If it weren't for Rock Band, my parents wouldn't be playing games much either.

Jordahn
Jordahn
14 years ago

PS3 = Legit. It's that simple.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

2 legit 2 quit.

The X Factor 9
The X Factor 9
14 years ago

Gran Turismo 5 should cut that lead by about a million by the end of the year. Although it certainly wouldn't surprise me if that number was almost double that…

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Is anyone seriously waiting for GT5 to come out before getting a PS3?

Show me that man, and I will show you a fool.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

nightmare, there are some 360 potatohead holdouts that used to have a PS2 with the GT series as their religion. It wouldn't surprise me.

faraga
faraga
14 years ago

It's very well possible that people are waiting with their purchase until GT5 comes out. History has shown that how longer you wait, the cheaper the purchase is.
The same goes for the PS3 and the people who only want it for playing GT5.

Xombito
Xombito
14 years ago

I never cared about the numbers. The PS3 being successful was all I cared about. Look at the games we're getting now. In addition to all the new features the PS3 is getting. It always seems that any company behind the top competitor has better stuff to offer in whatever catagory anyway.

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

At this point it doesn't matter if MS maintains the lead. There are enough PS3's sold to guarantee it's success regardless.


Last edited by Jawknee on 8/19/2010 2:26:17 PM

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

Cheers to that!

Alienange
Alienange
14 years ago

Sold? Really? I was under the impression that it was 41.7 million 360s shipped globally.

Or are you just trying to be nice?

Jawknee
Jawknee
14 years ago

You are correct sir. I'm sure that mountain of Xbox at my local Target and Walmart are included in that "41.7 million units sold."

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

I heard they sent a Best Buy guy into that mountain and he never returned…

Amazingskillz
Amazingskillz
14 years ago

Really the lead MS has is immaterial. People seems to never mention that the 360 came out a year earlier.

mexgeo86
mexgeo86
14 years ago

or that many of those units are 2nd, 3rd or more replacements

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
14 years ago

…or that prolonged exposure to 360's can result in anal leakage.

Nope, never gets mentioned.