NPD: PlayStation 3 Struggles As XBOX 360 & Nintendo Wii Soar

Let's get straight to the point: the PlayStation 3 did not have a good November in the US

by Sammy Barker Fri 10th Dec 2010

November Was Not A Good Month For The PlayStation 3 In North America.

The PlayStation 3's 530k units sold was roughly 25% down year-on-year. It's even more worrying when compared to the competition, with the XBOX 360 and Nintendo Wii both managing sales of over 1 million a piece.

As concerning as the numbers are, they're also downright confusing. The PlayStation 3's been holding its own in the US all year, with the XBOX 360 slightly on top, but Sony's home-console commanding a minor lead over Nintendo's Wii. It's bizarre to see the numbers collapse so heavily in the Holiday period. No doubt Microsoft had the momentum of Kinect and Call Of Duty: Black Ops in November, but it's still surprising to see the PS3 trounced quite so heavily. It's not that the PlayStation 3 came in last for the month (that's to be expected given the state of the US market), it's just the manner of the defeat. Hyperbole aside, the numbers are pretty atrocious.

Patrick Seybold tried to find the positives in an interview with Industry Gamers, stating:

"We're pleased that consumers continue to look to PlayStation for innovative and unique entertainment experiences.

"As we head into the new year with almost every PlayStation Move SKU in short supply and on allocation," he added, "I think we will continue to see a steady surge of positive growth for our home entertainment offerings simply because customers looking for strong product value, quality entertainment offerings, depth in gaming and content will choose PlayStation."

No doubt the PlayStation 3 has another killer exclusive line-up next year, but it's starting to feel like Sony need more than good games to get a foot-hold in the US. The marketing and price point appear to be holding the system back, and it looks like Sony are going to have to make sweeping changes in the US if they plan on clawing back market share.

We imagine a lot of heads are being scratched at SCEA headquarters this morning.

US Software Top Ten For November, 2010: