There's a perception perhaps more among American gamers that the PlayStation 4 is only really seeing such wild success right now because Microsoft dropped the ball with its Xbox One at launch. While there's some truth to that, we've always tried to explain that the main reason Sony's so far ahead is because it appeals to a global audience – and we have some new figures which demonstrate that.
According to research firm GfK, the PS4 has sold 2.8 million units in Germany to date. That's an impressive number alone, but when you compare it to the competition it becomes even more staggering: the Wii U is sitting at 690,000 units, while the Xbox One has mustered just 600,000 units to date. That means that Sony currently commands almost 70 per cent of the market.
It's a staggering statistic, and when you consider that the above figure rises to around 90 per cent in countries such as Portugal, the runaway success of the system starts to make a lot more sense. Of course, the platform holder mustn't rest on its laurels – it needs to keep improving the console and supplying it with a steady stream of software. Few could have predicted this situation five years ago, though.
[source boerse-online.de, via neogaf.com]
Comments 15
Sony has always dominated EU, Microsoft has only ever been popular in the US & maybe the UK.
I'm surprised Germany hasn't launched a cool console, or the UK for that matter. Why are we relying on foreign consoles?
@banacheck you can swap Microsoft for xbox and the sentence fits right. Microsoft have the dominant PC operating system and millions of business and student licenses all over the world.
Its not just the pre-launch mess that MS were forced to back-track on but quite a few other factors that have contributed to their problems - insisting Kinect be sold with the system, promoting it more as a 'media' box than a games console, and its struggle to achieve parity in visual presentation with the PS4.
Fr many people, they buy a console primarily for gaming and the Xbox's media capability is unlikely to be a major positive for a lot of people. The additional cost of the Kinect, a peripheral that has very limited use in gaming, coupled with the lower visual quality no doubt has had a major impact.
I know the XB360 was very popular but I know the PS3 was as well. I know many people that bought a PS3 as a 2nd console to their XB360 and so the decision to buy a PS4 wasn't such a big leap.
Personally I own both and I think both have their strengths and weaknesses. I know there is a lot of talk about 'exclusives' but in truth, I don't know many people that buy more exclusives' than multi-platform games. MS has appeared to shift its stance on 3rd Party deals which may have lead to more 'exclusives' (I hear XB1 had 7 exclusives in the top 50 sales in the UK compared to 1 for PS4) but the PS has links with the biggest 3rd Party games - Destiny, CoD, Star Wars... For some people, these deals can decide which console you buy and its also had a knock on effect to the gaming channels on Youtube too. Some of the biggest gaming channels that focus on a specific game predominantly are seen playing on PS4 when before they may have been on Xbox 360.
I know its a long way back for the XB1 to catch-up with PS4 (if it can). I don't see it matching the sales figures but I do think it could close that gap. Maybe we could see some of those PS4 owners buy a XB1 as a 2nd console, in the same way some XB360 owners bought a PS3 in the second half of that generations life. I know the PS4 has exceeded expectations in sales but its also worth pointing out that the XB1 hasn't 'flopped' either. Its sold more in its first 2 years than the previous generations managed at the same point. The fact that combined, console sales of both are above last gen - in the case of the PS4 - significantly higher, is great for gamers. It means that investors are more likely to put money into development knowing that there is a big potential market to recoup that investment.
Star Wars: Battlefront sold 98% of its games to the console market with 59% on PS4 and 39% on XB1. Assuming the same percentage of gamers on each console bought the game, this would indicate that the market share in general of the consoles is 3:2 but unless MS does pull its finger out (metaphorically) It could become 2:1.
I don't think anybody has ever argued that PS has more global appeal than Xbox. What has been said is the race would be much closer, with maybe ever MS running away again, in North America had the ball not been dropped so badly pre-launch. And I think there is some truth there. NA dominance is what kept Xbox 360 ahead in worldwide sales until PS3 caught up at the end of the gen. This time MS f'ed up. Even if in the end the X1 comes back in NA it won't win by nearly enough to make a difference in the global picture.
It has been a successful brand since the launch of the original playstation. PS3 started a little slower, but eventually overtook the competition. If anything, the ps4 is a return to normalcy as their consoles have always been top dog. I also think psvr will help move even more ps4s. Can't wait!
The PS3 only took over the 360 in the last 12 month's of last gen, when everybody was sick of the console's and were crying out for something new (8 year's not suprising). If MS didn't screw up the Xbox1 it would of been much much closer. As an ex veteran of Xbox I can tell you I certainly felt and many many other's did as well that MS were in a much stronger position than Sony coming into this gen until people started hearing about the console's and the strange decision's MS were making for the Xbox1 that ultimately cost them. Maybe if MS had made a console on par with the PS4 the PS4 would still of won, who know's but i'd say PS4's dominance is more down to MS's screw up than PS4's exclusive's and advert's on the TV.
@BAMozzy There is no way for MS to catch them in sales, that train has left the station, worldwide they're outselling them to 2:1 already. There's nothing MS can do at this point but just keep chugging along in second place & try again next time.
@Dreamcaster-X There is every chance that MS could catch up and even over-take the PS4 in sales. It does seem extremely unlikely at the moment but the consoles are only just over 2 years old and I expect will be on sale at least another 3 years - in other words not even half way through their life cycle. If the sales figures reverse (however unlikely that may seem at the moment - it is possible) the XB1 would catch up in and overtake the PS4.
Nobody thought the PS3 would come close to the sales figures of the XB360 and yet it did. For all you know, MS could have something up their sleeves and Sony could have financial difficulties if VR doesn't take off for them or causes health issues and get sued which may impact on their game development and public image.
Like I said its still possible because of the time factor and not knowing what will happen - even if at the moment it seems very unlikely
@SonyInfinity PS3 didn't overtake the competition. Wii is still number 1 from 7th gen consoles.
@Mahe I kinda figured someone would reply with that. I liked the Wii, nice little console, but I personally don't place it in the same category. When a good portion of your consumer base is rehabilitation centers and 50 plussers, it's different. Was it a success? Certainly was. Was it a sustainable model after it became obselete? No. At this point I lump together PS4, X1, and PC into a common gaming group in my head. Consoles that at least try to appeal to a more mature audience, for the most part. Nintendo is in a league of their own, fighting for the hearts of our children everywhere, lol. And that is fine, my 9 year old LOVES his DS, in fact if it could aye minecraft he might wouldn't need anything else lol. Anyways, yes technically Wii won the generation, but for me personally it wasn't directly competing for the same mind share as 360 or ps3, just my opinion of course. Sorry for rambling on btw.
BTW I also think that Nintendo wouldn't have minded the Wii ONLY selling 80 some million Wiis if the WiiU were able to follow that up with another 50 million or so, where the ps4 will probably be by years end. Now Nintendo is throwing everyrhing at the NX and HOPING it is a smash hit, because the wiiu has definitely deflated the momentum gained by the wii. It is all cyclical IMO and I honestly hope the NX is AMAZING. Unfortunately I think it will be another device aimed at children, and that's ok. Just not for me personally.
@BAMozzy If you actually look at the sales of the ps3 and 360, the ps3 was selling more by monthly basis from the start, the 360 had a leg up in sales because it released alot earlier. The fact that the ps3 launched so much later and STILL eventually surpassed the 360 is pretty impressive.
Unless Microsoft gets Americans to buy the One exclusively, and in copious amounts, it will never catch up. Worldwide the ps4 is simply dominating it. Fortunately they are both great consoles and there is something for every type of gamer out there.
@Bad-MuthaAdebisi er probably? Is there any doubt?
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