PS3 outsold 360 by 4 million in past 12 months

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

So with the announcement of Sony's latest financial results came an update on the console sales race. As reported in a previous story, the gap between the PS3 and Xbox 360 is now only 3.6 million units. But how did the PS3 achieve it? We'd thought we'd updateour comparison to Microsoft's financial year.

Last week I told you that the PS3 had already outsold the entire Xbox 360's 2010 fiscal-year sales with three months to go. Sony has now reported those three months as being a higher than expected 2.4 million units. Although Sony and Microsoft run on different fiscal years, it's certainly interesting to look at the past 12 months.

During Sony's fiscal-2010 year (April 1st 2009 to March 31st 2010) the PS3 sold 13 million units. But in the past 12 months, the PS3 sold 14.3 million units. That's in comparison to the Xbox 360's 10.3 million units. The PS3 sold a whole 4 million units more than the 360 in just 12 months.

Quite the feat and if it continues (the Xbox 360 S and Kinect are wild cards) the PS3 will have sold more than the Xbox 360 by the first half of 2011.

Microsoft's Fiscal Year Ended June 30 2010

??- Q1 ? Q2 ? Q3 ? Q4 ? FY ? LTD

360: 2.1 ? 5.2 ? 1.5 ? 1.5 ? 10.3 ?- 41.7

PS3: 3.2 ? 6.5 ? 2.2 ?- 2.4 ?- 14.3 ?- 38.1

Wii: 3.5 ? 11.3 ? 3.5 ? ? ? 18.3 ?- 70.9

Source: http://www.playstationuniversity.com/ps3-outsold-360s-2010-by-4-million-units-4213/

[AbandonedTrolley]

I wouldn't call the 360 S a 'wildcard' that's a big seller for Microsoft in as much as the PS3 Slim was for Sony, it no doubt boosted sales figures for them and will do so for their competitors.

[SimplySchizo]

They aren't showing signs of any slowing down either... good for them!

[Xilo]

PS3's have been pretty much sold out everwhere lately. It's pretty crazy.

[Belazor]

I'll just leave this here:

the PS3 will never catch up to the 360 sales-wise.

:)

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

^ but....it still hasn't? :laugh:

Not to mention the new 360 just launched and Kinect, Halo Reach, Fable 3, and Black Ops are all on the way. MS are raking it in right now.

[Sethos]

So, them saying the S is a wildcard, does that mean they exclude it?

[Belazor]

^ but....it still hasn't? :laugh:

Not to mention the new 360 just launched and Kinect, Halo Reach, Fable 3, and Black Ops are all on the way. MS are raking it in right now.

In all likelihood though, it will. While the Slim helped, the sales spike of the Slim has since died out and yet their momentum does not appear to be stopping. This would indicate that the PS3 will indeed continue to outsell the 360 until such time as it will have surpassed it in total sales :)

[Dev Null Zen]

^ but....it still hasn't? :laugh:

Not to mention the new 360 just launched and Kinect, Halo Reach, Fable 3, and Black Ops are all on the way. MS are raking it in right now.

You do realize that Black Ops is on the PS3 too, right? And move is on the way as well. Along with FFXIV, The Agency and DC Universe.

[MR_Candyman]

So, them saying the S is a wildcard, does that mean they exclude it?

well, just given the timeline, it's excluded because they haven't been released. However, they mean they are wildcards in the fact they may or may not bolster sales

[Bhav]

On a worldwide basis, the PS3 is only 3.6 million behind...it will catch up and overtake within a couple of years.

http://www.eurogamer...units-worldwide

[Guest]

5 years in and the PS3 is still behind the Xbox 360.

The new xbox will drive sales in the next few months, just as the slim helped sony out.

Lets not forget that Microsoft can afford to aggressively cut the price of their console. Sony is not in the same position mainly due to the blu-ray drive.

Once Microsoft feel the heat they will bring down the price even more...

Kinda pointless looking at the numbers though, neither of them will ever catch up with the wii.

[acnpt]

Anybody know the figures for each region?

I reckon the sales would be closer in North America & Europe.

[sundayx Veteran]

I don't see how the Wii is still selling? Everyone should have 3 by now!

[etempest]

Despite that slow down of the Wii sales, I think Sony and Microsoft are neck and neck for #2 crown but won't get number #1 before we enter the next console war.

Based on current trends the PS3 should over take the Xbox360 (which can change) since it's been eroding away for a while now.

VG Charts

Console - Total Sales

Wii (48.4%) 72.9 Million

Xbox360 (27.6%) 41.5 Million

PS3 (24.0%) 36.2 Million

Hand Held - Total Sales

NintendoDS [All Models] (69.1%) 132.3 Million

PSP [All Models] (30.9%) 59.1 Million

And the true King (but will lose it's crown) is still the Playstation 2 @ 166.75 million sold, however the NintendoDS is yelping at it's heels, which I think the 3DS will finally make the DS #1 hardware (total sales) for the next king.

Note - The Blu-ray drive are getting cheap now, analysts Sony is actually making money on ps3's now. I think Sony in a position to cut there price to match the xbox360.

Another thing to think about, Sony and MS business models is to sell a console at a loss at 1st, then recup the cost latter with lincesne fee and other stuff.

Nintendo makes a profit on there 1st unit sold... how much money are they "sitting" on. I really do think Nintendo been working hard on a Wii successor that will will be HD plus what inovation they think will be next they could spring on the market when Sony and Microsoft start to revel there next gen's.

[Ayepecks]

Good for them!

Seriously, I never get why people get PMS over the sales of a console compared to another. The only reason sales really matter is if you expect it to hurt the company -- like, say, Sega, whose sales essentially caused the company to drop out of the hardware race.

[Tech Star]

Despite that slow down of the Wii sales, I think Sony and Microsoft are neck and neck for #2 crown but won't get number #1 before we enter the next console war.

Based on current trends the PS3 should over take the Xbox360 (which can change) since it's been eroding away for a while now.

The Wii does not count as next gen hardware. It's basically the Wii on a place of its own and then the PS3 and X360.

The new X360 will give it a big edge over the PS3 for the next couple of months, or even more, and then maybe after that the PS3 might take first. Who knows.

[etempest]

Good for them!

Seriously, I never get why people get PMS over the sales of a console compared to another. The only reason sales really matter is if you expect it to hurt the company -- like, say, Sega, whose sales essentially caused the company to drop out of the hardware race.

Kinda like sports, people get worked up over wins / losses despite the fact teams / players are dynamic / changing.

I'm happy Sony feels it makes enough money to justify the continued existence of the PS3, after it's launch and multiple issues (which is pretty much behind them now) they considered dropping out the console game market completely. Now there enough units out there to compile game developers to treat them as equals to Microsoft.

The Wii does not count as next gen hardware. It's basically the Wii on a place of its own and then the PS3 and X360.

The new X360 will give it a big edge over the PS3 for the next couple of months, or even more, and then maybe after that the PS3 might take first. Who knows.

Not so sure, PS3 slim was also part of a price cut, where the Xbox360 slim is a replacement for the current Xbox at the same price point.

You could be right or you could be wrong. My point was the current trend was the PS3 was outselling the Xbox360 and if it contunes it will over take.

If your right that trend will change. Be interesting to see how this xmas sales pan out.

The Wii is a current contender in the console's war, there is a point about not calling the Wii 'next gen" but doesn't mean it's not the current Nintendo game console on the market that almost sells 2to1 over Ms & Sony combined.

And with Nintendo drops hints about how there next console will go beyond just HD, with the success of the Wii and the potential of the success of the 3Ds (so far everything looks that way, they still have not announced a price on it) they proven they might just pull it off.

[Ayepecks]

Kinda like sports, people get worked up over wins / losses despite the fact teams / players are dynamic / changing.

Entirely IMO, but nothing like sports.

[etempest]

Entirely IMO, but nothing like sports.

Own all 3 console's

Last Gen - Admit PS2 Fanboy, love rpg/jrpg games

This Gen - Prefer PS3 over the other's but that's mainly due to game's selections.

That's not to say I really enjoy Fable II, Mass Effects, and looking forward to Fable III, Mass Effects III.

On the flipside, patiently waiting for Ar Tonelico III to come over on the US PS3 either.

Moral of the story, I go where the games go, and the PS3 caused me to lean towards it however I'm really disappointed in the lack of jrpg's this console generation. And several of Sony's business decisions has made me from loving my PS3 to "liking" it over the others. Removing PS2 BC to push PS3 sales (not cost cutting), and just axing Install Other OS has really irked me.

[sundayx Veteran]

I don't see how the slim 360 gives it the "edge" at all.

[Tech Star]

I don't see how the slim 360 gives it the "edge" at all.

It's a new product / revision of the X360 and because its new people will want to replace their older versions with newer ones and those that have not bought the X360 yet will buy it.

Same thing happened when the PS3 Slim was released.

[TDQuiksilver]

Interesting! (Y)

[BajiRav]

Good for them but probably counts as "Too little, too late". Sony already lost market share this gen to Wii and mind share to Xbox 360.

[SimplySchizo]

Good for them but probably counts as "Too little, too late". Sony already lost market share this gen to Wii and mind share to Xbox 360.

This is the Ps3 they're talking about here, not the PsP.

I don't see MS pulling a Sony'09-early'10 caliber year anytime soon. Sony still has it's momentum and doesn't seem like they'll be silent for a good while.

Thing's are moving along steadily for them so... It's originally projected as a 10yr life-cycle. I think 'too little, too late' may be just a bit premature.