Sony posts favourable results for Q1 of FY2015, 3M PS4 units shipped

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Sony has published earnings for the first quarter of FY2015. The quarter, which ended June 30, saw a 12.1% increase in sales in the game & network segment over the same period last year, which translates to 288.6 billion Yen ($2,365).

The rise is mostly due to the strong performance of PlayStation 4, which shipped 3 million units during the quarter for a total of 25.3 million units life to date. Software and peripheral sales for the console also saw and increase. PS4 sales were even strong enough to warrant an increase the number of shipped units the company is forecasting for FY2015.

It’s a small increase to 16.5 million units from 16 million, but is nonetheless reflective of the company’s outlook for the rest of the year.

PlayStation 3 sales continued to decline but were offset by the PlayStation 4’s performance. Sony also managed to cut hardware manufacturing costs for the console, resulting in an operating income increase to 19.5 billion Yen ($160 million) year-on-year. Part of the number is insurance recoveries Sony received for the losses of the PSN hack of 2012.

https://www.vg247.com/2015/07/30/sony-posts-favourable-results-for-q1-of-fy2015-3m-ps4-units-shipped/

[+Asmodai MVC]

Sony shifted 3m PS4s during the quarter - that's up from 2.7m in the same quarter last year. For context, that's more than double the number of Xbox Ones and Xbox 360s combined that shipped in the equivalent quarter for Microsoft (1.4m).

PS4 is now up to 25.3m sales worldwide since launch - a stunning result for a console still not two years old.

Source

Wow, the PS4 sold more than double the COMBINED Xbox 360 & Xbox One sales?!?  I believe the entire quarter was with the $50 cheaper Xbox One price as well.

According to the wikipedia 25.3m sales puts the PS4 above the LIFETIME sales of the original Xbox (24m) in under 2 years (it already passed the Nintendo GameCube, Sega Master System, and Sega Dreamcast).  Next up, the Atari 2600 at 30m lifetime sales and N64 at 32.93m, both likely attainable by it's 2 year anniversary in Nov.

Yup, console gaming is dead.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

PlayStation 4 has been the best-selling games console every month of the year to-date, Sony has told MCV.

The company was speaking about the success in June of its limited edition console bundle, which features Warner Bros’ chart-topping title Batman Arkham Knight.

Arkham Knight is the fastest-selling game of 2015 so far, surpassing the previous sales record held by The Witcher 3.

The pack, which includes a grey PS4 emblazoned with the Dark Knight’s silhouette, was available alongside a separate SKU comprising of a standard PS4 and a copy of the title.

From the UK: http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ps4-celebrates-six-months-on-top-in-the-uk/0153433

 

Source

Wow, the PS4 sold more than double the COMBINED Xbox 360 & Xbox One sales?!?  I believe the entire quarter was with the $50 cheaper Xbox One price as well.

According to the wikipedia 25.3m sales puts the PS4 above the LIFETIME sales of the original Xbox (24m) in under 2 years (it already passed the Nintendo GameCube, Sega Master System, and Sega Dreamcast).  Next up, the Atari 2600 at 30m lifetime sales and N64 at 32.93m, both likely attainable by it's 2 year anniversary in Nov.

Yup, console gaming is dead. 

For the quarter it's actually more than the One/360/Wii/Wii U and 3DS combined 

 

[soniqstylz]

Food for thought -- I believe the PS2 took over 2 years to hit 20m

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Food for thought -- I believe the PS2 took over 2 years to hit 20m

PS4 on track to beat PS2 as the best selling console ever

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

PS4 on track to beat PS2 as the best selling console ever

Doubt it, PS4 is more front-loaded than the PS2. Didn't the PS2 explode after a few years when prices dropped and the Xbox didn't pickup steam?

[+Asmodai MVC]

Doubt it, PS4 is more front-loaded than the PS2. Didn't the PS2 explode after a few years when prices dropped and the Xbox didn't pickup steam?

The PS4 is definitely more front-loaded than the PS3 due to the PS3's extreme launch cost as a result of the Blu-Ray drive and being a year later than the Xbox 360 launch.  The PS3 took a while to start selling well. (price cuts and features chopped to reduce cost).

I don't recall the PS2 having a slow start though but that was a long time ago and a quick internet search yields this:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118184/Analysis_Why_Sony_Is_Becoming_A_OnePlatform_Game_Company.php

Which has a chart (U.S. only though) that doesn't seem to have a radical increase in sales at any given point. (it has little spikes which roughly align to Christmas I'd image).

(I tried to embed the actual image of the chart but it just hung, don't know if that's related to the forum update, my work, or what.)

Depending on how Project Morpheus is received I could see it giving the PS4 a further bump over the PS2 in aligned sales (and even if Morpheus tanks I don't think it will hurt PS4 sales in general).  Personally I think the major issue with the PS4 catching the PS2 is the PS4 won't sell as well for as long just due to this generation likely being shorter than the PS2s. The PS2s continued to sell well into the PS3s generation in part because of the poor PS3 launch performance.

I'm confident the PS4 will outsell the Xbox 360 and PS3 which are both currently around 85m lifetime (#4 and #5 home consoles - but still being sold) but I'm not so sure it will catch the top 3 (PS2, PS, and Wii).  Even catching the PS and Wii which are about 102m lifetime would be a huge accomplishment though.  Catching the PS2 at > 155m may be a bridge too far.

 

 

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Morpheus will do well with an early release next year and $249. I'd like to see $199, but for starting RRP I expect $2??. Any higher and it'll start very slow.

[+Asmodai MVC]

Morpheus will do well with an early release next year and $249. I'd like to see $199, but for starting RRP I expect $2??. Any higher and it'll start very slow.

Just out of curiosity what are you thinking comes with that price?

I really have no idea what Sony is going to charge for it.  I don't think they are going to try to profit from the hardware sales though because they know making it cost too much will kill VR on PlayStation before it even gets started.  I think they'd like to subsidize the cost as much as possible (slight loss on hardware to be made up by software licenses and such... like consoles used to be sold) but given their overall company financials I'm afraid they can't really do that either.  So I suspect they'll sell it for near cost to them but I have no idea what "near cost" is.

If we look at Oculus the Gear VR which uses a Samsung phone for the screen is $199 so Morpheus, which has to include the screen will likely be more than that for just the headset.  The Oculus Rift DK2 costs $350 and includes the headset and camera and I'd expect Morpheus to be cheaper than that. (the final Oculus Rift may well be cheaper as well but the final version also includes an Xbox One controller so Rift + Camera + Xbox One controller may well be $350-$400).

Sony won't have to release a controller with Morpheus since PS4 users already have a controller with the system and many VR games (like Eve: Valkyrie) just use the standard controller.  Morpheus also doesn't need to come with a camera since many PS4 users already have the PS4 Camera.  I'd guess the Morpheus headset will be sold separately for around $249 or in a VR bundle with the camera (and maybe a game) for $299.  They'll hopefully also update the Move controllers and sell them separately for VR (though they may well just use the existing PS3 ones as they do currently in demos).

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Just out of curiosity what are you thinking comes with that price?

I really have no idea what Sony is going to charge for it.  I don't think they are going to try to profit from the hardware sales though because they know making it cost too much will kill VR on PlayStation before it even gets started.  I think they'd like to subsidize the cost as much as possible (slight loss on hardware to be made up by software licenses and such... like consoles used to be sold) but given their overall company financials I'm afraid they can't really do that either.  So I suspect they'll sell it for near cost to them but I have no idea what "near cost" is.

If we look at Oculus the Gear VR which uses a Samsung phone for the screen is $199 so Morpheus, which has to include the screen will likely be more than that for just the headset.  The Oculus Rift DK2 costs $350 and includes the headset and camera and I'd expect Morpheus to be cheaper than that. (the final Oculus Rift may well be cheaper as well but the final version also includes an Xbox One controller so Rift + Camera + Xbox One controller may well be $350-$400).

Sony won't have to release a controller with Morpheus since PS4 users already have a controller with the system and many VR games (like Eve: Valkyrie) just use the standard controller.  Morpheus also doesn't need to come with a camera since many PS4 users already have the PS4 Camera.  I'd guess the Morpheus headset will be sold separately for around $249 or in a VR bundle with the camera (and maybe a game) for $299.  They'll hopefully also update the Move controllers and sell them separately for VR (though they may well just use the existing PS3 ones as they do currently in demos).

Not necessarily a ton of logical tech thinking behind my thoughts, more of a consumer orientated view. They price it too high and casuals won't bite, and the hardcore will spend a little more and get a better VR experience on PC. It needs to appeal enough as an impulse purchase surrounding the hype of VR being released, and also sway the hardcore who could afford an Occulus and PC upgrade at a stretch, but may just play it safe and buy VR for their PS4 first to try it.

I think it may have been able to launch in 2015, but 2016 will allow the manufacturing process a little more time to mature to drive costs down. Sony do not need to plan a PS4 cut any time soon if the sales carry on like this so eat a slightly bigger loss on Morpheus and let the PS4 make it up.

[soniqstylz]

If we look at Oculus the Gear VR which uses a Samsung phone for the screen is $199 so Morpheus, which has to include the screen will likely be more than that for just the headset.  The Oculus Rift DK2 costs $350 and includes the headset and camera and I'd expect Morpheus to be cheaper than that. (the final Oculus Rift may well be cheaper as well but the final version also includes an Xbox One controller so Rift + Camera + Xbox One controller may well be $350-$400)

Plus a $1,200 computer.

[+Asmodai MVC]

Plus a $1,200 computer.

Well all of them require an expensive device to drive them.

The GearVR requires a $600+ (off contract) Samsung Cell Phone.

The Morpheus requires a $400 PS4 console (though my guess is a price cut will occur before the Project Morpheus launch).

And yeah the Rift will be the most expensive requiring a PC (though I think you'll be able to meet the minimum specs next year when the Rift launches for well under $1200).

I'm a PC gamer first but I have a PS4 and I'm excited about VR.  I'm going with Morpheus first because it offers the best bang for the buck (cheaper and better results than Gear VR and cheaper than the Rift).  If I fall in love with VR with Morpheus then I'll consider investing more money for a PC solution (though I may go with a SteamVR solution like the HTC Vive over the Rift).

I already have a PC that meets the Rift requirements and a PS4+PS Camera so the barrier for entry is not as high. (I don't have a Samsung phone nor any desire to get one).

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Well all of them require an expensive device to drive them.

The GearVR requires a $600+ (off contract) Samsung Cell Phone.

The Morpheus requires a $400 PS4 console (though my guess is a price cut will occur before the Project Morpheus launch).

And yeah the Rift will be the most expensive requiring a PC (though I think you'll be able to meet the minimum specs next year when the Rift launches for well under $1200).

I'm a PC gamer first but I have a PS4 and I'm excited about VR.  I'm going with Morpheus first because it offers the best bang for the buck (cheaper and better results than Gear VR and cheaper than the Rift).  If I fall in love with VR with Morpheus then I'll consider investing more money for a PC solution (though I may go with a SteamVR solution like the HTC Vive over the Rift).

I already have a PC that meets the Rift requirements and a PS4+PS Camera so the barrier for entry is not as high. (I don't have a Samsung phone nor any desire to get one).

For those without a PS4 already I'd expect a Morpheus bundle to come in cheaper than buying a PS4, and buying a Morpheus. Unless you're in the UK where both bought separately online will probably be £50 cheaper than the new bundle due to RRP slashing madness