With both Microsoft and Sony having recently reported their earnings, the respective global installed bases for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are showing 41.7 million units sold for Microsoft and 38.1 million for Sony. That's a difference of just 3.6 million units on a worldwide basis, and considering that Microsoft got a full 1-year head start with the Xbox 360, it shows how strong Sony has come on of late.
It shows that Sony is doing something very right, or that Microsoft is doing something wrong and failed to really capitalize on its early jump on the next-gen market. Numerous analysts have said that PS3 could pass Xbox 360 in the years ahead, and if this PS3 sales pace keeps up, and if Microsoft doesn't jump start its business with Kinect this holiday, then we could easily see it happening. Over the last fiscal year, 10.3 million Xbox 360 consoles were sold, but Sony shifted 14.3 million PS3 units.
The PS3 has really surged ever since last fall when Sony chopped the price and introduced the slim model. Sony hopes PS3 will continue to gain steam as the company focused on PlayStation Move and 3D games. That said, Microsoft has also gotten a big boost of late with its new Xbox 360 slim hardware. The Xbox 360 was the top selling console in June, selling a very healthy 451,000 units in the U.S. according to NPD data.
1 Comments
August 2, 2010
I remember that DFC Intelligence report here on how Microsoft missed its chance to really capitalize when it was at its strongest, but I think that's pretty bleak. Even if the PS3 surpasses them in installed base, or even revenue, Microsoft still has established an unbelievably strong place in the gaming industry this generation, especially when compared to last generation.
Still, I can't believe they're so close behind. I remember it being nearly triple that this time last year.