Sony 2011 Fiscal Report: PS3 Trails 360 by 3.3 Million, Updated HW LTD Sale Figures

Sony Computer Entertainment released their 2011 Fiscal Year earning report this evening & with it comes updated hardware figures for their home consoles & portable – Sony’s 2011 fiscal year ran from April 2011 until the end of March 2012.

[Dante112]

"The home console front, Sony’s PS3 was the best-selling home console moving 13.9 million units, whereas Microsoft’s Xbox 360 sold 13.6 million."

Nice. Guess there wasn't a 5 million lead as some suggested here earlier in the year. Glad to see Ps3 still selling well.

[blue7_7]

It actually grew it was at 2.9 million and now it's at 3.3 million. No one suggested it was at 5 million lol.

I wonder why they didn't give vita numbers is it really doing that bad. They should just give it a price cut at this point.

What I don't understand is how can Sony lose so much money and still survive this is billions they are losing for years now. How do they stay a float? It's not because of the PS3 since apparently the PS3 price cut and lower hardware sales for it contributed to the $5.74 billion loss for Sony according to report. The division the playstation is in lost 2.8 billion for the year.

[T900]

Well obviously it must be the shareholders money that must have got butchered. I think in the current situation anyone will be reluctant to invest in Sony.

Once the investors dry out, Sony probably will find themselves in a tough spot(not to say they already arent).

Besides they are competing with giants like MS and probably Apple in the future. Both companies worth over 200B USD and 600B USD.

[Ezio-Auditore00]

They can't give it a price cut they've already lost 6.4 billion dollars. This is the reason why they cant give it a price cut

[portal_2]

Eh, software?

Also, they're probably not going to show Vita numbers until it has a full year or full quarter behind it (WW).

[ginsunuva]

SONY MAKES MORE THAN PLAYSTATION!

They lose money largely on R&D. I know this personally. They need to stop the R&D.

[gatormatt80]

@blue7_7 I'm curious how the gap grew according to you, when according to this article Sony out sold Microsoft by 300k units.. Where did u get your numbers???

[Clarence]

Actually its less than 3.3m. These numbers are from the end of March. Its now almost the middle of May.

Vita numbers aren't that great.

[sly-Famous]

It actually didnt, the 2.9 million you are talking about was estimated by journalists while the real figures were closer to 3.9 million at the beginning of the year, so you see, it actually is in decline and the suggestion that it was 5 million behind was made by xbox mag late last year. Once again the misinformed posting on N4G.

[andibandit]

How they stay afloat?

well they are cutting 10000 jobs, thats how.

[SuperLupe]

From the looks of it next gen is rolling in by the end of 2013.

Can we agree to agree that there is very little chance that Sony is passing MS this gen ?

[badkolo]

not in usa it isnt sorry, this was meant for person below you

[Half-Mafia]

This gen doesn't end when the next gen consoles are out. It ends when the last Wii, PS3, 360 console is sold and all 3 companies stop production.

[Muerte2494]

Playstation3 is still a couple of million behind xbox360. But it doesn't change the fact that it's been outselling the xbox360 since 2008. The 360 is already extremely cheap. If you're Microsoft, you have to be wondering what else can you do. I wouldn't be expecting new hardware so soon people. This isn't the kind of economy that you want to launch a new system. Nintendo is just updating their to compete with the HD.

[modesign]

does microsoft get a medal for having a few million more console sales than sony, no.

the wii only sold 9 million console in past year. the ps3 is sold 16 million.

sony is still delivering AAA titles every season.

[green]

PS3 did not sell 16 million consoles this financial year. They sold 13.9 million which is less than the previous year and less than their own estimates. It says so in the report or are you getting yout numbers from VGchartz?

[Bigpappy]

Muerte writes: "If you're Microsoft, you have to be wondering what else can you do."

The short answer, is get some Japanese to buy their consoleat a simular ratio to how PS3 is sold in the Americas. If that would happen there would be no more talk about PS3 outselling 360. In Europe, it is pretty much even, and in the Americas 360 is hugely preferred. This is why 360 is able to sell so much more software and hence be profitable. Americas is the biggest markets with the most dispossible income.

[Aloren]

"The 360 is already extremely cheap" ?

really ? The cheapest model is only $100 cheaper than it was 7 years ago,the HD + kinect bundle still goes for $400... I wouldn't call that cheap.
By comparison, the cheapest PS3 is $250 cheaper than it was 6 years ago, and PS2, which was a huge success, lost $150 in 4 years.

A 360 with a hard drive is now actually more expensive than a PS3 in the US...

And they haven't even cut the price in 2 years. Tf anything, the 360 is overpriced, certainly not extremely cheap... I bet they could easily cut the price at least 2 times (or 1 significant cutà before the next box is even released.

[mobhit]

Well done Sony.

[Cocozero]

So the gap grew from under 2m to 3.3m? People need to ignore VGC and just trust MS and Sony numbers.

[Dante112]

The gaming media had the PS3 at 5 million behind the 360. VGchartz had Sony at 2 million behind I think. So I guess the gap shrunk from 5 million to 3.3 million.

[Moentjers]

All you need is a baseline that talks about the same figures:
- sold to end-user / shipped / sold-to retail
- replacements (rrod/ylod) added/subtracted ?
- same moment in time

otherwise: more food for discussions.

[AsimLeonheart]

These numbers are from March. The fiscal year for Sony ended on March 2012 so it does not includes sales for April or may. VGchartz on the other hand constantly updates sales each week. Thus the difference.

[Aloren]

Well, MS numbers were also from March... I seriously doubt the PS3 outsold the 360 by 1.5million in 6 weeks since it basically took 6 years to reduce the gap from 6 to 3.

[IRetrouk]

Aloren, it was 10 mill to 3 not 6

[Aloren]

It was never 10 mill. You really overestimate the performance of the 360 during it's 1st year... It went up to 7 or 8 by the end of the 2nd or 3rd year, can't remember, but the 360 never had a 10mill headstart.

[kneon]

If you track the gap quarter to quarter you will see it bounces around quite a bit, though the over all trend is that it is shrinking.

Microsoft traditionally have the strongest 4th quarter of the calendar year so the gap seems to have grown after that quarter. But when you look at the whole year the gap shrinks because Sony sells more throughout the rest of the year.

[BubloZX]

I thought the 360 sold the most in 2011 now its Sony if you base it on their fiscal year. But with wii u possibly coming this year I don't think the 360 will have the same affect it did over the holidays. I think the ps3 might close the gap to nothing this year and possibly beat the 360 mid 2013.

[units]

PS3 price cut and lower hardware sales contribute to $5.74 billion loss for Sony Corp

[majiebeast]

155.1 million for the ps2 and it still sold 4million units this year its a juggernaut.

[whoyouwit04]

why is the ps2 still selling? I mean its cool that it is, but dam they don't even make games for it any more.

[Ducky]

4 million people misread the box as 'ps3'. =p

Nah, I think PS2 still sells in some countries where its affordable to the masses and has a pretty big library.

[roguewarrior]

If you bought a PS2 today, you have a selection of over 2000 games. Most of them can be found at a great price, and span most genres.

[stonecold3]

congs sony

[pwnmaster3000]

This honestly shouldnt be a suprise sinse Microsoft outsold them last year.
But if things continue out the way it is Sony should shorten the gap soon.
But the $99 dollar 360 might do some damage.

Hopefully it dont sell well.
Reason being I dont like it when company trick customers to thinking they got a deal but really is the same thing.
Dont care which company

Edit.
What imean about "dont sell" well is the $99 one.
I dont want Sony or nintendo doing it, because micro found a loop hole.

[KonaBro]

You realize the end of the year is not literally the end of the fiscal year right? Sony still outsold Microsoft.

[BitbyDeath]

You should've read the first comment cause it was quoted there stating Sony was the best selling console in 2011.

13.9 (Sony) vs 13.6 (MS)

Close numbers all round tho

[GribbleGrunger]

i've been telling people over and over that when talking about a years sales it's the fiscal year sales that matter. MS decided to call their years sales at the end of the year last year and not the fiscal year (which was in March this year) and 360 owners bought it.

but it is definitely disappointing for Sony overall because regardless of whether they 'actually' outsold the 360 in 2011, VGChartz have clearly overtracked their PS3 sales. it'll be down to how many units Sony 'shipped' between march and now. some are saying 2 million and some are saying as little as 600,000 (i lean towards to former).

the tsunami and the earthquake in Japan had a HUGE impact on sales and distribution too.

[jetlian]

actually your wrong its sonys fiscal year. MS Out sold them 2011 calender year. MS fiscal years ends on june 30th

[BitbyDeath]

@jetlian, Sony's fiscal year starts at a different time to MS so comparing with only MS's year would be unfair as it would not include the same amount of months of sales for Sony.

This article is talking about both fiscal years and comparing them side by side which is clearly stating Sony won.

[jetlian]

all im sayin MS fiscal isnt over yet. And within calender 2011 sony lost

[pwnmaster3000]

If Sony did then how did the gap get bigger.
I remember it being +2mill Now is +3mill.
And the way Sony is selling this year, it shouldnt have widen.
Unless the 2 mill I heard was bull and it was actually higher

[Christopher]

The 2m was bull.

[wolokowoh]

The 2 million you heard was bull and the gap started as about 5 million and over he course of 5 years, Playstation 3 has sold about 2 million more than 360 if that is what the 2 million was referring to. If any information you got was VGchartz, assume it's false.

[green]

"The decrease in the game business reflects lower sales of PlayStation®3 hardware due to a strategic price reduction and lower sales of PlayStation®2 due to platform migration." http://www.sony.net/SonyInf...

They cut the price of the PS3 and they sell less than the previous year? That is sure not a good thing.

During the 2011 fiscal year, Sony sold 13.9 million PlayStation 3 units worldwide, compared to 14.3 million sold year-over-year. The PlayStation 2 sold 4.1 million units, down from 6.4 million year-over-year, and the PSP sold 6.8 million, down from 8.0 year-over-year.

In my opinion, there is nothing much that can be done this gen (as it is coming to an end) and i expect the position of Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 to remain the same.

They just need to concentrate on the next gen and in that regards i wish them the best.Competition is always good and this will drive them to push even harder next time around.

[Christopher]

***They cut the price of the PS3 and they sell less than the previous year? That is sure not a good thing.***

Don't get this line of thinking. Do you really believe they would have made even close to 13.9m units in the year without a price cut?

Furthermore, people fail to look at software sales which were higher than the year before.

[wolokowoh]

Proportionally that number is worse though. Game sales increased by about 9 million whereas the install base increased by 13.9 million which suggests people are buying less games per person or many of those consoles are people's second PS3. Software sales always increase with an active console's install base. However, because of increasing costs whether it be labor, inflation costs, or prices associated with new investment, the gaming industry is becoming less profitable year over year.

[Christopher]

***Software sales always increase with an active console's install base.***

Incorrect as a theory. Every platform reaches a plateau of sorts when it comes to software sales or even see a decline in software towards the expected end of the generation. The 360 sales have advanced at a much lower rate than the PS3, yet they have sold more hardware. Same with the Wii. The PS3 has the highest attach rate overall of the 3.

***However, because of increasing costs whether it be labor, inflation costs, or prices associated with new investment, the gaming industry is becoming less profitable year over year.***

Also not true. From last generation to this one, yes, it's more expensive. But, as this generation has gone on, the only thing that has increased in cost has marketing of games, not development of them. As more engines are refined for specific platforms, as teams improve their own code for the platforms, and as more tools are developed to lower costs and time to develop the games, the costs in development decrease dramatically. This is also why there have been more layoffs in game development than hirings, resulting in more indie teams.

[Darth Stewie]

The Old King the PS2 still lives.

[dubt72]

Rich get richer, and Sony gets poorer...

[TheLyonKing]

Better than the year before for Sony no?
Why are people talking about the 360 in a ps3 fiscal article as well?

[Hicken]

Sales is all that matters to them. They've got no games to play, so they compare sales.

The worst part is they do so with a doggedly narrow- and thus, incorrect- view of the sales. You can't even convince them they're wrong, either.

[testerg35]

Wait.. so what are you doing here?

[maniacmayhem]

The same reason why people talk about the ps3 in the 360 articles.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

The funny thing about this gen... I see tons of people hear clamoring about 2nd and 3rd place... But nobody talks about the overall success this generation was/is. Last gen we had 1 console just crush it (ps2) and 2 lag way behind in sales (xbox & gamecube). This generation we are seeing 3 consoles ALL enjoying a degree of success to the point that once all three systems are finally put to rest we could see three systems that sold close to 100 million units each. That is a remarkable thing if you ask me given how the previous generation had played out.

[cstyle]

With halo 4 coming later this year, sony won't catch MS this year. Still 3 mil ahead. MS has really done well this gen. Last gen on 25 mil. This gen almost 70 mil and still going and with the so called "no exclusives"...lol MS is gearing up for next gen already and its gonna be sweet.

[YodaCracker]

So the gap increased from 2.9M to 3.3M in 2011? If it's not clear to people by now the PS3 will not pass the 360 this gen, then they're just stubborn and don't want to believe it. Every year, the PS3 sells strong for the first two thirds of the year, then the 360 blows ahead in the holiday months. And every year it's a virtual tie with one console ahead of the other by only a couple hundred thousand units.

Both the 360 and PS3 are doing very well, though.

[testerg35]

I own both, but kids play the 360 90%. I will have to say that the PS3 will eventually pass up the 360, but by then who cares? We're in the 7th yr of its lifespan and the next gen is around the corner. MS did what it set out to do.. expand its userbase from 25mil to probably 75mil by when the next gen comes out.

[Anon1974]

Now there's some revisionist history for you. Every year, huh? Lucky there's this little thing called google to help us put things into perspective. Feel free to visit Sony and Microsoft's investor relations pages to verify my numbers.

Let's have a look at the calendar years, shall we?
2007: PS3 - 8.85 360 - 7.3
2008: PS3 - 10.8 360 - 10.8
2009: PS3 - 12.4 360 - 10.2
2010: PS3 - 14.4 360 - 12.1
2011: PS3 - 14.1 360 - 14.9

Huh. The numbers don't seem to back you up there, YodaCracker. Every year a virtual tie, eh?

[cedaridge]

As much as i love Sony. It's clear xb360 will when this gen. But keep in mind #1 xb360 did have a 1 year head start(ps3 $599. tag didn't help matters). #2 look at all those RROD 360's(hell i was victim to 4 xb360 myself). last #3 a lot of ppl assume xb360 have better graphics than ps3 based on multiplat titles. ps3 NEVER had a chance in that field. but if developers would make a xb360 version for its strengths and ps3 for its capabilities? we would see the hidden truth. i have both system and both are unique in there own way.

[Wolfbiker]

The problem with this generation is the complete ignorance of many gamers. It is very obvious that both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 both have their share of great titles but let's be honest if you're looking for quality titles you can't get anywhere else you will be wanting the Playstation 3, I have both consoles and enjoy both consoles but I am not an idiot and I know which one has the more quality titles. The issue is marketing. Sony has all these great games to offer but don't have a clue how to make people want them. Microsoft can (almost) lie about a game being only for the Xbox 360 by simply flashing the Xbox 360 logo behind a Call of Duty or Madden commercial without a PS3 logo anywhere to be found, leading the (ignorant) audience to believe that to play that title they NEED an Xbox 360, same with the "Better with Kinect' banner. We all know that is a lie but it sells and that is all that matters.

Sony wins this generation with just pure quality of software, Microsoft wins this generation with pure genius in marketing strategies. They somehow 'tricked' an entire nation that the Xbox 360 is the better platform when anyone with half a brain knows that that isn't where the better quality exclusive titles are but rather where the pretty user interface, the large online community powered by a better 'premium' online service.

It will only take time for people to stop buying into Microsoft's marketing genius and realize that they are over paying for hard drives, batteries for controllers, wifi adapters(on some consoles), transfer cables, and even online services if they can't start consistently pumping out quality titles that are only accessible on the Xbox 360 platform.

[NegativeCreepWA]

Last gen Sony marketed things the same way, having commercials with only PS2 logos. They also did it this gen with Assassins Creed and other titles. It's not a sales tactic MS started.

And Sony has its fair share of rip off accessories. Upgrading two controllers from Six Axis too DS3. Coming with a four foot charging cable, unless your a kid playing in your bedroom your probably a lot further away then that. All the talk about it being a true HD console and it came A/V cables. Drastically downgrading the PS3, taking out backward compatibility, removing most of it's ports. How exactly do you charge two controllers, a wireless headset, two move wands, one nav, a keypad and, have PS eye plugged in at the same time when you only have two usb ports? I know how buy charging accessories.

Get off your high horse. Sony's no better then MS, both are Corporations trying too make every dime they can off of consumers.

The only difference is one is much better at brainwashing its consumers then the other apparently.

[Spacemagic]

Imho...sony needs to work on Psn... Not to say its not awesome, but 360 kills with the indie games...fez...minecraft...bast ion. IM NOT SAYING PSN IS BAD! I have bought a fuckton of amazing games on psn...a lot of which were on xbla for a year before minimum...i am praying for binding of isaac psn...

[Wolfbiker]

Have you played Flower, Journey, Dead Nation, Echochrome, or DC Universe? Those are all great.

and yes Binding of Isaac looks great.

[Spacemagic]

Yes. I own all 3 of thatgamecompanys games and echochrome on psp. Not interested in dcuo. I wasnt saying psn was bad lol

[arbitor365]

didnt the 360 already have an 8 million lead when the PS3 launched? someone is catching up....

[arbitor365]

if it werent for that surge in xbox kinect bundle sales over the holidays (by primarily casuals who are probably already done with them by now), the PS3 would be ahead in sales.

in the long run, the PS3 will still be around a year or 2 after microsoft drops all support for the 360, and it will have the most sales in the end, making up for microsoft's head start.

[Neo-Axl]

Remember back in the late 90's & the early 2000 years.. When you'd impatiently await the next Playstation magazine for the newest games info, latest demo trials & never had any of this sales crap around anywhere? It was completely about the Games, The early Xbox magazine and Nintendo Magazine did the same, pure video-games magazines focused directly for the games, even the early big sites like IGN didn't talk about console sales, if anything we used IGN for cheats for games and reviews other than trash talk about the rival machines sales ect,

But look at us now.. Using shit that has nothing to do with us against each other, Xbox 360 will win this 'sales' battle between the Xbox 360 & Playstation 3, But do we compare sales of a console? or do we compare the Games we have to offer? .. Pathetic, I only hope Kids growing up purely on Call Of Duty get their chance at trying others games that gave us child hoods worth bragging about,

My point is we shouldn't be using shit like this against each other, They are only machines for crying out loud! Whether you like it or not everybody deep down is interested in the rival console, regardless your background of console loyalty, It's the games that drive us too play these machines, so the way I see it.. just enjoy all the games, even if it means borrowing an Xbox or playstation from somebody, Play games people, it's the games that truly matter.

[Jazz4108]

Wow wow wow both are doing fine this late in the generation. Congrats to both but sony is going to need some hard changes and soon to get out of the red.

[yesmynameissumo]

Neat

[Shnazzyone]

Sony reports record losses... no big deal. Let's keep talking about Nintendos losses. Let's spin this shit. It says ps3 is only 3.3 million units behind 360. Let's talk about that instead.

[OldSnakePS3]

i got my champagne ready to celebrate when ps3 officially passes the ppv box

keep bringing the goods sony!
games > sales

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

I do, too! I am so excited for that day!

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

The PS3 was within 3 million six months ago. If it outsold the 360...why is it FURTHER back now?

Something isn't adding up here...

[CaptainofCrush]

It's time for Sony fans to stop acting like sore losers.

[DiRtY]

I can't believe some people try to spin this news into a good thing. They lost BILLIONS as a company and the PS3 will never recoup the losses it made from 2005 (R&D) till 2010. Imagine where the Xbox 360 would if MS said they go after market share and are willing to take the same losses Sony takes with their console. 5 billion USD to spent just on gaming.

They could buy TakeTwo / Rockstar and UbiSoft and still ask fo the next one.

[Kos-Mos]

Do the R&D departement have funds to make a PS4?

[Neko_Mega]

Funny, PS3 keeps selling well and so does Vita. But PS2 keeps on living and out selling everything.

[archemides518]

since the gap is growing sony should take this as a indicator and release ps4 first and soon