Recent reports suggest that the PS3 has passed the Xbox 360 in sales. On N4G we've seen articles saying that it really doesn't matter, and we've seen users disagree. This blog is meant to explain all of these articles that all have titles along the lines of "PS3 passes Xbox, so what?"
Back in 2005, it was common on the internet to see the fanboys of the day raving about how the Xbox 360 would be the next Dreamcast and be absolutely crushed by the PS3, which had no confirmed release date but was obviously in the works. At the time, SONY's PS2 had outsold Microsoft's Xbox almost 6-1. The PS2 was far and away the winner of the 6th generation of console wars and the Xbox, mostly know for 'Halo', had been crushed. These ideas that the PS3 would obliterate the Xbox 360 weren't too far fetched, as the end of the generation saw increases in PS2 sales, furthering its lead.
In 2006, when the Xbox 360 had sold 10 million units, it was hailed as a success, but it still seemed clear that while it may survive, the PS3 would still dominate.
When the PS3 was released, it failed to attract the attention SONY was hoping for. It would take years for most of the PS2 install base to move to the PS3; some never would. For the first few years of its existence the PS3 was a triple threat in the worst kind of way. Its games were lackluster (in comparison to the greats on the PS2), its price ($600) was a huge turn off for most consumers, and it was evident SONY had no idea online gaming would play such a large part of the seventh generation, as the PS3 had come ill-prepared. It would take years for ever the most basic online features to be implemented. At this point, PSN didn't have the online features of the Xbox (original, not 360), and the online atmosphere would be silent and lonely. All these issues contributed to poor start for the Playstation 3. Solid in comparison to the Xbox 360, but pathetic for a console that sold over 100 million units for the last two generations.
Around 2008 was when the PS3 finally started to get some decent games and the PS2 owners began to migrate. At this time, the PS3 had pulled ahead of the Xbox 360 in monthly sales and was closing the original 10 million gap. It was clear then that the PS3 would eventually outsell the Xbox 360. The more exciting story was the David and Goliath like tale of the underdog Xbox doing nearly as well as the once mighty Playstation brand.
When I had heard in September of 2012 that the PS3 had outsold the Xbox 360, I thought "Finally". That turned out to be false, but I reacted the same way to the most recent report.
Of course the PS3 would outsell the Xbox 360. The gaming world has known this for over 4 years, it was no secret. And at the rate things are going, it looks as if the PS3 will lead over the 360 for the rest of the generation.
If you're looking for a pissing contest, then the PS3 outsold the Xbox 360. Fact. However, if you're looking beyond simple sales data, you'll see that Microsoft, with the help of Nintendo, have effectively dismantled the mighty Playstation empire and made a Playstation console about equal to its competitors. The same console that killed the last two generations with over 100 million consoles sold, at times outselling the competition 6-1.
Sony will look back at this generation with shame. They lost approximately 50% of their market share. Microsoft on the other hand tripled their market share and have established themselves among the console maker elites. Microsoft is not Sega. The PS3 is not the PS2.
While Sony may have cracked a smile after outselling the competition they should have crushed 7 years after the fact, you can bet that they will be looking to put this generation behind them as quickly as possible. At Sony HQ, one can only imagine that the plan for the PS4 is "what we did with the PS3 didn't work, we need to change it". No longer will SONY enter a generation with the arrogant attitude of an overkill winner. Hopefully this experience has humbled them.
Microsoft meanwhile, who tripled their sales (and counting) from generation to generation will be celebrating the huge success of the Xbox 360 and how they can repeat their performance and triple the sales of the 720.
That doesn't sound like a loser to me.
The Outerhaven writes: The Nintendo Switch has had plenty of big hits, but perhaps to help its successor, some of its "lesser hits" could get ported with some "upgrades."
Review - Scott Whiskers in: the Search for Mr. Fumbleclaw very much puts the heart back into point and click.
"The Paris-based (France) indie games publisher Twin Sails Interactive (the publisher of “Gloomhaven” and “Ember Knights”) and L.A.-based (the US) indie games developer Odinsoft, are today very glad and proud to announce that the full version (v1.0) of their single-player survival game “Survival: Fountain of Youth” (which is set in the 16th-century Caribbean islands), is coming to PC via Steam and EGS on May 21st, 2024." - Jonas Ek, TGG.
i have a good feeling Sony will dominate next gen , their best devs are already developing for next gen and im pretty sure sony wont have a high price point , im pretty sure they will be ready to launch great titles with the console! wonder what ms will do and i wonder what exclusives they are gonna bring other than halo and gears
As a gamer, I am thankful that both consoles are successful, because lets face it, at this point both PS3, and Xbox shipped around 140 million combined, which is more than enough to ensure third party support for both consoles.
As hardcore gamers, we NEED both to be successful otherwise major publishers like Ubisoft for instance, would other have focused their attention on the casual friendly Wii, rather than developing for two consoles which would have had nearly the same install base. Competition is good, since it encouraged Sony to come up with great features like PS Plus, and focus on their exclusives line up. There is a place for the big three next gen, every one caters to a specific audience, and the more variety, the more options gamers have, and hence the better.
Both "parties" need to stop twisting this situation into something else, just to justify their pathetic fanboyism.
"In 2006, when the Xbox 360 had sold 10 million units, it was hailed as a success, but it still seemed clear that while it may survive, the PS3 would still dominate."
Are you kidding me. I remember back then the general consensus was the PS3 is an awful machine with no games and this stupid thing called Blu Ray. Very few publications were being fair. I remember gametrailers doing graphical comparison videos on multiplatform games having (I can't remember what is was) feature off which made it look much worse.
The never was this feeling that Sony would dominate.
"At Sony HQ, one can only imagine that the plan for the PS4 is "what we did with the PS3 didn't work, we need to change it"."
This I disagree with because it has worked despite very negative thoughts from publications saying otherwise. Sony knows they will never be able to replicate the PS2 figures with two other strong competition in the market. Microsoft did well here (same with Nintendo) but I also don't see how this relates to the blog's title "PS3 passes 360: M$ wins the generation". They didn't and nor did Sony (in a tradition sense Nintendo did that).
Comparing previous generation sales to current is good but it isn't a good indication of success or who is the most successful. Last generation and this generation there is a big difference (mainly with competition). It is remarkable that that many systems are sold at all (thanks to people buying multiple systems than just one). A success of a console is how they do this generation alone and they all have done done surprisingly well
So Micrsoft sells 24 million Xboxs but manage to triple the sales for the 360 doesn't mean it "won". It is a success comparing it to its previous version but that doesn't mean it "won". I could sell one grape to a duck last year but sell 3 grapes to a duck with a new type of grape this year. It doesn't mean I won the food selling market if there is this guy selling oranges who manages to sell 8 oranges (even if he sold 6 the previous year) this year. I am more successful than my previous attempt but I didn't sell the most
I hate this notion people have that cos PS2 dominated it was a given that PS3 would as well. Its just not like that. Its not handed to you on a silver platter.
Every new generation is ANYONES to win.
EVERYONE starts from zero with a new generation.
Having such a successful console like PS2 actually worked against Sony because it meant they had a longer lifespan and werent in a hurry to rush the next one out.
M$ were and did, and even though RRoD was a disaster, probably the least reliable electronic product in history, it didnt hurt their overall sales, in fact in help them with replacement sale.
Releasing a year later than Xbox is probably the only thing that really hurt them in the end, even more than the thousand other things people complained about.
And finally history has taught us that no one dominates three generations in a row.
They had all that going against them, not to mention fanboys hating on them just because they were successful and the gaming medias apparent bias, and yet I still think they put out the best console this gen. Maybe not from a stockholders point of view but from a gamers, and that all I really care about.
You can talk about losing a market share but selling two 3rds of 150m consoles give or take when last gen was over is not a huge difference from one 3rd of 270m+ that will be sold this gen.
Bottom line is Sony got a smaller piece of the pie this time, but the pie was alot bigger and everyone got a share. Plus they are pretty much the only ones still putting the gamers first, not the casuals. I'm glad someone is.
I've been gaming since the late 80s. What irritates me about this generation is how the goalpost keeps moving. "360 will win worldwide!" No, it won't. It was beat by the Wii and now it has been defeated by the PS3. "Okay, okay, 360 will win in the West. Forget Japan!" No, it won't. PS3 is also pulling ahead in the West (US, Europe, etc), and the Wii pulled ahead long ago. "Okay, okay, 360 will win in the US". Will it? Perhaps not. But the goalposts keep moving to make excuses for the 360.
This blog post is so...contradictory. On the one hand you say "see? See how the PS3 is lagging behind the PS2? EVERYONE said it would be the winner!" Um, no. After the first year, "everyone" said it would be a loser, and by "everyone" I mean all the journalists and armchair analysts. To be honest, the PS3 isn't really lagging behind the PS2. It's on track to sell at least 120 million if the console lasts 10 years. There's no point in comparing this gen and last gen, because the Xbox. Dreamcast, and the Gamecube sold SO POORLY compared to the PS2. This gen, each gaming company (Sony, Ninty, M$) have each carved out their own market. Bravo to all three. But that doesn't make Microsoft a huge success. They've cut massive corners (killing studios, killing exclusives, constant hardware downgrades to make price cuts) in order to stay viable. The 360 of 2006-2010 is a completely different console compared to the 360 of today. Any gamer will tell you that.
But then you flip-flop and say "360 is such a success! It tripled the Xbox's sales! And I bet the 720 will triple the sales again!" Didn't you just rag on the PS3 because it failed to do that compared to the PS2? I'll see you in five years and I expect you to call the 720 a failure when it doesn't manage to do that, okay?