PlayStation by the Numbers: October 2008

Alex Negron from Games On Smash quotes "PlayStation Enters the Holiday Season with Consistent Momentum; PS3 Sales Up 56% Year-Over-Year
The PlayStation Brand Generated $369 Million in October
PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3?) continued its positive momentum in October, with 190K hardware units sold, a 90% growth year-to-date. This represents an increase of 56% when compared to October 2007, during which SCEA introduced a price cut for PS3.

[Breakfast]

But avoid that you just got trounced, by a red ring.

[happyface]

poor Sony

I feel bad for them, trying to pretend their sells aren't a disaster

ps3 is a good system, it doesn't deserve to be a flop

[Gandhi69]

Agreed. I feel there has been over reaction to these numbers (as always) in two ways.

1: Ps3 fans not giving credit where credit is due. Yes, the ps3 got trounced in North America in October. No reason to deny it, Microsoft knew it didn't have the games to compete with ps3 this holiday season, so it gave the 360 an aggressive price cut, and heavily marketed the big games it did have coming out, way more than any Sony release, and it appears to have paid off for Microsoft in NA this holiday season, as Gears will be the biggest game this year and has stolen most of the press, and Xbox with it.

2. Xbox fans over reacting to the importance of outselling the ps3 this October. I'm not sure if many remember the end of 06, or all of 07, but the ps3 was more expensive, didn't have any games, and the Xbox had the ps3 on the ropes. More important than the 360 just outselling the ps3, the ps3 wasn't selling at all. Now, however, Sony has rebounded nicely, and has picked itself up and is fighting again, an impressive feat considering Sony really has no wiggle room on the price in an economy that is more price sensitive than usual. Also, as time goes on, Sony is always improving its abilities to deliver a quality online experience(which it needed the extra time to do).

-- All and all, The PS3 has re-established itself this generation and as thrown all talks of a console flop out the window. Coming out ahead of the 360 at the end of the generation is now a possibility, which was completely out of the question a year ago. However, finishing ahead the 360 is by no means likely, probably about a 40% chance at this point, but at least its more interesting.

-- And to all those worried about such things, just ask Gamecube or Xbox owners last gen, just because your console doesn't finish first, doesn't make the games any less fun to play!

[Tony P]

Ghandi, you speak wisdom. Totally agree. Good points, all.

[ultimolu]

Believe me Ghandi, I give credit where it's do. Sony is starting to make a profit. I'm not surprised by the 360 winning October because it's neck to neck in the U.S now. I'm also not surprised by the YTD either. But November and December are the last two months of the year.

I'm interested in what will happen.

lokiroo420: How can this be a newly written blog when it has plenty of entries?

[lokiroo420]

Is it me or is this a newly written blog by someone who was offended by a fanboy and felt that it was necessary to cut and paste an article together to defend their loyalty to a product. Lame is the word that comes to mind, who cares what side did what, stop the bs articles all together.

[Death]

The Playstation 3 had a very rough start, but 2007 was when they seen the most aggressive price cuts which resulted in much better sales. At the end of 2007 Sony had sold 10.5 million PS3's worldwide compared to Microsoft's 17.7 million. The gap narrowed from 7 million to 6 million at the endo of September 2008. Depending on how the holidays go, Sony will either gain ground or lose it. So far they are going the wrong direction. They definately outsold the Xbox in 2007, but 2008 isn't over yet and momentum is in Microsoft's favor.

-Death

[kevin1112]

i dont understand morons like you, this point in its lifetime it is doing better than the 360. so if the ps3 sucks and is doing horrible than what does that say about the 360? see, fanboys are RETARDED!!!

[Mainman]

Ghandi, I dont know if you realise that PS3 still outsold the 360 YTD with 50000 units according to NPD numbers. Ofcourse not sure what will happen in the last 2 months of 2008.

But it is worrying for MS that the PS3 can keep up with the 360 despite the high price of PS3. Plus Sony still have the pricecut-card up there sleeve.

I dont know, but in the long run, I think the PS3 will win over 360.

Plus ofcourse there is the rest of the world. Everone says PS3 is selling more in Europe, but havent seen any numbers so I am not sure if PS3 is winning in Europe though.

[P]

Sony doing marvelously in the market

[GiantEnemyLobster]

P is doing marvelous at lying.

[tortella]

SW sales increased 100%

1.1m last year in Oct 07

2.3m in Oct 08

I expect PS3 HW sales to be around 700k in November and 1.3/1.4m In December in USA

However in europe

PS3 will tear away flop box 360.
same goes to Japan

US sales are not that stellar(still good though) because of recession

[ultimolu]

...But then again, they're not doing so bad for an expensive console on the market. :D

Keep on focusing on profits Sony.

[Breakfast]

Put some more effort in your spin, please.
Write a blog, im sure itll get approved.

Edit: Cute ultimolu, but no.

Its 5pm, why the hell would i eat breakfast...lol.
Seriously, stop with these jokes people...theyre soooooo 4 months ago.

Your so bad at what you do. I can spin better for Sony.

You can just say that the ps3 is the glue thats gonna make Sony (as a whole company) monster profits, due to Blu-ray, hdtvs, and home theatre systems. Yes, the ps3 will help, and has helped sell all these products. Ps3 is an investment. A smart investment, thats has already proved worthy, with the victory of Blu-ray.

Take a lesson. Or just stop trying.

[ultimolu]

...You know nothing about Economics so don't try.

Sony is focused on making a profit for the PS3, which is why they're not dropping the price.

I implied they should keep doing that so they can drop production costs further.

Spinning what exactly?

Go eat some breakfast.

[PirateThom]

Heh, do you really thing Sony are losing money on PS3 hardware?

The most expensive things (Blu-ray and Cell - Blu-ray diodes were $100, they reduced to $8 at the end of last year) both took a nose dive in price, a lot of the components like the HDD and wireless card are standard stock parts and bought in bulk. A lot of the size of the components was reduced, which reduces cost (RSX, Cell).

Considering they were losing $241 on the 60GB PS3 at launch, I'd say Sony are making profit, if not breaking even now in the US (and making profit in Europe where the consoles retail at higher prices). In fact, I'm tempted to go through and find the current price of each component.

[thebudgetgamer]

the fact that the console with supposedly no games crap online a worthless blue-ray player is not only keeping up in some months dominating the cheaper console is still pretty impressive.

:)

[GrandTheftZamboni]

PS3 sells movies too. Profit probably goes to another Sony division, but it's money earned by PS3 anyway.

[Tony P]

Back to the matter at hand, PS3 isn't doing as badly as extremist fans would suggest. The subject matter of the article lends solid proof to that fact. That's not to say the PS3 is meeting ALL expectations, no. Monthlies could be a lot better, imo. But please, credit where it's due.

[Death]

Sony has been losing money in their game segment for a couple years now. Here's a link to SOny's last quarterly financials: http://www.sony.net/SonyInf...

Due to cost reductions and increased software slaes they managed to cut the loss from 57 billion yen to just under 40 billion yen. That means they reduced their operating losses to only $380 million this year. So to answer your question, yes they still lose money on each system sold.

-Death

[Death]

My source is directly from Sony. Click the link and look yourselves. If you disagree with Sony's own financial statement, who exactly are you listening to?

-Death

[P]

PsP,Ps3,and Ps2.

No other company has achieved this

[Johnny Rotten]

Hmmm almost 17 million people own a PS3 in it's first 2 years, I'd say that's pretty good!

[Anon1974]

Think about it. How long did it take the 360 to hit 15 million, with no competition. I don't understand how people can look at the PS3, selling faster than the 360 ever did with a higher price point and stiffer competition and can somehow view that as a failure. Unless you considered the 360's sales a disappointment as well, those people are just being hypocritical.

[Software_Lover]

But people have to admit that they didn't see this gen working out like it has been thus far. Sony was forced to get off their high horse and make cheaper versions of the ps3 in order to finally get their sales going in a better direction. If it weren't for all the price cuts and different cheaper sku's introduced in the first year things would be worse.

Sony is the worldwide video game juggernaut. How can Nintendo pass Microsoft, after the crap gamecube (for the most part), and the dominating forces of the ps1 and ps2 hasn't allow Sony to take over Microsoft? Microsoft is only really loved in the states but yet they are maintaining their lead. They even beat ps3 for a couple of weeks in Japan. I dont care how much they beat them by or how little, just the fact that they sustained a few weeks ahead is a milestone in itself. WHO SAW THAT COMING?

This holiday season will be an interesting one. Im not one to care about sales, but it will be funny to come on here and read you guys comments in January. There will be a fanboy explosion that anyone who loves to laugh will be a fool to miss.

[Death]

Both the PS3 and XBox 360 sold approx 17 million units the first 24 months. PS3 sales took off once Sony dropped the retail price to $399 which was actually lower than the Elite by $50 and only $50 more than an Xbox 360 Pro. The reason people make a big deal about the PS3's sales pace is due to the fact they sold better than the Wii last generation and commanded well over 75% of the market for over two console generations. The fact that they are fighting so hard to keep pace with a competitor that held a little over 12% of the market is pretty astonishing. When you consider the company that was in last place last gen is currently number one by a long shot makes it even worse.

-Death

[remanutd55]

if sony wants the ps3 to sell extremely well , some people will hate me for this but sony needs to stop supporting the ps2 maybe not this year but next year and a price drop (which i dont think its gonna happen this holidays)

[Anon1974]

The PS2 is still selling remarkably well and Sony is just introducing it to new markets in Asia. They just finished a new version, smaller and with the power supply built in. With PS2 games still routinely breaking the top 10 lists, why on earth would Sony kill the goose that laid the golden egg? It's not like people are going into stores looking for a PS3 and saying "Wow! A PS2? It looks great, and it's so much cheaper!" and walking out with PS2's. They're not really even competing in the same market. You might as well say the PSP is cutting into PS3 sales.

[GrandTheftZamboni]

... and its user base had no choice but to jump on 360 wagon. That definitely added to its current numbers. Smart business move as long as the original XBox owners don't realize or don't want to admit they've been betrayed.

[PimpHandHappy]

its not called spin

its called looking at the numbers in terms of growth

now what the young fool fanboys dont want to understand is your going to be looking at monthly sales for 72-100 more months!

What has your life become when your looking at sales of a game system for 10 years! Yes look at it

When the PS3 is selling at 200 bucks in two more years you will be seeing sales of well over 360,000 in a month! Thats the truth

[Death]

Any chance I can get tomorrows lotto numbers? That's less than 24 hours from now. Hit those and I will believe your truths about two years from now. Look at Sony's growth with the PS3, so far it is pretty much on par with the Xbox 360's. The biggest differance is the PS3 is one year behind. Looking into the past shows the PS2 selling 40 million in it's first two years on the market. The PS3 is selling at less than half that rate. How can you apply past numbers whne it is clear the PS3 is on a much differnet path?

-Death

[shine1396]

I think (from memory) it was around 25 million by the end of the second year, and this included the chrismas sales. which is to say your numbers are probably way way off but I get what your saying. And though I kind of agree, I have to say, Ps3 is still more expensive then the Ps2 launch prices (over here anyway), and this is an even bigger factor, because of the current worldwide situation. I'm fairly sure the ps3 would have dropped in price again, had things in the wider market place been different.

[Death]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/...

-Death

[jack who]

flop

[tortella]

The flopbox 360 is 1/2 and 1/3 the price as a PS3 and the only region where it sells is USA

It flopped all round the world

PS3 HW sales increased 90% over the year

120k in october 07 to 190k in October 08

SW sales stood at 2.3 m unis ---a 100% increase over last year

In NOvember atleast 5-10m SW would be sold on PS3

In DECEMBER that would be 10m -15m

Flop is FLop Box 360 --2008 is its last year in tghe market

[demoneyeslaharl]

... now that they are gaining profits... can we see more advertisement for their software? I mean, I like my PS3 and all... but its the games that need the attention now.

2009 can be a good start for Sony. Killzone 2. Hype it up.

Heavy Rain... if it does disappointing numbers as Indigo, I'll feel really bad. Even shed a tear.

Gran Turismo... if it does come out at 2009. Hype it up too!

And get those advertisements for multiple consoles to show the Playstation 3 brand first, not trailing behind the XBOX 360.

Okay... maybe overkill on the last part, but I want to see more improvements on advertisements.

[Nathaniel_Drake]

A weird commercial just came out for the PS3, with a boy I think coming outside putting away trash and staring at the sky as if something big is going to happen, and then it said something about the holidays coming up

[ultimolu]

Ramzadel, I think I smell bundles. :)

[Nathaniel_Drake]

Maybe Dark Knight???

[ultimolu]

That would be awesome. Better count the lucky stars that Sony does this.

[Jrome]

190k with its 2 biggest exclusives R2 and LBP not even out yet, at a $400 price point, during a time when people are low on money?

Not only this but they managed to increase year-to-date? And they had a price cut this in october last yr?....

Good job sony.

[ultimolu]

And they're starting to make a profit.
That's absolutely fantastic.

They need to focus on what's best for them and not the competition. Sony has some good marketing strategies but I think they need to advertise more.

I think they have something BIG planned for the holidays.

C'mon Sony, turn up the heat!

[Nathaniel_Drake]

@ 7.1

Look at 6.1 quote

[DJ]

On an install base of 17 million consoles. Isn't that a lot better than what Microsoft's achieved with Xbox Live?

[Lord Xire]

PsN accounts cannot be taken seriously at all...

It's free and theres probably countless numbers of people who just recreated more PsN accounts. Like myself who has 3....mainly because I wanted a different name for my clan, which many others have done on the PsN.

Or for the 2, 3, 4 brothers and sisters who all want different screen names.

Or one of the sorry morons who got caught game sharing and Sony slapped them across the face with the ban hammer.

or you just feel like making another account..it's really simple.

XBL has 12million registered Gold Members. Meaning there alive and paying for the great service that is XBL.

So yeah you can trust those PsN numbers that Sony throws at the public as much as you can trust a crackhead with the keys to your house.

[PirateThom]

"Or one of the sorry morons who got caught game sharing and Sony slapped them across the face with the ban hammer. "

You're allowed to game share, Sony actually said they have no problem with this.

[socomnick]

Yea psn accounts are a joke, I have 3. 1 for japan, 1 for europe, and 1 for the US. All my friends that have ps3s and arent even hardcore gamers have 3 accounts.

[JonahFalcon]

http://www.joystiq.com/2008...

- Wii: 803K 116K (16.89%)
- DS: 491K 45.8K (-8.53%)
- Xbox 360: 371K 23.8K (6.85%)
- PSP: 193K 45.1K (-18.94%)
- PS3: 190K 42.4K (-18.24%)
- PS2: 136K 37.5K (-21.61%)

Please don't disseminate WRONG information.

[RPG Guy]

Despite our narrow gaming minds, this thing isn't just for Gaming. It's for Blu-Ray, it's the Playstation Store. Sony isn't making HUGE losses on the PS3 (as the bots suggest). Sony is driving home a new format with it and making money on every blu-ray disc sold. They're making money on every piece of LittleBigPlanet add-on sold. Whether or not they are truly profitable, just breaking-even or taking a small loss is beyond all of us. Only Sony and their accountants know that. I may be an accountant, but I don't work for Sony, so I won't bother to try and create something good looking to claim Sony is pulling-in numbers wise. Stop playing economists like you work for VGChartz (posers) and take Sony for what they said here. I doubt these numbers are as devastating as some of you are making them out to be to them after reading this. Spin or no spin, did they just announce the PS3 is dead? Nope.