The PlayStation 4 will soon surpass the PlayStation 3’s install base just over four years into its lifespan, as Sony’s latest financial report has revealed that it’s shipped 79 million units of its current console worldwide. The number is accurate as of 31st March, with the platform holder forecasting another 16 million units will be sold over the course of its next fiscal year. Assuming its prediction is accurate, that would actually be a decrease year-over-year, but it’s probably fair to say the platform has peaked at this point – although it may also indicate that the company’s not planning to be particularly aggressive with price. We could still see a readily available $199 PS4 doing gangbusters.
All in all, though, Sony will be delighted with how things are going. Outrageously strong software sales mean that the PS4 continues to contribute considerably to the firm’s bottom line, with the division recording an eye-watering operating profit in the region of ¥177.5 billion (~$1.6 billion) for the fiscal year that’s just finished. As a whole, outgoing chief executive Kaz Hirai will leave behind a much healthier organisation than his predecessor, with a company-wide profit of ¥734.9 billion (~$6.7 billion) for the 12 month period ending 31st March. It’s forecasting a small decline over the coming fiscal year, but the main thing is that the Japanese giant is in the black again.
[source sony.net, via engadget.com, resetera.com]
Comments 27
that's a lot of consoles sold and does this include both PS4 and PS4 Pro sales?
also it would be interesting to see how the sales numbers stack up next to the XB1 and the Switch
"although it may also indicate that the company’s not planning to be particularly aggressive with price."
Or they are planning on announcing the PS5, or they at least know people are starting to think and talk about it, maybe plan for it. If it has BC w/ PS4 downloads and discs there's little reason to buy a PS5 next year. Several reasons this year obviously.
Too bad they couldn't reach 80m by now, has a much better read than 79m. Probably at 80m by now w/ GoW anyway, it's been 4 weeks, and they've been selling more than 1m every month.
@FullbringIchigo Yes, PS4 and PS4 Pro sales. We don't have Xbox numbers because Microsoft doesn't share them.
PlayStation domination.word up son
@get2sammyb OH OK, so may i ask whats the PS4 to PS4 Pro ratio in these numbers if you know that is
@FullbringIchigo We don't know. Last we heard is that one in five PS4 sales are Pro, so 20%. Although obviously Pro only launched November 2016 and the PS4 has been available since 2013 so the ratio of the 79 million will be lower than 20%.
If that makes sense?
@get2sammyb yeah that makes sense
@FullbringIchigo @Shepherd_Tallon I'd caution against using VGChartz to be honest.
One Console to Rule them All .
19million shipped. Which means that Sony outdid their revised revision by 1million.
16million seems conservative again so I won’t be suprised if that gets revised by the next quarter.
Road to 100million...
90 million units sold by year's end, bet money.
I think next year ps4 will sells better with tlou 2, ghost of tsushima, and death stranding
Think it’ll outsell the PS2 before PS5?
@FullbringIchigo The only numbers we have is that Switch as of March 31st is at 17.79m units shipped, which for 13 months is very good at full price with no discounts.
It's actually right on track with PS4 and Wii at the same point in their lifespans, and a forecasted 20m units this fiscal year.
Basically both companies are very healthy in sales and Switch nor PS4 show any signs of slowing down, though PS4 has most definitely peaked at this point barring some huge price shift.
Shame as @get2sammyb says that Xbox doesn't give numbers, because even the Wii U had its numbers publicly displayed for all to see, and Xbox in terms of unit sales surely has to be over 40m by now. That's nothing to shy away from.
All we know is Microsoft has 59m active Xbox Live users, and made a good chunk of change from Xbox, of their several billion dollar earnings.
It shows that Microsoft really doesn't need Xbox to be hugely successful, because they have stuff like Windows obviously and licensing, but I guess their investors care more about "Is it still making money" over how many its sold, which for a company like Microsoft and at that magnitude, makes sense.
PS4 came out November 2013 so that means it's sold around 19 million a year on average. Amazing sales.
I think it will finish behind only the PS2 to be the second most sold home console.
My guess is somewhere around 120-130 million when it's all said and done.
@Derpie1 Even though the PS4 is doing quite well, the base hardware is closing in on its 5th year and people are starting to think Beyond to the PS5, so I don't think the PS4 will surpass the PS2's numbers before PS5 launches. It may get relatively close when all is said and done, though, I believe the PS4 has a long tail yet to come.
And this is all with extremely poor sales in Japan. Very impressive bounce back from PS3.
If you add the number of Xbox and Switch gamers to this, the console market is still looking quite strong, and very much relevant ... contrary to the opinions of certain PC-game critics.
@Bonbonetti yep, do you remember when Pachter and other analysts were all like “you’re pretty naïve if you’re expecting to see another console generation”? Well, it appears we were not 😆
The most astonishing thing, though, is the fact console gaming seems to be growing rather than shrinking: just look at the PS4, it’s sold the same units PS3 did but it took 5 years instead of 7...good game, Sony, congratulations!
To be honest maybe I got a bit too carried away, as it’s clear PS is stronger than it was during the 7th generation, but gaming as a whole will have to work hard to be able to beat those 7th gen sales figures.
I mean, 260+ million home consoles is a huge number, and even if we counted both the Wii U and the Switch along with the PS4 and The XB1 we’d still be a long way off.
In any case, Nintendo and Sony are doing great, and even MS, while not having a staggering success, is accruing very good numbers.
The future looks bright! 😁
@Gamer83 well, to be honest PS3 could be considered a failure only in its first years; when all was said and done it still managed a very remarkable 80+ million units sold, so it’s not like they couldn’t get back on track.
Indeed, the fact they managed to catch up with the 360 speaks volumes about the corrections that were made, and obviously also about the impressive strength the brand PlayStation has.
PlayStation Nation keeps growing and so many exclusives are still coming. Can't stop to play God of War, what a masterpiece. ^^
@wiiware I'd say those who want those games like myself already own a ps4. I think many sales will happen when the pro has a reduction in price for those games and ps4 owners choose to upgrade. I do wonder who are buying ps4's right now? Possibly parents who feel their kids are old enough now maybe?
@clvr patcher is an idiot. For console to no longer exist, us gamers first will need to stop playing games. Did patcher really believe after this generation every gamer was saying "after this gen is finished, that's it, I'm no longer going to be a gamers"
@PS_Nation there is no better time to be a playstation owner. Hope we are blown away with ps5
xbox's promotional failures this gen has helped the PS4 push so well.
PS5 will leave other traditional console in the dust. Which I guess is just xbox.
And they haven't even launched Spider-Man yet.
@Enuo Yeah, Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, Detroit: Become Human, Days Gone, The Last of Us Part II etc.
PS4 is the home for single player story driven games .
No need for PS5 then, right. Great figures. I'm not sure if it will ever best the ps2 though. I really doubt it.
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