Video games absolutely killed it on Black Friday 2017 it seems, as over 300,000 consoles were sold in the UK alone. The figure comes courtesy of GfK Entertainment (as reported by Games Industry.biz), with the PlayStation 4 purportedly being the standout performer. As mentioned previously, the PS4 had its strongest week since launch, which is phenomenal four years into the system’s life.
Black Friday 2017 was actually the 15th best week ever for hardware sales in Britain, with the era of the Nintendo Wii and DS occupying many of the slots above it. In fact, 24th November, 2017 is now the seventh best day ever for console sales in the UK, which is kinda bonkers when you stop and think about it. Of course, all of this spells good news for the sector as a whole.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 17
Consoles are dead though, right?
@themcnoisy Clearly!
You see - that picture is why I don't shop at Game stores anymore. The staff are very unapproachable in their armour and masks. They also have weird alien voices .Shocking.
Wa hey console industry. Good news on all fronts!
@Rudy_Manchego Don't worry. He's just here to tell you that the game runs at 30 fps because it's more cinematic.
@Wesker Lol ah right. He also seemed keen to replace my new copy with a preowned version. Weird.
Good for them, welcome to the new ps4 owners.
@Rudy_Manchego I can ignore the introverts but iv been to a few gamestops in different states and they all just smell awful, not sure if they are teaching cross training in the back after hours but they need to get a handle on it and walk down a few stores to Yankee candle.
It's the PS4's 4th birthday TODAY in the UK isn't it? Had mine since launch (and subsequently bought a Pro also) and still love it to bits. Despite also owning a XB1 and Switch I still play my PS4 the most
Great news!
Despite all the recent backlash against microtransactions increasing the number of doom-sayers predicting a videogame crash, nobody can argue against such a huge install base. The more consoles out there, the higher your potential sales could be and the more support developers will get for taking a chance on original releases.
At least, that's this optimist's theory...
@ZAKtheRIPPER Ha it doesn't help the public stereotype of us gamers if people go into a shop and are confronted with that!
Quite clearly the Switch has given the industry a shot in the arm this year and as a consequence it feels like Sony has upped it's game in response this year. Rather than being rivals though and canabilising the others sales it seems that PS4, and PSVR to an extent, have benefitted to a point from the early Switch success of putting gaming front line and centre in major news for much of this year. It would be fascinating to know from a marketing side of things if Sony changed strategy/pricing etc as a result of the Switch in the last several months. Whatever has happened Sony gaming division have had a bloody good year regardless.
@YummyHappyPills LOL Good joke man
@ZAKtheRIPPER There are no trophies for personal hygiene. I’m not wasting my time
@toffeecrit Umm i dont think it had anything to do with the Switch at all! PS4 is an amazing console on its own with a great variety of games. Who wouldnt want to own one? If anything its thanks to XBOX that Sony did the temp price drop.
Edit: I know people love Nintendo unconditionally but lets not pretend like they are "saving gaming" with the Switch or that video games are popular right now because of the Switch. We had 3 yrs of great games and great sales without it.
@toffeecrit In fact its Nintendo who owes the Switch's success to Sony and MS who kept the industry alive and growing while Nintendo fixed the mess that was the WiiU and turned it into the Switch
@toffeecrit i doubt it's due to the switch, ps4 has been going strong long before, when i ask others what console they would buy is till hear the ps4 or Xbox, so while the switch has it's fans, granted I'm into zelda etc but that's all the switch has to draw me in right now, and well Mario, but PlayStation has already established a full game roster.
@3Above Whoa there pickle, I never once said Nintendo are 'saving gaming' or PS4 is popular now because of Switch and wasn't before, I am merely curious as most involved within the gaming community speculated PS4 peak year would have been last year yet it has increased year on year again. My point is of course speculation, but clearly Switch has brought a shed load of positivity to gaming retail and the gaming industry as a whole and whether that has translated into convincing people, families etc into gaming for the first time or back into gaming be it through Switch, PS4, PSVR etc. It of course could be a natural curve for Sony and the Switch release had and has no bearing on their approach across the board this year, I also however know a few people who brought a Switch earlier this year having not brought a console since the Wii and another not at all and having had a taste of that also brought a PS4 recently having never owned a Playstation. Based on my admittedly small microcosm regarding console sales I think it is a valid question to wonder if Switch has helped boost sales of other consoles or my personal experience is completely isolated and has no bearing as @Not_Ghost2501426 suggests is the case in his circles.
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