PS5 Sales Increase An Outrageous 369% in Key European Countries

Well, again, it makes sense that Switch and Series consoles sales fall when people can get their preferred system. I suspect Xbox had a much better start to this generation due to stock limitations than they would have had otherwise.

Seems the stock limitations are pretty much over. Good stuff. Hopefully the rest of the market will start getting back to normal and things like second hand cars will drop in price again.

Good news for Sony and the PlayStation. Very good news indeed. However, a word of caution, when one company becomes so dominant in their field, they get to set the rules. They are the ones that will determine what is acceptable in terms of pricing of both consoles and games because they know that their customers will buy their product regardless. It's why Sony were the first to raise the price of their consoles, and the first to introduce the more expensive games. So whilst these sales figures (and the PlayStation's dominance) is to be applauded, just be aware of what the future may hold as a consequence...

The Switch is 6 years old and has sold over 120 million units so I wouldn't crow too loudly about managing to finally outsell it for once. For Xbox sales to fall at this point is really poor though - Game Pass not the system seller Microsoft thought?

@Ooccoo_Jr oof. Think games on Xbox are already losing quality due to being made with Gamepass in mind. PC looks more enticing

@theMEGAniggle That has always been my fear with the whole subscription model. To be fair though we probably need to wait for the end of the year with Xbox to see if Redfall and Starfield has managed to shift some consoles. Otherwise they might soon regret all those promises not to make CoD exclusive.

@Ooccoo_Jr they haven’t delivered on any exclusives hardly….I like Xbox and all, but it really doesn’t have much character or soul….

@Fiendish-Beaver Sony wasn’t the first for games. It was take2 I think. MS have raised prices the minute they have games ready to release. The price rise of console. Yes super crappy and shouldn’t have happened but mitigation circumstances with inflation etc. Sony don’t have deep pockets. However I’ll be more annoyed with them should the price not drop when inflation etc stabilises

No surprise, I can go into a MediaMarkt nowadays and actually find PS5s lying around there

Good news for Sony I guess, but I did hope there was going to be some competition this generation. MS shot themselves through both feet with zero current-gen games and downward spiraling quality of first party releases, and results seem to speak more than words ever could.
There is a chance new Nintendo system might make it more interesting and keep competition going, but I don't see them as same market (I would always own both those consoles, as they provide different experiences)

Seems gamepass has done nothing to dent Sony's dominance and last gen will be repeated. This is why I class Nintendo as Sony's main competitor even though the CMA and US senators dont seem to think so.

@Fiendish-Beaver

$10 more is nothing compared to how much rent went up. Everything went up. You can wait for sales too. Plus the games we are getting have improvements over ps4 ones.

@Fiendish-Beaver Well that's where Microsoft needs to step up and actually compete and there not doing that.

Great numbers, congratulations! Its crazy how there was almost no PS5s available this time last year. Good to see stock is finally sorted

@Ooccoo_Jr @Ooccoo_Jr

We can discard Redfall. That's a 70 or lower score game if I ever see one. I'm 100% sure about that.

If people had a choice, they would go to the movie theater only to see movies that are worth it, go to restaurants that have good food etc.

I've seen the stupid list wars of exclusives this year and ofc sony only has spider-man 2, but that game alones crushes the 5 or so games xbox is releasing on 2023. These numbers are up and no ff16 and spider-man 2 (their biggest seller) have been released.

The thing is people like to complain about the other side, but one side is clearly winning so that doesn't make sense, does it?

If Starfield isn't impressive, will any of their other games be besides a racer? Hellblade 2 looks good, but the first one was very short and most of it was puzzles and not something you can sell a system on. I can already see Bethesda games going lower on the budget (redfall and hifi rush). I'll be pissed if they ruin iD software. That's the best fps dev right there. We could've gotten high budget FPS from them but now due gamepass and budget limitations they might not be the pearl they once were.

Anyways this is actually worse than last gen imo. Sony is doing better than ps4 in terms of games (by the second year we only had bloodborne) and xbox has way more studios but somehow they are in the sameboat. We predicted the possible bad outcomes of gamepass and this is it right here.

Hoping nintendo releases a high end system next gen. I'll buy that one for sure.

Every Xbox has done badly yet people always somehow seem surprised when it does again. The first Xbox is one of the worst selling consoles you've heard of, lost MS billions and only sold a single digit number of millions outside the US (and not much more in the US). Their biggest success to date is to be outsold by the worst-selling PlayStation despite launching a year earlier and at a cheaper price. Wow, that is really quite an achievement. Truly, and for such a small company too!

Consistently the lowest sales of each gen apart from the Wii U - but then Nintendo made up for that with the Switch. I've never even seen an Xbox One or Series X/S (oh yeah, Xbox has great naming conventions too) in real life. Every gaming adult I know has a PS4 or PS5, their kids have a Switch, and this is supposedly the country outside of America where competition is closest between Xbox and PS.

I absolutely agree with you, @GodofCapcom. My point was that it was Sony that went there first, and that they did so because they are so dominant in the market that they know wherever they go, their loyal fanbase will follow...

@GodofCapcom I actually expect Redfall to review well, but I don't think it will be a big system seller. I'd expect there to be a significant increase in Xbox sales when Starfield releases though.

Whilst I basically agree with you, @PsBoxSwitchOwner, I do think that Sony's pockets are sufficiently deep that they could have kept the price of the console as it was when first released. It would have shown some empathy with the struggles of their loyal fanbase. However, my real point was in that Sony went there first because they could knowing that the likelihood of people buying a competitors console because of the move was highly doubtful...

@Ooccoo_Jr Microsoft isn't as concerned about "selling systems" as much as it is getting Game Pass subscriptions: whether it be on console, PC, or even mobile (though that is probably a lot more rare as I doubt many people solely use a mobile device for game streaming).

To Microsoft, the Series consoles are in the same line as Surface products: they are a hardware option within a specific hardware category that guarantees access into Microsoft's ecosystem. That's all. It's not playing a console sales game because it doesn't have to. Microsoft just wants to sell enough to justify hardware manufacturing - just like Surface products.

And should there ever be a day that Microsoft just drops console hardware manufacturing (which I doubt it will), it will make tons of dough as a third-party publisher.

I bet once the ABK acquisition goes through and Blizzard games start to drop on PC, there will be an uptick in Game Pass PC subscriptions — maybe even Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions.

I think people forget that Microsoft Game Studios games also release on Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store all on Day 1. That's a lot of outreach - console not required.

Even if you don't have a powerful enough PC, you can always use Streaming from a PC/laptop and it's actually pretty darn responsive (I have a Surface Book 2 with 300Mbps fiber connected wirelessly and it runs practically like it was "local").

You could say that's a detriment, but since the Big 3 make more money from software sales than hardware, I am guessing Microsoft is happy with the money being made from Xbox as a brand.

I’m glad ps5 is kicking a$$. I predict the console sales gap between the ps5 and xbox seriesx/s will be over 20 million in the ps5 favor by the end of this year

@GamingFan4Lyf if Microsoft isn’t concern about console sales like you say why they make the console in the first place. If Microsoft was smart they’re get rid of the xbox brand as a console by the end of this generation. Without a Xbox console Microsoft could make a deal with Sony to bring a lite version of gamepass to the ps5 and ps6 with just all they’re first party games on it.

@Fiendish-Beaver they probably could have. But it is mainly PS where their larger profits are made. So perhaps it is also so investments can be made elsewhere. It’s just like the switch hasn’t reduced in price despite being years old. MS can afford to subsidise for longer. Ie games pass. If they put console prices up it would hurt them significantly I think. But they also raised game prices by £10 the moment they had games to release.

@4kgk2 consoles give the best experience. Cloud streaming just doesn’t have the infrastructure for it to be mass used. And it probably won’t for the next 10+years.

Some places I go near me. My phone drops to 3G!!!

@4kgk2 Why does Microsoft bother to make Surface products when they are clearly not the cheapest or best on the market?

Microsoft wants to sell, but it isn't worried as much as "crushing the competition" as people seemingly are here.

Well-deserved success! PlayStations are certainly my favorite consoles. Despite being primarily a PC gamer, I can't deny the allure of owning a PlayStation to play with my daughter.

@4kgk2 For the same reason Valve doesn't care how well Steam Deck Sells. Making Deck compete against Switch sales isn't the goal for the Deck product, and failing spectacularly to do so doesn't matter. The point of the Deck is to provide another route to access Steam games to increase sale and market share of Steam. Similarly the purposes of xbox consoles is to provide another route to access Windows Store and Game Pass, to increase Store/Pass sales and market share.

Technically that's the only reason Nintendos and Playstations exist either. It's just that their models don't have alternative distribution platforms so the consoles are everything for them, though PS has been moving that direction tepidly as well but they're not really interested, or equipped for really digging into the PC fight directly.

@GamingFan4Lyf you don’t answer a question with a question. You know xbox probably isn’t making or barely Microsoft any money. I know some of you think just because Microsoft is a trillion dollar company they don’t want to make profits off gaming products which isn’t true.

@Jey887 I work in used cars and they delay is prolonged. Cars weren't being built in 2020 and the lack of superconductors effected production until earlier this year. For some that's still ongoing due to parts, which were previously fabricated in Ukraine and Russia no longer available. That said used cars tend to have a lot lower mileage relative to age right now, as people were sat at home. So we've recently seen an increase in value again with all this combined.

@NEStalgia not that much R&D went into the Steam Deck and I’m quite sure the Steam Deck isn’t selling at a loss like Xbox series x/s is. Shareholders are gonna eventually get tried of Microsoft losing money with Xbox. You know Microsoft was gonna end the Xbox last gen before Phill Spencer stepped in to save it with the currently failing gamepass plan.

@4kgk2 I asked you a question AND answered it.

Hence the question AND the statement.

The Xbox console to Microsoft is in the same category as the Surface:

It’s there. It’s guaranteed to play third-party and first-party games. If you like what it offers, buy one. If not, there are other options.

I am sure the bean counters are keeping a close eye on things.

@4kgk2 The have sold 18 million consoles.

That's 18 million people with access to the MS Store. It's not PS5 figures but 18 million is still significant enough to warrant building the console in the first place.

MS are actually in a battle for the PC space, trying to take on steam, gog and the variety of other online sales portals, as MS office is their big product. The xbox is essential to introduce customers to their ecosystem.

I change systems regularly, most recently buying a switch for Tactics Ogre reborn and selling my PS5. I currently game on the xbox and spend my money there as the sales tend to be better and like Microsoft rewards to build up vouchers. Sony have the better top tier games, kinda gutted I sold my PS5. But with Ghost wire Tokyo on gamepass and minecraft legends maybe later on, I can get over it.

@Ooccoo_Jr those games may shift consoles but the result in that will be MS HAVING a reason as to why they can divest games of additional resources (essentially, games will be worse). If people continue to support and buy them then why should they make them better.

Realistically, Starfield will shift consoles. See it having an effect similar to Elden Ring, though not as long. But I'm getting the feeling that gamers are not so happy to overlook Bethesda's technical failures anymore. After Fallout 4, 76, I think people are over it. It is not a stretch to say Starfield will be somewhat of a buggy mess at launch either. So I guess that one will be a result of however they handle the launch and 60fps should be an option as well.

Otherwise this is a sign of how gaming / Gamepass on Xbox will be unappealing and not really offer a next gen experience. And people will just buy more PS5s. I really need Xbox to step it up, they got some studios cooking some good potentially fun games

@GamingFan4Lyf Surface products are most definitely the best windows based tablets/convertibles on the market.

@GamingFan4Lyf
They're not getting sufficient gamepass numbers either. I would just revert it back to the traditional way, slowly because fans got so accustomed to being cheap, but that would mean Satya would want to close down xbox.

@themcnoisy
If MS has a battle with PC, they lost it putting their games on steam.

@4kgk2 " not that much R&D went into the Steam Deck and I’m quite sure the Steam Deck "

😂 Does Gabe know this? Does his bank account?

@GodofCapcom Gamepass has 25million+ subscribers. That is a lot.

On the steam thing, and again no they haven't lost. Steam is the big drawer obviously, back in 2019 MS announced most of its games will be available on steam to win back trust as the Windows launcher was mismatched to customers wants and needs. It struggled to keep customers on board as they left to go steam. So it was an obvious decision and keeps their skin in the game. Gamepass kind of circumvents that dominance.

Microsoft unfortunately haven't had a big hit outside of Forza Horizon aka Spiderman, GoW, HZW. It is disheartening in a way, similar to when I had a gamecube and all the great games were coming to PS2 and xbox. But they do offer ridiculous value for money and stuff of variable quality is out on the regular. I am really happy as gaming is cheap on the xbox.

@themcnoisy Thats really interesting. Thanks for the info mate. I think I'll keep driving my old banger until it gives in then...

Curious to know how you know that Game Pass is failing, @4kgk2? Do you have a credible report to substantiate that?

@thefourfoldroot1 because of the ps4s success and false advertising the ps5 sales

go figure . they can be mediocre and get away with it

@Fiendish-Beaver Microsoft hasn’t give us a update on gamepass numbers since last year. Come on if gamepass subscriber numbers were growing you know cocky a$$ Microsoft would be the first ones to be bragging about them.

Good hardware and great games sell.

And this is with Nintendo and Microsoft having a budget pricing version.

I knew this would happen once Sony got the supply issues sorted. Microsoft thought things were rosey. Now the PlayStation juggernaut is rolling full steam there ain't no stopping now:)

So people were buying stuff they didn't want and now that they can get what they want the other stuff is doing bad

The last update wasn't that long ago, and it was revealed that the numbers were in excess of 22 million, I believe, @4kgk2. They don't need to brag about their stats, they are notorious for not revealing much. Simply wanting Xbox or Game Pass to fail, does not work. Having your own idea of what is going on, does not mean that you are correct. Sony reveal stuff, Microsoft don't, but that does not mean that Microsoft is failing, or having problems, it just means we don't get to find out. Now if one day we wake up and find that our Xboxes don't work. Game Pass is no longer available, and Microsoft have simply vanished, then fair enough. However, until that happens, I guess we just have to wait and see, because Microsoft are unlikely to tell us, and no manner of wishing them misfortune will actually make that happen...

@PsBoxSwitchOwner

However I’ll be more annoyed with them should the price not drop when inflation etc stabilises

We will probably need a deflation of the same magnitude for that. Inflation tends to raise prices permanently.

The question I have is to what extent the price increase in tech are due to fuel prices and currency exchange; if they make up most of the increase then maybe prices will back down. But I fear that the bulk of the increase has been other factors like wages going up in the supply chain.

Then again, older tech gets cheaper to make over time, so I guess it's down to what factor wins over other factors.

Personally, if I had to guess, I think the gaming cost is tracking behind inflation and any future discount will be cancelled out, keeping the price point the same for the next few years even if the economy settles down.

I think there's a chance that most of the $10 increase we saw for games in 2020, before we knew of this inflation, has already been gobbled up by the recent inflation as well.

@themcnoisy

Cheap for cheap.

25m is not a lot for 23-30 studios.

Yes they lost the pc market due to exclusives being there. Gamepass doesn't help that as it is even more niche on PC.

@Jey887 sorry bro. The best advice is to visit an auction and buy a car the old owner couldn't keep up with the repayments. You should find a car 2-3k under retail (in the uk). If you're lucky, maybe even 4k. For 3-4 owner cars, it's worth calling car supermarkets who advertise cars upto 6 years old and seeing if they have any part exchanges about to go to auction or in the back.

$10 Microsoft is gonna throw another hissy fit.

@Ooccoo_Jr Maybe they should change the name do just "Pass", since the "Game" part well, you know...