Kotaku
The PlayStation 2 certainly went beyond our own expectations last month, but even Sony says that its February sales from the NPD Group were a "surprise and delight." On the PlayStation 3 front, the company rubs its PlayStation 3 sales in Microsoft's face, starting off its statement with mention of the "sales eclipse" the console had over the Xbox 360. Great, kid. Don't get cocky.
Some quick addition on Sony's part reveals that, with the help of the PSP, 875,969 hardware units across the PlayStation family were sold to gamers in the US of A. It capitalizes on another carefully chosen figure, pointing to $511 million in sales across the brand, more than Microsoft and Nintendo.
The official statement puts a big focus on the future, with CEO Jack Tretton quoted as saying "Consumers are recognizing the tremendous value of PS3 and we believe that Blu-ray becoming the high-def format of choice was the tipping point for many consumers. With monster titles like Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Grand Theft Auto IV launching in April and Metal Gear Solid 4 in June, we're demonstrating this is the year for PS3." Hurrah! The whole thing is below.
PS3 Sales Eclipse Xbox 360 for Second Straight Month; Year-Over-Year Sales More Than DoubledTotal PlayStation Hardware Unit Sales Top 875,969
PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) outsold Xbox 360 for the second straight month with 280,841 hardware units sold in February, 10% higher than Microsoft (according to NPD February 2008 sales data). Year-over-year this represents 120% sales growth.
* Wait, There's More... Next month will see the introductions of heavyweights Grand Theft Auto IV and PS3-exclusive Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and June will usher in the monster 2008 title Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. And let's not forget DUALSHOCK®3 rumbles to North American retailers in April. The arsenal of 2008 blockbusters including LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2, MotorStorm 2, and SingStar, combined with current momentum for Blu-ray, will further PS3 enthusiasm throughout the year.
* PLAYSTATION®Network Is Burgeoning: Currently in North America there are more than 3.3 million registered PLAYSTATION Network accounts and more than 56 million total downloads life-to-date from PLAYSTATION®Store. PLAYSTATION Network total downloads exceeded 6.3 million in February 2008, compared to 6.6 million at the peak of the holiday season in December 2007. Only on PLAYSTATION Network can you find innovative games like Calling All Cars, Everyday Shooter, fl0w, PAIN, Tekken 5, Warhawk and Super Stardust.
PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) continued its trend of strong sales with 243,115 PSP hardware units sold in February, representing a year-over-year increase of 38%.
* If You Think February Sales Were Good... Rave reviews of God of War: Chains of Olympus, wipEout® PULSE and Patapon are already pouring in, not to mention the highly anticipated debut of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII on March 25, which are expected to further PSP sales growth.
PlayStation®2 (PS2) continues to surprise and delight mainstream audiences with hardware unit sales reaching 351,787 units. Additionally, for the third consecutive month PS2 sold more software units than any other console on the market, not only a testament to the staying power of PlayStation products, but also the incredible PlayStation software library.
Power of the PlayStation Portfolio
The PlayStation brand generated the most U.S. retail dollars in the industry for the second consecutive month with $511 million in sales, 52% and 6% higher than Microsoft and Nintendo, respectively.
* Year to date (Jan-Feb), the PlayStation brand generated nearly $1 billion in the U.S. market, 56% and 15% higher than Microsoft and Nintendo, respectively.
* PlayStation total hardware revenue was $204 million in February, 125% and 11% higher than Microsoft and Nintendo, respectively.
* PlayStation total software revenue in February was $247 million, 32% and 5% higher than Microsoft and Nintendo respectively.CEO Perspective
"Consumers are recognizing the tremendous value of PS3 and we believe that Blu-ray becoming the high-def format of choice was the tipping point for many consumers. With monster titles like Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Grand Theft Auto IV launching in April and Metal Gear Solid 4 in June, we're demonstrating this is the year for PS3."
- Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Comments
Is that MADD's cat?
@MoeB: It is indeed.
@Michael McWhertor: Excellent choice, my friend.
@Michael McWhertor: +1 Me :)
Carefully chosen figures, nothing! All those consoles sold are all SONY. Money in the bank. Money that can offset the price of manufacturing PS3's...well, I guess its a good start.
Greatest picture ever.
I hate that GT5 Prologue is called a monster title, It's a big demo for GT5. I know it's bound to sell a lot of copies but it's only a small taste of what's to come.
@MoeB: It seems like it!
Well it's good to see everyone is pleased. I honestly think it should be like this more often.
Still. Am I the only one who thinks that Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo should each built a giant robot to represent their company and pit them against each others in savage battles every month for the public to enjoy? Each could have their own unique abilities and stuff. The Sony robot could be massive and use an attack that would crush its enemies by using nothing but its own weight. The MS robot could have some death ray that would hit and kill instantly about 16% of the time. The Nintendo robot could summon smaller robots from the past to help in the fight.
That'd be awesome.
@MoeB:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving Cat? Seriously MADD sounds familiar but I can't put my finger on it.
I like how they say they generated more money and not profit.
Legally I have to do this in all three threads, but WTF is up with the face pictures?!!?!?
Oh great. Now we gotta make a pic of a ps2 printing money. How the hell is THAT Gonna work.
:') I can know listen to the quiet of a school bus of non-360 gloating fanboys. Maybe I'll play GoW: Chains of Olympus.
@Michael McWhertor: Did you find Penny kinda hot back then too?
No?
*hides in a corner*
They should all be pleased, as they all are...mostly. Everyone is dandy.
Seriously, what a great time to be a gamer.
+ Watch video
@LittleBigPlaneteer:
I believe the cat is from the Inspector Gadget series, if I recall correctly.
meh
Either way, great to see the numbers and Sony's confidence building. '08 should be a great year, so here's to the future months (April.. May... and June... lol)!
@GregoriusH: AGREED
Oh Inspector Gadget :D
@PeterQC:
Pretty sure they made a profit, or will very soon.
@Witzbold: aw yeah you just went there...*high five*
Seriously though bro, she's gotta be old enough now. If she still has that computer book, I'm tappin' that.
@Witzbold: Um. I think I was obsessed with Agent 99 and Julie Newmar's Catwoman.
Haha, PR people are so good at spinning numbers. It's all about the unstoppable Playstation *portfolio*.
Anyway, congrats to Sony for selling the most next-gen consoles two months in a row. There are so many really awesome PS3 games due this year it makes me happy. Personally, I'm stoked for MGS4, too bad June is so far away... :(
@TitillatedOcelot: Her, not the book.
the big question will be how much the 360s gta4 will outsell the ps3's.....
So as I stare at my PS3 I'm to understand that I should feel good because of a Car Demo, a Gimped GTA port with no exclusive content and a 70 year old spy with a monkey. You really do need more than one system this generation.
No denying that Sony's in a better position than it was last year... But I don't like the "PlayStation Portfolio" bit. It's a bit misleading.
Sony has three active systems (PS2, PS3, and PSP), compared to Nintendo's two (DS and Wii) and Microsoft's one (Xbox 360). The total sales of three systems larger than that of one system? No way, do go on.
And where are they getting the info about PS2 selling more software than all the other systems? 360 occupies five of the top ten for the month, and the only PS2 game in the top ten is Guitar Hero III, which is being outsold by the Wii version (which is a surprise to me... I thought the PS2 version would be best-selling...).
Not to say Sony IS lying about that, as the 11th and below games may tell another tale, but with the evidence I have, it does NOT show software sales in PS2's favor.
@Michael McWhertor: Oh my yes indeed she was sexy! Agent 99 that is! Catwoman too.
Ah the memories.
---
Yeah totally now its interesting to see how much more of a boost the PSP is getting. Although Id like to see a bit more interaction with the PSP + PS3
@bigd7387: As much as I want to support one console, I find myself getting a lot of stuff for the 360 as well. And hey, it ultimately diversifies my gaming experience, so I win.
@bigd7387: bassicly... unless you like socom...like me..
@Witzbold: Wait let me rephrase that, is the PSP selling as well as it is in Japan in the US?
Since you guys have been getting a rather steady stream of new software also. Even more than Japan possibly.
Man, these corporate gloating posts are hilarious.
@Michael McWhertor: Agreed! Agent 99 was hot back in the days of Nick at Night.
Hahah Sony = MAD.
Too true.
I got Dr. Claw's cat screeching laugh stuck in my head. Gah! Thanks a lot :(
I respond to this article, seem indifferent.
@Michael McWhertor:
"Great, kid. Don't get cocky."
George Lucas and his legal team are comin' for ya now, McWhertor. May the Force be with you.
@bigd7387: You can call GT5 a demo, but it's much more than that. Also, GTA IV for the PS3 is not a "gimped" port ( it's not a port at all ), where the hell did you get that?
uhmm....
so how many are still using PS3 as blu-ray movie player more than as a game console?
@bigd7387: Burn!
Well I only have a Wii. I'm happy with it, but I sometimes steal glances at the 360 or the PS3 when she isn't looking. In this new era I think a polygamous relationship with our consoles is OK. Just don't get upset if your console puts out to your friends.
I love how you post the NPD sales. Ah, big corporations. They never change.
@BPM is Ready to Brawl!: Just because a title did not make top 10 does not mean it didn't sell very well. That said, there are 130mil+ ps2s. The ps2 has by far the largest game library of all those consoles. Since they're also extremely cheap, people buy them in the dozens at once.
@icepick314: Not me. I've used my PS3 as a Blu-Ray movie player for a total of about 2 hours. I've played PS2 games on my PS3 for a total of about 200 hours. And probably about 150 hours playing PS3 games. I just got it at the end of 2007, though. Haven't even had time to sink my teeth into a lot of the games I've bought for the system because I've been playing a shit-ton of PSP. So many good PSP games (it's true).
@Witzbold: Penny and Julie Newmar's Catwoman.
...and Agent 99.
God bless old school Nick-at-Night.
@ folk talking about the "Playstation Portfolio" thing, it's all the same franchise. Brand recognition will get you a long way in industries like this.
Either way though, it's going to be nice to stop hearing "TEH PS3'S DONT SELL!" all the time.
@Michael McWhertor: how about Anne Hathaway as the new Agent 99? went from doing ABC Family type movies to going topless/simulated drug use movies to doing Agent 99
Next time, Reggie! NEXT TIME!
*stupid cat cackling noise*
@bigd7387:
A "Demo" that has more content that almost all full priced racers out there. GTA4 isn't a port nor is it gimped, and well, you're clearly not a fan of MGS or anything on the system (Snake isn't a spy either nor is he 70)
The question that you should ask yourself is: why did you buy the system? (if you do have one and not just another troll). If you can't find an answer, you deserve to be laughed at.
@Part-Time-Viking:
No but you'll be hearing a lot of "PS3 sucks with no games" if the momentum slowed down.
@bigd7387: Way to completely fail there.
GT5 Prologue is more than a "demo." But I guess that debate is subjective.
GTA IV isn't "gimped" on the PS3, unless you think the lack of two exclusive episodes gimps the PS3 version (in which case you have a seriously distorted definition of "gimped").
Snake isn't "70," he is suffering from accelerated aging, and the "monkey" belongs to Drebin, the weapons launderer, not Snake.
@SG79: Well, the anti-PS3 camps won't admit that the PS3 is doing well, so they have to find something to throw dookie at.
img=http://img.waffleimages.com/0c6e176c688f0ab0dd129b972329ba7fdd20dee8/a14fti.jpg
I failed, but not this time!
[img.waffleimages.com]
@Kunabomber: Strike two.
Yeah I'm glad to see some good games finally come out for PSP. The rest of year is pretty much a ghost town for the system. After FFVII Crisis Core, PSP fun is no more.
@Michael McWhertor: Your trio of pics are so totally awesome and totally appropriate! More 80's please!