So you think the headline is a bit harsh and just here to stir up tension?
Well you may be right but it’s justified at the same time, the April NPD figures have just been released and it’s becoming abundantly clear to even the most hardcore Sony fan that the PS3 is not going to make it in America without a drastic change of direction.
How bad was it? Well the PS3’s sales were the lowest since before the release of the 40GB model in in October 2007, or in simple lay-mans terms, it’s worst showing in 18 months.
Even more embarrassing for Sony is that their age old PS2 outsold the PS3 by 45 000 units after that recent price drop. Or to stoke those embers some more, the PS2 outsold the PS3 by 45%…
But fear not Sony fans you can point to the entire grouping of Sony products as proof that they are still doing well. So lets add up 127k for the PS3, 172k for the PS2 and 116k for the PSP and we get 415 000 units a mere 965 000 less than Nintendo’s two consoles combined.
If it makes you feel any better the Xbox 360 tanked as well, it only outsold the PS3 by 48 000 units and the PS2 by 3 000 units.
The PS3 did also have 1 title on the top 10 software lists, The Godfather II sold 91 000 units on the PS3… just 64 000 behind the Xbox 360 version of the same game.
We just have enough time to throw one last stone at the PS3, the statistics show that the cheaper version of the PS3 outsold it’s expensive flatmate by an average of 9 to 1.. showing that consumers actually really do want a price cut instead of getting a second job. Who would have guessed.
Sources: DigitalBattle, Gamasutra, TheSimExchange
Last Updated: May 20, 2009
easy
May 20, 2009 at 12:20
this should prove interesting.
maybe it’ll fair better than yesterdays let down of a potential fanboy war.
LazySAGamer
May 20, 2009 at 12:36
Unfortunately the facts of the matter can’t really be argued so I don’t expect much of a war around this one.
I hope I’m wrong though
easy
May 20, 2009 at 12:53
ya, well calling the ps3 a failure, and an abject one at that… sheesh!
maybe i need to reappraise my definition of failure, otherwise i’ll be living in a constant state shame of not living up to the new standard which defines a failure or a win.
semantics probably 😉
SlippyMadFrog
May 20, 2009 at 13:01
Yes!!! The xbox360 outsold the PS3, time to celebrate!! :w00t: *does the worm
neoassasin
May 20, 2009 at 13:26
The XBox will always outsell the PS3 and the main reason for this is price. The media is usually a good indication of what console is doing better and if you look at TV and movies you’ll usually see the XBox being played. The only time I can remember seeing the PS3 on TV was on an episode of Heroes.
WitWolfyZA
May 20, 2009 at 13:27
I think Sony will give a price drop at E3. I mean come on enough is enough… From being the greatest console to being the least used console on the market is just a slap in the face
Luigi
May 20, 2009 at 14:17
Um, no. Product placements are usually paid for – when you see James Bond driving a Ford or using a Sony Ericsson, it’s not because they’re doing better than the alternatives.
Luigi
May 20, 2009 at 14:18
The April NPDs are wretched reading for everyone. Sony does have the lowest market, so it does need something that ignite its sales, but the 360’s sales were also weak. Come on, the PS3 was only 3K less than the 360 – that can’t be good, can it?
LazySAGamer
May 20, 2009 at 14:30
The PS3 was 48 000 behind the Xbox 360… you must be thinking of the PS2 sales
StarCraft 2 News
May 20, 2009 at 14:46
These figures must surely confirm the need of a price drop. I know Sony aren’t in the greatest of financial positions, but they need to shift more consoles to shift more software.
WitWolfyZA
May 20, 2009 at 15:46
I think the manufacturing and the Blu-Ray rom is killing them. the media is still too new to lower it to what we would consider affordable.
DarthPenguin
May 20, 2009 at 16:06
And the little guy in the first season of heroes who can talk to machines played both a 360 and a PS3.. depending on which place he was…
Fox1
May 20, 2009 at 16:11
All three of the console manufacturers are doing nothing to help the gamer during these tough financial times. Gone are the days when pre-orders were so important and people used to want to own games the day it was released.
I see manufacturers of LCD TVs and PC components drop their prices to continue pushing sales but in the console gaming world prices have been put so high :blink:
baba
May 20, 2009 at 17:19
Lazy, rather let Nick write about the PS3, you are a 360 fanboy that obviously hates Sony. All of your anti PS3 articles just stinks of fanboyism.
Flameboy
May 20, 2009 at 21:11
Says the PS3 fanboy….numbers don’t lie. :sleeping:
WitWolfyZA
May 21, 2009 at 07:42
And in Transformers it shows at one part some guys xbox transforming while still in the box
WitWolfyZA
May 21, 2009 at 07:44
Agreed! I see in some retailers the Wii cost more than the Xbox and just a bit cheaper than the PS3. Now thats cocky
WitWolfyZA
May 21, 2009 at 07:45
Facts a are facts. Lets wait till E3 maybe Sony will have a big come back… hopefully
baba
May 21, 2009 at 07:59
I enjoy all my consoles, I’m just sick and tired of PS3=Failure reports even though it is going very strong after 2 years. This site needs to grow up with their totally mistleading and pathetic headlines.
easy
May 21, 2009 at 08:56
unfortunately facts are not always as clean cut as some people want to make them out.
there are thousands of factors that need to be taken into consideration, and basing the “failure” of the ps3 on one month’s figures is grossly misleading and lends itself to speculation of lazy’s bias to the 360.
while i don’t subscribe to that, i still feel this article is not in the spirit of this site, and possibly alienizes a fair chunk of its readers.
nuff said
darthdad
May 21, 2009 at 09:00
“speculation of lazy’s bias to the 360.” :biggrin: :ninja:
LazySAGamer
May 21, 2009 at 09:14
So coming last after promising to overtake the 360 and Wii is not a failure?
The PS3’s sales plummeting more than any other is not a failure either?
There are hundreds of positive PS3 articles on the site but the pure facts of the matter are that Sony have gone from being the console kings to bringing up the rear and nothing they have shown or promised leads me to believe that will be any different in the next two years.
I just wish people commented with such verocity on the positive PS3 stories which just glide under the radar.
easy
May 21, 2009 at 09:30
lol… i think your problem is that your are cynical. not a bad thing.
can’t win ’em all :biggrin:
WitWolfyZA
May 21, 2009 at 10:55
I wont say its baised. Everybody knows the failure rate of the Xbox ,and everybody knows the purchase rate of the PS3.
We still have to take off our hats to Sony for coming a year later and being behind with +/- 8 000 000 consoles thats not bad. Seeing that people primarily use it for theater only
WitWolfyZA
May 21, 2009 at 10:59
Okay just to calm down things a bit with the debate here is a little clip i discovered on youtube “Jack Black turns on a Xbox” ITS HILLARIOUS….
NOTE!! a bit sexaul
Luigi
May 21, 2009 at 11:01
Yes, PS2 sales. My mistake.
LazySAGamer
May 21, 2009 at 11:31
I’ve always posted contentious articles and it’s not about disliking a certain platform but more about posting the article that everyone else is dancing around. The sales are terrible and there really is no silver lining to the PS3 in April
easy
May 21, 2009 at 11:54
i wont dispute your integrity at all, as i understand you are never going to be able to post something thats not going to rattle cages.
its just that i detest over sensationalised head lines… its in the vein of sky new or the sun(uk publication).
although this is essentially a blog and the opinion of those that contribute, which will always be subjective.
for what its worth, i do enjoy your site will continue to use it as my main source of gaming news, thanks to you and your contributors.
Nick - Lazygamer
May 21, 2009 at 14:20
A lot of people call articles like this anti-ps3, but let’s also not forget that this article pushes for a price drop, and there are a lot of articles out their just like it. The more the price issue is addressed, the more Sony feel the pressure to drop it.
Hopefully, by the power of greyskull, they get enough attention and Sony finally do the drop.
Squal123
May 21, 2009 at 15:10
Lets be honost this is a real bad time for all companies including the games market. We all know that MS game division is bleeding money. I think its unlikely that Sony will drop the price of the ps3, they will take whatever profit they can even if that means not leading the market in this gen. Hope I am wrong though. ::ermm:
Lydon
May 21, 2009 at 21:29
Notice how since Macs have been used in basically all programming and movies, they’ve become a lot more popular?
Coincidence? I think not.
Lydon
May 21, 2009 at 21:32
So what? We must all join hands with Sony and sing Kumbaya in Playstation Home?
Get real. The PS2 was MASSIVE, now the PS3 is in dead last place. How going from the top to the bottom can’t be seen as an epic fail is beyond me.
darthdad
May 21, 2009 at 22:04
Game on Dude! :cheerful: