PS3 sales up, says Sony
Console boosts Q3 results
Sony recorded a strong rise in PlayStation 3 hardware and software sales during its third 2009 fiscal quarter.
During the three-month period ended 31 December 2009, Sony shifted 6.5m PS3s – up from 4.5m units of the console during the same period in 2008.
Sony also saw a rise in PS3 software sales, from 40.8m units in Q3 2008 to 47.6m units during Q3 FY2009.
But Sony’s PlayStation Portable and PS2 didn’t fare quite as well.
Some 4.2m PSPs shipped during the quarter, down just under 1m units compared to sales during Q3 FY2008.
PS2 sales dropped from 2.5m units in Q3 FY2008 to 2.1m in Q3 FY2009. The console launched back in 2000 and, following yesterday's release of a report highlighting a drop in videogame sales across the UK during 2009, an analyst told Register Hardware that people have simply moved on from the elderly console.
Sony performed well overall during the quarter. It raked in a net profit of ¥79.1bn (£549m), compared to just ¥10.4bn (£72.2m) during the same period in 2008. Revenue rose 3.9 per cent to ¥2.24tr (£15.6bn). For the full financial year, which ends on 31 March, Sony narrowed its forecast loss to ¥70bn (£487m) from ¥95bn (£661m).
Vaio PCs, for example, “experienced increased unit sales in all regions”, Sony said, though specific sales figures for the firm’s PC line weren't disclosed.
However, Sony’s Consumer Products and Devices division, which includes Bravia TVs – PS3s fall under Sony’s Networked Products and Services arm — saw sales decrease by 10.7 per cent year-on-year to a total of ¥969.8bn (£6.7bn).
Sony blamed some of that drop on a decrease in Bravia LCD TV sales, which it claimed were “affected by intensified priced competition”. ®
COMMENTS
one unmentioned fact
I bet a lot of Sonys sales for the quarter are disgruntled xbox owners who got banned before Thanksgiving. I know several that just game their xboxes away as gifts to less addicted gamers (ie friends and family). They figured if they have to buy the games anyway why give another dollar to M$ and still have to pay for online gaming. Piracy on a system moves hardware. I am sure it doesn't hurt Nintendo from a hardware sales perspective.
Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs
Cheaper, leaner PlayStation3 sells well! Who'd have thought it?
I was waiting for just such a beast, and for the last week or two I've been thoroughly enjoying my shiny new PS3 Slim.
Simple explaination
Most of the Final Fantasy fanbois are gearing up for Final Fantasy XIII. I myself bought my PS3 two months ago just because the game is coming out in a few more months.
I even know of people dumping their existing PS3 on eBay, even if it's a month-old PS3 slim, then buying the Japanese special tie-in Final Fantasy XIII tie-in console, just because it has Final Fantasy XIII written in pink on it.
Hang on..
Why don't you buy Demon Soul then? It's not like games on a PS3 are locked by region, you know... Import Copies? It's a game, is a game, is a game. Doesn't cost the earth for an import, nor will it. You might be one of 10 people that wanted that game (or one of thousands), but it would seem the devs didn't think they could market Demon Soul in the EU.
"All the stuff that isn't exclusive looks and runs better on a modern PC or a GatesBox360 anyway" - I will dis-regard the GatesBox comment as purely benign (I have both, and can see little major differences between them.. for now anyway), but a Modern PC: Yes. you are quite right, and you would need something that would have a graphics card that costs more than a console in it.
Meh
Traded my xbox for new ps3 before xmas, not fussed about it really - xbox seemed more fun even through you had to pay for xbox live and the controller was miles better.
Oh I never suffered from the red ring of death
alien face because they know all about red rings
