The PlayStation 4 is the preferred choice for many console gamers in the US, says NPD. It outsold the Xbox One by almost 2-1 in January 2014, the first month after the Holiday sales period. Microsoft has traditionally dominated in the US, but are the tables turning?
Update: Sony says that they have now sold "over 5.3 million" PS4 consoles by February 8th. We have updated the graph.
But still early days for consoles
The Wii U has still sold more, but has been out for a full year more than Sony and Microsoft’s next-gen consoles. PS4 and Xbox One both sold 1 million globally on launch day, but the PS4 quickly accelerated, selling 4.2 million globally compared to 3 million for the Xbox One by the end of 2013.
It appears that the PS4 is expanding on its lead position, according to NPD. In the US, the PS4 outsold the “nearest next gen competitor”, presumably Xbox One, by almost 2-1 in January, confirms NPD and Sony. That is quite significant, as the US has traditionally been one of Microsoft’s strongholds. The old-gen Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 in almost every single quarter since launch in the US, but are fortunes shifting?
It is worth pointing out that the PS4 is available in far more countries than the Xbox One – 53 compared to 13 – but Microsoft has launched in most of its important markets and Sony has yet to launch the PS4 in its home market, Japan. That will happen next week. Microsoft is believed to expand availability of the Xbox One to several European countries in April, but Microsoft has yet to confirm the rumors.
There are no official sales numbers for January 2014, but some suggest that sales have slowed a lot, which is not unusual after the Holiday period. Many customers are also holding out because of the lacking game catalogue for all the game systems, according to industry watchers. Sony and Microsoft have several big titles coming out later in 2014, with the much anticipated Titanfall coming to the Xbox One on Mach 11th.
Which console have you bought? Are you still holding out?
PS4 outsells Xbox One by almost 2-1 in January
