Patrick Klepek of 1up has written an article, focusing on the Playstation 3 and how it is doing. Though the launch in November was good, hardware sales have been down 60% since June. Sony has desperately tried to draw attention with firmware updates and improved features, but none of that matters. It's the price and software that counts. Klepek doesn't think Sony is doomed, but they're unlikely to move out of third place for awhile.
Ever since Janruary, there has been a steady, but deadly decline in the PS3 sales. See the actual stats in the quote. June looks good, but it seems that it's the PS3's worst month so far. Averaging out the week-to-week sales, given by the stats, the PS3 only sold 78,000 in that four week period. Xbox 360 sales in the US to date are 5.79 million and the PS3 lags at 1.49 million. That means that they'd have to sell 4.3 million units by December just to catch up. At the average rate since the last six months, it would take them 33 months (2 years and 9 months) just to match the 360 sales.
Though the hardware saw a happy launch in late November, sales have dropped hard every month. Most telling? Hardware numbers in June are down a whopping 60% from January. Firmware releases and PlayStation Network updates have offered improved features, but can't fix the two most brutal criticisms -- price and software -- and unless a miracle occurs, the former will keep them from playing much catch up this Fall.
PlayStation 3 Month-to-Month Sales
January*: 244,000, or 48,800 per week
February: 127,000, or 31,750 per week
March*: 130,000, or 26,000 per week
April: 82,000, or 20,500 per week
May: 82,000, or 20,500 per week
June*: 98,500, or 19,700 per week
Even if sales were to double in July and continued going forward, they would have no chance of catching up with Nintendo, let alone Microsoft. In the event of a gaming apocalypse where Xbox 360s were to stop being manufactured until January 2008 -- keeping in mind U.S. total Xbox 360 sales to date are at 5.79M, whereas PS3 sits at 1.49M -- they would need to sell 4.3M units by December. At the averaged rate culled from the last six months of PS3 hardware sales -- 127,250 units -- it would take them a total of 33 months in order to catch up with Xbox 360.
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I don't believe that there have been any worldwide Wii hardware epidemics now, am I correct? I don't believe Microsoft has more exclusive titles now, am I correct?
I thought so.
Still, back on topic, it is without doubt PS3 is in third. It'll pick up sometime, but not soon at all. Wait a few years, when the war has ended and new ideas are springing. How about... the handheld XBox? XD
I'd like to see it explode in someone's hands...
Also why wait for the war to be over to get a ps3? And no the wii hasn't had problems neither has Sony ps3 other than price, and the ps3 has some great titles coming out soon.
Oh well, it'll probably pick up and it's not like the competition it has isn't good so it's bound to be somewhat of a challenge.
Sony are in fault here, of course. I would say the main things that have effected this is the shock of the Wii of how well it is doing in Japan, with the DS as well and the price for many people is not what they are wanting to pay on a console and are waiting for a couple of years. In my view until they change this they will be in the same area as what they are currently in. They have the games and the titles coming out but it is the price that is stopping them advancing for many people.