PS3 outsells Playstation 2… in the last quarter - Sony PSP doing well
By Dave Parrack
The PS2 has been a loyal machine for millions of gamers for 8 years now, and a veritable money-making machine for Sony. Although the console has seen many changes to its model, and a repositioning in the marketplace, it has sold consistently in that time frame. The PS2 is now dirt cheap, and being marketed as a kind of starter console for people on a budget who don’t need the latest games to satisfy their gaming desires. But the PS3 is now outselling it.
That’s because we have moved on a generation, and the PS3 is now the daddy, at least as far as Sony is concerned. While the Playstation 3 has so far failed to really grab the general public’s attention in the same way the PS2 did, sales are on the up, and for the first time, PS3 sales are above sales of the PS2 over the last quarter.
According to Total Video Games, Sony today unveiled its financial records for the first quarter of 2008, ending June 30th. They show that global sales of the PS3 hardware reached 1.56 million units, compared to 1.06 million for the PS2. That’s still a huge figure for the Playstation 2 when its age, and out of date technology is taken in to account, but things are looking even better for the PS3.
Sales of the Playstation 2 are dropping rapidly, with two years left of its estimated 10 year lifespan. The last 3 months has seen a global drop off of 1.15 million units, which can only really be explained by the fact that gamers are moving on to the next generation. The Playstation 3 continues its climb, with year on year sales increasing by 0.86 million units of hardware.
The surprise in this financial report are the figures for the Sony PSP, a console that I thought was on its way out. Thanks to a continued resurgence of support and sales in Japan, the PSP has outperformed both its bigger brothers combined, with 3.72 million units sold in the last 3 months.
Sony’s game division as a whole is also in the black for the first time since the PS3 was launched. Due to increased sales, the division recorded a small operating income of £25.2 million. This reverses the trend which saw the division post an operating loss of £136.3 million last year.
To sum up, things are looking decidedly healthy for Sony. The Playstation 2 may now finally be winding down, although I can see sales continuing to bubble away for a few years yet, while the PS3 and PSP are both on the up.
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Stumble It!
Tips N4G
July 29th, 2008
Hmm, let’s see, if I were the biggest douche bag on the planet, how would I respond to this article?
….
Got it: “zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”
In all seriousness, though, posting an operating profit is good news. They pulled that off alot sooner than I would have thought.
-Arvis
July 29th, 2008
since this is “healthy” (giggle), then this must mean sony will incur further profits and no more losses with the ps3. right mike?
July 29th, 2008
Kev, you’re right, as long as the sales trends continue the way they have the past 7 months, Sony’s profit will only continue to grow as MS’s growth has leveled off and begun a decline. Sorry sweetie.
July 29th, 2008
pfreak - don’t post. the fact the ps3 is still sold at huge losses and their cash cow (the ps2) is declining says different.
July 29th, 2008
Kev- Sony has a gaming division, they look at numbers for the whole gaming division. If that division is now making a profit, that’s what they are looking at. I know its hard to understand when MS just does away with a console after a couple of years, but if the PS2 and PSP help to cover the costs of the PS3 so be it.
July 29th, 2008
Wylie you are too quick for me, I couldn’t of put it better myself.
July 29th, 2008
And this is the reason they run multiple lines of business at the same time in thier gaming division
Take the hits for the PS3 with your other hardware, then when its mature and selling games etc, it will take the hits for thier next piece of hardware.
July 29th, 2008
no kev, the “facts” say different.
and why are you addressing mike? clearly the article was written by DAVE PARRACK
July 29th, 2008
LOL DAVE you were wrong? and admitted it!!! thats unheard of on this site and the comment section. Kudos though in seriousness, as not many other people can do this here.
I guess this article backs up the sony aim of outselling the ps2?
July 29th, 2008
BORING!
July 30th, 2008
wylie - i’m not disagreeing. but the fact is, the ps2 is the money maker, not the ps3. now that ps2 sales are slowing, it stands to reason their money will also slow, while the ps3 sells at a loss.
July 30th, 2008
Kev- I do understand that logic, however by the time the PS2 is done the PS3 very well could be making money on every console sold. We don’t know yet, that is the key, we are trying to look into the future. I’m sure Sony is working on lowering the labor costs of making a console. Their costs will come down, the question is will it be in time!
July 30th, 2008
wylie - the ps3 is nowhere near breaking even yet. sony prolly won’t break even on the hardware for another 2 years, if they’re lucky. the tech just isn’t dropping in costs fast enough. look at the current pricing of bluray players for proof. (not just the one on “sale”).
July 30th, 2008
davep - does “healthy” also mean a reduction in fiscal year income forecasts by 17%?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10001341-1.html
get off sony’s leg already. even they know tough times are ahead.
July 30th, 2008
Um, kev, perhaps you need to rethink your MS-blinded insistence that Sony is losing money on PS3.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080729-sony-game-division-gets-profitable-with-strong-q1-results.html
Have we YET in ANY quarter since the development of the original XBOX seen MS report their games division making a profit??? Right.
Move on to some other unsustainable “fact” eh?
July 30th, 2008
The article says the gaming division recorded positive earnings doesn’t it?
This is gamer.blorge.com isn’t it?
July 30th, 2008
davidb - yes, genius, the ps3 is selling at a loss. they are losing money with the ps3, while making money with the ps2 and psp.
remember, even the xbox created profits for ms for a while before sinking back into the red. the ps3 looks positioned to do the same thing. only worse….
sony’s losses are at 3.3 billion as of 4 months ago with losses climbing. ms’ xbox losses were 4 billion in four years. sony is set to exceed that by a huge margin.
July 30th, 2008
Nice post kev!
July 30th, 2008
thanks, harry.
love the name btw.. lol.
July 30th, 2008
You two are a couple of yo-yos, you know that?
-Arvis
July 30th, 2008
arvis - of course..
btw; thinking of changing from kev to Hughe Jorgan. harry gave me the idea..
July 30th, 2008
Hairy ball sack and huge organ…what a bunch of clowns. Theyre blatently the same person…or homosexual lovers. Anyways BACK TO THE ARTICLE WHICH IS WHAT SOME PEOPLE ON HERE HAVE TROUBLE STICKING TO.
Im thinking of finally buying a psp. The ps2 is still a useful console, just more of a casual/retro game console. But for pure entertainment without resorting to fanboyism, ps2 owns.
July 30th, 2008
Kev- that would be great than I could go “Future of Sega” on you and say something like Fuh-q Hughe Jorgan with Harry Sachz.
Maybe I’ll change my name to Bluray Balls!
July 30th, 2008
Ok maybe not!
July 30th, 2008
wylie - maybe “blu balls”? hee, hee…
July 30th, 2008
bourne - it’s hughe jorgan not huge organ.
July 30th, 2008
good god i never knew that Kev *rolls eyes*
July 31st, 2008
bourne - sorry, given how much you’ve proven you don’t know, i thought this was just one more instance…
July 31st, 2008
its ok Kev, we forgot that you know everything anyway.
August 1st, 2008
as we all do Bourne, as we all do…..
August 1st, 2008
bourne - I didn’t say that. only that you’ve been wrong …. a lot…
August 1st, 2008
No i’ve not been wrong, in your opinion i’ve been wrong, stating facts doesn’t mean i was wrong, applying my opinion doesn’t even make me wrong. I’ll tell you why you’re wrong: You apply opinion PRESENTED as fact to everything, and if anyone disagree’ that M$ is the greatest thing since sliced bread you ridicule them. I think you ought to take into consideration other peoples opinion, the facts and to just stop blindsiding every fact we present. This will make you a lot more credible and respected by everyone.