PS3 sales up 130 per cent during Xmas

By Ellie Gibson Published 6 January, 2009

Sony happy with "solid holiday season".

A Sony Computer Entertainment America exec has said sales of PS3 were up by more than 130 per cent during the festive period.

"We've had a solid holiday season and have delivered consistent growth throughout this year," said sales vice president Ian Jackson, in a statement to CNET.

He described 2008 as "a pivotal year for PlayStation" with "the best software line-up in the industry" on offer.

"Early internal data points to an increase of more than 130 per cent of PS3 hardware sales for the holiday season - since Black Friday - and we're also seeing a growth of nearly 40 per cent in total PS3 hardware sales for the calendar year," Jackson continued. "We remain confident this momentum will continue into the new year."

As the CNET article points out, PS3 sales were down by 18.8 per cent for November 2008 compared to the same month a year previously. Xbox 360 sales were up by 8.6 per cent, while the figure for Wii rose by 108 per cent.

But Sony said this was an anomaly, blaming "an abnormally strong month due to a price cut (with) the introduction of the 40GB PS3".

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (54) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dizzy #1 3 years ago

    This thread will get ugly.

    /runs away
    Edited by 1 at 06/01/09 @ 09:57

  • DFawkes #2 3 years ago

    Things sell more at Christmas? Holy balls! Someone get out the word!

    Seriously, I know the media wants to convince us all to panic and stop buying anything ever, but that's not going to stop people treating themselves, and I'm sure children couldn't give a monkeys about what the financial situation is when they ask Santa for a PS3. Why a child would want a PS3 I don't know, but there would've been some.

  • TheWretched #3 3 years ago

    > Things sell more at Christmas? Holy balls! Someone get out the word!

    I don't even know where to begin... You know there was a Christmas last year too, don't you?

    > Why a child would want a PS3 I don't know, but there would've been some.

    Because it actually is quite a good console with great games on it?

  • Zomoniac #4 3 years ago

    Given there were shops doing it with 2 controllers, LBP, Resistance 2 and a couple of other very new releases for £280ish I'm not surprised. The price is still far more than the others, but if you're even vaguely tempted by Blu-Ray, it's a reasonable price.

  • Widge #5 3 years ago

    I think his angle is more that alot of the features would be lost on a child, not so on us crumblies.

  • DFawkes #6 3 years ago

    Sorry, I didn't mean to sound negative about the PS3, more the fact all I saw before Christmas was parents buying Wiis.

  • uglygamer #7 3 years ago

    He spoilt all the good news by saying the PS3 has the best software lineup. I have to disagree and say its the second best behind XBOX 360. But far far better than the Wii.

  • Eraysor #8 3 years ago

    Solid, but not exceptional!

  • alpha-0ne #9 3 years ago

    Well done sony but they are still being outsold by all the competition

  • drumbaby #10 3 years ago

    My kids don't give a damn about the PS3's countless features, but they sure love playing Little Big Planet. They don't care that the Blu-Ray disc bumped up the price of the console for their dad when he bought it, but they told me they wished they'd got Clone Wars on Blu-Ray instead of DVD for Xmas when we were in HMV last.

    Point being...kids don't just like the Wii, and enjoy the PS3 with no regard to the system wars fought by fanboy parents. :)

  • Garulon #11 3 years ago

    "But far far better than the Wii. "

    The MSX has better software than the Wii. Better graphics too.

  • rudedudejude #12 3 years ago

    130% of 10 eh.

    So they sold 13 or 23?

  • menage #13 3 years ago

    Good for them. It's nice to see all 3 doing good stuff.

    Best software line-up, I don't think so though. 360 still wins this year.
    Edited by 1 at 06/01/09 @ 10:27

  • Widge #14 3 years ago

    you tell me MATHS WIZARD

  • Widge #15 3 years ago

    Best games of 2008 is in eye of the beholder really. Usually that leads to list wars and "well I don't rate that game" fests.

  • andijames #16 3 years ago

    Think it's safe to say the Wii has truely pissed (excuse pun) on the other machines in terms of sales this gen plus the fact nintendo are making a profit on every machine since launch has made it extremely successful.

    But like anything in life it's entirely up to the individual's perspective on what they think. Sony are going to be happy in perspective maybe compared to previous sales in the same way maybe a 360 owner would be happier on how that has performed this year.

    If that makes sense :)

  • CapnCloudchaser #17 3 years ago

    I bought a PS3 cheap with loads of games but I haven't even touched it. The hubby loves it for TV and Blu-Ray though, and keeps banging on at me about the free online gaming, which he doesn't even play that much of anyway.

    Still, it gets more action than the Wii does, poor thing :(

  • Moonprince #18 3 years ago

    "But far far better than the Wii. "

    The MSX has better software than the Wii. Better graphics too.

    FUCK REALLY??????

  • spiny #19 3 years ago

    I'd say this was due to the better bundles most retailers were offering, it made it much better value (I bought one :)).

    I have to say though, I don't wonder that it's not doing great compared to the xbox & wii. Apart from a couple of cinema ads, I've seen absolutely no marketing for the PS3.

  • TurboBailey #20 3 years ago

    Can we just class the Wii as an anomaly??

    My Parents, 2 uncles and my Sister (30+) have all got a Wii. Surely that makes it Un-cool. More of a gadget / fad than anything else.

    Im much happier with a PS3 + Xbox

  • chrisjm #21 3 years ago

    so for every 1000 they were selling they sold 1300. not quite the christmas rush they needed.

  • Les #22 3 years ago

    "Still, it gets more action than the Wii does, poor thing :("

    Wonder if the Wii'll mind it that much... ;)

    The Wii is different from the competition in that it's primarily aimed non-network multiplayer. It's an easily accessible party system and a very good one at that. It'll get more play time than any traditional console with the expanded public though less with traditional gamers (as myself) as there just aren't that many single player games released on it. But TBH the few hours that I spent playing on various friends' Wiis were much more enjoyable than any that I spent on SP or MP PS2/PS3 games the last year.

  • miiiguel #23 3 years ago

    ^ That's because you don't do 360...

  • Rash' #24 3 years ago

    les, LBP, that's all you need for party fun.

  • dominalien #25 3 years ago

    Well, at least they managed to sell some. Anything that keeps MS from getting a monopoly on a yet ANOTHER market must be good, I say.

  • tonynibbles #26 3 years ago

    There's no LBP sales data for Europe and other PAL territories yet (at least on VGChartz), and they account for the majority of sales.

    LBP should have hit 2 million sales worldwide by now :D
    Edited by 2 at 06/01/09 @ 12:19

  • rotmm #27 3 years ago

    @tonynibbles,

    Indeed. With it selling for less than 1/2 it's RRP in most PAL territories, along with pack-in's and some pretty heavy advertising, it must have garnered some pretty spectacular sales results.

  • des #28 3 years ago

    Real numbers will emerge next week,it will be fun to watch...

  • Tzetrik #29 3 years ago

    I was bought a PS3 for Xmas and Im actually really loving it. Dunno how that will hold up when the pile of exclusives drys up though.

  • mungolikebeans #30 3 years ago

    Who honestly cares about sales figures......? Clucking Bread Heads everywhere!!

  • rhubarbandcustard #31 3 years ago

    To cut a long story short...

    ...despite wanting to buy him a PS3, he got the X360 Premium because it was a HUNDRED frigging pounds cheaper.

  • youhavenomail #32 3 years ago

    Led by LBP, Valkyria Chronicles and MGS4, Sony has every right to claim best line-up of 2008.

  • Les #33 3 years ago

    "les, LBP, that's all you need for party fun."

    I really love that game, it's the best one of 2008 (and one of the few games that I've finished in its year of release) IMO. But it's not as accessible as many of the Wii games. My girlfriend loves the look and feel but as a non-gamer she got confused quite soon when actually playing a level and she's one of the many people that instead of continuing to plod on until it clicks just quits instead. As a same-room multiplayer game, it just can't hold a candle to Wii Sports.

  • metalnut #34 3 years ago

    "> Things sell more at Christmas? Holy balls! Someone get out the word!

    I don't even know where to begin... You know there was a Christmas last year too, don't you? "

    Yeah, but that's not what they're comparing against, that's the point. They're saying that their sales were 130% higher during xmas 2008 compared to not-xmas 2008. If they compared like-with-like, ie to xmas 2007, they're 18% *down*, which is why they don't want to talk about that.

    The problem is price and undelivered promises (too many exclusives that turned out to be naff). LBP and MGS4 are great games, but neither are really system sellers. LBP is quirky and great but not marketed well, looks like a casual title but is actually quite hardcore inside the fluffy shell. MGS4 is a marmite game - you either love wacky old Kojima or you think he's a complete tool - not many people in between.

    I think Unchartered and GOW3, plus a price drop, have the best chance of reversing the downward trend in 2009.

  • TitianWarrior #35 3 years ago

    "so for every 1000 they were selling they sold 1300. not quite the christmas rush they needed."

    that would be a 30% increase, not 130%

  • Les #36 3 years ago

    "The continual gloating at the PS3s 'demise' is rather hollow though. What console 'failed' when it sold 20 million in just over 2 years"

    PS3 and 360 did. In the end it's all about expanding the market and making money. PS3 sold more than 360 in its first two years but whether it'll be able to match 360's third year remains to be seen. 360 sales were disastrous last year until the huge price drop and it's unlikely Sony will be able to cut much of the PS3's price given the strong yen and the worsening economic conditions in 2009.

  • Gradius #37 3 years ago

    Sometimes, I wish I was poor enough to only be able to afford one console...Then I could join in with the pathetic fanboy nonsense and 'armchair sales analysis' that seems to be so popular in these comments sections.

  • rhubarbandcustard #38 3 years ago

    I've got more money than you boasts Gradius.

    You've also got shit stains point out Eurogamers.

  • Dizzy #39 3 years ago

    "Sometimes, I wish I was poor enough to only be able to afford one console"

    Oh dear.

    TBH I have no time to play on two consoles... I need to drive my Porsche to my yacht every few days to stock up on champaign in the yakuzi.

  • Widge #40 3 years ago

    LBP is both soft and hardcore

  • #41 3 years ago

    hmm not bad for an other priced piece of 3rd place crap.

  • Johnsters #42 3 years ago

    re- Vorlon-man - Bluray selling badly

    I have heard nothing to back this up. Just referencing threads without content is like saying 'man in pub told me'.
    Take a look at [link url=http://www.dvdfile.com/article/blu-ray-dis c-exceeds-expectations-13104
    ]http://ww w.dvdfile.com/article/blu-ray-d...[/link]
    Apologies for the US centric, but I think its pretty much there. Blu-ray adoption is faster than that of DVD when that first came out.

    re Les - Wii being more fun-
    It isn't! (my opinion only). The novelty of the controller wore off very fast with me and beyond Tennis, nothing has come close. Great with friends and families the first time it came out 2 yrs ago- but nothing since. My Wii hasn't been turned on since April last year. Need to sell it. Apart from Boom Box, Wii sports (only tennis) and Zelda I feel there is nothing there even for a casual gamer like myself. I got bored of paper mario and Galaxy (I was shocked too) and Mario kart lacks fun of the old SNES original. (No more Heros rocks but is repetitive to the nth degree) - smash brawl was a bit of a mess). Maybe it really is for young children, fat folk and celebrity families. Thats the way its been marketed.

    I do think MS has has marketed the Xbox well. Cheap for the entry models, constant TV adds and they have tapped markets that Sony had with the likes of Lips and the movie quiz game. (Sing star and buzz are better though, but not by much).

    I would love an Xbox for 'Left4dead' and Gears2, but cant justify owning 2 consoles of similar game focus.

  • bonker #43 3 years ago

    "so for every 1000 they were selling they sold 1300. not quite the christmas rush they needed. "

    No.

    FFS, why do I have to point this out *every* time that Sony come up with their BS "increased by a %" quotes??

    *Increased* by 130% means that for every 1000 they were selling, they sold 2300.

  • Apologie #44 3 years ago

    PS3 have such a strong line of games for 2009... 2008 have been amazing but Uncharted2, GT5, God of War2, Killzone 2 etc... just to name a few, ultimately blows the competition away.

    I feel sorry for all the Xbots out there, that are too blind and narrowminded to give themselves the privilege and oportunity to play the best games of this generation... by the way, i dont give a f*** about wich one sells more, i just want good games and reliability, and i get both with the PS3.
    Edited by 2 at 06/01/09 @ 15:40

  • Johnsters #45 3 years ago

    farticusmaximus -

    You're probably right. I've not played either of the xbox games but based my assumption on what I have read (reviews etc). So I aired on the side of caution. PS3 Buzz is great. Got it over the holiday period. Put my wife's family in front of it while we cooked dinner. Not bad if it keeps 50 and 60 year olds amused for a few hours.

  • Apologie #46 3 years ago

    farticusmaximus = angry fanboy

  • Amoebalove #47 3 years ago

    Apologie = rabid, foaming, barks at the moon, loony, crackpot, stupid list making, unintentionally hilarious fandoy

  • Kryon #48 3 years ago

    I see the list bearer has returned! Apololol, I thought I vanquished you back in late 2007, why have you returned? What is your purpose? Are you here to cut 'n' paste or is it just the standard list delivery?

  • MasterNameless #49 3 years ago

    Aha! That reminds me of Apololol's 'cut and paste review' of Bioshock he did last year. Obviously, as it was a 360 exclusive at one time, he felt the need to pretend he'd played it, and then find a bad review on the internet to copy into the comments and pretend that he wrote it. He even intentionally added spelling mistakes and destroyed the paragraph structure just to make it more plausible! I wish I could find it again for linkage... All it took was a quick google to find his source. Hilarious.
    Edited by 1 at 06/01/09 @ 17:26

  • Kryon #50 3 years ago

    Apolol is a comedy genius though, he's like Benny Hill on crystal meth :D

  • BonzoBanana #51 3 years ago

    I hope 360 fanboys realise that without the ps3 and wii MS would really be screwing us over. Competition keeps prices down. With 3 choices for gaming these companies are working really hard for our cash. That said Nintendo don't seem to have to work that hard selling outdated technology and hugely profitable prices but in theory thats how a competitive market place works even if Nintendo seem to have an easy ride at the moment.

  • Sunyavadin #52 3 years ago

    Competition shouldn't be about keeping prices down, it should be about ENCOURAGING FUCKING INNOVATION.

    "Hey, lets offer the same product everyone else is , just slightly cheaper! We don't need originality or inspiration!"

    This is why World of Goo shat on every other game this year, no matter how good they were...

  • Dan234 #53 3 years ago

    We need numbers, not percentages, otherwise I will be forced to conclude they sold 130 consoles this Christmas and one console some other day (we don't know when).

    In other news tractor production is up 66% since some unspecified day and shoe production is up 141% since another unspecified day.

  • callum9999 #54 3 years ago

    @chrisjm: If sales were 130% of last years then yes, they would be selling 1300 when they were selling 1000 before. However, it says "up 130%" so it will be 2300 for every 1000 they were selling before. If something increases by 100% it doubles, not stays the same.