PS4 Sell Through 91.6 Million Units & Spider-Man 9 Million Units Sold

[Shortbread]

https://www.sie.com/en/corporate/release/2019/190108.html

SAN MATEO, Calif., January 7, 2019 - Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) today announced new sales milestone for PlayStation®4 (PS4™).

* PS4 has now cumulatively sold through more than 91.6 million units*1 globally as of December 31, 2018.
* Within the above number, PS4 has sold through more than 5.6 million units*2 globally during the 2018 holiday season*3.

 

[SedentaryJourney]

They sold 18 million in 2018, making it the second best year for PS4 sales.

If they can average 15 million/year over the next two years they should hit 120 million right around the launch of PS5, assuming a November launch.

 

[Nesh]

I wonder how well they fair compared to the PS2 during the same lifespan

 

[chris1515]

I wonder how well they fair compared to the PS2 during the same lifespan

A bit higher than PS2, the PS2 had shipped number of a bit under 90 millions for the same period. The PS4 is a bit higher in sold through and shipped number. And PS2 shipped number were not to retailer like PS4 but out ot the factory number.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

A bit higher than PS2, the PS2 had shipped number of a bit under 90 millions for the same period. The PS4 is a bit higher in sold through and shipped number. And PS2 shipped number were not to retailer like PS4 but out ot the factory number.

That is not really a fair comparison as PS2 launched first in Japan and was only sold there for around 7 months, whereas PS4 had worldwide launch. Five years after the NA launch, PS2 had shipped 100 million units. PS4 had much better sales initially, but PS2 biggest years were bigger than PS4's.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

PS2 was way cheaper. Relative to price, PS4 is doing very well indeed. If only there was a way for Sony to get the price down to $150 and less.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

I think the total world market is much bigger now. PS2 had much better sales from North-America and Japan than the PS4 at same point in time, Europe might be around the same?, but outside of these territories, PS4 has almost certainly sold quite a bit more units.

 

[ultragpu]

Get it down to $199 then accompanied by TLOU 2, Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding, it would probably make 2018 look like nothing. Niche Man should be way past 10 million by now too.

 

[London Geezer]

PS2 was way cheaper. Relative to price, PS4 is doing very well indeed. If only there was a way for Sony to get the price down to $150 and less.

We're also much richer today than in the PS2 days, no?

 

[Karamazov]

too bad they did not share the PSVR sales.
They'll be over 100 millions by the time PS5 releases.

 

[goonergaz]

That is not really a fair comparison as PS2 launched first in Japan and was only sold there for around 7 months, whereas PS4 had worldwide launch. Five years after the NA launch, PS2 had shipped 100 million units. PS4 had much better sales initially, but PS2 biggest years were bigger than PS4's.

I think the total world market is much bigger now. PS2 had much better sales from North-America and Japan than the PS4 at same point in time, Europe might be around the same?, but outside of these territories, PS4 has almost certainly sold quite a bit more units.

PS2 was sold a lot cheaper a lot quicker and the Japanese market was actually a factor back then (these days it's quite small by comparison).

Last gen we had the Wii which skews figures, this gen we have Switch which skews figures...it would be interesting to see total hardware sales figures per generation.

This is fairly interesting, shame it doesn't go back to PS2 era;

https://www.statista.com/statistics/276768/global-unit-sales-of-video-game-consoles/

edit - quick and dirty, switch figures are off - figures taken from here;

 

[Sigfried1977]

PS2 was way cheaper. Relative to price, PS4 is doing very well indeed. If only there was a way for Sony to get the price down to $150 and less.

Only cheaper in the US iirc. No idea about the UK, but in Germany the thing launched for a higher price than the PS4 did. Almost 900 DM in fact (roughly €450) And unlike the original Xbox (which also launched a hell of a lot more expensive in Europe), people still eagerly flogged towards it and bought the thing. It took a while before it dropped in price too.

 

[goonergaz]

Only cheaper in the US iirc. No idea about the UK, but in Germany the thing launched for a higher price than the PS4 did. Almost 900 DM in fact (roughly €450) And unlike the original Xbox (which also launched a hell of a lot more expensive in Europe), people still eagerly flogged towards it and bought the thing. It took a while before it dropped in price too.

It's not just the launch price it's the price drops too, by now PS2 was less than half the initial launch price;

http://vgsales.wikia.com/wiki/Price_cuts

PS4
United States November 2013 $399 for 500GB model (launch price) [11]
United States October 2015 $349 for standard bundles (-$50) [12]
United States September 2016 introduce PS4 Slim $299 for 500GB model (launch price) [

PS2
United States October 2000 $299 (launch price)
United States May 2002 $199 (-$100)
United States May 2003 $179 (-$20)
United States May 2004 $149 (-$30)
United States April 2006 $129 (-$20)
United States April 2009 $99 (-$30)

 

[Deleted member 11852]

We're also much richer today than in the PS2 days, no?

I think that's just you and I. It's because we are so wise!

 

[vipa899]

I wonder how well they fair compared to the PS2 during the same lifespan

PS2 still amazes just thinking how many units sony sold.

PS2 was way cheaper. Relative to price, PS4 is doing very well indeed. If only there was a way for Sony to get the price down to $150 and less.

Why are they keeping the PS4's price so high? At PS2 prices, it would perhaps sell even more, but at a loss? Even the fat PS2 was much cheaper just 2/3 years after launch. For $150 i wouldnt even hesitate. Even used PS4's go for atleast $200 here.

No idea about the UK, but in Germany the thing launched for a higher price than the PS4 did. Almost 900 DM in fact (roughly €450) And unlike the original Xbox (which also launched a hell of a lot more expensive in Europe), people still eagerly flogged towards it and bought the thing.

OG xbox went for almost 5000kr here, about 500 dollars for a console. PS2 wasnt far off, true. But both consoles dropped in price rather fast, and that by a large amount. This isnt really happening now with PS4. One S is quite cheap new, but.... thats that.

 

[Malo]

Why are they keeping the PS4's price so high?

They're not really at a point where trying to sell more at a cheaper price would be a net gain. It's still selling really well at the current prices.

 

[Shortbread]

Why are they keeping the PS4's price so high?

Maximizing larger profit margins, pure and simple. No need to reduce cost when the system is selling vastly well (91.6 million sold-through) and has a worldwide install base lead of 45-50%.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

PS2 was sold a lot cheaper a lot quicker and the Japanese market was actually a factor back then (these days it's quite small by comparison).

Last gen we had the Wii which skews figures, this gen we have Switch which skews figures...it would be interesting to see total hardware sales figures per generation.

This is fairly interesting, shame it doesn't go back to PS2 era;

https://www.statista.com/statistics/276768/global-unit-sales-of-video-game-consoles/

I have to clarify what I meant with the market being bigger. I meant that the potential market has grown and is more varied, sales distribution across territories has changed somewhat, I am not sure about the size of the overall market or total demand for home consoles, but whereas the sales are quite a bit weaker in Japan and perhaps little bit in NA, there are other areas where there are more potential customers. Many countries are developing and getting richer etc. When the PS2 launched, Earth had around 6.1 Billion people, when the PS4 launched there was one billion more. PS4 will end up with a pretty nice worldwide figure for sure.

 

[goonergaz]

Why are they keeping the PS4's price so high?

Market forces/supply and demand.

I have to clarify what I meant with the market being bigger. I meant that the potential market has grown and is more varied, sales distribution across territories has changed somewhat, I am not sure about the size of the overall market or total demand for home consoles, but whereas the sales are quite a bit weaker in Japan and perhaps little bit in NA, there are other areas where there are more potential customers. Many countries are developing and getting richer etc. When the PS2 launched, Earth had around 6.1 Billion people, when the PS4 launched there was one billion more. PS4 will end up with a pretty nice worldwide figure for sure.

Yes, it's like I said with the whole Wii scenario - that sold a lot of consoles into a market that never played games before (and possibly since!). It's pretty much impossible to pin it down...but all that aside, the PS4 has only had a 25% price drop over 5 years after launch...the fact it sold so many last year is frankly unheard of, the market is still happy to pay for a $300 console (yes, I know there are deals - but that's the official RRP).

 

[Nesh]

Why are they keeping the PS4's price so high? At PS2 prices, it would perhaps sell even more, but at a loss? Even the fat PS2 was much cheaper just 2/3 years after launch. For $150 i wouldnt even hesitate. Even used PS4's go for atleast $200 here.

I d say elasticity of demand maybe. But still thats a wild guess.
They prefer to stay with the current state of affairs as it works than risk.
There is a chance that a price reduction might increase hardware sales significantly and thus drive more software sales, which means more revenue and potentially more profits. But by how much and if, is still not fully certain.
But then there is also the other matter of things. Sony used to, more or less, own the hardware and it's manufacturing with the PS1 and PS2. I suppose not as much and they have to pay margins to AMD. So maybe the flexibility for a price reduction might be smaller.
The PS3 too failed to reach PS2 levels of size and retail price during the end of its life