The PlayStation 4 outsold the Xbox One by nearly a 2 to 1 margin in January, according to Sony. Exact numbers haven’t been released yet, but the NPD also confirmed through GameSpot that the PS4 is the best-selling system in the U.S. for the month, and is number one worldwide.
“The response has been fantastic,” said Sony computer Entertainment America Marketing Vice President John Koller. “In the US, PS4 was #1 in sales for next-gen consoles in January, nearly doubling the nearest next-gen competitor. And PS4 remains the cumulative leader here based on today’s report from the NPD Group.”
Sony earlier confirmed that the PS4 shipped 4.2 million units worldwide in 2013 following its launch on November 15, 2013. That was ahead of the Xbox One, but only slightly. By comparison, Microsoft reported 3.9 million units shipped between its November 22 launch and the end of the year.
It’s worth noting that both companies are actually crowing about the number of consoles shipped to retailers, rather than sold through to customers. That makes it tough to pin down an exact number of how many next-gen consoles are in the hands of consumers. That said, a quick look at both Best Buy and GameStop show that the Xbox One is available at retailers now, while the PS4 is sold out. GameStop lists the shipping date for certain PS4 bundles as February 17, while the standalone system is listed as “currently unavailable” with no pre-order options.
Sony definitely appears to be in the lead, and with the Japanese launch coming on February 22, sales should see another slight bump. That said, Microsoft execs probably aren’t losing too much sleep over this, as both next-gen systems are doing very well. Regardless of which system you are hoping will win out, the sales are good for the gaming industry as a whole.
