The current generation of consoles has seen a clear victor: Sony’s PlayStation 5. Fresh numbers from June 2024 paint a stark picture of the console war, with Sony selling a staggering 61.7 million PlayStation 5 units, compared to just 28.3 million combined sales for the Xbox Series X/S. This trend is no anomaly; it reflects a long-standing pattern in the console landscape.
Looking back, the PlayStation 2 reigned supreme with over 155 million units sold, dwarfing the original Xbox’s 24.7 million units. While the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 were neck and neck in sales, with 87.4 million and 84.9 million units respectively, the PlayStation 4 decisively outpaced the Xbox One, selling 117 million units to the Xbox One’s 57.9 million.
So, what’s behind the Xbox’s lagging performance this generation? A key factor highlighted by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is the lack of compelling console exclusives. While PlayStation boasts a robust lineup of exclusives, some of which eventually find their way to PC, Xbox has struggled to deliver new and exciting console-exclusive titles in recent years.
Moreover, the rise of Xbox’s subscription service has arguably contributed to a decline in console sales. With Game Pass, players can access a vast library of games without needing to purchase a physical console. This shift in gaming consumption patterns has likely impacted Xbox’s hardware sales.
Sony, meanwhile, is further solidifying its dominance with the upcoming release of the PS5 Pro, expected to launch in November. Analysts predict sales of 10-15 million units, which will push Sony’s combined PS5 and PS5 Pro sales well over 80 million by the end of the year.
The console war is far from over, but the current numbers paint a clear picture of PlayStation’s dominance in the gaming landscape. As the market evolves, it will be interesting to see how Microsoft responds and whether the landscape will shift in the coming years.
