Xbox Series X/S sales have not reached half of PS5's, and Microsoft continues to fall short against Sony?

Sunday, Sept. 29, 15:35h
By TN Agency

It seems Microsoft is on track to repeat its performance in the battle between PS4 and Xbox One.

According to newly reported data, Microsoft has sold 28.3 million Xbox Series X and S consoles worldwide as of June 24, which is less than half of the 61.7 million PS5 units sold by Sony during the same period.

The Wall Street Journal used data from Aldora Intelligence to compare hardware sales between Sony and Microsoft since the PS2 and the original Xbox. In that generation, Sony completely dominated its rival, selling 155 million units compared to a mere 24.7 million Xbox consoles.

The Xbox 360 performed much better, with hardware sales of 84.9 million, nearly matching the 87.4 million of the PS3. In its analysis, WSJ noted that the $600 price of the PS3, adjusted for inflation, would be equivalent to about $934 in 2024. This figure is significantly higher than its competitor, even surpassing the PS5 Pro, which will be priced at $700 upon its release on November 7.

As of June 2024, Microsoft’s numbers compared to Sony closely reflect the sales figures of the previous generation, indicating that Xbox is selling about half the number of consoles as PlayStation. While 57.9 million Xbox One units sold is only half of the 117 million PS4s, the 28.3 million Xbox Series X/S sales also equate to half of the 61.7 million PS5 units.

All of this suggests that Sony is on track for another decisive victory in the console war unless something unexpected happens. This is not surprising; Xbox itself has admitted that it is losing this battle in court during its case with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to gain approval for the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Clearly, Microsoft is relying on the Game Pass subscription model and cloud gaming to compensate for its hardware sales shortfalls, but whether this strategy will prove effective in the long run remains uncertain.