PS3 Sales Up 127% in April, Fueled by Blu-ray

[Merrick97]

For you bluray haters:

http://www.hollywoodinhighdef.com/bl...ail.php?id=200

PlayStation 3 player sales of 187,071 units in April were up 127% from the same month last year, according to a Sony report of NPD sales data.

Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America, says the PS3 momentum is "fueled by enthusiasm for Blu-ray as the definitive high-def standard."

He also credits the release of new game titles like "Grand Theft Auto IV," which sold more than 1 million copies in April in North America alone (23.6% of all PS3 owners), leading to overall sales of 2 million software units in April (a 410% increase over April 2007), with this month's launches of "Haze" and "SingStar" and the June debut of "Metal Gear Solid 4" expected to continue strong PS3 sales growth.

Bolstering support for Internet connectivity in general, such as the BD Live feature on new Blu-ray players, Sony reports that, driven by the release of "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue" on the PlayStation®Network, approximately 6 million pieces of content have been downloaded from the PlayStation®Store in North America since this time last month, with more than 73 million pieces of content downloaded from PlayStation Store in North America to date.

There are currently more than 3.9 million registered PlayStation Network accounts in North America.

Coupled with PlayStation Network innovations, Tretton says PS3 "remains on pace for a breakthrough year.”

Meanwhile, for those who wrote off Sony's PlayStation Portable several years ago, the multi-purpose handheld device continues to grow, with 192,696 more PSP hardware units sold in April (5.4% increase from April 2007), and more than 1 million software titles.

So, it appears that, once again, Sony's patience in sticking with a product that may be slightly ahead of the market and gets off to a bit of a slow start eventually pays off big for the company and apparently winds up being very popular and satisfying for consumers

[Balian]

This is a lot more legitimate thread than the other April PS3 thread. Generally, you don't do a straight month to month sale comparison with CES product. Instead, you do a month to month sale comparison on a yearly basis ...like this one.

[Merrick97]

Originally Posted by Balian

This is a lot more legitimate thread than the other April PS3 thread. Generally, you don't do a straight month to month sale comparison with CES product. Instead, you do a month to month sale comparison on a yearly basis ...like this one.

Its what I call thinking positive.

[steaky]

Its more than that, its standard business practice to compare this year to last year, each month, and not month to month in succession! Maybe they do the later that in grocery stores.

[Kosty]

It would be a bad thing if PS3 sales YTY sales were declining. so this too is not a big deal.

The tone of the article is important though as its beginning to be a industry consensus that the PS3 is gaining more momentum and thats a good thing for Blu-ray.

[rmslives]

Well, then there you go! Two ways to look at PS3 sales.

Just a question, though - since when do you have to be a bluray "hater" to point out that PS3 sales have not been very impressive?

We're still too emotionally attached to these topics, on both sides.

[vinnie97]

Originally Posted by rmslives

Well, then there you go! Two ways to look at PS3 sales.

Just a question, though - since when do you have to be a bluray "hater" to point out that PS3 sales have not been very impressive?

We're still too emotionally attached to these topics, on both sides.

I much prefer the term Sony hater m'self...rolls off the tongue more succinctly.

[AV_Integrated]

Originally Posted by rmslives

Just a question, though - since when do you have to be a bluray "hater" to point out that PS3 sales have not been very impressive?

I think it's important to have some context to what is 'impressive'. I think the Wii, hands down, is IMPRESSIVE. But, I think that many people have considered the X360 to be impressive, yet at the same point in the life cycle, was behind the PS3, and currently sells less.

I'm a big fan of the X360, but in order of sales it seems that this is the console that is lacking in sales compared to both other major consoles on the market, and the Wii is kicking the crud out of the other two.

Doesn't really matter in the least as long as sales continue to grow for the consoles on an annual basis and it's a good sign when year to year months show significant growth. If all consoles are showing this growth, that's good for consoles, but the tie-in with Blu-ray that PS3 has shows significant growth for the BD format which is very good for this year.

[rmslives]

Originally Posted by AV_Integrated

I think it's important to have some context to what is 'impressive'. I think the Wii, hands down, is IMPRESSIVE. But, I think that many people have considered the X360 to be impressive, yet at the same point in the life cycle, was behind the PS3, and currently sells less.

I'm a big fan of the X360, but in order of sales it seems that this is the console that is lacking in sales compared to both other major consoles on the market, and the Wii is kicking the crud out of the other two.

Doesn't really matter in the least as long as sales continue to grow for the consoles on an annual basis and it's a good sign when year to year months show significant growth. If all consoles are showing this growth, that's good for consoles, but the tie-in with Blu-ray that PS3 has shows significant growth for the BD format which is very good for this year.

Looking at the PS3 as a Blu-ray player, the console has been very impressive, and while the PS3 has not made Blu-ray "mainstream," it has brought people into the mix who would not spend more than $200 on what they would perceive to be JUST another DVD player. My brother-in-law and three of our cousins have all picked up PS3s, mainly for Blu-ray playback (obviously I did, as well). None of these gentlemen are what I would call home theater enthusiasts, so they would represent a more mainstream audience.

Definitely, the PS3 has been good for the growth of Blu-ray.

[gijoela]

Am I a Blu Ray hater? No. Do I own the format, yes.

OP, while it's *impressive* to see PS3 sales up, you fail to point out how well their competitors fared during the same period.

What you dont show is any *preference* stats.

April, in case you forgot, one of the biggest titles came out in the April sales month, granted at the end of the period however if you look at quotes like this, it is not all surprising that GAMING hardware sales INCREASED.

"Many outlets of chains such as GameStop Corp and Best Buy Co Inc. have taken advance orders for weeks and are opening their doors at midnight to accommodate gamers eager to be among the first to play."

Bottom Line - The PS3 sales continue to spell more uncertainty for Blu Ray..The more sales of the PS3 rise, it seems the more standalone player sales fall.

While many of you characterize those of us who doubt the viability of a PS3 dependent format, you fail to give credit to those of us who bark and bark to the BDA --- SELL STANDALONES!

I will say for the gazillionth time, NO FORMAT WILL SUCCEED DEPENDING ON A GAMING CONSOLE. Had HD DVD been dependent on this same strategy, I'd be barking the same fucking bark.

Instead of some you blu brains *listening* to research and agree that more *needs* to be done to spur adoption, many of you, from your lair at Bluraydotcom come here and spend all day and all night attacking posters when you should agree with reality that, all is not bliss in bludom and, as of today, things are not looking all that great like many of you claim.

You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Well some of you *think* you can.

But go ahead, spin the increase in blu ray disc sales as a sure sign mass adoption is happening when IN FACT there are 300% more PS3's in the market versus a year ago if not more. Duh. Mass panic would break out if sales of players did not translate into increases in volume sales of discs. WTF! Hence, sales of discs should be skyrocketing and they are not, period.

Your post does nothing but keep fueling my fire that the format is still in stall mode.

Stats that show ONE Blu Ray Movie for every PS3 owner on average sold is a amount equal to dis-aster and horrible by any stretch.

Please, spin away. But here's something to compare...How many GAMES have been bought by PS3 owners since the PS3's introduction...It's those details that really *show* why blu ray is failing to catch a wave as of yet.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by gijoela

Am I a Blu Ray hater? No. Do I own the format, yes.

OP, while it's *impressive* to see PS3 sales up, you fail to point out how well their competitors fared during the same period.

What you dont show is any *preference* stats.

April, in case you forgot, one of the biggest titles came out in the April sales month, granted at the end of the period however if you look at quotes like this, it is not all surprising that GAMING hardware sales INCREASED.

"Many outlets of chains such as GameStop Corp and Best Buy Co Inc. have taken advance orders for weeks and are opening their doors at midnight to accommodate gamers eager to be among the first to play."

Bottom Line - The PS3 sales continue to spell more uncertainty for Blu Ray..The more sales of the PS3 rise, it seems the more standalone player sales fall.

While many of you characterize those of us who doubt the viability of a PS3 dependent format, you fail to give credit to those of us who bark and bark to the BDA --- SELL STANDALONES!

I will say for the gazillionth time, NO FORMAT WILL SUCCEED DEPENDING ON A GAMING CONSOLE. Had HD DVD been dependent on this same strategy, I'd be barking the same fucking bark.

Instead of some you blu brains *listening* to research and agree that more *needs* to be done to spur adoption, many of you, from your lair at Bluraydotcom come here and spend all day and all night attacking posters when you should agree with reality that, all is not bliss in bludom and, as of today, things are not looking all that great like many of you claim.

You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Well some of you *think* you can.

But go ahead, spin the increase in blu ray disc sales as a sure sign mass adoption is happening when IN FACT there are 300% more PS3's in the market versus a year ago if not more. Duh. Mass panic would break out if sales of players did not translate into increases in volume sales of discs. WTF! Hence, sales of discs should be skyrocketing and they are not, period.

Your post does nothing but keep fueling my fire that the format is still in stall mode.

Stats that show ONE Blu Ray Movie for every PS3 owner on average sold is a amount equal to dis-aster and horrible by any stretch.

Please, spin away. But here's something to compare...How many GAMES have been bought by PS3 owners since the PS3's introduction...It's those details that really *show* why blu ray is failing to catch a wave as of yet.

Where is your proof that a format cannot survive if its main player is a console? And when has a console like the PS3 EVER been tested?

Your thinking is terribly antiquated IMO.

Oh, and you need a hug.

[JAC35]

I think the BDA is pefectly happy that Blu-ray is coming on slowly.... Let's face it, they need to get those production lines up and running. This is why prices will remain high for the next while IMO. There is a window however where digital downloads could take a big portion of the marketshare away from Blu but DD still is a bit of a ways off. It will be intresting to see how it all unfolds over the next 3-5 yrs.

[mylthazz]

i really think the ps3 sale increase was due to just GTA4 and very minimal on blu-ray and they're just spinning it. 410% increase in game software, decrease in blu ray movies during the month - but people are buying the ps3s for blu-ray movies? how does that conclude that blu-ray is fueling the sales spike and not the fact that gta4 is out?

but whatever they do to get it in more homes and ultimately get the price on players and media down i'm for

[Ellsworth]

Originally Posted by mylthazz

i really think the ps3 sale increase was due to just GTA4 and very minimal on blu-ray and they're just spinning it. 410% increase in game software, decrease in blu ray movies during the month - but people are buying the ps3s for blu-ray movies? how does that conclude that blu-ray is fueling the sales spike and not the fact that gta4 is out?

but whatever they do to get it in more homes and ultimately get the price on players and media down i'm for

Thats real right there. More player in homes. This month people bought PS3's to play GTA4. Later this year they'll be picking up Ironman, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, etc....

The market is growing, and soon [by the end of this year] SA players will be at a price point that seems 'acceptable' to most HDTV owners.

[redrex383]

gijoela, you bring up a valid point, but if you look at format history there is a counter point to be made by Sony itself. My first DVD player was a PS2, so two with a lot of my friends. Now I'm a gamer, and the PS2 isn't exactly the biggest and best selling DVD player of all time but there's an interesting corrollation(sic). When my PS2 was my DVD player I had a lot of people asking, "how's that DVD?" And I loved it! I still have the TV I was watching those DVD's on and I still have the VCR that was playing the tapes before it. The important thing is I had people asking...

The similarity is that now I have people asking, "how's that Blu-Ray?" And I love it! Just like DVD, way-back-when, people are still not ready to spend the money to upgrade. DVD players were frickin EXPENSIVE!! But the awareness is/was there. With the switch to digital broadcasting, announcement that LCD production costs are dropping rapidly, and the Wal-Mart'ization of HD this is a foundation for an HD future. I am in the peo