Xboxist

2009: The Year of the Xbox 360?

While next-generation console sales in 2008 were led by the Xbox 360, there were some compelling arguments heard towards the end of the year that Sony and its PS3 might finally have the success they have been waiting for in 2009. Confident Sony representatives cited upcoming hit exclusives like Killzone 2 and Heavy Rain as reasons to excited about a big hardware comeback this year, and a growing stable of games means that both consoles are practically on equal footing when it comes to their libraries.\n\nIf the most recent US hardware sales numbers are any indication however, 2009 has started off firmly in Microsoft’s hands. Of course, one must conveniently ignore the Nintendo Wii, which continues to break sales records, but more on that below.\n\nWhile the PS3 flagged, the Xbox 360 rallied in January. Hardware sales across all of Sony’s product lines were down in January 2009, compared to the same month a year ago. The PSP, PS2 and PS3 all saw their sales decline this past month, while rival Microsoft and Nintendo saw considerable increases in sales of their consoles.\n\n\n\n\n\nMicrosoft saw sales grow by 25 per cent, from 230,000 units in January 2008 to 309,000 units in January 2009. The Nintendo Wii experienced a massive increase from 274,000 units to 676,000 units this year. Sony did not fare so well. In January of 2008, the PS3 soled 269,000 units, but suffered a 24% decline at retail this year. \nMeanwhile, it is clear that Sony is phasing out the PS2 console in North America. The workhorse console still managed to sell more than 100,000 units in January, but this marked a 62 per cent decline over last year when the PS2 sold 264,000 units.\n\nWill the rest of 2009 continue to favor Microsoft and its lower-priced Xbox 360? The chances are high that in North America at least, this trend will continue. Sony has adamantly denied plans to reduce the price of its PS3, and due to economic conditions in Japan, they seem to have their hands tied as far as a much-needed price drop is concerned. With the economy fairing so poorly, the market for high-end Blu Ray players – even if they come with a great game system attached – is also not as healthy as it was back in 2007. \n\nWe expect that the PS3 will continue to lose ground to the Xbox 360 in America, hold steady in Europe, and gain market share in Japan over the course of 2009. It seems, for the moment at least, that a big Sony comeback will have to wait until 2010.\n\n\n\n
\n\nRelated Articles:\n\nSony Hardware Sales Fell in January\n\nThe PS3 Now Costs \$448 to Manufacture\n\n5 Reasons Not to Get Excited About Heavy Rain (Yet)\n\n\n
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