There’s no doubting that the PlayStation 4 is a roaring success, but the latest figures just help cement that notion.
Reports indicate that Sony has moved no less than 110 million consoles since the system first arrived in September 2015. And that’s not all: These console sales are being reported alongside record-breaking digital game sales numbers that we think really helps give a broader picture of the state of the industry in 2020.
Of course, we’ve reported that the novel coronavirus outbreak has helped digital game sales more than anything, but this is more of an acceleration than it is a firestarter in and of itself.
There are some signs though that the PS4 is losing steam as we approach the arrival of the successor system this fall. During the quarter ending March 31, 2020, Sony sold some 1.5 million PS4 units which was actually down 42% from last year according to Video Games Chronicle.
Although this period doesn’t cover the COVID-19 pandemic nor its impact on business, signs so far are that the outbreak has been good for digital game sales. A Sony press release said that despite some temporary hardware issues in the supply chain, sales have remained strong.
“Sales of game software that is downloaded from the network, as well as PS Plus and PlayStation Now (PS Now) subscriber numbers have significantly increased,” the press release stated.
It’s interesting that Sony didn’t report any disruptions to PS4 supply or production and also remained somewhat quiet about the new system coming out at the end of this year. While it looks like everything is on track for the 2020 release timeline, things could change if the current pandemic lockdown extends deeper into the year.
Further, PS4 owners and those sitting on the fence have a large selection of games coming out this year. From the recent FFVII Remake exclusive to the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, this generation of consoles is going out with a bang. Maybe that’s why it makes it so much more difficult to see any real hype about the new generation coming. Then again, it’s a weird time in the world in general, let alone in the realm of video games.
One thing that we think Sony got right is making the PS5 backwards compatible with the PS4. That will definitely get some early adopters to pick it up if they were waffling on it, but who knows how that will sway people used to adopting in to the generation later.
What do you think? Are you hyped for the PS5 or are you good sticking with your current-gen system? Let us know your thoughts on this story in the comment section below.
Source – Video Games Chronicle
