NPD Group has published the results for October 2016, and they show a similar story as September.
Xbox One claimed the top spot for the month, edging out the PS4. Microsoft points to the launches of Gears of War 4 and Battlefield 1 for driving momentum during the period, which included a 52% increase in multiplayer games on Xbox Live when compared to last year.
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Mike Nichols shared the following:
Thanks to the passion of Xbox fans worldwide and their continued excitement for Xbox One S, Xbox One was once again the best-selling console in October in the U.S., U.K. and Australia according to NPD Group and GfK Entertainment. Xbox One has been the best-selling console in the U.S. for the past four months, and in the U.K. and Australia in each of the last two months. With over 100 award-winning exclusive games, the fastest and most reliable gaming network with Xbox Live, built-in UHD 4K Blu-ray and 4K video streaming support and HDR for gaming and video, Xbox One S is the ultimate games and 4K entertainment system. New game launches like ‘Gears of War 4’ and ‘Battlefield 1,’ and continued engagement with an exceptionally strong catalog of games on Xbox One, helped increase the number of Xbox Live multiplayer gamers by 52 percent compared to last year. ‘Gears of War 4’ was also the No. 1 platform-exclusive title for October in the U.S. and U.K. according to NPD Group and GfK Entertainment, while ‘Forza Horizon 3’ became the year’s best-selling and highest-rated racing game, further strengthening Forza as the most successful racing franchise on any platform this generation. We are grateful to our community for their continued support and look forward to a great holiday season.
The PS4 was expected to be much more competitive than it was during the month due to the release of PlayStation VR, but it didn't drive console hardware as much as anticipated. This will change in November's numbers which will not only include Black Friday sales, but the launch of the PS4 Pro.
For the time being, the Xbox One is crawling its way slowly to becoming the best-selling console in the U.S. At this rate it'll take only a few more months for it to mount a comeback that many thought was impossible.
