Entering November, the Xbox One has been outselling the PS4 in North America for four months in a row. Although many were hopeful that this would continue into 2017, the streak has officially come to an end.
NPD Group's November 2016 results are in, and as expected hardware sales surged during the month. Although the specific figures aren't publicly available, Microsoft made no mention of being the top-selling console for the month, something it has been very outspoken about during every month it has "won". Combined with preliminary data showing the PS4 on top, this effectively confirms that the PS4 won the Black Friday 2016 war.
Microsoft's statements reads:
A victory month typically reads like this (October example):
Note also that the statement makes no mention of YoY growth. This is particularly surprising given the Xbox One S's recent momentum. Part of this can be faulted on the Xbox One undergoing significant price drops early in its life cycle, reducing the perceived value of subsequent price drops.
RELATED: Why the Xbox One Outsold the PS4 For 4 Months
Although certainly a disappointment for Microsoft, retailer data as well as anecdotes indicate that it performed admirably during the month, due in-part to a wide SKU selection that included bundles sold at under $230. Few expected it to win when stacked against not only a $250 PS4 but its brand new PS4 Pro.
As we learned at PlayStation Experience, Microsoft has a tough year ahead that will end on a strong note with the release of Project Scorpio. Its big hitters will include Halo Wars 2, Cuphead, Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves, Scalebound, State of Decay 2, Below, and Ashen, among currently unannounced titles.
A Look Back At PS3's Launch 10 Years Ago
A Look Back At PlayStation 3's Launch 10 Years Ago
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Blu-ray: A media revolution
As with the PS2 that came before it, one of the greatest progressions made by the PS3 was the inclusion of a Blu-ray drive. This was at a time when even the most affordable dedicated drive was over $600. Although this resulted in the PS3 initially being expensive, it was a huge investment that would eventually move the industry forward.
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rnThe large capacity of Blu-ray discs did a lot to open up possibilities for game creators. Games like Killzone 2 would deliver uncompressed audio and remarkably high resolution textures. On the flipside, shortages of Blu-ray manufacturing parts would delay the console's launch in several territories in addition to inflating the price.
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rnBlu-ray would compete with HD DVD for a few years before taking over the industry, becoming a new standard that we now live by. You can now see Blu-ray drives featured in both Sony and Microsoft devices. -
Hardware: Cell problems
The Cell Processor was intended to be the PS3's special factor. Marketed as a CPU with tremendous potential, it had a rough first few years. Sony's decision to go with the Cell resulted in the Xbox 360 holding the best versions of most third-party games. Developers including Valve weren't enthusiastic to work with the architecture, which required careful consideration that deviated dramatically from prior systems.
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rnDuring later years the Cell would prove itself to be a highly potent piece of hardware, but by then it had earned such a negative reputation that Sony would leave it in the rear view mirror moving forward. -
Games: Missing something
The PS3 only had six games available during its Japanese launch. They were as follows:rn -
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- Blast Factor
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- Kidou Senshi Gundam: Target In Sight
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- Ridge Racer 7
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- Miyasato Miyoshi Kyoudai Naizou: Sega Golf Club
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- Resistance: Jinrui Botsuraku no Hi
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- Genji: Kamui Souran
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- Call of Duty 3
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- Genji: Days of the Blade
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- Madden NFL 07
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- Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
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- Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
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- NBA 07
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- NBA 2K7
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- Need for Speed: Carbon
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- NHL 2K7
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- Resistance: Fall of Man
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- Ridge Racer 7
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- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
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- Tony Hawk's Project 8
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- Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
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Launch: Day zero
The PS3 debuted in Japan the morning of November 11th, 2006. It was a huge moment in history for Sony and the Japanese market as expectations soared into the heavens following the PS2's record-breaking performance. Tens of thousands of consumers waited in line overnight to get their hands on the new device which was promised to be the best PlayStation yet.
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rn88,400 units were sold in the first two days clearing store shelves in the process. Although it would start strong, sales would fall off at a steady pace following the Holiday rush, due largely to Nintendo's introduction of the Wii just three weeks later.
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rnThe PS3 would fail to meet the figures set by the PS2, which many blamed on its price. It would make up for it over time, eventually surpassing the Xbox 360 in worldwide sales. -
Pricing: A costly investment
The PS3's initial price point was its greatest enemy. Two SKUs were priced at $499 and $599 respectively, a roughly 100% leap over what the PS2 was sold at jus six years prior. Sony argued that although the price tag was abrasive, it was a great value proposition and that consumers would be willing to work extra hours to buy one. That didn't boil over well.
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rnEnchanted by experiences with the PS2, hundreds of thousands of Japanese consumers would put down the money required to bring one home. However, many PlayStation loyalists were completely turned off, and looked to the more affordable Xbox 360 instead. This would result in a heavy swing during the early console war years of the PS3 and Xbox 360, which would require incredible investment and commitment by Sony to change. -
Online: PSN comes alive
In 2006 the PS3 became the first PlayStation console to be online multiplayer capable out of the box. It was a big moment for Sony, particularly when it came to competing with Microsoft's increasingly popular Xbox Live service.
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rnPSN would initially be very barebones in terms of features. There were no achievements or ways to share spectacular moments. Its big selling point was that it was entirely free, as opposed to the subscription format of XBox Live. This would remain a factor for years to come. -
Controller: Sixaxis of freedom
Rumors of Sony delivering an entirely new controller shape were put to rest at launch. The new controller, called Sixaxis, was largely what had been seen before. Symmetrical, convex sticks were prominent as with prior controllers, and nothing was changed in terms of button placement. It was a safe iteration that produced positive results.
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rnHowever, it did include motion sensors which provided new forms of input. Issues of input delay and sensor accuracy stunted its ability to take off, especially when it came to implementation in LAIR, a title that was supposed to demonstrate the technology in a positive light.
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rnOne major point of contention early on was that the controller didn't support vibration. It was an oversight that perturbed many fans, but would be remedied in time. -
A Look Back At PlayStation 3\'s Launch
