General Gaming Ampere Analysis: in 2023, PS5 sold 22.5 million units (+65% YoY), X Box Series X|S sold 7.6 million units (-15% YoY), Switch sold 16.4 million units (-18% YoY)

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

PlayStation sales and blockbuster games propel console market back to growth (Financial Times)

 

 

 

Now we know what the Xbox Series X has been discounted to $350 at the major retailers over the last couple of weeks 

 

While it's true that all three platform holders are pursuing very different revenue-generation strategies, there is no way in hell that you can convince me that any amount of Game Pass "cheerleading" (and, by the way, Game Pass subscription growth has plateaued) by Phil & Co. can put lipstick on this hardware sales pig for Microsoft.

[best3444]

Omg. I didn't realize Xbox was this bad in selling consoles. 16 million for the Switch is remarkable. 

[crispy4000]

1 hour ago, best3444 said:

Omg. I didn't realize Xbox was this bad in selling consoles.

 

We know the Series consoles are tracking behind where the One was at this point, and supply issues are no longer to blame.  They're still slightly ahead of the 360 though, which had more of a snowball effect later on.

 

Getting Activision games up on Games Pass is probably their best shot to turn things around.  They'd certainly hope for it after a $69 billion acquisition.

[nublood]

Not supporting your console with first party games has obviously not been sustainable. Gamepass has been keeping things somewhat afloat thus far but Sony’s momentum is just not going to let up. Perhaps Microsoft was thinking they would have closed the gap by now? 
 

Nah. Surely not. lol

[Dodger]

Yet Sony only released only 1 first party title this year and things aren't looking too great for next year. If MS is ever going to right the ship it's next year when they should finally have a strong output of first party content while Sony will release a live service garbage game or two at best. Is 2024 the first year COD can launch straight into Games Pass? Will be interesting to see how much, if any that helps. 

[crispy4000]

12 hours ago, Dodger said:

Yet Sony only released only 1 first party title this year and things aren't looking too great for next year. If MS is ever going to right the ship it's next year when they should finally have a strong output of first party content while Sony will release a live service garbage game or two at best. Is 2024 the first year COD can launch straight into Games Pass? Will be interesting to see how much, if any that helps. 

It's far more important that Microsoft comes out swinging into the next console generation than catching Sony in an off year.  That's how they find a better competitive foothold:  Not treating a generational launch like a mid-gen refresh.

 

CoD matters on Games Pass, surely, but maybe not as much in the middle of a generation that's largely been decided.  At the minimum, it should keep Series X as relevant as the introduction of Games Pass did for Xbox One.

 

The only other wrinkle here is the PS5 Pro, and the rumors that Microsoft won't be doing a similar refresh.  Quite a pickle if CoD does, or doesn't, look best there on console.