Sony may have lost the console sales race to Microsoft’s Xbox One in November and December, but it won the year as a whole.
Sony confirmed that the PlayStation 4 was the best-selling gaming console worldwide in 2014, and it is continuing on a sales pace that is faster than any previous PlayStation system ever. Globally, the console-gaming market generates around $50 billion in spending, which is why it is so important to both Sony and Microsoft.
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The United States is a big reason Sony was able to sell 18.5 million PS4s. The console was the top-selling home gaming system every month of 2014 in the U.S. except for November and December, according to industry-tracking firm The NPD Group.
PS4’s success is largely due to a rabid consumer base who sees the system as the top choice for gaming while also offering highly desired entertainment features like livestreaming gameplay and Netflix.
Sony may have a tougher time outselling the Xbox One in 2015. Microsoft has made it clear that it’s not going to let this generation slip away without a fight, and that led Xbox boss Phil Spencer to cut the price of Microsoft’s console to $350 during the holidays. That was $50 cheaper than the PS4. Earlier today, Microsoft announced it would once again drop the price of the system to $350 starting tomorrow.
We’ve asked Sony if it is planning a price drop for the PS4 to match Microsoft, but the company declined to answer the question.