Sony is introducing two new Playstation 3 (PS3) models just in time. The console will soon appear with capacities of 160 and 320 GB and we are finally seeing Move pre-sales increasing as well.
PS3 320 GB Move Bundle
A PS3 upgrade has been in the works for some time and has been no secret anymore since E3. A new 160 GB model, which will take the place of the entry-level 120 GB PS3, is already making its way onto store shelves at retailers such as NewEgg, which is listing the device as currently “out of stock.” The 320 GB model will be introduced together with the Move controller on September 19. The 320 GB bundle with a Move controller, the PS Eye, and two Blu-ray discs will cost $400, which sounds like a good deal when compared to the $300 160 GB model.
Move itself seems to be gaining traction as Amazon is listing the Move starter bundle at position #86 in its video games best seller list. It is still behind Kinect, which ranks #69, but it is the highest position we have seen in months. The basic Move controller is at #116a and the Navigation controller at #114. The most popular console remains the 250 GB Xbox 360 at #12, followed by the black Wii at #14 and the 120 GB PS3 at #21. The 4GB base Xbox 360 is gaining popularity as well and is now listed at #36. The 250 GB PS3 seems to be the least popular game console at this time at #58.
Recent market data released by NPD suggests that Microsoft is selling twice as many Xbox 360s (443,500 in July) as Sony sells PS3s (214,500) in the U.S. However, Sony is close to Nintendo’s Wii sales (253,900). If we believe the data provided by NPD, then Wii sales have reach a plateau and are on the decline. In July, the Wii’s year-over-year growth was just 0.55%, while the PS3 was at 76.11% and the Xbox 360 at 118.58%. Over the past seven months, The Wii had four months with negative annual growth rates, while the PS3 and Xbox 360 have consistently stayed in positive growth territory.
In fact, if we consider seasonal trends, then we notice that console sales are showing a slight increase year-over year, while Nintendo does not seem to be able to capitalize on this trend. Three months ago, Microsoft exceeded the monthly market share of the Wii for the first time and has been increasing its share ever since. In July the Xbox 360’s share was at 48.6%, followed by the Wii with 27.8% and the PS3 with 23.5%. In July 2009, The Xbox 360 had 35.2%, the Wii 43.7% and the PS3 21.1%. And if we go back to July 2008, the Xbox 360 had only 20.8%, the Wii 56.4% and the PS3 22.8% of console shipment share.
However, its success in the first three years of its shelf life is likely to protect the Wii’s position as the winner of the current gen console race. Nintendo has sold 30.3 million Wiis in the U.S. so far, Microsoft 21.2 million Xbox 360s, and Sony 13.1 million PS3s. The cumulative market share of the Wii has been on a decline since January of this year and is currently at 46.89%. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been gaining since then and is currently at 32.81%. Sony’s PS3 U.S. share is at 20.30%, according to NPD.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
