PlayStation Is Outpacing Xbox In A Major Way
Every arena of technology has competition, but the console wars have always held a special cultural significance in the gaming sphere. Ever since the days of Sega vs. Nintendo, players have argued over which modern console is superior, weighing everything from processing power to the library of titles each system has available. These days, it's Xbox vs. PlayStation – and the competition is only heating up.
Both parties have made some big moves in the last few years. Microsoft released its Xbox Game Pass subscription service which allows Xbox and PC players to download games from a massive catalog in exchange for a $10 monthly fee. PlayStation, on the other hand, has primarily focused on producing console exclusives such as the critically acclaimed "Horizon: Forbidden West" and the upcoming "God of War: Ragnarok." Microsoft bought studios such as Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, while PlayStation added new tiers to its Plus membership to compete with Game Pass.
It seems that this battle may not be as close as fans thought, however. New information from a legal filing pertaining to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard revealed that PlayStation has outpaced Xbox in console sales for a while now.
Microsoft sold half as many Xbox Ones as Sony did PS4s
The legal document is from a filing based in Brazil. It was first discovered and translated by Thurrott, which quoted the document as stating, "Sony has surpassed Microsoft in terms of console sales and install base, having sold more than twice as many as did Xbox in the last generation." Given that Sony reportedly sold 117.2 million PlayStation 4s (via Daniel Ahmad), that means that less than 58.6 million Xbox Ones may have been sold.
Xbox seems to be doing marginally better this generation. As of April 2022, the company had sold 13.9 million Series X|S units to Sony's 18.7 million PS5s (per VGChartz). While Xbox is still trailing, it does seem that the company is gaining ground. This is a particularly strange time to measure the popularity of a console, however. COVID-19 related distribution chain complications and a global microchip shortage have made this console generation lifecycle anything but ordinary.
It is worth noting that PS5s are still consistently sold out from major retailers and are difficult for consumers to find at MSRP. This has likely had a massive impact on the system's global sales. Sony believes it will be able to meet the demand of its customers by 2024. Xbox seems to be having an easier time getting consoles to its players, but these complications have affected it as well. Only time will tell which company comes out on top.