Sony Computer Entertainment America’s SVP of Publisher Relations Rob Dyer has revealed how well software sells on the PS3 when compared to the Xbox 360 in the US. The big focus for Sony is index ratio, which gives us an idea of how a game fares relative to the install base. Dyer acknowledges that the Xbox 360 hardware is currently outselling the PS3, but it appears that consumers are opting for the PS3 version of multiplatform games due to ‘superior bonus content’.
Speaking in regards to software growth, Dyer told Industry Gamers:
So if you look at the index ratio and see that where they (Microsoft) might have this massive lead on the hardware side, the people that are buying software, when the software growth is happening, it’s happening on the PS3.
He continued:
If you have a choice between buying a PS3 version and an Xbox version of Mortal Kombat, which one are you buying? You’re buying the PS3 version because you can play as Kratos. Although Microsoft has a 1.6 to 1 index ratio against us [on hardware], we outsold them on Mortal Kombat nearly at a 1 to 1. So that is due in large part to the exclusive content that you’re getting on disc. You’ll see that happening on almost every case where we’ve had a game that they’ve supported with on disc content or with exclusive DLC.
Dyer also released a list of other multiplatform games that have performed better in sales on PS3, due to bonus content, in correlation to install base. Based on NPD data, Medal of Honor came in at 1.2, L.A. Noire at 1.22, and Portal 2 came it at a 1.6 index ratio when compared to their 360 counterparts.
Dyer seemed particularly proud of of Medal of Honor selling better on PS3, but when he was asked about the upcoming Modern Warfare 3 he stated:
They’re (Microsoft) going to have the same deal. And they’re going to have their map packs. They’re going to be a month exclusive… But they’re not running any higher than what the index ratio is – they’re right at 1.6. In spite of all the millions that Microsoft has spent on that relationship with Activision, people aren’t voting to buy a 360 version of that over and above a PS3 version, given the installed base.
He added:
As much as people might associate Call of Duty and the shooting genre with 360, we don’t see that as a cause for alarm right now. What we’re hoping for, given the announcement we made at E3 with Battlefield (full Battlefield 1943 game included on disc), we believe that we are going to have a major player here with EA on our platform – and well over indexed given what we’re doing with them in order to promote that title.
When you analyze software sales in correlation to a consoles install base, it really starts to paint a more vivid picture of current market trends. Does bonus content influence your decision when purchasing multiplatform games?
