Despite supply woes, Sony sold through 12.8 million PlayStation 5s worldwide by the end of September 30, 2021 (number of units shipped is 13.4m), nearly twice as much as Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S, which sold through 6.7 million units in the same period.
That’s according to market data and analytics firm Ampere Analysis, who also noted that PS5 is starting to catch up to Nintendo Switch sales as supply improved across Western markets during the third quarter of 2021. However, with the holiday approaching and Sony reportedly revising its production forecast due to ongoing component shortages, it remains to be seen if the PS5 can keep this momentum going.
“Nintendo Switch has dominated global sell-through in 2021, but Q3 sales were closer between Nintendo’s family of devices and Sony’s PS5,” wrote Ampere Analysis’ Piers Harding-Rolls. “In particular, Sony made substantial headway in Western markets where supply was improved and where demand was high. This culminated in PS5 outselling Switch in Europe by some distance. NPD also reported that in the US PS5 outsold Switch for the first time in September.”
That said, Switch is still expected to outsell both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in Q4, thanks to the launch of the OLED model as well as product availability.
In the same report, Ampere Analysis revealed that PS4 sales are declining faster than expected.
“Sales in 2021 are weaker than we expected, and this has led us to review our forecasts for the platform,” according to Harding-Rolls. “While not in the same category as the slowdown of Xbox One sales, it is less likely that PS4 will emulate the feats of PS2 which continued to sell strongly a number of years into the PS3 lifecycle.”
[Source: Ampere Analysis]
