We just reported here on TGD about the post launch problems with the PS4. But, on Black Friday, November 15, Sony released PlayStation 4, which is a hundred dollars cheaper than the Xbox One, and it did well. So, let’s applaud the good start so that we are not labeled haters.
Entertainment Weekly tells us that a million PlayStation 4 consoles were sold the first twenty-four hours they were on sale. As Andrew House, the president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, said in a statement, “PS4 was designed with an unwavering commitment to gamers, and we are thrilled that consumer reaction has been so phenomenal.”
House continued, “Sales remain very strong in North America, and we expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29. We are extremely grateful for the passion PlayStation fans and thank them for their continued support.”
This week, Xbox 360 will also launch, and it will cost consumers $499. The L.A. Times has reported that PlayStation is clearly for hardcore gamers, but Xbox is going for a broader market. Now that PlayStation 4 is off to a great start, and the Times predicted that up to five million units of PlayStation and Xbox could sell before the end of the year. The current figures also tell us that more than half the homes in the United States have game consoles, and that gamers have spent close to $20.8 billion on games, hardware and accessories in 2012.
This is all great news for gaming and gamers, and it looks like the new consoles will really help boost the market, big time. In their review of the PlayStation 4 console, Entertainment Weekly writes, “The simple, sleek design of the platform immediately speaks to its desire to be more a gaming system than an all-in-one entertainment hub; it’s small and light, at least for a console of its considerable technical prowess…but the PS4’s appealing aesthetic is unobtrusive, preferring to let its many features steal the spotlight.”
