According to tracking firm NPD Group, sales of Sony’s PlayStation 3 video game console surged in June, but the console still trails Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in overall sales.
Digital Journal — Sales of Sony’s PS3 console rose by a whopping 21 per cent in the U.S. in June, according to data from NPD Group.
The tracking company reported 98,500 PS3s were sold, compared to 198,400 Xbox 360s and 381,800 Wiis. Microsoft’s sales were up 28 per cent, while Nintendo’s sales climbed 13 per cent.
Sony says $100 (USD) price cut led to a 135 per cent sales increase for the last two weeks (this number is not yet verifiable by independent numbers).
In total, sales were up about 35 per cent over May, for a total of $1.1 billion (USD). Industry pundits are surprised by the strong growth given that summer is typically a slow season for console sales.
Strong sales are also surprising to some, given that Microsoft recently announced problems with its Xbox 360 consoles that would cost the company billions of dollars, and gamers lashed out at Sony when it was suggested the company was only lowering console prices as a marketing stunt.
Despite both companies getting flogged in the media and by bloggers, growth was still strong.
“This jump in sales bodes very well for us heading into the fall as we launch an impressive arsenal of hardware and software,” Jack Tretton, head of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said in a statement.
