The figure, revealed in a press release today, makes PlayStation 4 the fastest-selling console in the history of PlayStation hardware. WIRED notes that only 21.3 million PS3 consoles were sold in the first two years of its life.
Andrew House, President and Global CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, puts the figure of PS4 sales up to November 22 at 30.2 million units worldwide. He said: “We are sincerely grateful that gamers across the globe have continued to choose PS4 as the best place to play since launch two years ago. We are committed to bringing engaging games and entertainment services to users worldwide. Thanks to the support of our partners, PS4 continues to be the premier platform for game and interactive entertainment innovation.”
The PlayStation 4’s main rival is the Microsoft Xbox One, launched around the same time at the end of 2013. Sony’s console has proven to be the most popular of the pair throughout its life, consistently leading in monthly sales comparisons.
Last month, the tables tipped into Microsoft’s favour though. For the first time since April, the Xbox One sold more strongly than the PlayStation 4, helped in part by recent price drops and the launch of hit Xbox One exclusive titles Forza Motorsport 6 and Halo 5: Guardians. Sony has also lowered the price of the PS4 recently, putting both consoles at $299 during Black Friday sales.
It’s unknown how many worldwide sales Microsoft has achieved in the past two years. The company no longer releases official sales figures but a chart from VGChartz.com suggests 15.6 million units have been shipped, just over half as many as the PS4.
Going into the holiday season, both systems are looking stronger than ever for new buyers. Microsoft’s recently-released Xbox One New Experience update adds in backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 titles and the ability to stream games to any Windows 10 PC in the house. Meanwhile, Sony seems to be working on something similar as the first indications of a PS2 emulator have appeared in its software. Both consoles already have a healthy line-up of exclusive new games for fans to get playing.
