Sony’s PlayStation 4 continues to lead the charge in the hardware charts, with retail analyst NPD confirming that the current-gen system topped the charts for the month of September. This is despite an overall hardware slump compared to the same period last year, but the outlet notes that the launch of Destiny in September of 2014 acted as an anomaly, leading to a spike in console sales during an usual time of the calendar year.
Acknowledging the feat, Sony published an official statement thanking the console’s burgeoning install base and third-party support:
“As we kick off the holiday season, we would like to take a moment to thank fans for making PlayStation 4 the best-selling console and #1 in software sales in September. PlayStation 4 was the number one console for NBA 2K16, Madden NFL 16, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and FIFA 16.”
Further in the report, NPD touched base with Xbox One and Nintendo’s Wii U, with the latter welcoming a 110% rise in platform sales over last year thanks to high-profile releases such as Super Mario Maker, with the bespoke platformer pulling in a respectable 500,000 sales in the United States. In terms of Microsoft and Xbox One, the Redmond-based giant noted “solid year-over-year growth in console sales and strong engagement on Xbox Live.”
Going into the all-important holiday season, it’ll be fascinating to see whether Sony can maintain its lead with PlayStation 4 considering the strong competition. Microsoft and Xbox One are set to welcome Halo 5: Guardians and Rise of the Tomb Raider – as per the timed exclusivity deal with Crystal Dynamics – over the coming weeks, while Sony will pad its lacklustre first-party line-up with third-party support in titles such as Star Wars Battlefront and Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Overall, though, NPD concluded its report by revealing that hardware sales are on the increase when compared to August, which is no doubt a by-product of the industry’s crowded release schedule.
“The majority of hardware platforms increased their sales from August 2015 to September 2015 when comparing sales on a per-week basis. All 8th generation consoles experienced double-digit growth when comparing sales on a per-week basis.”
Sony and PlayStation 4 have snatched September, but will Xbox One reclaim the throne over the holiday period? Time will tell.