Even if the Switch is the fastest-selling console of this generation, it seems that its rivals are not doing badly at all.
On the contrary. The PS4 and Xbox One just marked their fifth birthday, and they both managed to sell more than 1.3 million units. The industry trackers The NPD Group reported that Nintendo’s device matched them. This is the very first time ever when three consoled have surpassed 1 million in sales in November.
Engadget notes that the last time three platforms were able to sell a million units was back in 2010 when the Nintendo DS, Wii and Xbox 360 achieved this success.
This is a sign that the current console generation is at its very peak, but, as NPD analyst Mat Piscatella noted, upgraded hardware such as the Xbox One X or the PS4 PRO had upended the sales patterns. This could be one explanation for which Microsoft and Sony’s platform continue to be so successful.
The Switch outsold its rivals in November
While in terms of individual winners, the Switch managed to surpass its rivals in November, the PS4 is still at the top in terms of year-to-date sales.
“Compared to last year, hardware spending was up 3 percent in November to $3.9 billion, with the Nintendo Switch’s gains helping to offset declines on other platforms,” Engadget notes.
Now, due to the iteratives (Pro and X) and bigger consumer response to promotion, we're seeing those normalized curves be no longer useful. Xbox One sales being up so dramatically in its 6th calendar year, for example, or PS4 setting new records.
— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) November 20, 2018
Software numbers
The biggest selling game in November and the second biggest on a year-to-date is Red Dead Redemption 2.
Engadget also notes that “The top spot for the year went to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which was the runner-up for November to boot. In third place last month was Battlefield V, followed by the much-maligned Fallout 76. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee nabbed the fifth and sixth slots respectively.”
It’s also important to note that the total spending on game card and accessories surged 35% year-over-year to $503 million which is an all-time high.
After finishing Theatrical Journalism at the Faculty of Theatre and Television in Cluj-Napoca, Rada reviewed movies, books, theatre pieces and she also wrote articles from the IT niche as a content editor for software producers. At the moment, she is working with various online advertising firms.
