EA predicts PS3 will outsell Xbox 360 in 2008 [Joystiq]

[DP ServBot]

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3 (http://www.joystiq.com/category/ps3/), Nintendo Wii (http://www.joystiq.com/category/wii/), Microsoft Xbox 360 (http://www.joystiq.com/category/xbox360/), Business (http://www.joystiq.com/category/business/)

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/01/ps3-in-the-woods2.jpg (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=32686)

Following the release of its latest financial results (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/ea-posts-record-quarter-1-5b-revenue-33m-net-loss/), EA has shared its estimates (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=32686) for predicted console hardware sales in North America and Europe in 2008. Though the Wii's continued domination seems obvious (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/npd) in even the murkiest of crystal balls, the publisher sides with Sir Howard Stringer's recent observation that the PlayStation 3 has departed the woods (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/stringer-ps3-is-out-of-the-woods/) and sets

EA sees the PlayStation 3 selling between 9.5 million and 11.5 million units, compared to the Xbox 360's 6 to 8 million units. Sony's system would take the lead in Europe (a view shared by SCEE chief David Reeves (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/scee-chief-ps3-to-overtake-xbox-in-europe-by-summer/)), where it's expected to sell between 5 million and 6 million, well over the Xbox 360's 1.5 million to 2.5 million. Towering above both would be Nintendo's Wii, with estimates placing its sales between 12 million and 14 million units.

Only time will tell how accurate EA's predictions are and whether the PS3 will start contributing more heavily to the publisher's bottom line (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/eas-q3-revenues-led-by-xbox-360/).

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[Poofta!]

EA is doing acid.

[xfrumx]

I plan on buying a PS3 in 2008 possibly and not a 360 so does a good friend(he wants it just for metal gear)

[mailman187666]

I am a fan of Sony's game products I will admit. I think the only reason the PS3 would outsell 360 this year is because I bet a lot of the people who want a 360 already have one so that would slow down the yearly sales numbers where as PS3 has had a slow start and is slowly starting to pick up the pace (much like PSP when it first came out). So it kinda makes sense that more people have waited that year+ to buy a PS3 where there may be less people out there who would wait 2+ years for a 360.

[heybtbm]

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9696/orlypu2.jpg

[Trebuken]

It's the Blu-Ray. Everyone is claiming the death of HD-DVD so many people will opt for the PS3 as their choice of HD-player.

[Slate]

They'll be lucky if the PS3 outsells the 360 for one month out of it's entire lifespan.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

They'll be lucky if the PS3 outsells the 360 for one month out of it's entire lifespan.

LOL well, it did for a week anyway!

North American console sales for the week ending July 14th, 2007

Wii - 76,394
PS2 - 43,406
PS3 - 41,005
360 - 35,084
GC - 1,864
Xbox - 11

... though, I've got to wonder, who bought 11 original XBOX'es?

[skaar]

I agree on the Blu-Ray, that was the main reason I picked up a 60GB.

Well that and the fact the bastards were taking away my backwards compatibility. That's important to me ;)

[josekortez]

Could this be because everybody already owns a 360?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Could this be because everybody already owns a 360?

That typically happens when a console levels out with a massive installation base.

Unless there's software that continues to catch the eye of the general non-hardcore-gaming public, they'll move on to purchase the "other" systems (in addition to the ones' they already own).

[zektor]

I could see this happening. There are alot of good things happening to the PS3 lately. I re-purchased the unit just a week ago, and I have to say that I am really glad I did. The updated firmware does some nice stuff, and using Winamp Remote to media share my massive HD of goodies over wi-fi is just incredible...

The online store has expanded a whole lot since I last logged on (03/07), and many of the new games look great. I don't have much right now, but what I do have is pretty darn satisfying already. I had purchased a few online store games back then, and it was really nice to be able to download and activate them on the new machine. You can download your games on to up to five different machines...something the Wii and 360 will not do. That is a huge plus I think.

The PS3 is pretty darn advanced, and I think people are slowly realizing it. When I purchased mine a few days ago, two other people on line in front of me were buying one as well. They are selling very well in my area at least.

[diskoboy]

Gain momentum - yes.
Outsell - no.

[DJ Daishi]

I plan on buying a PS3 in 2008 possibly and not a 360 so does a good friend(he wants it just for metal gear)

hope you have fun with that one game

[RyanMurf]

The title of this thread was a real knee slapper. I gotta remember that one..ROFL

[slip81]

it's possible, i mean, it's almost hitting the point now where the consoles are basically the same game wise. Most of the big titles have gone multiplatform.

I'm sure when the price dops significantly the PS3 will end up being the generation winner just because it has the most options/expandability (throw any HDD in it), and storage wise having blu-ray will help because games like GTA VII will fit onto one blu-ray vs. multiple DVD's.

All this speculation of course is assuming that MS doesn't adopt a next gen media drive in their machine and bigger HDD's, oh yeah, and it would be nice if the console lasted more than 13 months.

[Sudo]

It most likely will, at least world wide. The 360 only outsold PS3 by 200k units in 2007, and that's with the PS3 not releasing in Europe until March, I believe, and the PS3's lack of games early in the year. The lower price (which will most likely drop to $299 for the 40GB model if rumors prove true), combined with more of the big exclusive games finally starting to arrive make 2008 look very promising indeed for the PS3.

[The 1 2 P]

I bet EA predicted they would still be the number 1 third party developer in 2008...but we all know how that turned out. Gooooooo Activision Blizzard, or whatever they are calling themselves now.

[Rob2600]

Could this be because everybody already owns a 360?

That typically happens when a console levels out with a massive installation base.

If the Xbox 360 has leveled off because "everyone" already owns one, then how do you explain the PlayStation 2, which has over 100 million owners and continues to sell?

18 million vs. 100 million...the Xbox 360 has a long way to go before "everyone" owns one.



Anyway, EA also predicted Nintendo will continue to outsell both Sony and Microsoft:

"EA estimates that the Nintendo Wii and DS will continue to lead the pack in sales for North America and Europe. The company further predicts the PS3 will move up to second place, relegating the Xbox 360 to last place in home console sales.

Things get slightly more interesting when you look at how EA predicts the hardware sales will break down by region. In North America, EA estimates that the PS3 and Xbox 360 will have roughly equivalent sales figures. However, the company believes the PS3 will dominate the Xbox 360 in Europe by a better than 2:1 ratio. Even the PS2 is expected to sell roughly on par with the Xbox 360 in that market."

http://wii.ign.com/articles/849/849311p1.html

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

If the Xbox 360 has leveled off because "everyone" already owns one, then how do you explain the PlayStation 2, which has over 100 million owners and continues to sell?

18 million vs. 100 million...the Xbox 360 has a long way to go before "everyone" owns one.



Anyway, EA also predicted Nintendo will continue to outsell both Sony and Microsoft:

"EA estimates that the Nintendo Wii and DS will continue to lead the pack in sales for North America and Europe. The company further predicts the PS3 will move up to second place, relegating the Xbox 360 to last place in home console sales.

Things get slightly more interesting when you look at how EA predicts the hardware sales will break down by region. In North America, EA estimates that the PS3 and Xbox 360 will have roughly equivalent sales figures. However, the company believes the PS3 will dominate the Xbox 360 in Europe by a better than 2:1 ratio. Even the PS2 is expected to sell roughly on par with the Xbox 360 in that market."

http://wii.ign.com/articles/849/849311p1.html

Well, there are things to consider, one - I didn't say "everyone" owned a 360, but the installation base is relatively large for the amount of time it's been out, and until a real "universal system seller" bit of software hits the 360 (one that generates interest from people that wouldn't previously consider buying the system) it may level off or "plateau" a bit. (Enough for those who own one to start looking at the PS3 as a "secondary system").

AND

Considering the wide range of software genres, budget titles, compilations and unique peripheral-based software on the PS2, it DID generate that kind of system-buying interest on a year-to-year basis, helping propel it into the stratosphere sales-wise.

Of course, that's all theoretical ... the last person to ever buy a PS3 could have been today. Interest may just fall off and Sony may never sell another single PS3 unit ever.

Who knows.

[vincewy]

Somebody please don't tell me Sony will bring in a slim PS3 this year and it looks like this

http://www.destructoid.com/elephant//ul/680

I actually like the current PS3 design, it's elegant, looks like a luxury item and wouldn't mind getting another one in different color (ceramic white).

[gepeto]

I think the problem here is first impressions. That is the biggest stigma that sony has to overcome. I have never seen a console go from blatent underdog to winner. Ea cracks me up this coming from a team that cannot maximize programing games for the machine.