Latest missive from the games console wars: Sony has announced cumulative sales of its PlayStation 3 reached 70 million units on November 4, a few days short of the machine’s sixth birthday. Microsoft’s rival Xbox 360 console achieved the 70 million cumulative sales milestone back in September, according to Microsoft’s FY12Q3 earnings, although the Xbox 360 is about a year older than the PS3 so has had longer to clock up sales.
The Nintendo Wii, also launched back in fall/winter of 2006, still leads the pack — achieving worldwide sales of 97.18 million units as of the end of September.
Sony has also announced that sales of the PlayStation Move controller — its answer to rivals’ gesture-based games peripherals such as Microsoft’s Kinect and Nintendo’s Wii Remote — passed 15 million unit sales globally on November 11. The Move controller launched back in September 2010 and is now supported by more than 400 titles, says Sony.
The cumulative number of software titles for PS3 has reached 3,590 with more than 595 million units sold worldwide. While the PlayStation Network, launched at the same time as the PS3, now operates in 59 countries and regions. Sony said the PSN gives PS3 owners access to 170,000 pieces of downloadable digital content including 57,000 game content.
The look and feel of the PS3 has evolved over the years, with a more streamlined design, a larger hard disk drive and new features added via software updates. Back in September Sony launched a version of the console that’s more than 50 percent smaller and lighter than the original PS3 — and a quarter smaller and a fifth lighter than the slim PS3 model launched back in 2009.
Sony’s release follows below
TOKYO, Nov. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that the cumulative sales of the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system reached a milestone of 70 million units*1 worldwide as ofNovember 4, 2012 – less than six years after the platform launched in 2006. SCE also announced that sales of the PlayStation®Move motion controller surpassed 15 million units*1 worldwide as of November 11, demonstrating continued growth and momentum of the PS3® platform.
The PS3® system has delivered high quality, award-winning entertainment experiences since its launch. Throughout its lifecycle, the PS3® system has continued to evolve with more streamlined design, larger Hard Disk Drive (HDD) capacity, and new features through software updates. In September 2012, SCE launched the new PS3® system, which has a reduced volume and weight of more than 50 percent compared to the original PS3® model, and of 25 percent and 20 percent respectively compared to the slim PS3 model launched in 2009. The new PS3® has been well received by consumers around the world.
Along with the introduction of PS3® in November 2006, SCE launched PlayStation®Network, which now operates in 59 countries and regions*2 around the world. PlayStation Network supports free community-centric online gameplay, exclusive games from independent developers and major publishers, and a broad range of entertainment applications across movies, music, and sports. PS3 owners can access 170,000 downloadable digital content including 57,000 game content worldwide from PlayStation Network*3. In October 2012, SCE redesigned PlayStation®Store for PS3®, offering a more streamlined and accessible store experience, including a stunning new user interface, simple search, and powerful content discovery. The new store is now available in Europe and North and Latin America with more countries and regions to follow.
PlayStation®Plus, the subscription service package on PlayStation®Store that offers exclusive benefits such as discounts on games or online storage for game saves, started to offer an “Instant Game Collection” in North America and Europe in July 2012. The Instant Game Collection enables PS Plus members to enjoy popular titles from third party developers and publishers as well as SCE Worldwide Studios at no extra cost. SCE has also enhanced the content offering for PS Plus members in Japan in November.
Introduced in September 2010, the PlayStation®Move motion controller that enables users to intuitively play games is now supported by a wide range of titles with more than 400 as of November 2012, including Sports Champions 2, LittleBigPlanet Karting (Sony Computer Entertainment). Additionally, this month marks the global launch of Wonderbook™, a new peripheral that delivers the next evolution of storytelling and a unique experience exclusively on PS3. Wonderbook*4 uses the PlayStation®Eye camera to take augmented reality to spectacular new places, while drawing players into new worlds and allowing them to interact with stories as they tilt or rotate it, or simply turn the pages*5.
PS3® has gained tremendous support from 3rd party developers and publishers worldwide. Cumulative number of software titles for PS3® reached 3,590 with more than 595 million units sold worldwide*6. More exciting and attractive new titles are to be released from third party developers and publishers as well as SCE Worldwide Studios, including Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft Entertainment.), Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision, Inc), PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (Sony Computer Entertainment), towards the holiday season. In addition, software titles that support “cross platform feature” such as LittleBigPlanet 2: Cross Controller Pack, PlayStation, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (Sony Computer Entertainment) are also expected to be released. With these titles, SCE will deliver a ground-breaking gaming experience by leveraging the capabilities of both PS3® and PlayStation®Vita.
SCE will continue to further expand the PS3® platform and create a world of computer entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation.
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