Sony PlayStation‘s next-gen model the PS5 has outsold its Microsoft rivals the Xbox Series X and S by more than double during the first quarter of 2021, according to the latest market research undertaken by Ampere Analysis.
Ampere Analysis, an independent analyst group, compared the sales data of both the PS5 and Xbox Series S & X, along with Nintendo’s handheld, family-fun gaming masterpiece the Nintendo Switch.
Ampere’s findings are that Sony shifted 2.83 million units of their next-gen console at the market between January and March of 2021 vs just 1.31 million sales of the Xbox Series X and S consoles.
It’s worth pointing out that sales for both consoles could have been significantly higher if not for the delays caused to shipping by the Suez canal debacle, and a global shortage of semiconductors that has plagued Sony’s ability to pump out PS5s (in particular) since the console was first released in November 2020.
Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls has had his say on the recently reported sales figures, stating: “Under these conditions, both versions of PlayStation 5 combined outsold both versions of Xbox Series consoles by more than 2 to 1.”
However, as good as Sony’s sales figures appear to the naked eye (and as bad as Microsoft’s do, for that matter) it’s Japanese gaming titan Nintendo that has taken the lion’s share of the spoils at the marketplace, shifting 5.86 million units of its Switch console/handheld console – more than the PS5 and Xbox S & X combined!
Harding-Rolls also addressed the incredible numbers generated by Nintendo, but was quick to add that he expects Sony’s figures to improve as typical market conditions resume – that is when the company is able to deliver enough product to shelves around the world to actually satisfy demand.
“Switch will keep outselling the new Sony and Microsoft consoles during 2021 – the platform is at the peak of its sales cycle and is performing very strongly,” said Harding-Rolls.
“Sony will be pleased that its PS4 market share is continuing into the new generation but it is very hard to gauge real demand under the current market conditions.”
Regardless of how long it takes the PS5 to catch up with the sales figures currently being posted by the Nintendo Switch, one thing is for certain; Microsoft has some serious catching up to do!