Contributed Post
BY ALINA BURNS: Gamers still cannot agree on what is better: game consoles, PC, Xbox, a smartphone or a tablet. However, consoles always have their own army of fans, and many of them are not planning to change their habits.
A creative team from GamesMojo carried out a great research on the bestselling consoles of 2018 and made some curious predictions for 2019. You can find more detailed information on GamesMojo.com. They collected information about gaming platforms in different parts of the world from various sources and analyzed sales statistics.
Bestselling Consoles: First Eight Months of 2018
According to the research, PlayStation 4 became the most popular platform of the first eight months of 2018. During this time, 8.7 million consoles were sold. The second place took Nintendo Switch with 7.1 million sales.
Here were the top four:
- PlayStation 4 – 8.7 million sales
- Nintendo Switch – 7.1 million sales
- Xbox One – 3.1 million sales
- 3DS – 1.9 million sales
Gaming Platform Sales Forecast For The Rest Of The Year
Games Mojo collected precise information from insiders about supply plans to make a prediction for the rest of 2018. How will the industry be changing during this period?
PS4
Although the Sony console remains the leader among game consoles of the modern generation (more than 76 million devices sold worldwide), the company expects to sell fewer devices in the current fiscal year than usual. According to the forecasts of the manufacturer, sales of the game console should level off a little.
Here are the reasons:
- PS4 is not planning to release any exciting exclusives except for the popular sequels.
- Let’s admit it: everyone is waiting for PS5 release. Sony can turn PlayStation 5 from a pure gaming console into a system that allows you to watch TV like on Xbox One or stream DLNA to access data on other devices from the console.
- The popularity of PvP genre resulted in sales slowdown as well.
Xbox One
Despite the above statistics, the Xbox One could have a positive end to the year.
Xbox One sales were almost a third of the PS4s, but the console still boasts positive trends. The Xbox Live subscription is one of the reasons for the dynamic growth.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo hybrid console continues to show great sales growth. According to official statistics, sales have increased by 32% in 2018. In summer, Nintendo Switches outsold PS4s.
We’d expect the Nintendo Switch to have an excellent end to the year, primarily due to the release of Pokémon: Let’s Go.
Nintendo 3DS
It seems that Nintendo 3Ds era will pass into oblivion soon. The sales dropped even in Japan. It seems that by the end of the year, the Nintendo Switch will become the mobile console of choice.
Forecast for 2019 Regarding Consoles Sales
What about some rumors and hopes for 2019?
The release of the PS5
According to some insider information obtained by GamesMojo, Sony will use the new console to promote VR technology. In addition to that, the PlayStation 5 should receive an APU (accelerated processor).
The release of the new Xbox
It’s unlikely that the new Xbox version will be released in 2019, but this news may affect the sales of the Xbox One.
The end of the 3DS era
You shouldn’t be Nostradamus to predict that 3DS will be out of production soon.
Who do YOU think will have a stronger 2019?
Do you think that the PS4 will continue to sell strongly as PS5 rumors continue to circulate? Do you think that Microsoft will finally release some smash-hit exclusives to turn the tide for the Xbox? Or do you think that Nintendo’s creativity will set them apart?
Leave a comment below!
There are a few mistakes in the article. The PS4 sold 86 Million units till last month. The Switch didn’t sell more in certain months than the PS4 that happened just in certain markets like Japan and USA but worldwide the PS4 always was the leader. (Actually the PS4 sells rather poorly in Japan so the Switch outsells it there almost every month since its release).
Predicting that the PS4 sales drop is a no brainer, since the console generation is in its last stage before the new one arrives, however, sales might rise when the price drops. It actually is common that console sales rise in the last few months before the next generation arrives.
The Switch is no alternative for the 3DS when it comes to little kids. I presume the Switch is still way too expensive to let little kids have one. The 3DS is ranging from 90 Dollars (2DS) to 200 Dollars (New 3DS XL) while the Switch is still 300 and above. So there’ll either be a 3DS follow up handheld or the 3DS will still hold out for the time being.
Personally, for the time being I’m going to boycott Sony for their new censurship mania and their anti-Japanese-games stance. Until they don’t turn back I won’t buy anything from them, anymore.
Instead I hope that Nintendo will release a new revised Switch model for an affordable price next year.
Spiritogre, thank you for your comment! You’re absolutely right saying this number, but in my article, I was talking about the number of sales for just two quarters of 2018. Check out my source research at GamesMojo.com for details. Talking about Nintendo, you are also very reasonable, but I’m 100% sure, that there was a one-month burst in Switch sales in December 2017. Nintendo Switch managed to sell 500,000 more consoles that month. Again, you’re right arguing about Japan, but Japan is also a part of the world, so we have to count it for the overall statistics, don’t we?
You keep being wise all along your comment, thank you for that. My predictions of sales drop are, again, based on this source research and I share them. I think both of us may appear to be right in the end, so it’s just a question of time. I will keep your considerations in mind.
Back to Nintendo Switch. I agree that it’s not as cool for small kids, due to its price (this factor depends on parents’ income and $300+ for average USA citizens is not too expensive, to my mind) and to its number of components (and game prices). It’s reasonable, but having two alternatives (Switch and 3DS) you can choose Switch wishing a more progressive gaming experience for your child. It’s normal to think both your and my ways.
I understand your indignation, but I also see, that policies are formed under hundreds of circumstances.