PS5 January Sales Up 3X Year-on-Year in Europe, Xbox Series X/S Sales Fall 32 Percent

The recently released Sony PS5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S video game consoles have experienced vastly different unit sales in Europe for the month of January. The PS5 sales have skyrocketed with a threefold increase year-on-year, while Xbox Series X/S sales have plummeted 32 percent from the same period last year.

While the exact reason for this divergence in market performance is unknown, some analysts believe it is partially due to the limited availability of both PlayStation and Xbox hardware at launch. The PS5 was especially difficult to find with pre-orders selling out within minutes and hording from resellers quickly raising the cost of the consoles well above MSRP. This has left many potential buyers unable to get their hands on a PS5, while the Xbox Series X/S was more widely available right out of the gate.

The price difference between the consoles is also likely playing a role. The Sony PS5 is considerably more expensive than the Xbox Series X/S, costing upwards of $50 more in some regions. This price difference may have caused some buyers to opt for the cheaper Microsoft console instead.

The popularity of Sony’s exclusive franchises is another likely contributing factor to the disparate performance of the two consoles. PlayStation titles such as Spiderman: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls and Gran Turismo 7 have been met with glowing reviews, and have undoubtedly drawn in some added attention from gamers.

It is difficult to predict which of the two consoles will prove most successful for the rest of the year. At the moment, it appears that the Sony PlayStation 5 has gotten off to a strong start, with strong sales in the Europe region. However, the Xbox Series X/S was more widely available from the beginning, and more attractive pricing could make it the console of choice for many budget conscious buyers. Only time will tell which of the two will come out on top.