Sony has topped worldwide sales of video game consoles for the first time in eight years, pipping struggling rival Nintendo and signalling the PlayStation manufacturer’s comeback.<\/p>\n
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) sold 18.7 million PlayStation 4 (PS4) systems and other game consoles for the fiscal year to March, the Nikkei business daily said, to Nintendo’s 16.31 million units.<\/p>\n
The release of the PS4 in the United States and other markets in November propelled Sony’s fortunes after a disappointing response to the console’s predecessor, the PS3.<\/p>\n
Almost seven million PS4’s were sold, but Sony’s overall sales of hardware, including the portable PlayStation Vita, still fell some 20 percent for the fiscal year, the report said.<\/p>\n
Nintendo’s console sales slid 31 percent as the portable Nintendo 3DS system failed to entice gamers while the new Wii U also fared poorly, it added.<\/p>\n
Sony last topped the console sales list in March 2006 but sales of the PS3 came in below expectations and struggled against Nintendo’s Wii and DS series.<\/p>\n
Nikkei said Sony was expected to stay at number one for the rest of the year as Nintendo has few noteworthy releases planned.<\/p>\n
Microsoft’s sales rose 16 percent to 11.6 million thanks to the rollout of the Xbox One towards the end of 2013, the report added.<\/p>\n
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