Whether you think it looks like a router or a stylish piece of tech, it's hard to argue that the PlayStation 5's launch hasn't been a massive success. You might not be able to get hold of the next-gen console from Sony right now because it's out of stock everywhere, but the fact everyone seems to want one shows how hyped people are for Sony's next few years of games.
The PlayStation 5's launch hasn't just been successful, it turns out - it's the biggest console launch in US history. First seen on GameDaily.biz, a report from the NPD shown by an industry advisor indicates that the PS5 launch wasn't just big - it was the biggest. Mat Piscatella tweeted out slides and information from the NPD showing the year-on-year growth of the spending for November.
Looking at the graph, it's obvious that November 2019 was nothing on 2020. November 2019's spending looks like it makes it into the $5.1 billion region, while November 2020 makes it up to $7.0 billion in spending. Not only were people buying a lot more hardware in 2020 ($0.9 billion compared to $1.5 billion) but consumers were also purchasing a lot more content, like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
The report shows that the PlayStation 5 achieved the highest dollar sales in a launch month. The crown was previously held by the launch of the PlayStation 5's older sibling, the PlayStation 4, in November of 2013.
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But you know what else performed well in November? The Nintendo Switch. That console has continued to go from strength to strength since its release in 2017, and it still stands tall when compared to next-gen gaming. In November, it beat the number of units sold in the US (although the PlayStation 5 beat it in dollar sales) - but this is at least somewhat due to the shortage of PS5s across the world. That means the Switch has been the best-selling console in units for the last 24 months in a row. An impressive feat for three-year-old hardware.
Speaking to GameDaily.biz, Priscatella said that although the PlayStation 5 is performing well, it's not an indicator for the entire lifecycle of the product yet. He said: "I am certainly optimistic for the long-term prospects for both new gen consoles, but I don't take anything more away from the launch month sales than that's the number of units that were produced and distributed."
He also adds that, it's basically a case of everything selling well this year. "Just about everything is selling well. I don't know if we'll see 35% growth in a November month again anytime soon, so I'm just going to enjoy the ride for a while."
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This year has certainly been, well, a year to remember (or perhaps to forget) - but gaming has continued to grow at wild rates while people were stuck inside. We wonder what this means for 2021 and the future.
Featured Image Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment, Stonks LtdTopics: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, News