Although Sony has been beleaguered with criticism of its PS3 machine from the press and game community, the execs at Sony Corp may still have something to smile about. According to NPD Group, a game industry watchdog, the PS2 actually outsold the Xbox 360 in six out of the seven months since the 360,s release.
The figures indicate that the PS2 has been averaging sales of approximately 474,000 units a month compared to the 360, which has been tallying sales of 246,000 consoles per month. The one period in which the 360 realized more sales than the PS2 was in the month of April, which was most likely connected to Microsoft finally ramping up their efforts in producing more 360 game consoles to meet demand. Since the initial launch of the Xbox 360, the Big M has been mired by its inability to generate enough units to fulfill consumer requests. Several months ago, Xbox chief Peter Moore vowed to eliminate the deficit and provide enough 360s to meet demand.
The results of the PS2,s continuing popularity and strong sales figures during a time when current gen hardware sales traditionally decline is a surprise. Sony recently lowered their PS2 price from $149 to $129, with possible reduction price points to be announced during the release of the PS3 sometime in November of this year. With the continuing popularity of Sony,s current gen machine, the life of the PS2 may very well be extended well past the release of the PS3 and may even serve to bolster sales of the PS2 because of its bargain basement price. While the PS2 may not carry the power and sophistication of its powerful big brother, it still garners quite a following with the general gaming public and new users.
