Sony, Xbox and Nintendo: Console Sales, But What's Happening ?

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Between strikes, layoffs, big-budget games with discouraging sales and a general lack of innovation, the world of video games is facing a situation unpublished. Console sales are plummeting, reaching their lowest level since 2019.

In September, the The American market generated only $251 million in revenue from machine sales, compared to $445 million the previous year. A warning signal that resonates differently with each manufacturer.

The PS5 in search of a second wind

© Sony

Sony reports 45% drop in PS5 sales. A figure that could be worrying, but the Japanese giant is keeping its cool. And for good reason, Sony is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The new products commemorating this anniversary have been a hit during pre-orders.

Of course, the biggest release remains that of the PS5 Pro, arriving on November 7. This supercharged version of the flagship console promises increased performance and an enriched experience. A strategy proven by Sony, which had already boosted PS4 sales with its Pro version.

Microsoft changes the game

© Xbox

The most spectacular drop is for Microsoft. The Xbox Series X and S are down 54&nbsp ;% of their sales. Given that the base numbers were not very glorious, the descent of M$ is all the more worrying here.

But behind these figures lies a strategic revolution. The Redmond giant seems to be betting everything on its GamePass, a service that allows access to its large catalog of games for a subscription. Hardware sales are therefore secondary in the face of the explosion in subscriptions.

With the arrival of its exclusives at the competitor PS5, we can't help but think that if Microsoft continues on this path, it will be the next to give us a SEGA by becoming a simple game publisher.

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Nintendo is playing for time

© Robin Sabbadini for Presse-citron

The Switch shows the most moderate decline, with -23% in sales. A rather honorable result for a console at the end of its life, which has been straining for a while now.

Seven years after its launch, Nintendo's hybrid machine continues to seduce, driven by exclusive licenses that are still as popular as ever. The Christmas period and the release of Mario & Luigi should reverse this loss of speed to a certain extent. However, we must not forget that eyes are already turning to its successor.

Every day brings new rumors about what is called “the Switch 2”, for want of knowing its real name. With Nintendo promising an announcement before the end of its fiscal year in March 2025, the console's reveal could happen any day now.

The End of a Cycle ?

Simple end-of-generation decline, or real generalized crisis of the industry ? It must be said that the changes made by certain manufacturers in recent times do not fail to enrage players.

For several years now, attempts to move to fully dematerialized games have become increasingly insistent. However, players and other collectors are mostly against this measure that is contrary to their interests. While it is difficult to believe that the very concept of a console will disappear in a few years, certain signs point in this direction.

Cloud gaming is progressing, and manufacturers are showing a diversification of their revenues which generally involves services requiring a subscription.

• Console sales collapse with a historic drop of 44% in September 2024
• Manufacturers adapt their strategies: PS5 Pro for Sony, GamePass for Microsoft, new Switch for Nintendo
• The gaming industry is transforming, driven by the cloud and subscription services

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