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Sony ships 1M PS3s in Japan, 2M worldwide

Japanese electronics giant reaches 2006 shipment goal a fortnight after year's end; console still the fastest-growing PlayStation product.

The good news: Sony has reached its 2006 goal of shipping 2 million PlayStation 3s worldwide. The bad news: The electronics giant did so "as of today, January 16th, 2007," according to a statement, with the shipment of the 1 millionth PS3 in Japan. Earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Sony said it shipped 1 million PS3s in North America in 2006.

Though the fact Sony slightly missed its own self-imposed deadline will be catnip to anti-PS3 partisans, the company put a positive spin on the milestone. "Compared to its predecessor PlayStation platforms, [the] PS3 is the fastest to reach cumulative shipment of 2 million units worldwide," the company said. That means that, despite its hefty $599/$499 price points, the console is getting into the retail channel faster than the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 did in 1994-95 and 2000, respectively.

As for actual 2006 sales of the PlayStation 3, the latest figures from NPD Funworld listed 687,300 PS3s as being sold in the US last year--a number Sony took issue with. "NPD doesn't account for Canada...[and] doesn't cover all of our USA retailers," Dave Karraker, Sony Computer Entertainment America's director of corporate communications, told GameSpot. "We sold-in more than 150,000 systems the last week of December, so there were many units in transit or at retailer's backrooms waiting to be put out [by the end of 2006]."

Expert opinion in Japan was mixed. Masayuki Otani, deputy chief of research at Maruwa Securities, was dubious of Sony's optimism. He told the Associated Press that many Japanese retailers have excess PS3s sitting unsold on shelves but can't keep Nintendo's far cheaper Wii console in stock. However, Hirokaza Hamamura, president of Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, was more upbeat. "Any product selling at about 85 percent can be considered a hit," he told the AP.

512 Comments

  • Blazer88

    Posted Jan 20, 2007 11:45 am GMT

    3rd Place

  • Haku_Ryushi

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 7:20 pm GMT

    i dont know about u fanboys but i think that no one is kicking either consoles ass... Xbox 360 has its stupid glitches PS3 has its dumb price and the Wii graphics suk (but its still pretty fun) im not microsoft, sony or nintendo fan its kinda funny how u fanboys over react to each others disses for the consoles but please. give the PS3 a chance....its only been 2 months. geez.......

  • Hinduce

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 7:16 pm GMT

    As for actual 2006 sales of the PlayStation 3, the latest figures from NPD Funworld listed 687,300 PS3s as being sold in the US last year--a number Sony took issue with. "NPD doesn't account for Canada...[and] doesn't cover all of our USA retailers," Dave Karraker, Sony Computer Entertainment America's director of corporate communications, told GameSpot. "We sold-in more than 150,000 systems the last week of December, so there were many units in transit or at retailer's backrooms waiting to be put out [by the end of 2006]." Expert opinion in Japan was mixed. Masayuki Otani, deputy chief of research at Maruwa Securities, was dubious of Sony's optimism. He told the Associated Press that many Japanese retailers have excess PS3s sitting unsold on shelves but can't keep Nintendo's far cheaper Wii console in stock. However, Hirokaza Hamamura, president of Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, was more upbeat. "Any product selling at about 85 percent can be considered a hit," he told the AP.

    Damm it looks like he got his panties all in a bunch. Owwwww!

  • Blanco98

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 5:42 pm GMT

    Dont get me wrong im no PS3 fanboy I think the 360 is awsome to but I got a few things 2 say... First how is the PS3 Riddled with problems???? So far no console glitches for me, yes PS3 doesent have a good library of game OUT RIGHT NOW, but it will around febuary 20 and over...And also how does the PS3 have no good exclusives??? Did u guys ever take ur time and search the PS3 games?? Let me tell u some of the biggest Motorstorm, Lair, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Metal Gear 4, Devil May Cry 4, Final Fantasy + Versus, Rachet and Clank, 8 Days, Afrika, Untitles Naughty Dog game, Black Site Area 51, KIllzone 2, Getaway 3 ( i think these games lok pretty awsome but im not so sure around the last games i named since i havent heard much of them...) does are not all, also the best multi platform games ( IMO) are going to be for the PS3 and Xbox 360 like Assassins Creed, GTA4, RB6 Vegas, GRAW 2, Frontlines Fuels of War, COD 3, Resident Evil 5, Oblivion, Splinter Cell, those are awsome game sthat r both for PS3 and 360( The Wii is awsome but from what im seeing they are th ones that have no good games apperently...) 360 has an awsome library right now especially with GEARS owning everywhere but it has been out for 0VER and year so it sort of obvious it has a decent libraary, istill think PS3 has alot more potential tahn what its doing right now... Im just saying wat i think..

  • Hollywood_RFC

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 4:14 pm GMT

    Lets not go over board bloodyrooster, I'll admit PS3 was a colossal disaster in 2006. With more units being shipped they will start to pick up on sales. As far as games, they do have good games, but a select few good games might come out this year. On top of the CURRENT lack of good games, some games like GTA will be coming out on the Xbox as well. I'm not a fan boy of any console, i current only own a Xbox 360 and couldn't be happier with it, until halo 3 comes out =) Thats why i know that in due time PS3 will be a good console, just not great like the Wii or the 360. As far as the recent generation of consoles goes, the Wii is great, 360 kicks ass, and the PS3 was riddled with problems.

  • RoyTheViking

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 4:10 pm GMT

    Wow, they missed the deadline by two weeks. Big Deal.

  • bloodyrooster

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 3:30 pm GMT

    Be honest with yourselves people, it seems that Sony doesn't have any good games anymore. It simply relies on companies like Squareenix that aren't really exclusive to it. Maybe somebody can name something we're supposed to be looking forward to in the near future with the PS3 and please no Final Fantasy **. Maybe somebody can show some good proof of the PS3 eventually being worth it. From my perspective I don't see any hope for it.

  • neshannock23

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 2:43 pm GMT

    OMG I'm a 3-d texture and real gravity physics programmer how did I manage to get that wrong.



    I have a feeling I'm never going to hear the end of this OMG!

  • neshannock23

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 2:40 pm GMT

    I am a 3-d realist physics programmer for Microsoft and so I only hear positive about the Xbox. I own all three systems and let me tell you even though the PS3 does not have the best game selection right now it is still worth the money. Looking at the hardware and all the formats it plays (I mean I put my entire 30 gig Ipod on the damn thing), the graphical capabilities, and the fact that online play is still FREE should be reason enough. The system does much more than just games. Microsoft is dominating right now but Sony has definitely set them selves up for the future. Lets see who's on top 3 years from now (Hopefully Microsoft go Xbox) before we make decisions. You guy's are just defending a system right now because your fans of the previous gen (Or you have played Gears Of War recently OMG an amazing game). Besides I have a feeling most of you are poorly educated teenagers arguing over a system you will defend no matter what so lets just drop it for a few years until we have solid proof.

  • cherrytwister

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 2:08 pm GMT

    Did you know you can download your songs from your IPOD into your PS3? (ask me how if you don't know)...How cool is that...PS3 keeps getting better everyday!

  • Jedi_Lord77

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 1:41 pm GMT

    Errrr....Sony....Errrr better deliver to errrr South Africa eeeerrrrr real soon! Daaaah!

    Seriously, its been long enough! So long that we're losing our minds. When it does arrive I'm sure the prices will be so insane that I'll have to wait half the year for it to drop a few bucks. Sony needs to take a page out of Microsofts marketing strategy: Make it cheap and make it fast. We are getting tired of waiting for something many won't afford!!!

    PS. Sony, I still love you!

  • mrpeternorth

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 12:46 pm GMT

    I got a PS3 on launch day and I regret more every day. The games suck, the online setup is a joke, and the controller is a flimsy piece of garbage. Sony officially blew it with this thing. Every time I try to show it off to people I work with or my friends that haven't played it yet, they laugh at it and say there is no way in hell they'd spend 600 bucks for it. All of you people that live in places where this thing isn't available yet aren't missing anything. You'll eventually get to experience the pure disappointment that is the PS3.

  • Tribalice

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 11:35 am GMT

    why don't the ship some of them to south america, It will be really cool to see it here in argentina, where the only next-gen console avaiable in stores is the 360. A few people could buy the wii and ps3 if they knew the right people and if they had enought money (I was ofered a wii for 800 dollars!!!!)

  • LoweSox

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 10:26 am GMT

    Now for those software titles...

  • rijnie

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 10:26 am GMT

    yeah i have a wii but the graphics are like the gamecube, hope ps3 will improve the playstation 2

  • MISTER-PRINCE

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 9:58 am GMT

    PS3 is the new mark of the video game and the xboob $36.00 and wyi (why I buy?) just are wast of time. GO AHEAD PLAYSTATION 3...

  • crazy1pumpkins

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 6:29 am GMT

    Eventually, this will be a great and worthy system on the market =)

  • maoonparas

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 6:10 am GMT

    nice!

  • FreddieGermany

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 1:42 am GMT

    sony is doing there thing Its a great console and I know its destin to succeed

  • mycheatcodeemai

    Posted Jan 18, 2007 1:21 am GMT

    go sony go

  • knives0666

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 9:24 pm GMT

    ... WHO CARESSSSSSSSSSSSS

  • fash

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:43 pm GMT

    Whoppty friggen doo...

    Still none in Australia, so i don't care.

    Worldwide my...

  • WarhawK-harris

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:33 pm GMT

    I'm ultimately going to get a PS3. But I'm not going near a boxed retail version until the price is reduced to a more reasonable $300-400 range. In the meantime, I need to concentrate more on upgrading my PC.

  • Gerardo1963

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 6:51 pm GMT

    I already have a 360! Im not in a hurry to get a ps3 anytime soon! Im going to wait and see how it does and MAYBE, just maybe ill buy one!

  • dragon_1111

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 6:36 pm GMT

    YEA SONY!!!...Good stuff!

  • thefjk

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 5:42 pm GMT

    Good!

  • Zane182

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 4:17 pm GMT

    I dunno, people complain that ps3 is short of units, and when they turn it around, apparently it's not a turnaround, its "people arent buying them" geez, give it a rest.

    360 had an awful launch too remember, Sony still have time to get back on track, and getting units out there obviously, is a good start.

  • bloodyrooster

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 3:06 pm GMT

    G-Legend
    Good Job Sony, here come the anti-Sony's to say PS3 is just on shelves ...ignoring them...........................................now.

    We didn't even have to say it, because you already did!

  • G-Legend

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 2:43 pm GMT

    Good Job Sony, here come the anti-Sony's to say PS3 is just on shelves ...ignoring them...........................................now.

  • BILLNYE6983

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 2:21 pm GMT

    Autolycus, just cause your store doesn't sell them doesn't mean others don't, I went to walmart on a saturday and they had two fulls racks of PS3's (probably about twelve) next friday I went to walmart they had two, the following day I went there and BOTH were gone. Now I'm not saying that they are selling like that everywhere, but I am saying that it's ignorant of you to think that where ever you live is the exact same as everywhere else. Where I live PS3's are much more popular than 360's, but still that's just where I live, different area's are different generally. Incidentily everyone I know, save like 5 people think the Wii is Wiitarded. Also we (as in the gamers who are that into games that they go online and such) are much different (and also much smarter) about videogames, I know a kid who thinks graphics are all that matters, so of course he will only want a 360 or PS3 he wouldn't even TRY the Wii, I think the gamers that don't check into things, the one's who play only sports titles and shooters are a little different and harder to judge, even if the PS3 has nothing they still may buy it, so talking about sales and how good something is doesn't really work (lots of **** movies do good at the box office).

  • SuperSonic223

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 2:14 pm GMT

    I still think Sony should have waited until March to launch, but I guess they're going to bounce back.

  • Dante565

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 12:56 pm GMT

    Nice 2 million already. I knew Sony would get around to getting their system out there.

  • manolobrown2

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 11:54 am GMT

    It's easy to find a PS3 out in NYC, they are everywhere!

  • turja52

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 11:38 am GMT

    this autolycus guy is very funny. dude, u talk like an illiterate

  • Autolycus

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 10:09 am GMT

    lol thats funny, you think that sony gives out true statements. Hold on let me catch my breath from laughing so much...

  • enoslives7

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 10:07 am GMT

    Just as I predicted, Sony is owning micro$oft and nintendo.

  • Klash47

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 10:02 am GMT

    All manufacturers only post shipped numbers. its impossible to get an accurate number of how many were sold to every single Individual. microsoft sold 10.5 million units to RETAILERS, the amount that were bought per household is obviously far less.

  • smidsy85

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 9:07 am GMT

    PS3 is kicking ass!

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 9:00 am GMT

    wander how many commenters here working for M$?

  • nu-animal

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:54 am GMT

    "NPD doesn't account for Canada...[and] doesn't cover all of our USA retailers," Dave Karraker, Sony Computer Entertainment America's director of corporate communications...

    LOL - Sony shouldn't complain about sales regions being missed - after all they missed the entire continent of Europe for the PS3 "worldwide" launch!?

  • dberuvides

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:25 am GMT

    """""Even for the only thing that I liked about the PS3, which is the online distribution of PS1 & PS2 games, Sony forces the PS1 downloads down our throats via the PSP. Just perfect! I wanted to play it on the PS3, coz I thought that I could install the Yellow Linux distro & install the linux version of the PS1 emulators for improved graphics while playing the PS1 game images. But no."""

    Sony is going to fix that with the March firmware update. I love it how people foget to add the little details!!!!!

  • Autolycus

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:23 am GMT

    blah blah blah all just a bunch of empty hype to make the consumer think people keep buying them. they dont, we've had the same 6 in our store for over 2 weeks now...

  • ObiKKa

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 8:04 am GMT

    Lol, the PS3 isn't selling well (Just go over to Kotaku.com if ya don't believe me). And remember that for its whole lifetime of 6-10 years you'll only be waiting much longer for an exclusive game for the PS3 than on each of the Xbox 360, and PC coz of the terribly unhelpful CPU architecture. As for the multi-platform games the Xbox 360 games are infinitely more timeless than its PS3 counter-parts coz of the unified friend list on the Xbox Live, online features for every game, much higher rate of online gaming functionality, rumble in controller, better graphics (lighting, shadowing, textures, etc), smoother framerate, faster loading times, and etc.

    Sony keeps saying that the PS3 is future-proof. OK. The Xbox 360 has all the evidence of being a future-proof GAMING experience, since it already is, & it's looking spanking beautiful by the way. PS3 = future-proof technol... uh what? And the best part? Microsoft didn't even say a thing like that! Lol.

    Bathyj
    "Its those guys I really felt sorry for. Home country, and they get shafted unit numbers wise, and games wise in an effort to please mostly unappreciative americans."

    Mate, I also live in Australia. Look, why else do you think that they're very dismayed by the PS3? Because of my reasons stated above, plus the price factor, terrible online system, where Sony stupidly forces their poor buyers into thinking "Yes, they'll improve it all the time like a computer, so it'll get better as time goes on." What the ?! Come on! The basic gaming functionalities should all have been integrated & working in the PS3 at the start just like the Xbox 360, even AFTER ONE FULL YEAR!

    "I totally agree too that playstation helped to bring gaming to the masses. You can say what you want about the NES and SNES but gaming was still very small back then and it just so happeneds wipeout was the first game I saw on PS and soon later the game I won a comp in a nightclub playing, winning a PS in the process. PS undenyably was the biggest force getting gaming where it is now and without it there would be NO xbox."

    Yes, yes, I'm glad that the PS1 came at the time that it did, although it pushed poor Sega & their Saturn machine, 3DO & their console, & Atari & their Jaguar out of the market. I didn't have the console, but I played it at my friend's house, & also some of his PS1 games on my computer including the Tomb Raider games. It was an extremely nostalgic and lovable time, & I'll never forget it as do many other people, I guess. The games were sweet & very fun to play. I'm also glad that the PS line of consoles succeeded very well partly because of the better d-pad buttons than Nintendo's single d-pad button. Even Nintendo's latest portables are stuck with the stupidly unfriendly d-pad buttons that are not conducive to gaming. The PSP (which IMO is very a very good handheld) has better ones; thank god for something better other than Nin's dumb buttons! I hope that Sony will continue to make PSP 2 & on & on, even though I couldn't careless if they failed in their so-called "future-proof" home consoles' efforts. Even for the only thing that I liked about the PS3, which is the online distribution of PS1 & PS2 games, Sony forces the PS1 downloads down our throats via the PSP. Just perfect! I wanted to play it on the PS3, coz I thought that I could install the Yellow Linux distro & install the linux version of the PS1 emulators for improved graphics while playing the PS1 game images. But no.

    However, I am so glad that Microsoft came into the gaming market, coz otherwise Sony would have been shafting us with a less powerful console than the PS3 is, PLUS they couldn't have cared much about the online gaming functionality. Remember that well. Perhaps they might not even have included the rumble tech for the next sub-20 years before the rumble patent from Immersion expires, or even never license from them anymore (theoritically other companies might make their own rumble). MS understands the consumers very well, and so they focused on selling their stuff at fair prices.

  • gibb1

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 7:56 am GMT

    humm i still going to wait one year till it get's out in europe, then later i will choose ps3 or xbox360...i'm still comparing the consoles!!!

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 7:51 am GMT

    "However, Hirokaza Hamamura, president of Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, was more upbeat. "Any product selling at about 85 percent can be considered a hit," he told the AP."

    hahaha, that's really an upbeat fella, most japanese might have committed suicide for acheiving such a percentage!

  • Klash47

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 7:19 am GMT

    the 360 has been modded for months now. microsoft and gaming publisher are already losing millions to piracy. that could have something to do with all the 360 exclusives that were recently anounced for the ps3. it could be a loss of confidence. microsoft has a bad record for security just look at windows its plagued with security flaws. they need an update every two weeks.

  • dantesergei

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 7:07 am GMT

    MMMMMMMMMMM

  • theGrynch

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 6:52 am GMT

    Ouch, lemmings. Very ouch.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 6:37 am GMT

    meh.... not impressed.

  • Limonadi

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 6:05 am GMT

    I couldnt agree more with soulessblade. Sony put gaming mainstream. Besides, if all 3 consoles succeed, we the consumers win. If one fails, then it will lower standards for games in my opinion. All 3 have to compete for our dollar, and premium games make us buy their systems. Since Sony lost exclusive rights to GTA 4 and Assassin's Creed, then it might boil down to content. Since Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is coming to the PS3, it is going to have better content (hopefully) (select an action below) ______________ Report Abuse To Moderator

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