Sony: PlayStation 3 Sales Better Than Expected

According to Sony, the current economic crisis plaguing the entire globe isn’t hurting the sales of its PlayStation 3 and PSP consoles.

In fact, the company probably foresees itself rolling in mounds of cash, as both units are selling faster than expected. Sony believes that the PlayStation 3 and PSP will actually meet full-year sales targets, maybe even bringing the company out of the red if all go according to plan. But according to recent numbers generated last month, the boost in sales is still not enough to take on rivals Microsoft and Nintendo.

However, in a recent interview, Jack Tretton, Chief Executive of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said that sales are actually 30 percent greater than anticipated for its fiscal year. He believes that this boost stems from the inclusion of the Blu-ray disc player as well as a high demand for video games. He predicts that 10 million units will be sold by March 2009.

"We are in good shape for that number worldwide," he said in an interview. "We are tracking at 100 percent up over last year ... about 30 percent ahead of where we should be. So sales could slow down and we will still hit our number."

While his outlook sounds positive, sales numbers generated last month in Japan show that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 actually outsold the PlayStation 3 on Sony’s home turf. In the four weeks leading up to September 28, Japanese consumers lapped up 53,547 Xbox 360 consoles, whereas Sony only sold 33,071 PlayStation 3 units. However, the popularity with Microsoft’s American-based console may stem from recent price drops of the Arcade and Elite models as well as the release of Square Enix’s Xbox 360 exclusive action/RPG, Infinite Undiscovery.

Sony also faces stiff competition from Nintendo in the coming months. Not only is the Nintendo Wii outselling both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, Nintendo looks to release its latest handheld gaming system — the new DSi featuring a built-in camera — in Japan on November 1. Sony will already have a jumpstart with the release of the PSP-3000, hitting Japanese store shelves October 16, sporting a built-in microphone and an advanced LCD panel. Currently the Nintendo DS Lite is outselling Sony’s PSP console nearly two-to-one.

Despite anticipated sales in the upcoming months, will Sony be able to deliver both consoles during the holiday season ? "I’d say we are able to meet somewhere between 80-90 percent demand, based on how things are trending," Tretton said. Yesterday Nintendo announced that consumers will have better luck finding the Wii console this year as compared to the shortages faced during the previous holiday season, however did not rule out any shortages.

Still, with the global economy taking a huge nosedive, it looks as if the gaming industry is impenetrable, and Sony is patting itself on the back with the PlayStation 3 and PSP. After all, both consoles have multiple uses, thereby targeting the movie buff, the music lover, and the gamer all in one package. "I think people are going to question every dollar that they spend, but they are going to look for value in return," he said. "The entertainment value ... with PlayStation 3 compares very favorably to other entertainment choices."

Will the economic woes help the sales of Sony’s consoles ? So far, current market numbers indicate that consumers see a better value with the Nintendo Wii and DS consoles.