Europe becomes biggest Sony territory
by Andrew Yoon 
{ May 14th 2008 at 11:15AM }
Move over America. Get out of the way Japan. Europe is now a bigger consumer of Sony electronics and video games than both of you. While sales and operating income for the Japanese electronics giant has fallen in both the US and Sony's homeland of Japan, these losses were offset by significant growth in Europe. Total sales and operating income rose to 2.33 trillion yen in Europe, which represents a 14% growth overall.These numbers include both the gaming and electronics divisions (PlayStation-only numbers were unavailable). Sony's brand image continues to be incredibly strong in Europe, and the current success of the PS3 across the Atlantic shows that this isn't going to change any time soon.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
myself @ May 14th 2008 11:23AM
who do you thing is gonna save gaming....Europens...
not the braindead americans that buy whatever they see in tv,not the japanese with their cooking and train games...
-the empire is strong
Dan Davis @ May 14th 2008 12:26PM
Much like the brain-dead Americans who cannot type a coherent sentence, free from typos and misspellings?
mint400 @ May 14th 2008 11:25AM
might have something to do with the strong €uro...
Rowdehaj @ May 14th 2008 11:34AM
Yes. Now take heed, SCEE!
Ves @ May 14th 2008 11:33AM
But still europe is going to be the last to get served and/or get weak a (weaker) product.
MattDark @ May 14th 2008 11:44AM
Yep, no doubt we'll continue to get screwed over, despite how much income we provide to sony
Popfrogs @ May 14th 2008 11:36AM
Am I the only one who noticed the US PSN update yesterday?
Jerses @ May 14th 2008 12:00PM
what was updated...did i miss something? it still the same may 8 update
reson8er @ May 14th 2008 11:59AM
What was updated?
Popfrogs @ May 14th 2008 1:53PM
Maybe I was too busy playing GTA4 and MGO last week. I noticed a bunch of videos, the Bourne demo, etc.
Brodie-san @ May 14th 2008 11:37AM
I can only hope that eventually the love Europe show for Sony/all things PlayStation will eventually result in a superior service from SCEE than what we're currently getting.
I can live in hope can't I ?
MattDark @ May 14th 2008 11:48AM
Yeah, if were lucky Sony may take note that europe is actually helping them out and start giving us some better treatment.
Riley Freeman @ May 14th 2008 11:56AM
what are the numbers. how many consoles were sold in europe? im just curious of the breakdown
Huschke @ May 14th 2008 2:00PM
I don't think SCEE will get their act together. I mean why should they? Everything is working great for them in europe. People are buying stuff from Sony despite the crappy support.
So from a marketing point of view (which is the only pov that counts nowadays) it is completly unnecessary to change ANYTHING in europe.
That's the sad truth guys...
TinyTim121 @ May 14th 2008 4:33PM
Agreed. You know i wonder if from all the consoles, consumer treatment is the worst for PS3 owners?
Seriously though, before i get flammed, after reading that microsoft greenberg stuff, i think hes correct. I know 360 has nothing for 08 or 09, but lets face it; the advertising for GTA IV on 360 couldn't have been greater. And yeah, Microsoft do work hard on making xbox live top notch...even if you do have to pay. If i were a 360 owner, i would be proud that Microsoft is clearly trying very hard to keep the 360 improving.
I just wish sony would do the same =(
TinyTim121 @ May 14th 2008 4:36PM
...although saying that...i did buy the PS3 for games. And i can't wait for MGS4, GT5, Killzone 2 and Resistance 2! There isn't much on xbox that would make me want to buy a 360...
Imbro @ May 14th 2008 12:05PM
Europe becoming the biggest territory despite giving us the most horrible treatment is nothing less then extraordinary. Take home lesson is, the best customers gets the worst deal. I'm done with being a fanboy getting spat on. When a xbox 720 comes, I'll buy it before a ps4 without even looking at the specs. Then maybe some day I can buy a ps5 with the same 50% discount they get in the usa and japan.
Devin @ May 14th 2008 12:18PM
Grow up.......
P @ May 14th 2008 7:14PM
If only some of that was accurate.
Comparing the Pound/Euro to the Dollar & Yen is pointless, the cost of living is completely different, we earn more in Europe than US, and products cost more to purchase here than outside. If you get paid twice what the US get paid, and pay twice the price for something the US have, ultimately your paying the same thing. Problems only arrise when little people want to have their high wages and other peoples low cost products.
It'd be nice if everything was equal at a quick glance, it isnt, just accept it and move on, different economies, different circumstances, different people wanting different quantities of YOUR money cos they can, and call it tax.
And for the record, im in the UK, and well aware everything seems to be a rip-off here.
We get the rough end of the stick for a lot of things, but whining about prices is stupid and inaccurate.
evilfoxhound @ May 14th 2008 2:00PM
Yet they still treat us like shit. Thanks Sony.
Draco @ May 14th 2008 12:17PM
I guess those racist adds work... :P
Mattchewie @ May 14th 2008 1:08PM
This doesn't suprise me. The japanese are all about the wii lately and americans apparently are more concerned about being able to trash talk people than having a reliable product, please see exhibit A. http://youtube.com/watch?v=1zMyv2lEr34
Fane @ May 14th 2008 4:44PM
They aren't even buying that many Wiis (way more than PS3s, but only "average" numbers overall). Most of the units sold over the past year have been handhelds, thanks to the DS craze and then the PSP craze. The Japanese just haven't made the jump to the current generation yet.
TinyTim121 @ May 14th 2008 12:25PM
Good! Now Sony start treating us correctly; a decent Playstation Store and a much better service to us euros!
DaveC @ May 14th 2008 12:37PM
Yet we still don't have a dualshock 3 release date.
Popfrogs @ May 14th 2008 7:30PM
You know, stuff like the lack of an 80GB, even in bundles, and the strangely abscent DS3 make me wonder wtf Sony Europe is trying to do. It's almost like Sony doesn't want to be big in Europe and SCEE is actively taking steps to make sure they don't get more popular. Maybe it's a hassle doing business in Europe with all the laws, languages, restrictions and taxes...
Maverick Saturn @ May 14th 2008 12:51PM
Yup, typical, we give em most sales, and they give us....well nothing much really, we have a rather empty PSN.
I can only say GT5P was the only thing we got first.
Devin @ May 14th 2008 1:59PM
There has to be a reason. I just don't understand why Sony doesn't come out and say it.
I know Reeves said something and Kotaku translated it as "Did you know that there are many different languages in Europe? Not everyone speaks English! Mind officially blown. That means localizing games for Europe is a gianormous pain in the ass."
SCEE needs to either A) explain why it takes so long to get games out in Europe rather than Japan or NA or B) acknowledge that they can do better
glenn @ May 14th 2008 1:59PM
ALL THE MORE REASON FOR SCEE TO GET OFF THEIR ASSES AND DO SOMETHING THEN!!!
tonyt3rry @ May 14th 2008 1:44PM
About F*cking time, Sony spent too much time giving the u.s more content and quicker content on a market where it isnt as popular, as the 360 mainly controls the us. lets hope we start geting more stuff from this
Ghaleon @ May 14th 2008 1:45PM
lol, based on the garbage that populates the EU charts week-by-week, no surprise
MattDark @ May 15th 2008 2:23AM
And whos to blame for that?
Sony! For their poor releases over here!
Vincent @ May 15th 2008 9:22AM
Yet Europe is treated the worst out of the 3 regions.
sleepyenglish @ Jun 20th 2008 8:18AM
And from the pictures in the latest advert were going to be late to the table when the tv/movie rental store goes up as well.