UK PS3 install base over three times what it was a year ago

by Jem Alexander { Sep 30th 2008 at 12:00PM }

The UK's a strange sales region when it comes to consoles. While Europe is generally considered Sony territory, the UK bucks the trend by favoring the Xbox 360. Despite that, PS3 sales throughout the last year have increased dramatically, keeping in line with 360 sales during the period. Both consoles sold around a million units between last September and now, with the PS3 install base rising from 0.4 million to 1.4 million.

Expect to see this increase even further this Christmas, as the big games start to come out. We're desperate to know Sony UK's plans for marketing LittleBigPlanet. Hopefully we'll be seeing TV adverts, complete with Stephen Fry narration, and billboards appearing within the next few months. That ought to push a load more systems, with any luck. Other big exclusives, such as Resistance 2, MotorStorm 2 and, to a lesser extent, SOCOM Confrontation (which is generally much bigger in the US), ought to help too.

Tags: Europe, sales-figures, UK

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

djhsecondnature @ Sep 30th 2008 12:06PM

I find it odd also. As a UK resident, I know more people with PS3s than 360s by about 3-to-1. And the whole the UK loves Nintendo think is bull as 80% of people I know that 'have' a Wii have already sold it or exchanged it as they never play it. I think sales whould be done in how many people still own the consoles they bought. (Although I have no idea how we could do that lol).

Devil240Z @ Sep 30th 2008 12:51PM

for me its... actually I only know one person with a PS3 and alot more with 360s. All of my PSN friends are people I met in games and on forums.

Emophia @ Sep 30th 2008 1:25PM

For me in the UK, I know a hell of a lot more people with a PS3 then 360.

But almost everybody I know has a Wii tho.

djhsecondnature @ Sep 30th 2008 1:39PM

Suppose it's just like that lol.

hey_big_dck psn:fuliano626 @ Sep 30th 2008 12:11PM

socom!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Echnaton @ Sep 30th 2008 3:21PM

Go Sony Go :-)

Matt @ Sep 30th 2008 12:46PM

@ djhsecondnature

I'm the UK too and by contrast, most of the people I know including me have 360's and maybe that's the point, you buy the machine your friends have, so you can play online together

I'll probably get a PS3 at some point, but only to play Blu-ray. I don't want to start a war here, but just as it would be interesting to see how many Wiis are still being used (mine is gathering dust!) it would also be interesting to see how many PS3s are just for movies

ouj @ Sep 30th 2008 12:55PM

"it would also be interesting to see how many PS3s are just for movies"

Every time PS3 sales figures are quoted people come in to tell that "nobody plays any games on it, it's just for the movies'.

Every time Blu-Ray sales figures are quoted people come in to tell that all those players sold are PS3s and "nobody watches any movies on it, it's for the games".

YoonsALiar @ Sep 30th 2008 1:04PM

Most of the people I know that had 360's now have PS3s

It's becoming clear, that if you own PS3 and PC, you miss nothing, if you own a 360 and a PC, you miss out on loads of PS3 exclusives.

Chris @ Sep 30th 2008 3:10PM

It would be interesting, as the PS3 is STILL the best BluRay player on the market
And when you consider you can stream content (movies/photos/t programs/music) to it from your PC, and it plays games it's one hell of a bargain

1664 @ Sep 30th 2008 12:46PM

Alot of peeps i know own 360s because of the price of ps3 and lack of games it had, and i did very almost get 360 for same reasons but i knew sony would come good eventually plus i love\loved gran turismo (gt5p was big disapointment for me) and like the post above me most people i know that got a wii have since sold it.

since iv had my ps3 tho and talked about it a few are considering getting one now, as for sony advertising in uk, i dont think they do do they? lol granted i dont watch tv but i do catch it at others peoples houses and stuff and dont think iv ever seen a ps3 advert, have for there games but not the actual console.

tomo_lifeline @ Sep 30th 2008 12:59PM

Yea Im pretty sure I've never seen a sony advert appart from on the release of the PSP.
I'd say out of the people I know it's about 50:50 when it comes to ps3 or 360, and those who chose 360 either only bought it because it's cheaper or because of halo 3, the latter catagory are now regretting buying a 360 because halo 3 is over.

JonDoh @ Sep 30th 2008 1:02PM

Yeah come to think of it i've never seen an add for the PS3 on uk tv i've seen the 360 advert alot lately since they dropped the price.

1664 @ Sep 30th 2008 1:24PM

aye i think if they had a advert showcaseing the blue-ray, hard drive & media capabilities, psn store & casual games, play-tv, video store & home thats comeing it would deff help shift some more ps3's in uk to the peeps that dont read magazines or forums etc as much but still play games

mat parker @ Sep 30th 2008 1:33PM

The gap will increase in the UK for the following reason:

PS3 with 3 games=£379.89 ($675)
Xbox 360 with 3 games=£249.89 ($444)

That and the only serious marketing the Playstation brand seems to do is billboards during Champions League games

Chris @ Sep 30th 2008 3:12PM

PS3 with 3 games=£379.89 ($675)
Xbox 360 with 3 games=£249.89 ($444)
???

You forgot to add on the cost of
Non-Standard harddrive
Wireless adapter
Annual subscription to play online

And if you require it
BluRay Player, which are more expensive than the PS3, despite the PS3 being the best player on the market