Microsoft 1st, Sony Last in Holiday Console Sales

It boils down to the fact that MS did a brilliant job in marketing. Sony wasn't bad--they've sold quite a few Move consoles, but MS successfully convinced consumers that theirs was the one you "had to buy". As to which one is better, or has more potential...? Not sure yet. I don't own either.

And back to your regularly scheduled console flamewars.

This is the result of group-think. tsk tsk.

This proves, at least once, that Microsoft can be somewhat original. Not 100%, becasue the Wii started this new era of alternative controls methods, but still, Microsoft took a risk here. Sony is in trouble because people see their product as just a minor improvement over the Wii. And most people who want that kind of control already have a Wii.

Congrats go to Microsoft for selling the 360 + Kinect for cheaper than a playstation + move.

Congrats also go to microsoft for targeting the K-5 age group with the kinect with it's Kinectimals ad showing 15-1 against it's other kinect adds.

Meanwhile Sony just show's that epic street fighting game along with... was it killzone? I mean COME ON!

Sony WTF fail?!?! You don't show someone wailing on someone else when your tryingto sell a KIDS product! You had a product that was just as good if not currently better than Kinect (having played with both, Move is just better, maybe if Microsoft gets the Kinect to stop randomly spazzing during less than ideal situations) and you ****** the pooch with your advertising campaign, AGAIN!

This is why Sony's failing, they just CANT get it right when it comes to advertisements.

i disagree on the marketing statment. the kinect is motion without a conrtol which is just.. better, i've tried both ou tand plan on getting a kinect wehn i can find one on the shelf or online without having to go above msrp or buyign a new 360 just to get the kinect

Well, Kinect did sell a lot more than Move and it is mainly due to the marketing. Kinect isn't very good at capturing motions in fast paced games, but that is all technical nitty gritty that consumers don't get into, unless they actually experience it. In nutshell, MS 1, SONY 0.

I couldn't careless about either of the new motion gizmos. Gran Turismo 5 was just released, so I finally went out and bought a PS3. The games matter the most. Didn't hurt that I picked up a free blu-ray player in the process.

The problem with Sony is that kids ask for video games for Christmas, but the Ps3 has no games.

Sony went awry because the "Move" is basically an exact copy of the Wii, which most people already have. Microsoft actually came up with something different, and most people I know also already have a 360 next to their Wii, so it just requires a new peripheral. I'm sure "Move" did a lot better in Japan, however.

every dog has his day....

Is this really surprising to anyone?

The first part of this is not true. Microsoft actually showcased a motion sensing game for the original Xbox in the movie The Island. Granted it was still essentially just an idea, and it was only shown through a scene in a movie, but it was still Microsoft's idea before the Wii existed.

No, it doesn't. Sony's relatively poor holiday sales raises the question of why that is the case, but it does not "beg the question." Ought to learn what that phrase means, rather than just throwing it out there because it sounds cool.

no ur not that superior

Believe it or not, the concept of the Wii controller did not originate on the day the console was released. It was in development for years in advance of the release. Additionally, Nintendo released the Power Glove in the late 80's, which was a rudimentary motion controller. Sega also had the Activator in the early 90's. Both over a decade before MS released a console.

Well, Microsoft maybe won November, but i'm pretty sure that the wii will have more sales than Microdoft's Xbox 360

To me, this just proves that neither are a Wii killer.

Nothing is original.

And October, and September, and August, and July, and June...




Based on what? If you read the article, you'd see that November is the sixth consecutive month that the 360 has been the top-selling console. What reason do you have to suspect that trend will change in the biggest retail month of the year?

The lower class can finally purchase a "gaming" console.

I think the main reason PS3 did well in sales is because of their built-in Blue Ray player. XBOX has much better titles and now with Kinect it is doing better than expected. This is competition at its finest and glad their are 3 players in the console market and not just 2. Good job MS.

i think most who bought consoles did so because of the rrod, and a big portion bundle the kinect with it....i dont think the move being more complicated has anything to do with it, the ps3 fan base is a pretty technical bunch, i think it has more to do with the perception of a poor atempt at capturing the wii market, especially after thier first atempt (motion control in the remote), it all gets pretty insulting to ps3 fans, who lets face it pays top dollar and expects the best not just copies

They sunk a lot more cash into advertising Kinect..

I find Move works a lot better than Kinect - but in the end of the day, it's usually the product with the best marketing that gets the sales.

I'll be very interested to see if any new Kinect games can take my interest or whether it'll continue to sit in the cupboard. They say they can produce 'hardcore' games with no buttons.. well - bring it.

isn't the 360 kinect bundle $100 less than ps3's?.... if anything, i would say that was the main reason for higher sales.... even if xbox had used a device based motion controller, they would still sell more than sony because of lower price

The PS3 has the confusion of needing more controllers to make the whole "MOVE" setup work. Similar to the annoyance that you really need 4 controllers and also nun chucks with the Wii to get the full controller combo you need for almost anything that the games will throw at you. The Move needs the camera and then a main controller for each player and or as a second one, then there is the nun chuck style one for other games. Basic entry is cheap but to really get deep into any of the motion games and such it takes a lot more than the $100 bundle entry. Xbox wins this round costing (at launch) $150 and that is it.

What will come down next is the game selection. Each console has its own list of games, Xbox's Kinect has some good games and some bombs as does Sony's Move. People that say the PS3 has no games are downright ignorant btw.

Overall both of the new motion entries will take a bit of time to grow. Kinect I enjoy a lot and I plan to get a Move bundle in the next month or so. I own all 4 system choices (X360, PS3, PC, Wii) so I am not biased to any platform. They all have their pros and cons with the PC being my Primary gaming system, my PS3 comes in 2nd with GT5 being my current love, my Xbox is down with the family with Kinect and sits next to the Wii which is also used for family and friend games. I also got my Family their own PS3 to use as a BR and Media Center system for Christmas.

"..where did Sony go awry?"

When the console was first released it was $600 and second to the market.

As stated in my main post and hope to clear up confusion. The "Move" Bundle cost $100 for the Camera, a Controller, and a Game. Enough to get you started. The X360's Kinect is $150 for the sensor (only hardware you need) and a Game.
That is where the Xbox wins on entry cost. The Move is cheaper to start, but adds up to about $130-150 depending on if you get the nun chuck part or a 2nd controller. It will be another about $75ish for a set of Controller+Nunchuck (To get full 2 player going).

So While Xbox keeps the price at $150. Move goes from $100 - 200 ($200 = Move Bundle + 1 more controller and 2 navigation controllers).

So a Complete 2 Player Move Setup will set you back $50 more roughly. Not horrible, but it is a bit confusing they didn't just make and sell a complete move bundle like this to take all the confusion out and really get some more Move market Penetration.

I just want to ask who has a original Launch XBOX that still works... Hmm.. I know Launch PS3's are not immune to a similar YLOD, but all the ones I know of personally still work to this day, while the Launch X360 owners have had to repurchase once or even twice... Hmm

I'm still waiting for a good co op game for the ps3 that isn't rated M. Don't really need my 4 year old repeating everything she hears from the ps3.

That was Microsoft's very first attempt at a gaming console. Sony already had tons of success designing and fine-tuning PS1's and PS2's. Yet within that relatively short (techwise) timespan of launch to current day, Microsoft is killing PS3. Hmm.

Actually the difference in sales should've arguably been larger with a $500 million marketing campaign. As for the comment on Sony's taking no risk? This entire generation (PS3) was a huge risk for them (and people dogged them all the way), but after 4 years if you go by worldwide sales, the gap between them and Microsoft is almost closed. Despite the PS3 being significantly more expensive until only recently. 3D is where Sony is doing the risking now.

All these motion devices are little more than gimmicks because they still are limited to a TV screen. Cue virtual reality. Maybe that will finally have a chance at rivaling a gamepad or kb/mouse.