Although CBOAT, one of several well-known leakers in the video game industry, shared that the difference in sales between the Xbox One and PS4 during November 2014 were minimal, it appears that they were anything but.
Several hours after Microsoft’s announcement that it had taken top spots in hardware and software for last month, a reputable NeoGAF user by the name CosmicQueso disputed CBOAT’s “7 – 10k difference” figure, stating:
I love cboat, but in this case he is not correct.
Shortly thereafter an equally reputable user by the name of creamsugar who is similarly known for having access to NPD Group data posted the following pie chart:
What you’re looking at is a pie chart of the sales between the Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U during November 2014. Given that it’s confirmed that Microsoft took the month, it means that it holds the lion’s share of the pie, or the left side. Sadly, the Wii U takes the smallest portion, and is estimated to have had around 200,000 sales during the month.
As far as what the huge chunk equates to, several sources, including The Verge’s Tom Warren and Geekwire, have confirmed that the Xbox One sold 1.2 million units during November 2014 in North America alone. This sets several records, and makes it one of the best-selling consoles in a single month in video game industry history.
Looking back at the chart, if the Xbox One’s piece is 1.2 million, then the PS4’s is around 750,000 to 800,000. The exact number is yet to be released, and Sony has been tight-lipped about NPD.
Related: 5 Things We Learned From November 2014 NPD
Previous to November 2014, the PS4 had a lead of around 1.1 million units over the Xbox One in North America. More than one-third of that evaporated in a single month. Additionally, the Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity bundle is still topping charts at its $349 price point.
When it comes down to it, Microsoft had a rough start this generation, but has taken drastic measures to improve not only how it handles feedback and consumer needs, but the design of its product. The mandatory Kinect has been removed, Xbox Live is no longer required for a variety of services, Xbox Games with Gold is beginning to trickle out games worth the attention of gamers, and monthly updates have significantly improved the quality of life of the Xbox One. All this combined with a strong Fall 2014 software portfolio has helped it succeed when it was absolutely needed. Oh, and that price drop obviously helped, too.
It’s important to note that the PS4 is currently still leading the Xbox One by a significant margin worldwide, though both consoles are selling incredibly well when compared to any previous generation.
