NPD: 09 a turning point for PS3

PS3’s 1.35m unit sales in North America in December – an 87 per cent year-on-year increase – saw the console finish 2009 by enjoying its best ever month in territory, leaving Sony celebrating what it is calling a turning point in the machine’s fortunes.

4.3m PS3s were sold throughout the year and represented a 22 per cent improvement on 2008.

Numbers on the PSP were less forthcoming, with Sony simply stating that sales of the portable jumped 122 per cent month-on-month in December. The PSP’s annual revenue stood at $5.1bn, around 26 per cent of total market.

There was December success for PSN, too, with the digital service enjoying its highest ever revenue in December and a 155 per cent year-on-year increase. Christmas day itself proved to be the most profitable day.

Final Fantasy VIII was the most downloaded title of the month, though the Call of Duty: World at War map packs claimed the top three spots in the annual download charts.

It’s never been a better time to be a PS3 owner,” SCEA’s community boss Patrick Seybold stated.

It’s no surprise we’ve seen PS3 units sold every month nearly double since October. We knew 2009 would be a turning point for the platform due to the new price and a content line up that is fuelling unprecedented consumer and industry interest.

The consumer response has simply been overwhelming and we anticipate the high demand for PS3 to continue into the coming months as we work closely with retail to meet the demand.

The best part of PS3’s story today is that 2010 will offer entirely new gaming experiences to consumers as we launch MAG, God of War III, 3D gaming, and the new motion controller this year.