PlayStation 5 accounted for half of UK console sales over past six months
As Nintendo and Xbox sales slip.
PlayStation 5 accounted for 51 percent of all console sales in the UK over the past six months.
Sony's latest console held a 43 percent share on all console sales between November 2022 and October 2023, according to UK chart firm GfK (via Eurogamer's sister site GamesIndustry.biz). But hone in on the last six months and the PS5's sales account for just over 50 percent of all console purchases since May.
GfK games boss Dorian Bloch said these figures are a result of various price promotions held over the summer months, the console's recent EA Sports FC bundle and, of course, "unrestricted sales" on the standard PlayStation 5 model. Unlike previous years, there are currently no supply and stock shortages for Sony's PS5 console here in the UK.
"Over the same measures the Xbox Series consoles have dropped from 26 percent market share over the last 12 months to 23 percent over the last six months, but the biggest decline has been Switch, down from 34 percent to 25 percent," Bloch said.
While the Nintendo Switch has seen a decline here in the UK and the States, where sales have dropped by 21 percent in 2023, overall the hybrid console is still performing well. This is largely due to Japanese sales and "other export territories".
However, these numbers could well change in the coming weeks, thanks to Black Friday and other seasonal promotions across the board.
"Q4 traditionally accounts for around 50 percent to 55 percent of hardware units, so there is still a lot to play for at the time of writing," Bloch explained, adding that "console hardware year-to-date is currently eight percent ahead in the UK, but only due to a surging PlayStation."
That being said, Bloch also reflected on the current cost-of-living crisis here in the UK and the economic uncertainty facing many across the country. They noted this may impact consumer spending over the coming weeks.
"GfK recently revealed that the consumer confidence index fell by nine points in October 2023 to -30 and that the major purchase index fell 14 points to -34 in the run-up to the festive season," Bloch said.
"The sharp falls remind us that the cost-of-living crisis exerts acute pressure on many consumers: heating homes, filling petrol tanks, surging mortgage and rents and a slowing jobs market, coupled with a new conflict in the Middle East, all contribute to growing unease.
"Not having enough money to make ends meet means juggling expensive gifts during the festive season - many consumers will look at major purchases carefully - consoles qualify - and whilst it may seem that entertainment is a priority, 48 percent of respondents in Oct 2023 said that they were either just managing, using their savings or running in to debt.
"We also saw that 39 percent of respondents said that they felt their household's financial position will worsen over the next 12 months."
Earlier this year, Sony revealed its slimline PlayStation 5 model. This recently revealed PS5 console is said to mark a 30 percent decrease in volume compared to the previous PS5 model (and a weight reduction of 18 percent and 24 percent for the standard and digital edition respectively).