PS4 vs. Xbox One: Microsoft Console Sales Up 14 Percent, Still Trailing Behind Sony

Microsoft Corp.’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Xbox One sales are up 14 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter, according to a quarter-end report on Tuesday. The Redmond, Washington, multimedia brand said it shipped 1.1 million Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles to retailers during the period, which ended June 30.

Microsoft's revenue from Xbox increased to $104 million, but Sony Corp. (NYSE:SNE) still remains in the console lead.

According to June’s console sales report from New York City-based market research company NPD Group, Sony’s PlayStation 4 has outsold Microsoft’s Xbox One for six months straight. Though Microsoft launched a Kinect-less Xbox One on June 9 for $100 less than its original price of $499, it still can’t keep up with the PS4.

Video games analyst Liam Callahan also said gaming hardware sales increased significantly last month – by 106 percent.

“The 106 percent increase in hardware sales (vs. June 2013) was lifted entirely by console hardware sales, which were up by over 200 percent. The strong sales performance of console hardware helped to offset the declines seen in portable hardware,” Callahan said. He also discussed the popularity of both eighth-generation devices.

“Combined sales of Xbox One and PS4 are over 80 percent higher than the combined totals for Xbox 360 and PS3 – an indication of the strength of the start of this new console generation.”

NPD added that new physical video game sales across hardware, software and accessories increased by 24 percent over June last year.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Sony has sold 9 million PlayStation 4 consoles while Microsoft’s Xbox One was at 5 million consoles sold worldwide, according to a recent Edge magazine interview with Microsoft Corporate Vice President Phil Harrison.

In April, Sony had moved 7 million PS4 units and the Xbox One was at 5 million units shipped to retail stores like Best Buy and GameStop.

Both consoles launched last November, with the PS4 reaching buyers one week earlier than the Xbox One on Nov. 15.