Lately, we've seen a few threads that are trying to discredit the PS3's comeback, using either financials and/or aligned launches. Of course, this only looks at a small portion of the picture and ignores all that went on during the PS3's launch and its first 2-3 years on the market, like how sales actually played out each year, as well as the bad image the PS3 gained from the press and those who were not Sony fans, fans of different brands and general gamers. Let's take a quick look back in time and actually see the comeback unfold.
The PS3 launched in 2006 to sales of 1.25M, according to VGC, which was 5.5M less than the 360 that year. Sure that was 70K more than the 360's launch year, but again, that isn't the whole picture. The 360 was already here. It was already gaining momentum. It had much better 3rd party support/multiplats and, at the time, better 1st party support. Much of the gaming press, as well as non-Sony fans, felt the 360 was going to become the HD console of choice, quickly leaving the PS3 far behind. And why wouldn't it? Not only for the momentum and gaming support pointed out above, but it had a much better online structure and WAS $200 CHEAPER!!
In 2007, thanks to sales from its launch in EU, Mexico, and Africa, the PS3 was able to outsell the 360 by 40K. Of course, many probably believed that this was due to the sales from those launches, and it didn't stop the doomed articles and threads on many sites. They either declared the PS3 dead or that it would come in a distant 3rd. And then in 2008, MS did something that many believed put the final nail in the PS3 coffin. During the holiday season, it lowered the 360's entry price to $199, once again creating a $200 difference between it and the PS3 price. This caused the 360's sales to explode in late 2008, helping it outsell the PS3 by 710K. The gap advantage the 360 had increased to 7.39M, from 6.69M the year before. Many, including some users on here, believed the gap would either stay the same or continue to increase. But, that was before Sony launched...
The comeback. On Aug 18th 2009, Sony announced the PS3 price drop to $299, as well as a Slim model to launch in Sept. This helped push the PS3's sales to 2.84M above the 360, which decreased the gap to 4.55M. And the comeback has only continued. Every year since the Slim launch and $299 price drop, the PS3 has outsold the 360. And in 2011, it started outselling the Wii, the current #1 home console. In fact, the comeback has been so strong that even with the HUGE success MS has had with the Kinect in the US, as well as the great discounts and deals MS has offered during the holidays, the PS3 has been able to outsell it for the past 4 years straight, this year will make it 5 years.
Regardless of what some might try and say, the Sony has pulled the impossible with the PS3. In the beginning, it was a floundering console that was $200 more expensive than its closest competitor, had a weaker online structure, less than stellar 1st/3rd party support for the first ~2 years, and a poor image in the gaming public. Now, it competes competently on price and online, has some of the greatest 1st/3rd party support, and has become one of the most respected consoles this gen. And to top it all off, it is going to finish a very close 2nd, possibly even 1st. While some may not like those facts, it is true. The comeback, she continues.
