Since being released on November 12, 2020, the PlayStation 5 has been incredibly difficult to come by for many consumers, but that hasn't slowed the sales. Through March 2021, the PlayStation 5 has been determined to be the fastest-selling gaming console in United States history, and dominated hardware sales in the first quarter, according to industry analyst Mat Piscatella.
The sales of the PlayStation 5 have been tremendous, and as Piscatella mentions, it is currently the fastest-selling console in the United States with 5 months of sales data behind it. This includes units moved and in terms of the United States Dollar. This is juxtaposed with the fact that it's been incredibly difficult to obtain a PlayStation 5 for the average consumer.
Hardware sales, while accounting for the second largest segment of gaming sales (the other segments are accessories and content, content being by far the largest), were up 47% year to date overall, compared to a year ago. Last March, the Nintendo Switch held the position now possessed by the PlayStation 5 and was experiencing similar shortages. A mixture of the onset of the pandemic, as well as the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons had fueled the run on the then three-year-old console.
Not to be outdone by its console counterpart, the DualSense Wireless controller held the top spot in terms of accessories sold both in the month of March and for the first quarter of 2021. This comes even with reports of a shortened lifespan for the much sought-after controller.
While hardware sales trend well for Sony, content tells another story. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War held the number one position on the charts, while positions 2 and 4 were both held by Nintendo Switch exclusives, Monster Hunter: Rise, and Super Mario 3D World. Number 3 went to Outriders, which was available at release on the Xbox Game Pass. While Sony dominates in hardware, it will be interesting how it fares in the long run due to the intellectual properties and services held by Microsoft and Nintendo.
The Playstation 5 has secured its spot at the top for the time being with phenomenal sales and a list of promising upcoming exclusives, such as God of War: Ragnarok and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. With an incredibly promising beta for Final Fantasy 14, the PlayStation 5 continues to sell out as fast as they come in. Time will tell if the Xbox Series X/S and the Xbox Game Pass can catch up in the long run.