Sony’s record PlayStation 4 sales shows marketing focus on gamers is paying off
Sony is enjoying record sales of its PlayStation 4 console, signalling a return to focus on gaming over entertainment is a marketing strategy that is paying off.
Around 30m PlayStation 4 consoles have been sold since launch in 2014, and in the first few months the machine sold faster than both PlayStation 2 and 3. For the PS4, Sony decided to scrap marketing its consoles as a one-stop entertainment shop a la Microsoft’s Xbox One and turn its attention to serious gamers.
Sony’s strategy has seen it speak to gamers under the mantra ‘for the players’ and PlayStation 4’s campaign ran with the tagline ‘Greatness Awaits’. Sony has also managed to stay ahead of the pack in the console space and beat off competition from Nintendo’s Wii U thanks to partnerships with the likes of games publisher Activision Blizzard for the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.
In an interview with the Financial Times yesterday Andrew House, president and global chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment, said that this year’s Black Friday was the most successful in the company’s history.
“We are now trying to benchmark against the success of PlayStation 2 [which sold 100m consoles over its 12-year life span] or exceed it if possible.
The company will also be banking on the console’s success as it looks to pull back from a particularly turbulent period after its film and handset divisions failed to perform.