SCEA: We Dominated December

[_skitzo_]

The NPD Group's official numbers for video game console sales in the U.S.


"Sony Computer Entertainment America dominated the US computer entertainment marketplace in December, scoring its highest first-party sales month in company history, as well producing the top-selling home system. According to NPD data, SCEA tallied total sales of $1.61 billion, with more than 2.8 million units of hardware, 22.4 million units of software and 6.9 million peripherals sold, besting the next closest company's total retail sales dollars by nearly 40%. December 2006 was only the third time total first- and third-party sales for an individual company have exceeded $1.6 billion, records previously set by SCEA in December 2001 and 2002.

On the hardware front, the more than six-year old PlayStation 2 outpaced all other home systems at retail during December, including newer, readily-available products from our competition. Sales of PS2 systems were down a mere 5% from December 2005, demonstrating the continued viability of the PS2 technology. PSP (PlayStation Portable Player) showed very strong gains in December, up 130% over the previous month. As one of the top items on consumer's holiday gift lists, the recently released PLAYSTATION 3 set a new record for the company following exceptional December sales - in the first two months of availability, the PS3 has sold-through more units in the US than the original PlayStation or PlayStation 2.

"If there was ever any doubt about the power of the PlayStation brand in the US, the December NPD data should quickly quell it," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Not only did consumers drive records for PLAYSTATION 3, they also validated the excellent value represented by PlayStation 2 and the entertainment versatility of PSP. These sales figures bode very well for the company heading into 2007."