Sydney, February 8, 2011 – Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) today revealed another strong performance for the total PlayStation®3 (PS3™) platform which in both real and relative terms outperformed other competitive game platforms, in both value and unit growth. PS3 platform[1] achieved the number one place in terms of value and year on year value growth, representing 27% of the approximate AU$1.7 billion industry accounting for AU$469 million across more than 5 million units of PS3 product[2]. The latter, reflects a 41% uplift for the PS3 platform in calendar year unit sales. This solid year-on-year growth comes off the back of strong platform results the year prior, and is indicative of the continued momentum of the PlayStation brand, devices and entertainment content available in Australia.
Michael Ephraim, Managing Director Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, said: “PlayStation 3 as a platform continues to outperform and grow, even during the double digit industry wide downturn last year. Our consumers are responding to the increased entertainment content offering, from both our company and our network of partners, enjoying the benefits derived from our ongoing technical innovation, and also the more connected network experiences we continue to offer.”
He added “Today’s result announcement reflects Sony Computer Entertainment Australia’s strong capability to deliver in 2011.”
Hardware
Total industry hardware value in Australia eclipsed $520 million in 2010, with the PS3 device deriving the greatest value share of hardware sales within the industry accounting for approx. AU$138.5 million, or 26.5%.
PlayStation 3 install base of hardware in Australia is now over 1.1 million devices[3] in Australian homes. PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) is over 675,000 while PlayStation 2 has reached over 2.6 million units as it heads into its 11th year.
Software
With gaming at the heart of the PlayStation DNA, PS3 derived the greatest value share of software by device platform in CY2010 accounting for approx. AU$283 million, or 26.7%, of the $1.059 billion industry software sales revenues.
The top selling individual game software SKU of CY2010 for the industry was Activision’s Call of Duty Black Ops on PlayStation 3. Gran Turismo 5 (GT5) was one of the fastest selling titles for the year reaching over 190,000 units of sales in just a 6 week period, to become the best selling PS3 exclusive title in Australia.
Subsequently, this strong platform software performance saw PlayStation 3 hold its relative position against other current generation home consoles for another year enjoying the highest ratio of software attach at over 10 pieces per device.
Peripherals
PlayStation 3 also achieved more than 50% year on year increase in peripheral units driven by new product launches such as the launch of PlayStation®Move motion controller, and continued popularity of the PlayTV device to watch, pause and record free-to-air HDTV and also the PlayStation Blu-Ray remote, Blu-tooth headset and Dual Shock controllers.
Online
PlayStation®Network (PSN) – the online world of entertainment content that offers games, TV, movies, music and more – grew its appeal with the addition of new digital service content platforms for PlayStation 3. During 2010, SCE Aust. added stereoscopic 3D and games capability via firmware updates; PLUS7 catch up TV; MUBI, the independent and classic cinema service which complements the existing PSN Video Delivery Service that provides on-demand access to thousands of Hollywood blockbusters to rent or to own, in a choice of SD and HD. VidZone, added to 100 free[4] linear TV music channels and took the cumulative number of music video streams via the PS3 to over 17 million locally. PS3 also represented an 11.5% share of visits for CY2010 to the catch up TV service ABC iView. A new premium PSN subscription service called PlayStation Plus was launched offering even more value to core gamers. Digital revenues were up significantly year on year, and resulted in the increased consumer demand for PSN Cards at key retailers nationally.
Recent global announcements in the portable entertainment space will also see PlayStation vigorously expanding the portable market, addressing rapid changes in the handheld space. Code named “NGP”, or next generation portable, will launch later in 2011 in the form of a cutting edge device that draws on expertise garnered across both PSP and PS3. NGP will offer rich and immersive gaming experiences and social integration. PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite) will offer more casual PlayStation experiences accessible to Android[5] based portable devices that will effectively see PlayStation content available on an open operating system for the first time in PlayStation history.
A cloud based, digital music service “Music Unlimited” will also launch in 2011, and adds to the strength of music offer on not only PlayStation 3, but across internet connected Sony devices.