GamesIndustry.biz reports Sony’s console shot through the 1m sold mark in August, just 39 weeks after launch - and three weeks faster than the PlayStation 4. GI notes the supply-constrained PS5 enjoyed an uptick in sales after more stock came into the market from July. GI, citing data from GfK, said over 151,500 games consoles were sold in the UK in the four weeks to 28th August, which means 1.4m game consoles have been sold on these shores so far this year - a figure up by more than a third over last year. PS5 was the top-selling console in August, Nintendo Switch second, with Xbox Series S and X in third. The best-selling game of August was - you guessed it - Grand Theft Auto 5. Yep, that monster is still trucking. The best-selling new game was PS5 exclusive Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, in second place. But it’s worth pointing out GSD’s game sales data does not include download numbers from some key players, such as Nintendo and Bethesda. In July, Sony said PS5 had hit an impressive 10m sold, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation ever globally. The 10m sales figure was achieved on 18th July, just under a month faster than the PlayStation 4. PS5 launched on 12th November 2020 amid the pandemic and with demand significantly outstripping supply. Scalping has been a real problem as PS5 remains sold out at most retailers. In July, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan said the company was focused on making more stock available. “While PS5 has reached more households faster than any of our previous consoles, we still have a lot of work ahead of us as demand for PS5 continues to outstrip supply,” he said. “I want gamers to know that while we continue to face unique challenges throughout the world that affect our industry and many others, improving inventory levels remains a top priority for SIE.”
