Sony moves 1 million Moves in America

by Justin McElroy on Oct 21st 2010 4:33PM

Sony may not have expected a huge Day One for PlayStation Move, but it seems to have done OK for itself during Month One: The company just announced that the motion controller has shipped 1 million units in the Americas since it launched on Sept. 17. SCEA boss Jack Tretton told MSNBC he expects demand to exceed supply until next February, saying "We had to go back and increase production twice, we're absolutely maxed out right now."

While the number's certainly impressive, it's perhaps tempered a bit when you consider that (1) the Move sold 500,000 more units in Europe (where the PlayStation brand is admittedly stronger) in roughly the same amount of time and (2) today's announcement doesn't equate to a million Move-equipped households in the Americas. Many have likely picked up two or more Moves, making it difficult to say just how large the install base is for future Move games at the moment.

You'll find Sony's full release just after the break.

Show full PR text

PlayStation®Move Surpasses One Million Units Shipped in North and Latin America in First 30 Days

Rapid Adoption Indicates Widespread Consumer Interest in Immersive, Realistic Gaming

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC ("SCEA") today announced that it has shipped over one million units of its highly anticipated PlayStation®Move in North and Latin America in the first 30 days of availability. Early momentum of the PlayStation Move suggests the broad appeal of an immersive and realistic gaming experience. By fusing high-definition gaming with accurate and easy-to-use controls, the PlayStation Move allows gamers of all ages and genres to enjoy everything from family to action to first person shooter games. By incorporating the PlayStation®Eye camera with PlayStation Move, the user's full range of motion is captured, resulting in ultimate control over game play, as well as the opportunity to project the player's image into select games for new augmented reality experiences.

"PlayStation Move is the most recent example of how product innovation continues to provide our customers with new and exciting ways to enjoy our technology," said Jack Tretton, Chief Executive Officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. "We've shipped over one million units in the first month in North and Latin America. Retail demand is incredibly strong and we're working hard to keep the product in stock. We believe consumers have already shown their preference for a precise, interactive game experience. We are on target to meet our end of year goals and expect sales to increase as our publishers and developers continue to update popular titles and introduce new games."

With 24 titles currently available that take advantage of PlayStation Move functionality and a line up that includes EyePet™, The Fight: Lights Out™, Heavy Rain®, Killzone® 3, Kung Fu Rider™, MAG™, High Velocity Bowling™, Start the Party!™, Resident Evil®5: Gold Edition (Capcom), Sports Champions™, The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment), Time Crisis™: Razing Storm™ (NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.), and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 11 (Electronic Arts Inc.), PlayStation Move has games for all demographics and types of gamers. In addition, 15 additional Move enabled titles are slated to launch by SCEAs fiscal year includingSOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs, Killzone 3, LittleBigPlanet™ 2 and PlayStation Move Heroes. Whether experienced, casual, or somewhere in between, gamers will find a wide variety of content for PlayStation Move, including sports, shooters, puzzles, party and family-friendly titles. No matter which genre, all PlayStation Move games offer hours of addictive fun, while delivering a realistic and accurate motion gaming experience unlike anything on the market.

PlayStation Move is available for a range of prices based on the needs of the consumer. For those consumers who already own a PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Move Bundle – at $99.99 (SRP) – is the perfect choice. The PlayStation Move Bundle includes a PlayStation Eye, one PlayStation Move motion controller, a copy of Sports Champions on Blu-ray disc, and a PlayStation Move game demo disc and is the easiest way for current PS3 system owners to start experiencing PlayStation Move. For consumers who don't yet own a PS3 system, the PS3 Sports Champions Move Bundle for $399.99 (SRP) is ideal, including all of the above, as well as a 320GB HDD model PS3 system. This bundle is the most complete way to experience home entertainment on the PS3 system, including PlayStation Move motion controlled games, Blu-ray movies, stereoscopic 3D and more in stunning high-definition. For those who already own PS3 and PlayStation Eye camera, motion controllers will retail separately for $49.99 (SRP) and the optional navigation controller will retail for $29.99 (SRP).

Tags: jack-tretton, playstation, playstation-move, ps3, sony

Reader Comments (121)

It Only Does: what's already been done

@Nofriendo

Yep, and it does it much better.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Kinda like how MiniDisc players were better than cassette players years later, right?

@Nofriendo

Clarity of thought before rashness of action...you should use that advice before you post.

Those numbers are very suspect.
Are they counting the wand and the "nunchuck" as seperate shipments, the PS EYE as a seperate"move" sale?

I think this is why NPD isn't relasing numbers anymore, Sony didn't want proof out there of their hyperbole.

the best selling Move game looks to be Sports Champions, at roughly 200,000 sold in North America. 200,000 game copies and 1 million moves? Are people just buying these things to look at them?

@Nofriendo

yup, and just like SACD's are better than regular cds. Public adoption does not equal a better device. I sold my wii, because the move does the wii better, and there's no point having money just sitting there.

@Ordeith

I doubt they are looking at things sold seperatly, they sell the device as a pack, so I'm guessing they are reffering to the packs.

@Spunky Monkey 190906

So with no move software really taking off, the question still stands:

Are people just buying these things to look at them?

Me? I think Sony is inflating the numbers a bit.

@Ordeith

There are other games, some of which are already out :/

@Ordeith

OMG will I have to go through these comments also and tell everyone again

The move sales = The WAND

So if they sell the eye and the Wand then its a move sale if they sell the PS3 and the Wand its a move sale if they sell the Wand its a MOVE SALE if the Wand is involve and money changes hand and a customer goes home with the wand then its a MOVE SALE.

They are not counting the households with the Move they are just counting the amount of Moves sold

/Rant

@zefur

Ah Crap White Me

@zefur

Pointless rant was in fact very enlightening, kudos to you sir :) 1+

@Shockwave

Understandable, but I just don't get the projects that Sony "greenlights". When it comes to there collaborating efforts, Instead of thinking outside the box they will stick to this "a little bit better" philosophy. You say the Move is better than the Wiimote and I say your right, but it better be, the technology is 4 years old. Where's the new Ideas Sony?

Its hard to not see the Move as just a tad under the curve again, like 3D Glasses TV to the soon to be stereoscopic 3D TV's or how the Minidisc player could've been the iPod if they wanted to expand on their creativity.
Now, I just can't help but wonder what tech graveyard the Move will end up in.

@Ordeith

First off, it's only been a month... so who really gives a shit either way? It's not been long enough to determine long term success or failure.

But, no, obviously they aren't buying them just to look at them. One, that could be buying them for future games. That's pretty much why you buy most gaming hardware at launch isn't it? Second, you can us it to work the dash and a some existing games have been or will soon be patched for move support. So just because Sports Champions hasn't also sold 1 million units doesn't mean these things aren't being used or have planned future use.

@Spunky Monkey 190906

Other Games, sure. And none of them are selling as well. Move is not moving software, which seriously makes me doubt it is moving hardware.

@Nofriendo

"like 3D Glasses TV to the soon to be stereoscopic 3D TV's"

3d Glasses TVs ARE stereoscopic 3D TVs

I think you mean auto-stereoscopic 3D.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

It doesn't do it MUCH better, it does it MARGINALLY better, to a degree that most people couldn't possibly care about. As a fan of new methods of control, I really hope that it takes off and we see some cool games and cool tech built off of it, but it's hard to be positive considering the overyl-casual launch software.
I mean, I can take Sony ripping off the Wiimote's design, but then they take Wii Sports and Nintendogs as well? Come on, guys.

@Ordeith

Well, no, I am not sure if you know, but Sports Champions is only 1 Game that supports Move, there are also, 1.5 million copies of Heavy Rain, half a million of MAG, 1 million plus of Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition etc. and many other games that support Move, EyePet etc.

I think in total there are more than 20 games on the market that support Move and there will probably be more than 40 by years end.

@Vidikron

Yeah Sorry, I meant auto-stereoscopic.

After all, I think its the general consensus that I'm pretty dumb. :)

The tech for practical autostereoscopic TVs is a long way off anyway, no matter how much people try to hype it. Something like the 3DS works because it's a handheld device intended to be used by a single person, but there is a pretty narrow viewing angle range to get the 3D effect. That just doesn't work in a living room setting.

The reason for me to get move was MAG2.0, then wait till LBP2 and KZ3

@NoirR.

I have to admit that I bought the Move and haven't really used it. However, I did buy it for myself as a present for doing something really difficult, and it helped me get through that difficult time so it was worth it.

Also, future games look freaking awesome on it.

@pickupdoctor

I was about to say the same thing, but it's a bit pointless now :)

@Ordeith

It clearly says they shipped 1 million, they probably would have shipped a million if not a single one has been sold.

@Nofriendo This is a useless stat for understanding how well Move is selling. 1 person buying Move could purchase 4 controllers for multiplayer.

How many Wiimotes has Nintendo sold? We don't know. All we know is how many Wii's have been sold. You can't even compare this number to anything. If they told us how many Playstation Eye starter kits they've sold for Move we would have a basis of comparison to Wii or Kinect.

@Ordeith

The article said 1 MIL world wide, didn't it? So, if half of those sales were from the EU territory then why would 200k copies of Sports Champions sold in the Americas (your words) be out of line with this information?

@Ordeith

I have one. It is easily superior to the Wii. Much more responsive. That includes motion plus.

@Nofriendo
To my knowledge there has never been a game called
'Sports Championship' that uses a motion detecting wand before...

@A Sandwich

what makes you think that? I haven't used the move, so I don't know, it's control could be just as awful as the wiis, but from what I've heard about it, it sounds a lot better than just a small up. The wii control was alright as long as it was just a simple motion. However, I couldn't play Silent Hill: Shattered memories. Maybe I'll get it for my psp sometime, but it was just ridiculous on the wii. I would lay the controller on a table completely still and the camera would still look around. I haven't used motion plus for the wii yet, but still, it should have been more accurate in the first place.

I'm interested to know if you've used the move. Like I said, I can't really make a decision on how good/bad it is, but just because we've seen similar technology doesn't mean it's hardly a change. The wii was a huge improvement over motion control such as the Power Glove for the NES.

@zefur - You make a great point, but how do we know? If someone buys two move wands, and two move controllers, is that four move sales?

Not that these numbers are sales (it's units shipped), but any sales data does need to be quantified by what exactly is being counted as one sale.

Not that I base my purchasing decisions on how many other people have made the same purchases, but it would be interesting to know how many individual people are actually playing moves right now.

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell

1mil USA, 1.5mil EURO.

@chimpsmith

Because I've used both the Move and WM+. Is the Move more accurate? Sure. Enough to really matter? Well...

Look, PS3 owners that "hate" the Wii are gonna eat this shit up. Why? Because all of that vitriol they've been spewing for the last 5 years was nothing more than hate-boner juice, that's why. But mom and pop aren't shelling out $100+ for a slightly improved Wii. They already have one. It plays the Wii Sports. It does the Wii Fits. They neither need nor want Uncanny Valley Champions.
And the reason you've heard otherwise is bullshit spin by biased fanboys. And because all of the launch games were done on the Wii 4 years ago. They sure as shit better be able to make it work well.
Like I said, I hope that devs start taking motion gaming seriously, I do. But if the Move catches on in any kind of significant way, I will be shocked. As far as I can tell, it's the Super Scope 6 of this generation.

@A Sandwich Hey man, move just came out. Chill out, give it some time. Its doing well and people seem to think it does a good job so far. Its selling quite well and sold 1 million, respectively, in just america alone. If it keeps selling well then you bet your ass its going to be taken seriously.

@Ordeith Good point was thinking the same thing sony always spins everything it does note 1 million shipped not sold

@Nofriendo Yeah, just like the HD-DVDs turned out better than Blu-Ray discs!!!

Oh wait...

@logicplay yeah but 500k in just europe, i think its safe to say that 1Mill or anything close to it is pretty good for the lack of ads and games.

@Morisato

Way to go, Morisato, you picked the one format war that Sony happened to win!

@A Sandwich
as someone who actually owns both, i can say Move is FAR superior. To the point that i'd sell my wii if i didn't have couple must play games in my library.

@zefur

OK fine we accept that 1 wand sale = 1 move sale....

except some games will require 2 wands and its even showing a guy on teh box with 2 wands (... and the whole multiplayer thing) so if we assume that you are right its STILL not a valid way to judge how many moves are out there.

Until they say EXCATLY what is being sold and what they are counting we won't be able to see, but I don't think they will until it sells a lot more.

@BananaBoat and Milky1985

I jumped the gun in my first post and should have been whited. But like I said in the Euro thread Sony arent and dont need to track the amount of households that its in they have a product that works on its own but works better with more just and can get them money better then a traditional controller

With a traditional controller you buy it and thats one person taken care of whereas with the move you buy one and in most cases its great but it is advertised to be better having two for one person so its double the income from one customer.

Sony dont need to count the households its the sales that matter to them and I dont doubt that although there is 1 million shipped that it has sold between 500-800 and is still only in 300-400 peoples homes

The above numbers where all wild guesses

@A Sandwich

You sound more like you have beef with the PS3 than anything else. What hate have PS3 fans been spewing out? You sound like Reddit on politics or something.

If the move is more accurate than the wii, than it sounds like you could have higher quality games. I'm not much of a pc gamer yet (other than AOE games), but it seems similar to people who like to upgrade their pc. Computer hardware makes tons of money, and it's just doing something better than the last one. Oh, and I'm not knocking that or anything, I would like to get more into computer gaming and build myself a computer, but I think it's nice that pc gamers have so many options.

Why shouldn't Sony give players the options to have great online, better graphics, a better store, and better controls with their motion control games. I'm sure I'll buy it some time.

Go Sony. I'm enjoying Move right now. I can't wait for the hardcore titles next year.

@MLC

Agreed. Just picked up Time Crisis. That's pretty fun. Feels like being in the arcade. Looking forward to Sorcery and Killzone 3.

I'll probably pick up a starter pack once it gets some decent games. Killzone 3 and Socom perhaps

Very impressive.

Nice work, Sony.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Yeah, way to ship 1 million units. Bet that was hard work. Now how about selling that many in America before Kinect comes out.

Oh what's that? You won't. I'm sorry.

@ItsameMatt03

You have to admit, that for a product that wasn't advertised or spoken about much at all other than at E3 and other press conferences (for gamers only), it has done pretty well selling even 1000, let alone 500,000, let alone 1m if and when it gets there.

@Spunky Monkey 190906 Wasn't advertised? Are you blind? I've seen it on t.v. and in magazines.

I'd buy in to this when more games are made specifically for it, or if there any good deals this holiday season.

How convenient that this should be announced shortly after Kinect adverts drowned us in cheeziness :/

Well, what can I say, people, better start divorcing your regular controllers :)

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Sony moves 1 million Moves in America

Reader Comments (121)

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:35PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:38PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:43PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:48PM Shockwave said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:50PM Ordeith said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:54PM so wrong said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:02PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:09PM Ordeith said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:14PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:16PM zefur said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:18PM zefur said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:24PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:25PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:26PM Vidikron said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:27PM Ordeith said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:28PM Vidikron said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:35PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:36PM pickupdoctor said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:36PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:43PM Kevadu said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:43PM NoirR said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 5:47PM PhilipJWitow said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 6:15PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 6:15PM Jenks said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 6:16PM cool8man said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 6:51PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 7:37PM Misfit Toy said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 9:39PM Mezstizo said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 9:42PM chimpsmith said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 10:19PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 10:34PM jackolo said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 10:39PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 11:29PM logicplay said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 11:31PM gamestar2020 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 11:55PM Morisato said

Posted: Oct 22nd 2010 12:41AM logicplay said

Posted: Oct 22nd 2010 1:00AM A Sandwich said

Posted: Oct 22nd 2010 1:17AM ferret said

Posted: Oct 22nd 2010 3:59AM Milky1985 said

Posted: Oct 22nd 2010 7:14AM zefur said

Posted: Oct 22nd 2010 3:07PM chimpsmith said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:37PM MLC said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 8:09PM Misfit Toy said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:37PM LightAce said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:38PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 6:04PM ItsameMatt03 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 6:26PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 28th 2010 4:34PM double D 215 said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:38PM ArchiGamer said

Posted: Oct 21st 2010 4:38PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

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