Console Corner: Sony announces huge figures as PlayStation domination continues

A huge total of 18.5m units were sold worldwide as of last Sunday, Sony announced.

Around 4.1m of those sales were made during the holiday season between November 23 and January 4.

Sony also said that PlayStation Plus subscriptions surpassed 10.9m at the turn of the new year.

Software wise, 81.8m PS4 games have been sold.

Having been released in November 2013, it means the PS4 is officially the fastest-selling console ever in the UK, and has continued to outpace sales of the PlayStation 2, which ended up selling over 150m units.

Microsoft has yet to update the industry with latest sales figure for Xbox One, but in November 2014 Xbox corporate vice president of marketing, strategy and business, Yusuf Mehdi, said 10m units had been sold to retailers (this does not translate to the number of units in homes).

Reports out over Christmas speculate Xbox One outsold PS4 during the holiday period.

But with PS4 selling 4.1m units in that time, the margins are unlikely to be very big. If correct it is also somewhat unsurprising as given the huge PS4 sales figures, a majority of gamers have already plumped for Sony’s machine.

In games news, Sony’s Playstation Plus free offerings this month are fantastic.

Subscribers will not only get Infamous: First Light to download for free but also highly-rated puzzle game Swapper.

Meanwhile on Xbox One, the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta received a big boost in content this week, with a brand-new game type and maps added.

343 Industries have included a new weapon, the Hydra MLRS, and new maps, Regret and Eden added to the playlist.