Microsoft is doubling down on its belief that PlayStation controls a large share of the console market. President Brad Smith said during a press conference in Brussels that Sony’s PlayStation currently controls a 70% share of the global console market.
Xbox, on the other hand, sits at just 30%.
“Think about the market in Europe,” Smith said per GamesIndustry.biz. “It is a market where Sony has an 80% share. Globally, it is about 70/30. In Japan, it is 96/4.
“These numbers have been remarkably steady for two decades. Even last year, when there were issues with Sony’s supply chain, they came back strong.”
He added that, per research conducted by IDG (International Data Group), PlayStation outsold Microsoft’s console on the global market 69/31 near the end of 2022. However, he didn’t go into details on Xbox’s specific sales numbers in locations like the United States and UK where the market is a bit stronger for the Redmond, WA-based company.
Smith spoke to members of the media after meeting with Sony and others at the European Commission on Tuesday. The meeting was to present Microsoft’s case to the commission regarding its attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard in a $69-billion deal.
Sony has long-since been a fighter against the acquisition as it feels it would drastically harm the PlayStation platform. Smith says that Sony is one of the last remaining detractors of the deal, but he hopes an agreement can be reached soon similar to that of Nvidia and Nintendo.
“We haven’t agreed [to] a deal with Sony, but I hope we will,” he said. “I hope today is a day that will advance our industry and regulation in a responsible way.”
Want more Insider Gaming? Check out our story on Nvidia and Microsoft striking a deal to bring Xbox games to GeForce Now.
