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Sony exec admits he doesn’t understand why the PS4 is so popular

Published Aug 21st, 2014 7:30PM EDT
Sony PS4 Sales 10 Million

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It’s safe to say that even Sony is surprised by how popular the PlayStation 4 has been. In an interview with Eurogamer, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida says that while the company is obviously pleased with how many consoles it’s sold so far, it’s a little apprehensive about it because it really has no idea why it’s this popular.

“I for one am a bit nervous because we do not completely understand what’s happening,” he said. “You need to understand why your products are selling well so you can plan for the future, right? It defied the conventional thinking. Lots of people thought the dedicated game hardware might not be needed going forward, but still lots of people are very excited.”

Sony recently announced that it has sold 10 million PS4 units so far, which is a remarkable amount for a console that hasn’t even been out a full year yet. Ever since its launch, the PS4 has maintained a significant lead over Microsoft’s Xbox One, which was hurt at the beginning both by its higher price thanks to the Kinect bundle and by Microsoft’s own epic PR blunders during the console’s unveiling.

Now that Microsoft has killed the Kinect bundle, we expect it to sell more Xbox One consoles but it may still have a tough time closing the gap with the mighty PS4, even if Sony has no idea why.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.