Sony PlayStation 4 logs sales of over 1 mn in first day

PlayStation 4 video game consoles went on sale Friday in the US and Canada.

Sony Corp sold 1 million units of its new PlayStation 4 gaming console in the first 24 hours that it was available in the United States and Canada.

The PlayStation 4 console,which Sony is counting on to kick-start a revival of its consumer electronics business,went on sale on November 15.

Andrew House,the head of Sony Computer Entertainment,the unit of Sony that oversees PlayStation,said in a statement that “sales remain very strong in North America.”

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“We expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29,” House said.

Sony Corp had previously announced it had received more than 1 million advance orders for the PlayStation 4 console. Still,the initial sales figures are Sony’s first salvo in a battle brewing with Microsoft Corp’s Xbox One console,which goes on sale Nov 22. Sony is also hoping its console can help build a platform for recovery at the Japanese company’s money-losing consumer electronics operations.

Sony is aiming to sell 5 million PlayStation 4 (PS4) units by the end of its fiscal year that ends on March 31. Robert W. Baird & Co analyst Colin Sebastian has said he expects 2.5 million to 3 million PS4 shipments in the fourth quarter in North America.

Both the PlayStation 4,priced at $399 in the United States,and the Xbox One,with a price tag of $499,offer improved graphics for realistic effects,processors that allow faster game play and a slew of exclusive video games.