85% Of PS3 Owners Online, Compared To 60% Of 360 Owners

Who says free doesn't matter?

According to new statistics announced yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show, about 85% of PlayStation 3 gamers are online, in direct comparison to about 60% of Xbox 360 owners. Kaz Hirai revealed that there are about 17 million active PlayStation Network accounts, with over 330 million pieces of content downloaded thus far. Even better, approximately 2.1 million new users just signed up in the last month. Now, Microsoft says they too have about 17 million active Live accounts, but there are many more 360s out there; they estimate they've sold about 28 million consoles to date. We're still waiting to see what Sony's latest hardware numbers are, but sales were up 130% over the holidays. The last time we compared them, the 360 was at about 25 million and the PS3 was sitting somewhere around 17 million. Obviously, if 85% of users are online and that's 17 million now...well, you do the math. I hate math. That means the total ownership is like...what...20 million? I dunno. Forget the calculator; I'll just guess.

Perhaps these numbers don't matter so much, though. Anything that's free is always far more attractive, even if you're not going to use it. Let's face it, people will take random pieces of Styrofoam if it's free. But then again, that 330 million pieces of content downloaded is quite important; at least it proves that people really are utilizing the PlayStation Store. So, just keep it up, PS3 owners!

1/8/2009 Ben Dutka

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Comments (64 posts)

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Deleted User []
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:12:32 PM
Reply

Dash of Doritos got over a million downloads in December. And its one of the worst games you are likely to play.

I'm actually more surprised it was so little, now that I think about it.

0 up, 0 down

Aftab
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:45:33 PM

Enough with the Eeyore-esque comments, already.

1 up, 0 down

ps92117
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:21:15 PM
Reply

more people to play with lol. was the ps3 outselling 360 pre price drop , like the 3 months leading to the price drop? i don't know just asking

0 up, 0 down

Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:32:06 PM

Thats a hard one to say. Having just the NPD to base it on means ignoring anything outside of America.

By the way, what month was the 360 price drop? I can't even remember.

August:
* NDS - 518,300
* Wii - 453,000
* PS3 - 185,400
* X360 - 195,200
* PSP - 253,000
* PS2 - 144,100

September:
* Wii - 667,000
* Nintendo DS - 536,800
* Xbox 360 - 347,200
* PlayStation 3 232,400
* PSP - 238,100
* PlayStation 2 - 173,500

October:
* Wii - 803,000
* Nintendo DS - 491,000
* Xbox 360 - 371,000
* PlayStation 3 - 190,000
* PSP - 193,000
* PlayStation 2 - 136,000

November:
* Wii - 2,040,000
* Nintendo DS - 1,570,000
* Xbox 360 - 836,000*
* PSP - 421,000
* Playstation 3 - 378,000
* Playstation 2 - 206,000

* I think its safe to say thats the price drop in action.

Last edited by n/a on 1/8/2009 10:33:35 PM

1 up, 1 down

SHADOW [Moderator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:08:13 PM

If I remember correctly PS3 sold more according to NPD every month from January to June. After that 360 has led.

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Dingodial
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:35:11 PM
Reply

Looks like the free network has gained some popularity. I just hope some day PS3 will take over the PS2's throne (in general, but not just in online play)

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Deathstriker
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:42:26 PM
Reply

Well dude with Sony considering a 10 year run. Look at the hardware sale's now?? Lol if they go for 10 years a PS3 with it's advancedment if it stays at the one grade higher then the latest PC on the market. I do believe the ps3 will take the ps2's throne...

and maybe exceed it...plus I don't know about yall, but when I was on the ps2 it kinda sucked until online came, plus if I remember correctly thats when thing's started to heat up between xbox n ps2...

So free play...plus plug n play?? If sony just makes updating so much faster and not as often then I have my insurance on the ps3...

0 up, 0 down

Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:48:46 PM

It doesn't matter if Sony considers a 10 year plan. Its what the customer plans.

0 up, 1 down

Scarecrow
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:57:32 PM
Reply

Heh, I still don't know how Microsoft justifies that we pay for online lol

0 up, 0 down

Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:09:09 PM

Honestly, neither do I. Good thing for me I prefer single player games, or split screen gaming when it comes to it.

0 up, 1 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:02:22 PM
Reply

I seriously hate Math too.

1 up, 0 down

Aftab
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:04:53 AM

But, Ben doesn't hate it, obviously. 17/20 is 85%, and it is a well known fact that math-phobes are allergic to fractions.

1 up, 0 down

giant123
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:00:01 PM

so does the rest of the world
even us that are good at it

Last edited by giant123 on 1/9/2009 3:00:26 PM

0 up, 0 down

Dingodial
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 5:14:06 PM

@ Aftab
You don't have to like math to be good at it.

0 up, 0 down

Aftab
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 9:27:00 PM

True, but I didn't say he liked it, either.

0 up, 0 down

SHADOW [Moderator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:06:50 PM
Reply

Sorry guys but this number is probably bogus. I know I and many others have multiple accounts. I've created a total of six different ones for various reasons. All but one would have to be considered "active". It also ignores multiple users using one machine. My friend has a PS3 and there are accounts for him, his father, and his brother. Live prevents multiple users from using the service without paying multiple times. (IE: each account requires a Live payment).

This is Sony giving true facts but a bogus conclusion. The numbers are much closer to being the same.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:23:55 PM

You be right Homeslice.

0 up, 0 down

Phoelix
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:37:14 PM

As karneli III brings up, not every Xbox is actually working. How many boxes that have been sold have bricked? There are plenty of Live accounts that have gone through several machines, so Microsoft's number is bogus, too. If they determine online rate by taking Live accounts divided by consoles sold, then 60% is too high for them.

So I guess both numbers are bogus.

0 up, 0 down

ec0li
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 5:40:10 PM

@Phoelix

You've got your numbers wrong. If there are actually less 360s because of RROD then that means the percentage of users are higher than 60%. Dividing into less will provide a higher number. We know that both Msft and Sony spruce up their numbers but it's besides the the point.

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karneli lll
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:07:12 PM
Reply

now if only someone would give us the percentage of the 28 million 360's that are actually working

1 up, 0 down

Aftab
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:43:07 PM

Lol!

0 up, 0 down

ec0li
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 2:36:12 PM

Ha! That's hard to say. Remember, they work then they don't work, then they work again, then don't work again. You'll be going around in circles trying to figure that out. Oh shiznit, I just figured why it's called the 360.

0 up, 0 down

giant123
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:02:20 PM

1/3?
idk i think the rrod has officaly died out...
which is good to the 360 elite sitting next to my ps3

0 up, 3 down

karneli lll
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:14:57 PM

giant123, you seem to be in denial,there was an article in october (I think) about elites getting the rrod.

1 up, 0 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:54:15 PM
Reply

On that topic of multiple accounts, how many Silver Live accounts do you think people have? I know someone who didn't want to ever pay, so signed up for the first free month of Gold over and over using a different name. So multiple accounts isn't PSN-centric.

Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 1/8/2009 11:54:24 PM

3 up, 0 down

Aftab
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:57:28 PM

Ya hear that, Shadow?

1 up, 0 down

Dealnightfire
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:07:19 AM

Yeah my roommate has multiple 360 accounts. His first one is gold and when that RROD he got an Elite in the mean time and had a gold account on that one as well. He kept up two gold accounts for about two years but now he has both as active silvers.

2 up, 0 down

SHADOW [Moderator]
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:26:47 AM

Alright I'll give you that one. In my experience however the multiple account thing is much more prolific on PS3 as opposed to 360. Hell it's almost encouraged considering you can access any region's PS Store with the correct account. But I digress.

Both numbers are bogus, useless thing to "reveal."

0 up, 0 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 1:03:13 AM

Not necessarily useless, as Microsoft loves to say how "nobody" goes online with the PSN, as if we're still in the PS2 days. Also, they continually hype Live as the superior service (which I no longer believe), and it's obvious that if it were free, many MORE people would be on there.

In other words, it seems like Sony did this right and MS are the bad guys for charging.

3 up, 0 down

N a S a H
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 @ 3:39:44 PM

I have both 360 and PS3 but I prefer XBL.

It just is better(Service, Hardly ever lag, more competitions online). However, if I'm buying a game which I won't be playing online or rarely will play online (Guitar Hero, Rock Band etc) then I buy it for PS3.

I prefer PS3 overall but Live is superior IMO

0 up, 0 down

BeezleDrop
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:49:14 AM
Reply

My goodness, children and the elderly can't get enough of those "wii" thing's I see everywhere.

1 up, 2 down

Wage SLAVES
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 1:00:41 AM
Reply

Not only is free good the PSN is actually Original. It has its very own vibe. Its a warm feeling on the PSN...I love it. And I don't know about the X360 in general but on my short experience (about a 12 hr Halo/Gears1 spree) there was a lot of racist arguments going on. Im totally against Racism and that killed LIVE in my opinion. I have yet to run into a Nazi or any other supremacist (though Im sure they're out there. I just can't stand that stuff. We are basically clones with just enough variation to make reproduction possible that is a fact.

3 up, 0 down

Arvis
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:05:20 PM

I encountered one racist in a game of Warhawk once... I played a lot of Warhawk.

-Arvis

1 up, 0 down

ps92117
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 1:37:13 AM
Reply

well shadow i do have multiple account true but i have just resently gotten them having learned of the store thing, so what i am trying to say is PROBABLY not many know about this mainly refering to the average ps3 owner who PROBABLY is not as educated bout the ps3 as much as we are, (but all of this my personal opinion) .who knows maybe sony makes it so easy to get multiple accounts just so they can claim to have a hell lot of psn accounts

0 up, 1 down

Deleted User
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 2:36:24 PM

Yes, that racist bull on Live seriously pisses me off. I wouldn't mind so much if the Avoid Player actually works as well as it ought. It doesn't always though.

Last edited by n/a on 1/9/2009 2:37:41 PM

0 up, 0 down

Ultimadream
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 2:52:54 AM
Reply

Not suprised, its free, i wouldnt go online if i had to pay for it.

3 up, 1 down

ps92117
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:56:41 AM

That is your opinion? I would, that is my opinion.But why would you post that if you know it is going to get people mad at you?I don't recall reading any of your previous comment but this enough to make me think you are a xbot.

1 up, 0 down

Wage SLAVES
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 4:49:53 AM

I've been here long enough to say He's not.

1 up, 0 down

ps92117
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 9:20:00 AM

ok say he is not which i belive he is'nt, the comment is still that of a xbot

0 up, 0 down

Deleted User
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 2:38:47 PM

"I don't recall reading any of your previous comment but this enough to make me think you are a xbot."

Maybe I am missing something here, but are you saying he sounds like an Xbot because: If PSN charged he wouldn't pay?

0 up, 1 down

Troy Powers
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 6:39:14 AM
Reply

...the winds of change...

0 up, 0 down

Reccaman18
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 10:40:23 AM

great song. lol

0 up, 0 down

Deathstriker
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 8:19:21 AM
Reply

I wasn't on eariler, but sony doesn't count the user accounts. When you turn on your ps3 it creates a credit for that account so even if you made 20,000 it wouldn't change the number's. Plus the number might be off some, but it's in the higher 80's...I even see kids got online for LBP...I was playing with 2 9 year old's and a 8 year old yesterday >:( i was thinking pro...

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Jordahn
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 8:48:22 AM
Reply

A free opened network policy that promotes competition. Makes sense.

0 up, 0 down

pavlovic
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 9:01:02 AM
Reply

This month my annual XBL membership ends and I won't be renewing.

360 will be for games without online game or exclusives only.

And for the multi account users, I've got 1 silver, 1 gold XBL and for the PSN 1 USA, 1 Europe and 1 Mexico. So do the math...

0 up, 0 down

Reccaman18
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 10:41:47 AM

Dude, you need a Jap account. Their store is overloaded by PSone games. Plus, they sometimes get demos before we do.

1 up, 0 down

Deleted User
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 2:39:33 PM

"Dude, you need a Jap account. Their store is overloaded by PSone games. Plus, they sometimes get demos before we do."

Wait, good PS1 games? Will have to look into that. Take it from me, the European one is a joke.

0 up, 0 down

pavlovic
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 4:58:33 PM

pushtrack... you haven't seen the Mexican. We are not able to buy with a credit card, you HAVE to use a PSNCard, only available in 3 Sony Style stores in the country.

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kidgrid
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 9:04:17 AM
Reply

I really like both networks, but i cant seem to get myself to shell out the clams for live when psn is getting as good as it is for free? how long before live gets the same price cut the brick got?

1 up, 0 down

JPBooch
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 9:34:01 AM
Reply

VGCharts has total sales as of 1/4/09 at:
PS3 = 19,455,760
360 = 27,370,658.

The price drop for xbox was September.
On 9/7/08 the race was at
PS3 = 15,294,513
360 = 20,789784

So xbox DID widen the gap this christmas by a margin of about 2.4 million. That is pretty significant. The PS3 has to drop the price to start closing this gap. It is no longer the phenomenon of being in the game a year earlier when you jump 2.4 mil in total sales.

0 up, 0 down

ec0li
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 2:39:00 PM

Wow, those Vgchartz numbers are pretty darn close to the numbers being thrown around by the companies themselves. I read somewhere it was 28mil 360 and 20mil PS3 shipped.

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karneli lll
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:27:04 PM

in the end the 360 has sold 28 million in three years and the ps3 has sold 20 million in two years.

2 up, 0 down

ec0li
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:48:40 PM

@karneli lll

That's true from that standpoint. What I think is more interesting is how the numbers look like at the start of when the PS3 actually launched. Discard the number of the 360's sales b4 the launch of the PS3 and start counting from there. That will basically show you their sales when both systems are out at the same time.

1 up, 0 down

murdaface
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:35:19 PM
Reply

this article makes me happy haha

0 up, 0 down

Deleted User
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 5:08:49 PM

Ask yourselves this.

Who uses shipped most often?

0 up, 1 down

karneli lll
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:43:35 PM
Reply

Just read a response by Robbie Bach and he said "...they won't play on the 28 million Xboxes we've already shipped."

Shipped,not sold. ms is so full of it sometimes

2 up, 0 down

Fane1024
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 4:59:59 PM

SOMEtimes?

0 up, 0 down

Robochic
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:50:12 PM
Reply

I like not having to pay to play my games online, i'm already paying enough for the best internet. Plus i don't play enough online to justify paying. My friends say even though they play and pay for the xbox live memberships it's not worth it half the time due to either can't connect or m$ always doing maintence and a few other things they would love to play for free they already like i said above pay anywhere from 50-100 a month for internet. I do hope sony keeps going with the free PSN. I think they do listen to the customers and gamers when they bring out products or improve products.

1 up, 0 down

Geobaldi
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 4:59:45 PM
Reply

Count me as one of the 15% that isn't online. I'm just not an online player with consoles. Never have been. I use my PC for that. And I'm guilty of accepting free styrofoam lol. Used it all the time as scenery for Warhammer games lol.

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 7:21:45 PM
Reply

Hey Ben,
Ya got any of that free styrofoam left???
Plan's to form out a new seat pan for "Mistress", my old Electra Glide Custom. LOL

0 up, 0 down

The CEO
Saturday, January 10, 2009 @ 12:10:27 AM
Reply

I wish there was a truly accurate way of getting the number of 360 owners that have had to repurchase it because it broke.Im on 4th 360,whereas i have only had to get ps3 fixed once and that was probably my own fault due to nicotine building up on laser lol.

1 up, 0 down

orangpelupa
Saturday, January 10, 2009 @ 7:04:53 AM
Reply

hmm
i only use xbox live silver and i only everyday. but not to play game online. (silver can't multiplay online). but only to update my xbox clock and date >_<
and sometime download game patch >_<

0 up, 0 down

dveisalive
Saturday, January 10, 2009 @ 10:16:07 AM
Reply

I dont understand why guys are showng NPD's when this topic talks about online % of course the PS3 s gonna surpass 360, and free online service is reasonable and great when or f you paid 499 for your PS3 60gb like me etc..

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