Sony Corp. overtakes Microsoft Inc. in video-game consoles sales in the US

After refilling its inventory of PlayStation 4 video-game consoles, Sony Corp. once again took the lead in retail sales in the U.S., leaving Microsoft Corp. and its Xbox One on the second position in January after a fierce rivalry for industry dominance.

Sony Corp. made an official e-mailed statement yesterday and explained that its PlayStation 4 video-game consoles sales almost doubled those of its nearest next-generation rival. The company also revealed that the combined sales of the PlayStation 4 and its predecessor, the PlayStation 3, beat all other platforms sales in January 2014.

The demand for new consoles on the market, and especially their ability to encourage a broader retail comeback, is closely monitored by the video-game industry. The industry also checks what number of customers have shifted their preferences for play permanently to smartphones and tablets. NPD announced in an e-mailed statement that spending on video-game hardware on the territory of the U.S. increased by 17% and reached 241 million dollars in January this year compared to a year earlier.

Microsoft Inc. made an official statement on January 15th saying that 908,000 Xbox One units were bought by customers in December 2013, surpassing the sales of PlayStation 4. Microsoft, however, did not reveal how many consoles it sold last month.

NPD explained that comparisons are difficult, because January 2013 included an extra week. If this week is removed, the regularized sales show that total hardware revenue increased by 47%. The firm also said that Nintendo Co.s Wii U, which has been on the market for more than a year now, is one of the main rivals of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. NPD reported that Nintendo Co. posted information that the sales of games made for its 3DS handheld have risen by 6% on a normalized basis. The sales of Wii U are reported to have jumped by 26%.

NPD also said that total sales of video games, including accessories, decreased by 21% and reached 664 million dollars. As reported by Bloomberg, the firm said that they would be down only 1% on a four-week comparison basis.

Dan Race, who is a spokesman of Sony Corp., said in January that over the Christmas holiday season, the company has done everything possible to resupply U.S. retailers after it experienced much stronger demand than initially expected.

Sony Corp. dropped by 1.50% in Tokyo to settle Fridays session at 1 703 JPY. Shares have fallen 6.7% so far this year.