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NPD Group: PS4 outsold Xbox One in November, breaking Microsoft's four-month streak

The launch of PS4 Pro cut into Microsoft's dual-pronged Xbox One/Xbox One S lineup.

David Craddock

December 8, 2016 4:19 PM

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A representative from market analyst NPD Group told GameSpot that PlayStation 4 outsold Xbox One during the month of November, breaking Microsoft's streak of higher sales.

The launch of Xbox One S, a slimmed-down version of Microsoft's current console, carried the company to record sales months from July through October, but the release of PS4 Pro on November 10 likely gave Sony an edge in sales.

"We have seen strong momentum for Xbox One since announcing the new Xbox One S at E3 in June. That momentum continued in November as gaming consoles were once again among the most sought-after products to buy over Black Friday weekend," Xbox marketing VP Mike Nichols said in a prepared statement.

"In addition, we saw record engagement among Xbox One owners on Xbox Live as fans enjoyed new games and great deals. In fact, the total players online on Sunday, Nov. 27 was up 40 percent compared to last year."

After being outmatched by Sony for nearly two years following the launch of Xbox One and PS4 in November 2013, Microsoft switched gears to touting statistics like total active players and Xbox Live subscribers.

Sony recently touted 50 million PS4 sales since the console's launch.

But Microsoft isn't worried. Spokespeople from the company, including Xbox boss Phil Spencer, have repeatedly stated that its Scorpio upgrade for Xbox One will be significantly more powerful than both its current console and the PS4 Pro.

"If it'll be the other way around, and the games will be pushed to the limits, to look amazing on the Scorpio first, it'll probably feel like playing on an old laptop, when playing that game on the Xbox One," said Bogdan Iliesiu, a developer from Angry Mob Games, in an interview with Gaming Bolt.

Sony may have inadvertently set the stage for Microsoft's "Scorpio" upgrade to make short work of PS4 Pro. Many consumers and critics advise taking a wait-and-see stance on the Pro, citing sporadic slowdown problems depending on the game being played and the type of TV (1080p or 4K) serving as the display.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.