Skip to main content

PlayStation 4 launches in Japan, pushes global sales toward 6 million

Sony Playstation 4 full vertical
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The PlayStation 4 debuted in Sony’s home turf of Japan on February 22, and over 322,000 units were sold in two days, according to Famitsu (via Polygon). The Japanese launch marks the final major release of the console, and adds to the reported sales totals of 5.3 million units shipped globally.

To put those numbers in perspective, Sony sold 1 million PS4s in its first 24 hours, North America. To further contextualize that, when the PlayStation 3 launched in Japan on November 11, 2006, it sold under 90,000 in its first two days.

Recommended Videos

Sony is on a hot streak right now. In January, it reported that the PS4 was the top-selling console in North America, nearly doubling the Xbox One in sales. It then touted that the new system sold over 5.3 million units between its November 15, 2013 launch and February 8, 2014. If the numbers hold, don’t be surprised to see sales topping 6 million by the end of February and 7 million or more by the end of March. The PS4 is well on its way to crushing the early sales numbers of its predecessor, which took nearly nine months to sell 5.63 million.

Update: This article has been updated to correct an error that stated the PS4 sold one million in its first 24 hours in multiple regions. The PS4 sold 1 million units in North America alone on its launch. The PS4 then sold another 1 million in 30 regions following the November 29 global launches, raising the total sold to 2.1 million by December 3.

Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
After Freedom Wars, this PlayStation Vita classic deserves a remaster
Soul Sacrifice Delta's key art.

If there’s one thing that the PlayStation Vita delivered, it was great Monster Hunter clones after Capcom’s hit series jumped ship from PSP to Nintendo 3DS. The list included games like Koei Tecmo’s Toukiden, Bandai Namco’s God Eater, and Gungho’s Ragnarok Odyssey Ace. While these mission-based games were perfect fit for the Vita’s pick-up-and-play lifestyle, they were also available on PS3.

Sony Japan even joined into the fray with the 2015 Vita exclusive Freedom Wars, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a remaster on modern platforms next January, courtesy of Bandai Namco. On the heels of that surprise announcement, there’s one other hunting action game that needs to break free from the Vita’s shackles: Soul Sacrifice Delta. It's an enhanced version of 2013's Soul Sacrifice that added more content and gameplay adjustments.
Grimdark Archfiend hunter
Soul Sacrifice Delta was released in 2014 and designed by Keiji Inafune (yes, the auteur behind the infamous Mighty No. 9). It plays like how you’d expect from a Monster Hunter-like action game. You can hunt down your main target and hit its weak points to gather materials and create stronger weapons. It’s an engaging gameplay loop that makes sure you’re always prepared to fight increasingly stronger monsters.

Read more
PlayStation has quietly doubled the price of Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4
Aloy aiming an arrow into the wilderness at a robot.

Following the announcement of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for the PlayStation 5 and PC, PlayStation has raised the price of the original game's PlayStation 4 Complete Edition by $20 on the PlayStation Store.

As that edition of the game had been retailing for $20 for a couple of years now, that means PlayStation has doubled the price without warning.

Read more
The best games on PlayStation Plus, Extra, and Premium
A person plays Crash Bandicoot using a PS5 DualSense controller.

PlayStation Plus has undergone several iterations and changes since its introduction. Originally, the service wasn't required for online play at all and rewarded subscribers with extra discounts and free monthly games. Once the PlayStation 4 generation began, it was required for online play, but still offered those same benefits.

Now, PS Plus is divided into three different tiers of subscriptions. The basic tier, PS Plus Essential, still gets three games per month added, while the Extra and Premium tiers will have a varying number of games added to their catalogs monthly. With hundreds of games already and more coming and going all the time, even the most dedicated gamer won't be able to play everything on offer. To help you get the most bang for your buck and so that no hidden gems fly under your radar, here are all the best games to play on PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium right now.
Best PS Plus Essential games
As is usually the case, everyone with the lowest tier of PS Plus gets three games for the month: two with PlayStation 5 versions and one with a PS4 version. Here's what you can play in October:

Read more