PS4 Outpaces Xbox One In July, 'The Last Of Us' Tops Software Charts

Coming as a surprise to absolutely nobody, Sony has confirmed that once again the PlayStation 4 was the best-selling console in July. This marks the seventh month in a row with the PS4 taking the NPD’s proverbial blue ribbon.



July NPD numbers show US spending on physical games and game hardware was up in July over last year.

Sony confirmed that the PS4 has sold-through over 10 million units to-date. Microsoft has not released hard numbers for the Xbox One yet, though the console continues to fall behind Sony’s even with the Kinect-free $399 sku. Nintendo’s Wii U continues to struggle against the competition even as it outpaces last year’s sales by 60%.

Consumers spent $514.3 million on new gaming hardware, software, and accessories, which is up 16 percent over last year. Last July consumers spent just $443.1 million. The PS4 and Xbox One account for the majority of that spending.

Consumers dropped $198.8 million on consoles in July, up 100 percent year-over-year, while software sales were down 15 percent from last July. Less cash on hand after an expensive console purchase means fewer software units sell through.

“Similar to the pattern seen in seven out of the last nine months, strong growth in hardware sales offset declines in software sales in July 2014 while accessory sales had modest growth,” said NPD analyst Liam Callahan.

“Two other factors caused seen in July 2014 software sales,” he continued. “Reduced sales for new launches and the decline in [last-gen] software not entirely being offset by [new-gen] sales.”

Best-Selling Games

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us topped software charts in July, thanks to its re-release on PS4. It was followed by the everlasting Minecraft with FIFA 14, Watch Dogs, and Mario Kart 8 taking up the top five.

Nintendo confirmed that over 1 million units of Mario Kart 8 have been sold in the US alone since its launch at the end of May.

1. The Last of Us (PS4, PS3)
2. Minecraft (360, PS3)
3. FIFA 14 (360, PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Vita)
4. Watch Dogs (PS4, 360, PS3, Xbox One, PC)
5. Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)
6. Call of Duty: Ghosts (Xbox One, 360, PS4, PS3, Wii U, PC)
7. Grand Theft Auto V (360, PS3)
8. Sniper Elite III (PS4, Xbox One, 360, PS3)
9. NBA 2K14 (360, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PC)
10. Lego Marvel Super Heroes (360, PS3, 3DS, DS, PS4, Wii U, Xbox One, Vita, PC)

“When combining life-to-date sales of Xbox One and PS4 after nine months, and comparing them to the combined totals of nine months of sales for Xbox 360 and PS3, sales of the newest consoles are larger than the prior generation by close to 80 percent,” said NPD’s Callahan.

All told, July holds to the year-long trend of increased sales across the industry as more and more consumers migrate to new-gen machines despite a continuing lack of stellar new-gen-only content.

Video Game Review: The Last of Us: Remastered

 

How do you make the best game of 2013 even better?

That was the challenge placed before Naughty Dog. The Last of Us was one of the finest games of the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 era, a visual masterpiece and a triumph of gaming storytelling, but it arrived at a video game crossroads, hitting the market just months before the next generation of machines.

Could Naughty make the game relevant again, barely a year later?

Somehow, the answer is yes. The Last of Us Remastered arrived on the PlayStation 4 last week, and it manages to make an instant classic worth replaying. If you haven’t played The Last of Us and own a PlayStation 4, now is your chance. And even if you did play it, there are enough tweaks for you to a least ponder the pickup (or grab it when the price invariably drops).

If you didn’t play The Last of Us last year, here’s a quick recap. You play as two characters, Joel and Ellie, in a gripping story about what happens to humanity when we’re nearly wiped off the planet by your average zombie-like virus. Ellie is somehow immune to the virus, and she becomes the key to the plot. She also becomes far more than that, evolving into one of the most memorable characters in gaming memory.

If you know the story, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, to tell you any more would be a disservice to your playthrough.

The game plays out in standard third-person adventure fashion, and it’s very linear. But compelling controls and near film-quality visuals drive a masterful experience. Both those things have gotten better in the remastered edition.

The Last of Us Remastered has been completely redone in 1080p, and the difference between PS3 and PS4 versions is huge. You’ll read signs in the distance now, and see the skyline and far off buildings with far greater clarity. A handful of iconic scenes now truly jump off the screen, immersing you more fully in the action.

A new Photo Mode takes advantage of that, allowing you to capture your favorite in-game moments with the push of a button. It’s a subtle addition, but in an era when gamers are addicted to sharing their experiences with each other, it’s welcome.

There are controller tweaks, too, tweaks so natural that you won’t even think about it. You open Joel’s backpack with a press of the Dualshock 4 touchpad, something instinctive and natural and far easier than the old Select button-press. Even better are the refined shooter controls; you’ll rely on your triggers and it all feels natural.

The Last of Us Remastered also bundles in the fine Left Behind DLC, adding some extra story elements to the package. It all adds up to a fantastic package, even if it’s one that’s not required. The PS3 version of The Last of Us remains the better bargain, available in most spots for under thirty bucks.

But The Last of Us Remastered is easily the finest version of a brilliant game. And just a year later, that’s quite impressive.

Reviewed on Sony PlayStation 4

The Last of Us Remastered Will Be a Hit on PS4, Says Sony

The Last of Us was one of the most successful titles on the previous generation console Playstation 3 and almost every gamer on the console would have played this title at one time or the other.

There could hardly be anyone who didn’t play it out, which is what the majority of the consumer crowd assumes. Sony has a completely different stand on this, because the company strongly believes that there are lots of players who didn’t check out the title yet on a PS3 and they have a great opportunity with the upcoming Re-mastered edition to play the game on the Playstation 4. According to the developers, the new version will be much more realistic, because, it features better graphical elements and has an improved world, because of the better hardware supplied by the new console. If you have already played the game and have finished it till the end, then there could be little to no excitement to buy it again on a brand new console for another $60; but Sony says that there are so many Playstation 4 owners who haven’t played the game yet. They are completely new to the scenario and are looking forward to experiencing some must have titles on their brand new console, for which The Last of Us is a fitting title.

A Title Worthy of New Gen

Sharing his views about the game, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, product manager, Josh said, “The Last of Us is not just a title that witnessed amazing sales and became a fan favorite, but is one of the most significant titles on the platform that won countless awards. It marks a successful completion for the last generation console history and the developers believe that it would be unfair to not let new generation players experience the same”. Even though, he didn’t openly admit the number of players who have already tried the game on the older generation platform, he added that the company will be able to see how many PS4 owners haven’t played it yet, by making use of the Playstation Network data. Taking a poke on the fact that Xbox One didn’t receive enough attention as expected and many players have decided to migrate to a new platform, he said, “There is a strong shift in the market and we are glad to welcome players who have migrated from competitive platforms to our Playstation network.”

1080P, 60 FPS Confirmed

The Last of Us re-mastered on Playstation 4, has been confirmed, by Naughty Dog to run at 1080p resolution and will deliver a solid 60 frames per second. Throughout the console wars, the HD resolution has been a matter of discussion that put the PS4 ahead of its competitor. It has also been confirmed that the game will have improved lighting, higher resolution character models and better shadows. The bundle will have special interviews with the lead actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, the director besides other featured content. It launches on July 29, priced at $60.