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Sony sells over 1 million PlayStation 4 consoles in just 24 hours

Sony sells over 1 million PlayStation 4 consoles in just 24 hours

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PlayStation 4 1024px
PlayStation 4 1024px

Sony’s next-gen PlayStation 4 console is off to a good start. The company announced today that it has sold over 1 million consoles in just 24 hours. Sony’s PlayStation 4 only launched on Friday in the US and Canada, so it's an impressive start for just two regions. "We are thrilled that consumer reaction has been so phenomenal," says Andrew House, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. "Sales remain very strong in North America, and we expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29th."

The PlayStation 4 is now Sony’s fastest-selling console, with North American sales surpassing the initial demand for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. European sales of the PS4 start in just under two weeks, so it’s entirely possible that Sony’s next-gen console could overtake Nintendo’s struggling Wii U sales (currently 3.91 million) by the end of the year. Microsoft's Xbox One console also launches on November 22nd to provide even more competition for the holiday shopping season.

A solid launch, but not without hardware issues

Sony’s launch has certainly been successful this time around, but it hasn’t been without its share of problems. A "blue light of death" problem has affected a number of consoles, rendering them dead on arrival. Reports of the problem appear to be limited, but nearly 40 percent of the PS4 reviews on Amazon are one-star reviews complaining of hardware failure. While Sony is celebrating its launch sales, the company has not yet provided an update on its claims that only 0.4 percent of units are affected.