PlayStation ties Nintendo with 129 million active users

PlayStation and Nintendo, two of the biggest consoles in the gaming industry, recently reported a record 129 million active users.

Nintendo has been on a high roll recently with the hotly-anticipated launch of Switch 2. The updated console features colored accents on the Joy-Con controllers, a new button, and a redesigned kickstand. It is backward compatible with Switch games, and additional details will be revealed during a Nintendo Direct event on April 2.

Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, also recently confirmed that Xbox games will be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. Although specific game titles are not yet confirmed, fan-favorite games like Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are expected.

Sony, on the other hand, recently reported strong sales for the PS5, with 9.5 million units sold in Q3 FY24, bringing the total to 74.9 million. The company also reported a 1.7% year-over-year growth, reaching $31.06 billion in revenue. Q3 alone contributed $11.05 billion, driven by hardware sales.

Despite this, however, PlayStation’s operating margin was 7%, with an operating income of $775 million.

Though, both companies measure this figure differently. Nintendo considers this number based on yearly active users, while PlayStation tracks monthly active users. Sure, it’s a lot more impressive to keep 129 million players every month than yearly, but it’s an achievement nonetheless.

Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox console has also been approved and is progressing, but a reveal isn’t expected soon. The company is also expanding its Xbox first-party games to PlayStation, with titles like Forza Horizon 5, Hellblade 2, and Age of Empires coming to Sony’s platform.