The PlayStation 4 topped sales of Microsoft's Xbox One system in November, marking the highest first-month sales of a game console ever.
According to the NPD Group, Sony's next-generation video gaming system sold the most consoles last month. But those winning numbers also had a one-week lead on the Xbox One, which hit stores seven days later on Nov. 22. The PlayStation 4 is also $100 cheaper than the $499 competing system.
SEE ALSO: The Comparative Anatomy of the Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4
"When looking at sales on an average per-week basis, Xbox One led PS4," NPD said in a statement. "Keep in mind, however, that supply typically becomes constrained in the second week after launch.”
NPD did not release details related to the number of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One units sold, but said it was the strongest month for gaming consoles ever.
“With the introduction of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, coupled with positive sales for the Nintendo 3DS, sales in November 2013 marked the best November for hardware sales on record," the company continued. “Hardware sales rose by 58% over November 2012, driven by an over 80% growth in sales of console hardware.”
Consumers spent more than $1.8 billion in November on gaming , from hardware and software to accessories, mobile apps and subscriptions. But software introduced in November 2013 was down 41% compared to the same period last year. In order, the top games sold across all platforms, including PC, were Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Madden NFL 25 and Grand Theft Auto V.
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Sony's next-generation PlayStation 4 is here. The sleek console features an 8-core x86 AMD Jaguar chip and 8 gigs of GDDR5 memory. It's Sony's first console since the PlayStation 3, which was released in 2006.
The PlayStation 4 isn't a cube, but actually a tilted parallelogram. It's also small at only 10.8 inches by 12 inches.
The console can lay on its side, or can be placed vertically with a stand, which you can purchase separately for $14.99.
The PlayStation 4's front is bisected by an LED light, which pulses blue when the console is starting up and white when it's on.
The easily missed power button is right on the front, between the glossy and matte sections, where the LED separates the console.
The back of the console is where all the heat escapes. It also holds the power, HDMI, optical, ethernet and PlayStation Camera ports.
The PlayStation 4 features a newly redesigned controller, the DualShock 4. While some aspects of the old controller have remained, such as the iconic shape-face buttons, it's a big departure from the previous PlayStation 3 controller.
The biggest new feature is the controller's touchpad in the center, which boasts multitouch gestures just like most smartphones. It can also be clicked like a trackpad.
The PlayStation 4 has its own camera, sold separately from the console for $59.99. It features two lenses to see 3D images, along with a microphone array to detect sound.
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