The PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console in Japan in February

Recent data reveals that Sony’s console was the best seller in its home country, the first time the PlayStation 5 (PS5) has outsold Nintendo’s Switch since its release.

The details:

• According to data from the Japanese publication Famitsu, the PS5 sold 366,982 hardware units in February, outselling the Nintendo Switch by over 140,000 units. This is the first time the PS5 has outsold Nintendo's handheld-home console hybrid since its release in 2020, after years of hardware shortages.
• The console's February sales increased 457% year on year after only selling 65,772 in February 2022. Sony sold more units of the console in February alone than it did in the first four months of 2022, indicating that the increased production of the system has had a significant impact, especially given that the region has always favored PlayStation over its western rival, Xbox. A similar increase in sales occurred in Europe in January 2023, with numbers tripling compared to January 2022.
• Despite massive hardware sales, Nintendo still blew the competition out of the water when it came to software, with Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe selling 189,031 units and the critically acclaimed Hogwarts Legacy coming in second with 126,086 sales between Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Despite massive success in the west, including outselling Elden Ring in the UK, it appears that even the wizarding RPG couldn't compete with Nintendo's reach in its home country.

Recent PlayStation news:

• A PS5 Pro is reportedly in the works, with an expected release date of 2024. The hardware improvements to the console are currently unknown, though a PS5 architect, Mark Cerny, has filed a patent for systems that allow for "accelerated ray tracing," which could be introduced with the Pro.
• In late 2023, the PS5 will be releasing its earbuds and a new headset. The wireless earbuds are said to have USB-C charging through a case, as well as a battery life comparable to Apple's AirPods, and are designed specifically for use on the console. No one knows the retail price of either audio device, but due to similar functionality, both are likely to be in the same ballpark as Sony's INZONE H7.