Sony once again tops console sales in the U.S., as its popular PlayStation 4 (PS4) was the top-selling console in July 2015.
As expected, the second place features Microsoft and its Xbox One, which the closest rival the PS4 has on the console market.
The data comes from The NPD Group, which shared the figures with VentureBeat's GamesBeat. Although the PlayStation 4 topped console sales in July 2015 in the U.S., it's also worth pointing out that Microsoft has also been selling consoles faster than ever before. Both companies managed to significantly boost sales of their gaming consoles and they continue to see strong demand.
According to the data, combined sales from the PS4 and the Xbox One in the U.S. are significantly higher compared to those of their predecessors after the same period on the market.
"After 21 months, combined Xbox One and PS4 hardware unit sales are close to 50 percent higher than the combined sales of Xbox 360 and PS3 after 21 months on the market," analyst Liam Callahan of NPD points out, as cited by GamesBeat.
Microsoft may have come in second place, but it still managed to see an impressive 44 percent increase in console sales compared with the same period last year, which further vouches for the success of the Xbox One.
At the same time, the fact that both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One are going strong and generating high sales suggests that the gap between them is not as large as some might claim. Microsoft and Sony are in close competition and selling more consoles than before, which in turn reflects continued growth for the gaming industry.
According the NPD's monthly report for July 2015, new game hardware, software, as well as accessories generated a total of $541.9 million in the U.S., which marks a 6 percent increase from the $513.3 million during the same period last year.
When it comes to software sales, Warner Bros. hit the jackpot with its Lego Jurassic World and Batman: Arkham Knight, which took the first two spots. Keep in mind, however, that the data doesn't include games bundled with consoles. In the case of Arkham Knight, for instance, bundles accounted for a notable slice of the sales.
