PS5 is the best-selling console of 2022 so far thanks to increased stock

metro.co.uk:

The Nintendo Switch has been overtaken by the PS5 as the UK’s best-selling console of 2022, but that could change as Christmas approaches.

Since the beginning of the year, the Xbox Series X/S has managed to outsell the PlayStation 5, but this was largely due to the latter being near impossible to get hold of.

While still impressive on Microsoft’s part (it even outsold the PlayStation 5 in Japan for a brief time), it looks like Sony has stolen the lead back. Not just from Microsoft but also Nintendo, as the PlayStation 5 is now the best-selling console of the year so far, at least in the UK.

This is apparently thanks to it becoming more readily available. After dealing with stock shortages for so long, stock levels for the console were up by 56% in August, compared to July.

No exact sales figures have been shared, unfortunately, but this was enough to push the PlayStation 5 above the Xbox Series X/S and Switch.

The Switch is now in second place, having seen a 4% increase in sales last month. Xbox Series X/S sales, meanwhile, stayed roughly the same.

This data comes from GamesIndustry.biz, which adds that, collectively, nearly 125,000 video game consoles were sold in the UK during August, 20% more than July’s figures.

Overall, however, console sales are down compared to last year. Compared to the first eight months of 2021, only 880,000 consoles – nearly 36% less – have been sold in 2022.

Although the PlayStation 5 sits at the top, it could easily be knocked off the podium in the coming months. After all, Sony made the console more expensive towards the end of August, which may put off some customers from buying one at Christmas.

Microsoft and Nintendo, meanwhile, have steadfastly refused to raise the price for their consoles, at