Sony Corp. expects the lower price of the PlayStation 4 and wider variety of entertainment services to drive its forecast to sell 5 million units of the game console by the end of March.
The projection for Sony's next-generation machine, set to be introduced for $399 in November, compares with 3.55 million units sold in a similar period for the PlayStation 3, released in 2006 and offered in some regions for $599, Andrew House, head of Sony's game operations, said in an interview Thursday.
The PS4 will hit U.S. shelves a week before Microsoft Corp. starts selling its Xbox One for $499, as both companies seek to reignite growth in the console business as casual players switch to games on smartphones and tablet computers. Sony is staggering the release of its machine in an effort to avoid shortages that hurt sales of the PS3, and is positioning the PS4 as a portal for games, films and music.