Sony announces 10 million PS4 sales and unveils UK and US release dates for PS TV

Sony's PS4 console now looks to have double the sales of Microsoft's Xbox One

James Vincent
Wednesday 13 August 2014 15:11 BST
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Sony says more than 10 million PlayStation 4 consoles have now been sold worldwide, making the console’s launch one of the most successful in history.

The company announced the updated sales figures at the Gamescom conference in Cologne, where it also unveiled a new game sharing feature and confirmed that the PS TV micro-console would be launching in the US on October 14 and in the UK on November 14.

The palm-sized console allows PS4 owners to stream games to other TVs in their house but also offers access to third-party applications like Netflix.

Nostalgic gamers can also use it access a back catalogue of hundreds of classic Sony games via PlayStation Now – although this service will only be available in Europe from 2015 onwards.

The PS TV is set to cost $99 in the US and £84.99 in the UK, with customers able to pay extra for a bundle including a DualShock 3 controller. Analysts think the device might appeal to older gamers who don’t want to splash out on a PS4 but want to play games from the PS1 and PS2.

Sony’s confidence in streaming technology was also apparent with SharePlay, a newly-announced feature for the PS4 that Sony says will work as a “virtual couch”.

Customers will be able to share games with friends remotely even if they do not own a game – either ‘handing over’ their controller in single-player titles or playing together in co-op modes.

An update to the PS4’s firmware will also introduce a long-awaited YouTube app for the console that will let gamers upload footage directly to the site.

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