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PS4 helps Sony leapfrog Nintendo in global sales

The strong performance of the PlayStation 4 sees it confirmed as the champion in the most recent console wars - beating both the Wii U and the Xbox One

Monday 09 June 2014 15:36 BST

A picture taken on November 29, 2013 in a Parisian store shows the joystick of the new Sony Playstation 4 video game console (PS4). (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

For the first time in eight years Sony has outsold its Japanese rival Nintendo as the PlayStation 4 continues to lead the global console battle.

Sony has sold a total of 18.7 million hardware units in the financial year ending March (including the PS4, PS3 and handheld devices) while Nintendo’s sales totalled 16.3 million – a fall of 31 per cent.

The shift in power is thanks to the strong performance of Sony’s PS4 (launched last November), weak sales of Nintendo’s latest console, the Wii U, and falling interested in its 2011 handheld device the 3DS.

So far the PS4 has sold 8.1 million units to the Wii U’s 6.3m, with the Xbox One (launched at the same time as the PS4) still lagging behind with sales of 4.5 million.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

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1/14E3 2014: the games we want to see

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Assassin's Creed: Unity

Although it's thought that Unity (the latest Assassin's Creed, set in revolutionary France) is due for a Christmas release this year, unconfirmed rumours about a last-gen Assassin's Creed title set in 18th century New York have muddied the waters somewhat. Expect more footage even if there's no release date given.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Star Wars: Battlefront

Although we know it's slated for a summer 2015 launch we're hoping to see more of Star Wars: Battlefront, the franchise-based shooter under development by Battlefield creator Dice. A short trailer last year showed a first-person clip from the Battle of Hoth (complete with looming AT-AT foot) but EA might offer some more solid details this year.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Call of Duty: Kevin Spacey edition (the House of Cards actor lends both his likeness and voice to the head of the world's largest private military company) is coming to us on November 4, but we're expecting to see more ludicrous technology revealed at E3. Trailers suggest powered exoskeletons and fleets of drones.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Final Fantasy XV

A teaser trailer for the fifteenth instalment in the long-running RPG series showed off typically stunning visuals, but unfortunately Square Enix exec Shinji Hashimoto recently said that there would be no further information about the game coming at this year's E3. We might see something of Kingdom Hearts III but we're including FFXV in this list just because, well, look at it.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Halo 5: Guardians

We've not seen anything of the latest Halo title since the teaser trailer last year (a bit of a pattern for the games in this list) but this year's E3 is definitely both the time and the place. Bungie has confirmed that a multiplayer demo will be on show as well as details about the beta program this summer. Expected but still exciting.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

The Order: 1886

Although we know this grimy, steam-punk cover-based shooter is "coming later this year", we can expect a demo and a release date for the PS4 exclusive at E3.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Super Smash Bros

Still trying to keep the Wii U's head above water, Nintendo will definitely be showing more of Super Smash Bros (out for the handheld 3DS as well). So far we've seen six new playable characters (including the Villager from Animal Crossing and Mega Man) but we're hoping for a release date more precise than the end of the year.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

The Witness

A welcome break from our succession of shooters, The Witness is an upcoming 3D puzzle game from Jonathan Blow, the designer behind indie smash Braid. Set on an island full of mazes and shifting terrain, the player must find a route to the top of a mountain. Expect beautiful, contemplative visuals and gameplay. A true successor to Myst? We can only hope.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Although we've already played the prologue (Ground Zeroes), Phantom Pain will see players take the role of super-soldier Big Boss as he takes charge of a mercenary group called the Diamond Dogs. Metal Gear's story remains impenetrable to non-initiates, but recently released footage shows that some parts of the game are still simple - you can hide in cardboard boxes.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Hyrule Warriors

Taking the chaotic hack-and-slash gameplay of Dynasty Warriors and mixing in characters from the Zelda series, Hyrule Warriors is slated for an August release in Japan. The EU and US dates have yet to be confirmed but we'd love to see this on the Wii U this year.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Civilization: Beyond Earth

Seen as a return to the success of 1999 space-faring title Alpha Centurai, Beyond Earth will finally take the Civ series... beyond earth. The hexagonal game board is kept on from Civ V with the same turn-based strategy bones that made the franchise in place. However, there's a new tech web (to replace linear tech trees) and players get to customize their civilizations.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

BattleCry

The first title from Bethsheda's new development studio (also called BattleCry) this intriguing title is a free to play team-based combat game. Players choose between two factions (Royal Marines or Cossacks) and battle with slightly steampunk looking weaponry - electrically-charged swords, transforming shields and the like. The art direction however is enough to get most people excited - think Team Fortress 2 but with blood.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

Mortal Kombat X

Okay, so the Mortal Kombat franchise has mostly been a spent force since the bloodbaths of the early 90s, but forgive us if we hope a little that the tenth instalment might return us to some of the glory days. The teaser trailer for Mortal Kombat X looked a little gloomy for our liking (for all its 'adult' gore, Mortal Kombat has always been silly) but hopefully some actual gameplay footage at E3 (and two promised new characters) will help restore the balance.

E3 2014: the games we want to see

The Last Guardian

First announced at E3 in 2009, The Last Guardian is the forever-delayed next title from Team Ico - the development studio responsible for Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. It's been rumoured to be getting a release date every E3 since '09 but could 2014 finally be its year? Probably not - but we've still got our fingers crossed, even if we look stupid for doing so.

The Wii U has had a recent boost thanks to the strong performance of Mario Kart 8 (the Nintendo exclusive has sold more than 1.1 million copies globally and created a 666 per cent increase in weekly Wii U sales in the UK), but this hasn’t been enough to turn the company around.

In May Nintendo confirmed annual losses of $229m (£135m) and last Friday it announced the closure of its European headquarters with the loss of 130 jobs.

All three companies will be announcing new games for their respective consoles at E3 2014 this week - but whether or not new titles from Nintendo or Microsoft can turn the tide remains to be seen.

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