GameStop: PS4 launch sales 80% higher than total PS3 sales in 2006 fiscal year

With the PlayStation 4 having already sold over 1 million units within just its first 24 hours of launch, many might be wondering how GameStop, the world's largest gaming retailer, might have benefited from its launch. While today's Q3 2013 earnings report didn't contain any sales numbers from the next-gen console launch, GameStop did reveal a pretty impressive fact regarding Sony's newest system.

The number of PS4 consoles sold through launch was 80% higher than the total number of PS3s that GameStop sold in the retailer's entire 2006 fiscal year.

"We have sold through all of our PS4 reservations and the additional allocations from Sony," GameStop President Tony Bartel revealed during the company's earnings call.  Although he wouldn't reveal the total number of units sold for "competitive reasons," Bartel did say that GameStop's "share was higher than on any previous console launch."

"Our sell-through since launch was 80% higher than the total amount of PS3s that we sold in our 2006 fiscal year," Bartel said, before repeating the impressive number.

GameStop posted a net profit of $68.6 million for the third quarter of 2013 ended November 2, 2013, and expects next-gen console sales to lead to even greater profits in Q4.

"Our strong third quarter sales results give us great momentum as we enter the new console cycle,” said GameStop CEO Paul Raines. “Consumer appetite for the new consoles is very strong judging by last week’s successful PS4 launch and the excitement for tonight’s Xbox One launch event. Globally, we are executing our unique playbook to maximize our position of strength.”

Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 remain sold out on GameStop's website and at most — if not all — of the company's physical retail stores.

[Seeking Alpha]