In what can only be construed as bad news for Microsoft, the Playstation 4 crushed the Xbox One for the month of January according to Bloomberg.
The Bloomberg report in question states that Sony overcame a December loss in sales to rival Microsoft, rebounding in a big way by outperforming the Xbox One by nearly 100%. These numbers, of course are huge, given that console sales tend to decline once the initial hype has been exhausted and the majority of interested gamers have forked over their hard-earned cash and in doing so, picked a side in the war.
What’s more, Sony consoles nearly always outperform their Microsoft counterpoint in Europe and Asia, given that Sony is based in Japan. The importance of this news can’t be emphasized enough, so, here you go – 3 troubling reasons Microsoft will lose this generation’s console war:
1. A huge chunk of console sales are already in the books. Giving Microsoft few consumers to allow them to catch up to Sony.
2. Consumers tend to buy alongside the market. Meaning Sony should continue to pull ahead of Microsoft as long as the majority of gamers own a Playstation 4.
3. Many of those who have purchased a PS4 over an Xbox One have done so due to its cheaper price-tag. A price difference that isn’t changing anytime soon.
In a war that’s become as big as the actual games-themselves, this generation’s console war is just heating up. The big question on everyone’s mind at this point is whether or not Microsoft will be able to weather the storm brought on by powerhouse Sony, or if they’re doomed to experience the fate that the more expensive PS3 faced in last generation’s battle that saw Microsoft’s Xbox 360 take the crown in what turned out to be an ugly battle between the two rival companies.
However, a recent teardown of both consoles revealed that Microsoft doesn’t need to sell as many consoles as Sony in order to win this console generation’s war, with Microsoft earning 64% more money per-sale than Sony. Even-still, with Sony taking a 100% sales lead in the United States, one has to wonder if the gaming giant hasn’t dwarfed this substantial number overseas, a result that would see the Xbox One backed up against the wall early on in this generations’ battle.
What do you think? is Microsoft doomed to lose? Or is it too early-on to call a winner just yet? Voice your opinions here, or discuss them in our new forums!