If you’ve been following gaming news you should know that the industry’s two titan video game console makers, Microsoft and Sony, are preparing to do battle this holiday season over who can sell more boxes. A recent poll found that 26 percent of 1,297 people surveyed last week reported they are likely to buy the new PlayStation 4 when available, versus 15 percent opting for the Xbox One. This isn’t particularly surprising. Since the announcements of the two consoles people have suggested that the PS4 will win the fight, but the results point to a one-sided non-battle during the crucial holiday season instead of a relatively tug-of-war type fight.
Microsoft
Restrictions on used games and requiring an internet connection to play have made Microsoft’s Xbox One much less popular than it otherwise might have been. Some of the policies that originally angered fans have been reversed, but Microsoft has still made decisions to save money that in the end might hurt their profit margins if people don’t buy the consoles. The poll suggests that people want games on their consoles as well as the music and TV that Microsoft has marketed so much.
Sony
The PS4 is $100 cheaper than the Xbox and comes with slightly better support for used games. Sony has already pre-sold over one million Playstations and will likely sell many more if the games are as good as advertised. The Japanese developers at Sony have done a lot of things well. One respondent of the poll said that, “The PlayStation 4 is for both hardcore and casual gamers.”
I tend to agree. I think when the $399 PS4 and $499 Xbox One come out in November Playstation deserves to win and it will. We will all see very soon.
