The State Of Console Sales, As The PS4 Japanese Release And System Selling Games Approach

An article which I wrote for GameLuster which presents recent sales figures of the next gen consoles and gives you some of my thoughts

[kingdip90]

This gen will decide which theory is more true.

Does hardware drive software sales?

Or does software drive hardware sales?

Right now the big argument against Sony is "it haz no gamez" and the big argument against xbox one is that the hardware is weaker...

If sales don't change much for Ms after the release of titanfall we will have our answer.

[Chaostar]

Flash quiz!

One of the above arguments holds no merit and is the product of a bitter, subjective thought process. Which is it?

[FamilyGuy]

Exactly.

PS4 has more games.
PS4 has more games coming.
PS4 has higher rated games.
PS4 has better specs/
PS4 games preform better.
PS4 is cheaper.
PS4 is more developer friendly.
PS+ is a better value than Live Gold.

What advantages do the X1 have again?
Oh yeah, like two extra high budget games that released at launch.
Whoop de friggin do

Lmao.

[realplu]

The problem is that Sony will bring the games but M$ can't really make its box more powerful.

[Pixel_Enemy]

Bingo. Just because Xbox One's launch line up is arguably more appealing to some than PS4's, doesn't mean that Sony won't be pumping out first party exclusives that strengthen their library through out the lifetime of the PS4.

[Pogmathoin]

Realplu, we know $ony will bring the games, but do you ever think M$ will finally a do whats right? I always wonder what Phil Harrison is doing... He has the pedigree, so why he let the BS happen??

Chaostar, your mind is made up obviously, so do not think a good old fashioned tink tank discussion will happen over your comment, and yet you mentioned bitter....

[KingDadXVI]

Tell that to the people who invested in the 360 last gen. The 360 supposedly had 1/3 the horsepower of the PS3 and its Cell processor.

Early in the gen the console is the driver due to core gamers who are early adopters and willing into live without a lot of choice in games just because it is "their" console but within a year the games start driving console sales as the casual market takes over. The casuals buy the console that plays the games they want.

"The problem is that Sony will bring the games but M$ can't really make its box more powerful."

Wrong. Here is why. The PS4 currently has a slight advantage in resolution and fps. That advantage is shrinking with every 3rd party release and we are only 3 months in. 12 months in the difference will be negligible. Remember also that in 12 months it will be the casuals not the hardcore gamers buying new consoles.

In 12 months as has been indicated by everyone in the industry the difference in resolution and frame rate will be so small that no one will care and the casuals won't even realize anyway.

Many will say that the PS4 will improve too. Sure it will but not to the extent of the Xbox One. That is not because the hardware in the PS4 is not good but simply because the maximum power of the PS4 is far easier to access. That means that there is far less hidden power to find. The other reason that improving the PS4 will make no difference is because it cannot go past 1080p anyway. Neither console can unless it is Tetris or Pong. So once the Xbox One is rendering at 1080p and the frame rates are close no one but the absolute cult worshiping die hard is going to care.

Then the games are going to become the driver of console sales.

No the current problem is that there is a $100 price difference and one console is sold in 53 markets vs. the other only being available in 13. In reality there is no sales problem. MS is selling consoles in larger volumes than every and the PS4 has been mostly sold on a lot of hype and bad press for the Xbox One.

One thing the PS4 has not been selling for is the blockbuster value of the games.

At the end of the day both consoles are going to do very well this generation provided they bring the games. Both companies appear to be doing just that with Sony slightly behind but having a lot of studios available to pump out the IP.

[Lovelovelovelove]

Pretty terrible grammar, really difficult to read.

[DanielGearSolid]

Im still not convinced that system sellers outside of GTA still exist...

And not even that game turbo boosted sales. It was a bump, but a very small one

Mario barely boosted the Wii

Maybe Halo can still do it

Uncharted I don't think boosted sales much(not sure)

[jjonez18]

Major System seller exclusives are few and far between. But that is not to say that they aren't as important as a GTA. Also have to think that it's tough to get a 7-8 year old system to fly off the shelves in gta's case. Although gta bundle did push ps3 past xb360 in the U.S. Anyways, The Wii would not have came close to 100m without exclusives. Ps2 destroyed its generation with them. And the 3ds is suffocating ps vita with their own exclusive deals.

Xbox is bringing over gears and halo, ps has gran turismo, uncharted, and god of war, wii with Mario kart and smash. Each of these franchises have moved systems and most confirmed to be coming to next gen.

[DanielGearSolid]

I actually meant Mario didn't do much for the Wiiu not Wii my bad