Here’s Why PS4 Will Still Win This Holiday Season In Terms Of Numbers

TTZ: "The console war is heating up and is now fiercer than ever before with both the big players in the game, Microsoft and Sony hard at work in making their console the one to buy this holiday season."

[Maltaze]

Is that even a question?

[Abash]

The greater question: Who cares?

Didn't the PS4 get outsold last holiday in the US by a lot because the Xbox One dropped to $349? Look at what that changed, absolutely nothing.

Whoever wins this holiday, one thing can be sure, this console generation is already set and determined.

[spicelicka]

Yea I mean it really doesn't matter.

Xbox owners have Halo 5 this holiday to keep them more than satisfied, and PS4 has a decent collection of games as well until Uncharted is finally unleashed next year!

[morganfell]

"The greater question: Who cares?"

When did you join this site? Or better still, when did you first turn on the internet?

Those questions are meant to be funny and rhetorical because I know you have been around here as long as I have and I actually like your posts :P

[ThePope]

Who cares is right. It won't make any games on either console better. It won't make one console get something the other one won't, outside of exclusives. It doesn't even matter anymore.

Both consoles have great games and will have a great generation. NOTHING WILL CHANGE NO MATTER WHO WINS!

[nix]

US might be close but worldwide... PS4.

People need to realise people might be buying PS4 on Holidays to play games that have already come out on PS4 - Order, Infamous, Killzone, Bloodborne, Driveclub, Until Dawn, Tearaway, UC collection, TLOU, Gow 3 etc.

That's quite a lot of games to play over the holidays (if you ask me) and best part is they're all cheaper now. a lot.

[morganfell]

@thepope,

When did sales stop mattering? And I have seen few people on this site as wrong as you when the PS4 launched. After all, you are a guy that thinks Polygon is a great and trustworthy site. What was it you called them? Oh right, respectable. You wrote enough posts calling Sony supporters PS4 fanboys. You talked about how nervous they were before the launch.

Sales matter. You can say they do not matter to you but if that were an actual fact you would not have spent the time trying to convince other people they do not figure into the equation either professionally or personally.

There is something laughably dishonest about individuals sales discussion in their history suddenly becoming the evangelist, or dare I say the pope of "sales do not matter."

And don't kid yourself. If the X1 won you wouldn't sleep. But now that you are facing what is to come matters are different.

[Dee_Blessed]

Could've sworn xbox one outsold ps4 that holiday season because most places were sold out of playstation 4's.

[ThePope]

@morgen

I don't care at all about sales.

Let me ask you if sales matter SO much. Show me what Sonys lead has gotten them??

Its the PS fanboys, like yourself who are in every Xbox article downplaying all the amazing things the console has going for it. The PS fanboys are the ones who make fun of Forza 6 for "Jaggies" yet call DC amazing when it's a shell of a game. Call every game releasing around TR GOTY because you are so hurt its going to be a year before you can play it. Talk about how amazing UC remasters are while talking so much crap about the MCC issues with MP. At least 343 included it.

The PS fan base isn't getting the win after win they had when the consoles launched. So you cling so tightly to the sales as if that gets you anything. MS has the best fall line up for the second year in a row. "Well we are going to sell more!" Umm ok have fun with that I'll be playing TR and Halo 5.

God bless

P.s. Polygon is a great site. If you've listened/read anything Arthur Gies has done he's overly critical yes, but is a real gamer. Just because they don't give anything Sony does the rubber stamp of a 10 that people like you think they should doesn't make them bad/biased. What's hilarious is you are complaining about sites when N4G is probably the most biased website about gaming. It allows the PS faithful to,downplay the truth by reducing the bubbles of Xbox fans. Talk about dishonest. Better check that mirror out.

[morganfell]

Pope,

Go back and look at you own post history. Did you ever post about sales? Yes you have.

Hypocrite much?

I asked when they stopped mattering. And now twice you have entered this thread to say they are not important. "Methinks thou doth protest too much."

What have their sales gained them? Oh I don't know, what do sales gain any company that leads the lot in their particular field of endeavor. A lot of happy gamers and in case you are not aware, constant innovation, a breadth of titles that aren't just shooters, etc etc etc. What it gets them is their ability to get us more. And in case you have been asleep, Sony has been in some difficult times and the success in the gaming division is one of the occurrences that helped in righting the company.

Go back this generation and show me where I have been in every Xbox article. Go on. If I entered an X1 PURE article (note the word pure), and there has only been the very very rare occasion, it is because one of your own ilk brought Sony into the fight. A day ago is a good example. remarks by your pal Phil. Why did I post? He was talking about Sony so I posted in the remarks.

Last generation, as little as I like MS, I owned 360s and I loved HALO. My remarks are there to show it. I always felt it to be a gripping sci-fi story.

You are the one who since joining has been a relentless basher of your competition's consoles IN THEIR OWN ARTICLES. The very thing you are crying about. You are the one whose very first post was an attack on Sony supporters and you did it in a PS4 article. You haven't changed since.

Are their Sony supporters that go into X1 threads and attack MS? Yes their are. Do I approve. NO I DO NOT APPROVE OF THEM DOING THE VERY SAME THING YOU DO IN SONY THREADS.

Hypocrite much?

Any issues with the MCC 343 brought on themselves.

Arthur Gies is a real gamer like you are the real pope. There isn't a worse gaming related site on the internet. They have ulterior motive written all over them. A real site would service the gaming demographic in the manner real news should. Instead their site is only about their own fame and egos and spreading their influence for their own personal gain. You will find very few supporters for your ridiculous assumption they are a decent site.

God bless? What does a god have to do with you being angry? And you do write a lot of angry bitter posts.

[ThePope]

@Morgan

I may have posted about sales but in general care very little, especially because all of the things you say Sony's sales lead has gotten them, The X1 has all the same things; "happy gamers and in case you are not aware, constant innovation, a breadth of titles that aren't just shooters, etc etc etc". That's why sales matter so little because unless your console of choice is selling Wii U level you will have fantastic first, second, and Third party support.

I love how you say you never go into "pure" X1 articles, see that's what the PS faithful have spent this whole generation doing, moving the goal posts to best fit their argument. From the TR vs SF conversation, to how last holiday MS released a remaster as its big game and now Sony is doing the same. Its ok because its UC HAHA.

I do go into PS articles but not to bash the console, because I own one and will play all the PS4 exclusives including Soma, UC4, and R&C (unlike you I'm a REAL gamer). But to combat the pure non-sense the PS4 faithful spew. Just yesterday someone tried saying because they have more consoles out developers will patch the PS4 version first. Or, though this was an X1 article, PS gamers were making fun of the new UI and how buggy the beta is and how MS should be ashamed.

The best part about this whole conversation is you call me "mad". Brother, I'm not mad I get to play all the best games that come out for both systems. Its you with all those X1/MS hating bubbles that are mad.

[morganfell]

Pope,

" may have posted about sales but in general care very little..."

So now we are supposed to be psychic and guess when you are just posting and when you are seriously intimating a thought? Were you on cruise control and asleep at the wheel when making those previous remarks? At least have the sense of decency to own up to your own comments.

Also, cease with the dodging the fact you were WRONG about me this generation.

"Its the PS fanboys, like yourself who are in every Xbox article downplaying all the amazing things the console has going for it."

You lumped me in with other Sony supporters and now you want to dust over that as if it were not a remark that came from your own fingers. Revisionist history is a favorite practice for you, isn't it.

You can also stop the ridiculous and laughable pretense that you do not bash in Sony articles. It is bashing. The games, their practices, and certainly their supporters are all targets for you. Not only do you act in such a reprehensible manner and have done as much in the past but it also isn't a rare occurrence for you. It is your modus operandi. Let me guess, you weren't really posting to disparage and again we are supposed to employ out psychic abilities and divine your true intent.

No, put on your big boy pants and take a long look at your own history. It is replete with post upon post of pure bashing. News flash. You are the person you claim to despise.

Like your bashing post history you may deny it all you wish but statements of declination do not alter facts. You can also cease and desist with the practice of attempting to recharacterize your own remarks as something other than what a simple understanding of English reveals them to be. In addition, if one looks at some of the language you have used to name Sony supporters with whom you disagree then it is patently obvious to anyone that can read beyond a 3rd grade level that you are indeed angry. You said, you typed it now own it because you do whether you accept that fact or not.

What is your justification? Because others do it? So they are your svengalis, dictating your actions by their own? Again, no, you are solely responsible for what you have written. You. No amount of, "Look what they said about the X1" will change the fact you had a choice and you took and are taking the low road. You, those like you, and the PS supporters that enter X1 threads to bash are peas in a pod.

[Thatguy-310]

Sony has custom bundles for the big multiplatform releases. Plus add in the price cut and Xbox box chances of winning the next few months is beign question. I'm curious to see what Microsoft will do to counter the price cut. They have acknowledge that they won't catch up so will that mean that the crazy discounts and bundles are going to go back to beign minimal? We'll have to wait and see.

[DigitalRaptor]

.
On one hand, fans of the Xbox will say that Xbox One wins cause they have a better HOLIDAY lineup, despite PS4 having just as much (probably more if you factor in all kinds of games) during the ENTIRE YEAR. Others will say that, "well the holidays are more important because that is when more people are buying your product" so having more AAA games means you will make more money, and all of that jazz. EITHER way, PS4 wins.

1) Sony spreads games over the entire 12 months and has a larger lineup of well received games with more diversity, each and every year.

2) PS4 will sell more hardware and software this holiday, like they have the rest of the year. I'd argue that this will happen even in North America and the UK, but definitely globally. Putting all your eggs into one basket to increase excitement in an American focused shopping season, doesn't mean you will sell the most hardware or software. PS4 will definitely win the holidays now with its price cut, and the bundle fever with exclusive marketing of games like Battlefront, Call of Duty, and last month with MGSV. PS4 is already gamer's choice platform this gen, but these marketing deals will push that even further.

3) I might as well mention Sony's smart decision to move Gamescom in August, to Paris Games Week in October. Firstly, you don't want to show games before they are ready, but aside from that Sony/PS4 news will be stealing the headlines with their announcements during "the most important time of the gaming calendar". This will happen all through October and a part of November. December again will get another marketing boost when the PlayStation Experience comes around and boosts hype around the platform when MORE games get announced for 2016, and beyond.
------

@ Septic

You nailed it really, when you said that it's down to individual tastes, but in the areas that you can measure, PS4 wins. Sales and games. Nowhere do I say Xbox One has a bad or disappointing holiday lineup, so mentioning Halo or Forza doesn't negate what I'm saying here. You don't have to explain that to me. Uncharted Collection is a remaster, but is also a juggernaut in the same way as Halo: MCC was considered one last year. Bloodborne was a quality game early this year like Forza 6 is later in the year, and will probably sell just as much. Two can play the game. "Winning the holiday season" is just as selective as only allowing AAA games to be valid in a lineup of games, and that is TRULY strange since we call ourselves gamers - but some are willing to laugh games out of the conversation because of their budget or region of the world where they are produced.

In regards to money-hatting and how does it help this conversation? I'm referring to marketing here, that doesn't and shouldn't be of detriment to the Xbox gamer, unless they hold bitter insecurity. The timed-DLC stuff is where you would have a point, but I'm not really talking about in this instance, and it's not something I tend to endorse - and since I'm not planning to buy CoD, the early DLC access doesn't really affect me personally. I'm talking about marketing here - something Sony was willing to barter with the other publishers more than MS for. So I don't see your point there.

Really... the point I'm driving at, is that if certain people want to condense a platform's relevance or strength based on a 3-4 month period just to satisfy their preferences, then fine. Just don't expect people not to bring up the rest of the year like it's not relevant. It's still incredible for people to claim victory over something that is purely invented and treated as a measure by business folk, not gamers, when we are gamers.

[Gazondaily]

It's not that strange.

Xbox fans care more for the holiday lineup than the PS4's entire lineup this year. I don't see why that's hard to understand.

Heck, Halo alone is a juggernaut. Combine that with the quality of Forza then I don't see whats so hard to understand?

Sales wise, I still reckon the PS4 will have Xbox beat, mostly due to that price reduction but also because of third party deals with EA and Activision. That's the real strange bit. How a lot of people have started looking at Sony's money hatting in a positive light compared to the reception MS got.

But that's the thing ; its different tastes. What does PS4 'win'? Sales? Yes. In games? That's debatable. For me, it's been 3 holiday periods that MS has beaten PS4 when it comes to games I care about. For you, no doubt it'll be the opposite.

[hankmoody]

By 'win', they mean give someone somewhere an internal sense of self-worth.

[DragonDDark]

Halo and forza again.. Smh.

[Gazondaily]

Yeah Halo and Forza...both exclusives best in their class. I hope you're shaking your head up and down in acknowledgement.

[Tobsesan]

Give this guy a medal.

Of course the Ps4 will win in sales, but i couldnt care less. They got 0 games this holiday im interested in (okay maybe a little in uncharted).
On the other side i cant wait to play Halo 5/Tomb Raider and already LOVED Rare Replay, Forza and Gears this year.

I know everyone has a different opinion but you cant deny that the average joe doesnt care about those JRPGs on the Ps4 and most likely prevers the xbox lineup. BUT HEY, thats just a theory, a ga... oh wait wrong comment section.

[Ginpachi-sama]

Halo used to be a juggernaut halo 4 just shows how its popularity has been declining

[_-EDMIX-_]

@Sep- he has you there sep...

"Heck, Halo alone is a juggernaut. Combine that with the quality of Forza then I don't see whats so hard to understand? "

Errr.....well how many will buy XONE's for Forza 6 that didn't for Forza 5? The series doesn't really push huge units so I question how many are even buying a XONE for that series when people who own XONE don't all really buy that series.

[DragonDDark]

Ha!

[raggy-rocket]

'Halo and forza agin. Smh' How dare he mention games coming out his holiday. Quality ones too. For shame...SMH

[Automatic79]

@DigitalRaptor

I love how you and your legion devoted to Sony keep speaking for all. Let me make it clear for you outside of N4g you do not speak for all gamers. This Holiday will come down to games, features, online and overall price. As of right now you dont speak for consumers so quit acting like you do. Geesh you talk like you work for Sony.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@Mich- I don't think he is speaking for all gamers as that is merely what he feels.

"Sony spreads games over the entire 12 months and has a larger lineup of well received games with more diversity, each and every year. "

That is not really false or even an opinion besides the diversity part.

They have the higher metacritic rating, release games all year, MS went 10 months with no major titles, Sony factually has more exclusives and they will very,very likely sell the most world wide.

Regardless of what you like or not, that is very, very hard to really go against as its not even saying one system is better then another.

1 had released more titles, will factually get more titles, does better world wide etc

Its not that hard to see PS4 outselling XBONE this fall by quite a lot, but thats not saying anything is bad about XONE in terms of quality.

Don't want to hear about sales talk? Why are you in this article? It states "will still win this holiday season in terms of numbers" Soooooooo in not really sure where you coming from.

Your comment is actually closer to off topic as this has nothing to do with what you or I like, its about sales....thats it.

"This Holiday will come down to games" Sony has more exclusives this fall....

They have more exclusives RIGHT NOW! ...

It won't come down to "online", it will come down to what plays the best 3rd party games, who has the most titles period and who has the better bundles.

When you factor in PS4 plays those titles better...MS bundles don't even stand a chance.

This fall...3rd party titles very much will sell the PS4 as they are currently selling the PS4 EVERY MONTH.

[DigitalRaptor]

@ MichaelLito79

You clearly don't love it. You clearly are so insecure that Xbox might not win this holiday season in terms of sales, that you mistake facts and logic for something deeply personal.

Did I get anything incorrect? Did I actually say I spoke for all gamers out there? And did EDMIX's response scare you so much, as not to bother replying? He basically said it all.

This holiday will come down to sales, but PS4 indeed has more games too. Not features, not online, not excuses from you. That is it, to those who don't shift goalposts from 12 months > 3 months, to make themselves feel better. This generation will come down to MS trying to best Sony, and failing in both games output and sales.

"This holiday season", as you put it, is something gullible corporate slaves have been brainwashed by marketing speak into thinking wins anything. People like you, who are ironically devoted to the Xbox brand (don't pretend it's any different). Your post history reads the same way as mine in terms of platform dedication and you sound just as much of an Xbox salesperson, if that is what you want to believe I talk like.

A year is a measure of victory. A generation is a measure of victory. A 3-month holiday season driven by marketing where publishers want to sell the most and brainwash you into thinking those months matter more? That is your victory? That's a pyrrhic victory at best, if any.

[DeadManMMX]

Hmmm this will be an interesting holiday. If the past is any indication the holidays are when MS gets aggressive and makes up for lost ground. Sony cutting the Ps4 price this early is a good thing for them because by the holidays everyone will know it and hey will het great sales. That being said I think MS is going to undercut them again to move as many consoles as they can during the holidays. It makes sense because they are not really making their money on the hardware they want as many consoles as they can get out there and in their ecosystem to get that bandwagon rolling. I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes one way or another.

[Paleblood]

No matter if Microsoft wins the holidays on the US, Sony will win the holidays worldwide and let's remember last year Microsoft won on the US and what is changed? Nothing. PS4 is still #1.

[PizzaSteve]

This guy gets it.

[Necr0philiac]

Ghey

[Kingdomcome247]

I accidentally agreed with you. Grow up. OT: Sony can't be overtaken. It is what it is. Both consoles continue to deliver experiences that I love, and I'm fortunate enough to enjoy both. I'm sure people will buy what they enjoy this holiday season, as they have always done. That just so happens to be PlayStation that they pick more often than not.

[S2Killinit]

even last year when MS had a price drop plus bundles, it still sold less worldwide. This time, PS4 has a price drop and its already caused a huge sales boost on Amazon.

However, there is rumors that MS will also do another price drop this holiday. But its not confirmed.

[DeadManMMX]

It's always going to sell less world wide sony has a foot hole in Japan and Europe. That's not even news. In Japan they will never turn it around unless they think far outside of the box but yes probably never. That being said Us and UK the largest markets are battlegrounds.

[SaveFerris]

Sony wins, MS wins, and gamers win. Everybody wins.

[mooseo21]

In the words of the abysmal jay cutler, DON'T CAREEEE

[StormLegend]

Can we stop with this?

[AstroCyborg]

great more fanboy articles its the fall season now its game time

[Vasto]

Where the games at?

[jokerisalive]

PS4 will win hands down. Go look at the console bundles they have on Amazon and how many are listed way ahead of XB1 bundles. The price drop by Sony was HUGE and will impact sales more than ever for them. Everyone thought they would do it next year when they introduced a new slim model but instead they did it the month Halo 5 drops and beat that date by three weeks to start causing a sales effect. The very day Halo 5 drops the Paris Games Conference starts and then the PSX event on December 5th right in time for the holidays. I am betting they have some major game announcement like GT7 or maybe God of War 4 at one of those events. I could be wrong but either way they have all the momentum since launch and this recent price drop as well as 3rd party deals for BOPS 3 and SW BF will move a ton of systems for them. Halo 5 will be a monster for MS though and will make the sales war very interesting. I also picked up the new Uncharted bundle with the new hardware version 1200 series and I can honestly say the new PS4 is DEAD silent and the matte finish is so nice due to the lack of dust and scratches the gloss presented. Even when the disc is inside installing a game the spin up sound is quieter. Does not get very hot at all as some have said and the disc comes out and is cool to the touch after an install. Not hot like on my older 1100 series unit. They did a nice job - also the bundle includes a physical copy of the game. Some sites promoted it saying it was a digital voucher like Best Buy or Gamestop so just wanted to share that with everyone. Very happy with the new 1200 series hardware if it helps anyone who has been thinking of upgrading or getting one.