Is The Xbox One A Victim Of Bad Timing And Unfair Comparisons To The PS4?
The other day I was thinking about the phenomenal sales success of the Playstation 4 system and how it has a commanding share of the console market. At the same time I looked at the Xbox One which has withstood some disastrous reveal and pre-launch issues to find solid sales and a devoted legion of fans. Despite their best efforts, Microsoft continues to lag behind Sony in terms of units sold, and now sees Sony being more aggressive in their dealings with third-party developers. I found myself wondering if the Xbox One is a victim of bad timing, marketing, or simply a good console that is being overshadowed by a better system. Most people, who own the console will tell you how much they enjoy it, look forward to the exclusives, as well as the other features of the system. With a strong lineup games, why does Sony continue to remain dominant in their position?
To me it comes down to a bit of an identity crisis in that the early perception of the Xbox One for some is that it was a glorified DVR that happened play games. The PS4 on the other hand was seen as a strong and powerful gaming first system that just so happened to have numerous other features with the promise of more to be added later. I will be curious to see if the release of DirectX 12 does improve the performance of the Xbox One as number crunchers will point out that in head-to-head comparisons, the PS4 often has better graphics and frame rates on many comparable titles. That being said if the PS4 did not exist, then many people would be touting the Xbox One as one of the greatest achievements in gaming history. Sadly in the current state, it is a solid system that has largely been relegated to runner-up status due to the overwhelming success of the PS4.
We will never truly know just how many people soured on the system due to Microsoft’s early PR blunders and presentations which allowed Sony to ride a wave of hype and enthusiasm all the way up to launch and beyond. But in this industry timing can be crucial and the fact that Sony was first and had a relatively blemish free ride from lunch to the shelf has allowed them to reap the benefits of their system and exclusive titles.
While there is still plenty to come from both systems, it does appear that for now the Xbox One is going to be playing catch-up for the foreseeable future barring some massive missteps from Sony. I will be very interested to see what Microsoft does at E3 and beyond as while their sales have been solid, they must be concerned on some level about their inability to make any serious inroads into the lead that Sony has built up as well as the seemingly unstoppable momentum the PS4 has maintained since launch.
About the Author
gareth Syndicated movie & game critic, writer, author and frequent radio guest. His work has appeared in over 60 publications worldwide and he is the creator of the rising entertainment site and publication “Skewed and Reviewed”. He has three books of film, game reviews and interviews published and is a well-received and in demand speaker on the convention circuit. Gareth has appeared in movies and is a regular guest on a top-rated Seattle morning show. He has also appeared briefly in films such as “Prefountaine”, “Postal”. “Far Cry”. and others. Gareth is also an in-demand speaker at several conventions and has conducted popular panels for over two decades.
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