Microsoft and Sony released their 2013 sales figures not long ago and the verdict was the PS4 has outsold the Xbox One by roughly 1 million consoles worldwide. That’s a nice little lead for Sony, emphasis on the “little”. If you’re familiar with the sales figures of the Xbox 360 and PS3 leading up to the launch of their successors, worldwide sales tracked in the mid 70 million range for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 each. That’s a lot of consoles in the world and their successors intend to push those figures even higher.
While Sony fanboys were celebrating the PS4’s greater worldwide success, United States Xbox fans have something to cheer about. During the month of December 2013, Microsoft outsold the PlayStation brand with both its Xbox One and Xbox 360 vs each console’s direct competitor. The Xbox One sold a whopping 908,000 units while the Xbox 360 pushed 643,000 units. The Xbox One sales are to be expected, but clearly the US isn’t done with their interest in the Xbox 360. As was the results of the past, the Xbox 360 dominated in the US month after month, year after year. However, the Xbox 360 struggled to keep pace with Sony in Japan and Europe. Europe is an market Microsoft would love to seize from Sony as it typically yields more gamer population. Australia is another market worth sustaining, but latest reports suggested Microsoft was curb stomping Sony. Actual numbers haven’t been released though so it’s hard to say where things stand. Also, China has recently lifted bans on certain cell phone and game console sales, opening up a potentially big market for console sales. If Microsoft wish to make a quick and decisive strike against Sony in total sales, China would be a great place to do so with their population-heavy market.
It’s important to note that, while PlayStation 4 lost out to Xbox One in the US in December, because of its one-week jump on Microsoft in sales the PlayStation 4 edged out the Xbox One in total sales for 2013. Microsoft’s David Dennis, Senior Group Project Manager for Xbox, told Forbes that “Xbox One supply is starting to stabilize”. The supply constraints of a newly launched product that is highly desirable mixed with holiday sales is always a tough way to launch. Perhaps Microsoft will take note of that fact and either finish their final build of the console at least a month or two earlier or try launching a little sooner so that they can get more people a console that want one. The staggered week for the Xbox One launch in addition to less-than-predicted available supply likely handcuffed what would have been a worldwide best launch and total sales mark for Microsoft. Seeing how the Xbox One is billed as a gaming + entertainment all-in-one device, whereas Sony has gambled on omissions of key entertainment media offerings, the Xbox One is expected to outsell the PlayStation 4 once its supply chain is fully established and it has launched in all of its planned markets. The addition of blockbuster titles like Halo and the newcomer TitanFall which has been getting outrageously good feedback from gaming conferences, where gamers and journalists alike have been getting early cracks at the mech/infantry shooter, will only create more desire for the console.
Even if you don’t own an Xbox One, multiplatform titles like Watch Dogs and Destiny seem to be shaping up very nicely and will likely see great sales and critical praise upon release. So if you’re itching to play some of Microsoft’s exclusives but can’t shell out the cash for an Xbox One yet, save your pennies and pick one up when you can.
Xbox One Game Source 