As vivster so perfectly put it a few days ago:

"When people try to brush off the PS4's success by it selling on hype I always think to myself: If it's so cheap and easy selling on hype alone why isn't everyone else doing it?

If you're not selling on hype or even worse, sell your competitors console by being the worse choice then you fucked up big time at some point. So MS should be commended for cleaning up the mess they created while Sony is dismissed for not fucking up at all? There's something weird with that.

This seems to me like some contrarian underdog worshipping. Just because you twisted your ankle at the start of the race and didn't win the gold medal, doesn't mean that the one who did, didn't put any effort in it."

Whilst there are errors of assumption in the OP, generally I can agree that an abundance of quality games are often not the determining factor for console sales - especially early in the generation.

Sony have just launch a standard console with an incremental power improvement, a strong brand name and no major screw-ups. On the other hand, Microsoft and Nintendo have demonstrated severe marketing and public relations incompetence.

Hopefully as the generation rolls on games will play a greater role in determining sales, but they will never be the sole (or even leading) factor.

"PS2 is the weakest console of the bunch."

Sony fans: So what? It's not about specs and power, it's about the games!

"PS3 sold less than Wii and lost this generation"

Sony fans: So what? It's not about sales or hype, it's about specs and power!

"PS4 is selling because of hype"

Sony fans: So what..? SO WHAT?

Initially it was: hype, price, and the other two screwed up.

No you're right. However the knowing of a future lineup with lots of quality games is most certainly a leading factor in determining sales! I'm not trying to start a list war but c'mon folks. Early buyers are primarily hardcore gamers and they're smart enough to know that lots of great games will come during the next few years. I think PS4 and Xbox One are doing great games wise considering their age and seeing PS4's 2015 lineup of exclusives and console superior multiplats I don't see how you can be baffled by the PS4's succes in the mass market.

Batman: Arkham Knight
Battlefield: Hardline
Bloodborne
DayZ
Dead Island 2
Deep Down
Dragon Quest Heroes
Dying Light
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
Evolve
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
Hellblade
Homefront: The Revolution
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Mortal Kombat X
No Man's Sky
Persona 5
Ratchet & Clank
Resident Evil: HD Remaster
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Rime
Silent Hills
Star Wars: Battlefront
Tearaway Unfolded
The Division
The Order: 1886
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witness
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Until Dawn
Wild
etc.

The silly "no games" argument will end soon. In the next five months the PS4 will get Driveclub, LittleBigPlanet 3, The Order 1886, and GOTG Bloodborne. Would be more if Sega would get of their ass and localize Yakuza Ishin but I digress. There's also some amazing looking indie games coming like Wild and No Man's Sky. Plus a ton of 3rd party support.

Aah, the selective negative generalization of a fanbase. It's almost cute when people post these.

Well it retails for AU$549 and I'm selling it unused for $480 negotiable (I'll go to $450). I have seen the exclusives and apart from Uncharted I'm really not interested. I'm getting the multiplats on PC where they're cheaper and run at higher FPS.

The reason I'm selling now is because I thought the hype train would be chugging along stronger than ever BECAUSE of the line up and that I'd get my full asking price. It's a sleek piece of hardware with a great line up but as a PC gamer it's kind of useless apart from ND games. 

Maybe I'll get some bites after Destiny launches. I'm not interested but I'm more than willing to profit from the hype :)

PS4 has got nothing on PS2 in terms of hype sales. That console was literally hype in a black box when it came out.

Actually name me a generation where any Sony console that sold well didn't sell well in the first year because of hype. I really can't think of one...

PS4 totally does not deserve its sales. Personally, there is nothing that I like about the console. I even wish it hadn't existed.

But let's get real, let's see how Sony gets away with its ''consoles''. (Mods do not ban me again because I do not like Sony).

1. Sony uses EXTREMELY aggressive marketing and promotion. Even like the most poor kid living in the most remote area knows about PS. (About the kid is just an example, of course I do not discriminate against anyone!!!)

2. Sony ALWAYS uses gimmicks and tricks but ''gamers'' always fall for them and applaud them as well.
-PS1 succeded only because it had CDs. I still remember that all of my friends that had PS1 came to my house to play N64 admitting N64 was a better system due to 3D fact (SM64).
-PS2 had the DVD player incorporated. If ''gamers'' are happy about PS2 sales, they must be happy when lots of people just bought PS2 because back then a DVD player was the same or even more expensive than a normal DVD player. This is how PS2 got its sales making the competition suffer. I have never been more disgusted by a move from a gaming company.
-PS3 has blu-ray. Surprisingly, it did not work this time. Nobody was or is (very) interested in Blu-Ray. I mean, come on. A blu-ray costs like 60 dollars in Australia or 40 euros in Europe!!!

3. Sony pays stores to have lots of space with consoles, games and accessories. I know that because I used to work for Media Markt one year. Not to mention, sales people are forced to promote PS.

4. Sony prides itself about having top-notch technology all the time. OMG! Give us a break!

I am not here to judge or something but these are facts, I myself am a console collector, so I own all consoles including PS4.