Sony

Xbox seems to me to be a rather static brand.

I could see people getting very bored with it, and that might be a challenge.

Xbox One X is such a mess.

$500 for the Xbox One X is simultaneously a steal, but also too expensive. $500 for a video game console has never seen the light of day, especially in the 90's. It's an expensive enhancement at that, too. It's not a new next generation console - every Xbox One X game will be on Xbox One.

Particularly with the Xbox One X being just an enhanced Xbox One, the incentive of purchasing it is its native 4K capabilities, which it doesn't even fully embrace at the moment with Forza allegedly only being the native 4K title it has to offer.

Problematically, this console lacks exclusives too. Every Xbone game is on PC, and even if PC magically vanquished from the industry, their first party content is still barebones compared to PS4.

They're pushing an agenda that naturally will only intrigue some Xbox gamers. Some, as not every Xbox owner cares about 4K, they just want to play games, and every Xbox One X game is coming to the OG. No PC owner is going to buy this. No PS4 owner would buy this either- no exclusives, 4K capabilities not being met with potential, and it's quite expensive for what they would probably want it for: the few games not on PS4, and the few games that actually run in 4K. Non-gamers won't even look at this. The name itself "Xbox One X" doesn't even imply it's a 4K machine at very least, sounds too similar to One S, it's just a complete mess. Non-gamers don't care about that stuff either.

Phil Spencer has these morals against 60fps vs resolution, too.

Safe to say Xbox One X will be a universal flop everywhere except possibly the diehards in the US. Sony could've killed it with ease with just announcing a price drop on the Pro or even original PS4. Missed opportunity.

Microsoft needs to get their heads together and realize this product is too ahead of its time. Xbox is in such a bad position right now because Microsoft doesn't know how to solve this dilemma. Ideally, if Microsoft wants to compete they need more competent first party subsidiaries to rival the PS4's library of games. Seriously, that's all they need to do. Releasing a console far more powerful is not going to cut it.

Xbox One is in a worse position than Switch for now, Switch has tons of momentum and Microsoft is fighting an uphill battle against a slow start. It's difficult to build momentum for an unpopular console mid-cycle, look at Saturn, GameCube the original Xbox, or even SNES (sold OK, but worse than NES). Turning it around takes big games and even when you come up with a hit, if everyone's already convinced the hardware is a dud, it's much worse than launching a whole new console.

Microsoft the company is in a fine position. Lots of people saying it's just like PC - so what? Microsoft has a huge stake in that platform, too! Nintendo is in a bit of a riskier position than the past with Switch eventually being the only console...but that's assuming they give up the handheld line, which they don't have to. Nintendo's push to expand it's IP into theme parks and mobile makes more sense than it did to me a year ago because now they have just one piece of hardware - need more products to sell.

Sony is actually in a risk position, long-term. If Nintendo's hybrid concept becomes more and more popular, Sony may find itself having to compete with Nintendo in the handheld space again, which they've never beaten Nintendo at before. Or else continue to take the "home console exclusive" stance which could be a shrinking market.

PS 4 is fine, of course, but let's see how "PS 6" does.

Xbox might be on shaky ground but Windows based gaming PCs have a more secure future than Playstation.

Your first party devs or I guess in house development team (i don't know the proper terms but you get my point) can only put out so many titles in a year, big 3rd party titles are essenial to help mitigate droughts and also draw in a more casual crowd after the hardcore fans get their consoles. At least that's how i understand it. Nintendo already played their Zelda and Big Mario card in just this year. Titles like Kirby and Yoshi are not gonna push a ton of consoles next year.

I agree though that Nintendo started the Switch very well. They gotta find ways to keep that momentum and so far this year, they are doing just that.

Microsoft has a much tougher rode ahead having to constantly one-up Sony and the PS4.

There's a good possibility that next year a Pokemon game will be released/revealed. That will push a lot of consoles and possibly make up for the otherwise lack of system sellers. Here are some other titles I can think of for 2018:

No More Heroes 3, Pikmin 4, Retro New IP, Project Octopath Traveler, SMT 5, Fire Emblem 2018, (along with the mention of Kirby and Yoshi) for possible exclusives that we already know about. Collectively, I assume the Switch will have a good first two years. Afterward, we'll sure get Metroid Prime 4, possibly Animal Crossing? Not too sure. I'm inclined that this system is going to imitate the success of the 3DS if this perpetuates. Third party support surely will come if numbers show***.  Not nearly as competent as Xbone/PS4, but Nintendo have enough IP's to pull it off. With the Wii U they delivered on no IP besides Mario Kart. Zelda came late, Mario 3D World (is that what it was called?) was underwhelming for a 3D Mario, no Animal Crossing, no Metroid, no main Pokemon, no proper Kirby (they focused on 3DS), Yoshi Woolly World didn't really push systems...I could go on :)

To maximize success, I'm hoping the 3DS is out by 2018. Nintendo could really do with supporting one system wholeheartedly in exclusives if they cannot negotiate with third party developers.

If Nintendo does do away with the 3ds and put all their titles into the switch, then it can have games for days. They still have conflicting messages where the Switch is not gonna do away with the 3DS so I'm not sure what to believe. I'd still say you are overestimating the console moving potential of those first titles and last ones you mentioned. Games like NMH, pikmin and Kirby are equivalent to games like Nioh, Gravity Rush and Nier on the PS4, relatively smaller titles compared to the Uncharteds and HZDs (granted, from a attachment rate perspective, the nintendo titles will sell much better) They didn't announce much for 2018 so those directs around the end of the year/early next year are gonna need some good announcements

I predict next year the 3DS vs. Switch situation will clear up a lot.  Nintendo is keeping the DS line alive because they needed a fallback position from Switch.  With the way sales are going, I think they'll wrap up development on the currently announced games (Pikmin, Metroid, etc.) and then let the DS cruise to a stop with third party products in 2018/2019.

I agree some more Switch announcements for 2018 are needed by the end of this year.

Which ones are you talking about? The only console moving potential franchises Nintendo has are (in my opinion) 3D Mario, Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Zelda, Animal Crossing and Pokemon.

Next tier would probably consist of Metroid, Fire Emblem, Donkey Kong and Kirby (?) - franchises that can break a million at least.