June 2014 NPD Thread! PS4: 269k, XBO: 197k, Wii U: 140k

[Zanten]

I'm actually quite surprised. o.o Given there were to be pre-orders taken for the 399$ sku prior to its release, figured that, if nothing else, such a top-heavy launch would give it the necessary push to secure the top spot in the June NPD, (although July might have been a different story altogether, if the momentum didn't hold out.) The fact that the PS4 came out on top anyway suggests three possibilities;

1) The Xbox One's new launch wasn't very top heavy, (meaning not bulging with pre-orders and first-week sales,) and it had a higher, steady rate of console sales throughout the rest of June that, while not enough to overcome its rival, nonetheless was an overall improvement for the console's fortunes.
2) The Xbox One's new launch WAS top heavy, (which seems likely, given preeeetty sure we heard reports in the first week or so of how they were 'flying off the shelves,') and sales plummeted after the first week or two to May levels, if not worse.
3) The console was actually dramatically improved following the launch of the 399$ SKU, but got its butt kicked so badly in the pre-launch period of June 1st-June 8th, that they couldn't claw their way back up.


Anyway, if nothing else, the new SKU will make the console more appealing to the frantic parental Holiday shoppers come the pre-Christmas rush; matching your competitor's price point is never a bad thing, and trying to stand their ground with the hundred-dollars-extra probably wouldn't have done them any good come the Festive Season. Even if sales at the moment have plummeted back to the subbasement a few weeks after the Kinect-less model's release, I believe that its introduction will still prove to be the best option. ^_^


So! Now that the Kinectless-SKU doesn't seem likely to help them close the gap anytime soon, what's next? Honest question, I know there's some possible tide-changers on the horizon, i.e. Master Chief Collection, Sunset Overdrive, secondary market release, I'm just not sure which of them is coming first. Microsoft have any trump cards left for the summer?