I didn't overlook it, I just see a giant flaw in the mindset. If maintaining the Social Circle is the only requirement, everyone could simply buy a PS4 with most of the same social functions, more powerful, and cheaper to have that same experience. Shit they could even go with the WiiU if the multiplayer games are there as well. Especially when they verbally state that they think the other is better route.

Not to rip on the One, but we all know PS4 is going to outsell it by a good margin. With regards to the OP this is one reason why One will do okay in North America. Some people will buy it because it's domestic (this is why American cars managed to survive, USA is such a large country by population). Some will be proud to admit that's the reason, many won't, they just don't care between PS4/One and being American is that deciding factor. Others, like the people you mention, will get a One because they know a few people like this.

If I were you, I would tell everyone who is getting a One to hold off because what happened this gen (as referenced by CoD numbers) is that a lot of people stopped buying 360's and started buy PS3's late in life. Maybe this was because old 360's were still RRoD-ing and people got fed up and moved back to Sony, or maybe it was just that PS3 was more appealing late life to new customers, I dunno. Either way, One won't be able to keep up with PS4, PS4 will slowly start to cut away at the One's market, even aquire some big name 3rd party games.

Heck when Titanfall GOTY or Titanfall 2 hit the PS4, a lot of appeal for the One will die right there, just like how Mass Effect 2 really hurt the 360. Plus if Epic games makes an exclusive game for PS4 (which is rumored) that might draw in a lot of the crowd.

I live in the US as well. I did have the hunch that some recent trendings as far as electronics are purely based on national pride. The Car industry of late is a perfect example.

This always leaves a sour taste in my mouth because US made products are usually.........subpar to put it nicely. Foreign made products 9 times out of ten is built better, lasts longer. I know our economy is struggling and everything, but buying into inferior tech just to support it seems to be poor practice in the long term IMO.

if you can't enjoy the console on your own or if your friends would really care that much then either the consoles suck or your friends do.  Get what makes more sense and try to sell them on it.  If they don't come then that's what phones are for just chat on those while playing instead of party chat.

To be fair, it's the same in Japan, but more extreme. 360 sold what 16% as well as PS3? 33% of of its sales came from the year before PS3 released too....

Anyway I agree with you wholly, I bought a 360 because I thought my PS2 reliability was bad.....boy did I learn something. I'm sticking to Japanese electronic now, Finnish phones (Nokia), and either Japanese or German cars.

It's not even the fact that One will be less reliable then PS4, it's the American company mentality. Microsoft makes a lot of money of XBLG, and it's an inferior service. MS never admits to making mistakes, when the One debuted and most people hated it they claimed "the comsumer wasn't ready for the future." What the heck? MS wanted to force people into its DRM policies so that it could save the fees on retail stores, but people still like owning retail games. MS never admited to RRoD, and never really fixed broken consoles (I've sent many in, they actually replaced my system with a broken one)

gah...... I could go on. I can ignore people buying a One over a PS4 because of National Pride, but at least make a similar quality product. Clearly people don't want Kinect, so make a Kinect free system! You already designed it so Kinect can basically be unplugged, why force us to spend more?

Apple seems to do just fine over there. In general, Japanese are said to be quite envious of US lifestyle. Its why most anime depict Caucasian/American looking characters. You would think their need to be like us would benefit the system.

But even National Pride is a better excuse then friend circle, at least it won't lead to circular logic.

Apple is doing okay in Japan, not well from what I hear. A large reason for that is because Samsung and LG are also Korean, not Domestic. Sony is domestic, but people don't like their phones much.

I kinda disagree about that "Japanese Envy American Lifestyles" but that's a whole separate conversation. I have a lot of Japanese, and Korean friends, and I'm actually dating a Korean girl, and they tell me that's not what it is. Koreans and Japanese are just trendy, they like to buy what's new and popular. That's why new games sells crazy week 1 in Japan, but die off fast. Samsung and LG for that reason are doing amazing in Korea, they ,make a new phone every couple months, even though most changes are cosmetic.

Back to One.....I think we agree, but the sad thing is most "casual" gamers (I consider COD gamers, casual) don't pay attention that much. To them One and PS4 are the same, people just want the XB One because they associate themselves with the brand more. The power of advertizing eh?

I do not think you understand US market that well. Maybe your friends consuming trends.

The best selling phone after Apple's is Samsung not Nexus, Motorola etc...

The best selling cars are a mix between American and Japanese models.

US embrace foreign products better than any country out there. But loving it's own is seen as extreme nationalism.

Just couple a years ago Japan viewed Samsung and LG phones and other eletronics inferior to their Japanese counter-parts, although internationally they wrecked every Japanese competitor.

Apple does well in Japan because there's no Japanese competition and it's ultra-popular in the world.

Isn't Samsung above Apple in USA as well? I know it is WW by a large margin, but USA too right? The iPhone 5 didn't push anywhere nearly as much as Apple had hoped.

Also Apple is not doing well in Japan, why do you think that? They are pulling out of Korea because they can't keep up with Samsung, and I hear Japan is in a similar situation.

Best Selling cars in USA are American Trucks, followed by a mix of Japanese/American Sedans. Japanese deserve to be there because they actually survive longer then 150,000 miles (250,000km). Average lifespan of a car in USA is 150,000 miles, those numbers are pushed down by Crysler, Land Rover, Dodge, Chevy, etc, and pushed up by Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

As for Americans embracing foreign products....... If you look at Apple, Ford, even X-Box sales outside of USA, you can see they are doing miserably because they are bad products. Yet in the states, they lead. Why is that? Nationalism........ Japan is just as bad, I won't argue that, but if you look at where Japanese products sell well, it's all over the world. Nintendo sold the most consoles WW last year, not just in Japan, Samsung (Korean) sells the most phones WW, Toyota sells the most cars WW.

Same goes with European products, Volkswagen sells as many cars in USA as they do Europe, Porsche's largest market is the states. Ford however struggle in UK, and even then a lot of British people buy Fords because they are made in UK.

So no, a lot of American Products sell well, in USA, because of nationalism. This is why they don't sell well outside of USA, but Japanese stuff do.

Misinformation is what gonna move people away from X1.

In the past 3 years MS studios put more first party studios together than Sony/Nintendo together. This time around Sony IS moneyhatting for indy support that MS was publishing in a great amount.Just now people care about indy? They didn't just appear in February 2013.

First party games being developed by MS this time around is more than others I believe.

For the gods sake. Netflix and Hulu can be better streamed on PC, I don't pay for Live to watch a limited version of Netflix and Hulu.