Back when the PS1 released, I sat back in shock as Sega and Nintendo made boneheaded decision after another. The PS1 wasn't the best hardware but it was capable enough and had cheaper games and CD technology. They won because the competition committed suicide. They underestimated Sony.

Then, with PS2, the momentum was so great that nothing was gonna stop that machine.  The console launced in 2000 and didn't even have a single first party game on day one!  My mind still can't wrap itself around that!!  The year's head start and the fact that every 3rd party was on board didn't hurt things, either.

With the PS3, Sony finally made some mistakes of their own. More than anything, the problem was price but overall, even though I was an Xbox 360 fan, I'm willing to admit that the PS3 was the more capable console. While I prefer the 360 library and interface, the PS3 had the browser that let you download pics and movies, had the blu-ray player, etc. They bounced back nicely, even though it cost them a lot of money and market share.

Now, we have the PS4. Even as a PS4 owner, I feel like the console is a disappointment. As of now, I like the Xbox One better but it's pretty obvious that the PS4 is mandatory hardware. Not yet, but it will be. The Xbox One doesn't have the better exclusive library but it has the better overall library (imo). I don't know if that's going to last if the One fails to do what M$ wants it to do. Basically, the PS4 sold well based on its potential and its pedigree.

To use a sports analogy: Sony wins because they use basic fundamentals (power, price, games) while the competition tries to win doing unorthodox methods. They go for these hail-Mary plays and then they're shocked when they fumble the ball. They basically hand Sony the championship.

It's crazy to see the least used console in my home (even behind the PS3, 360, and lately, even the original Wii!) get all of the attention. The PS4 SHOULD win based on its power and price but it hasn't earned it, yet. Not until the big games come.

Well, I guess if you want to be concise and to the point....

Dammit Rol!  The pitcher threw the hail mary and the reciever fumbled the home run after he got tackled.  HAPPY NOW?

Also, the PS4 has the better version of most (well...all games, really) games just like the Xbox 360 had the better version of most games.  The Xbox One still has the more desirable games that the PS4 has NO version of. 

Consistency in both hardware and software quality could be one attribute. It has worked to the best extent for PS in all previous generations.

Lucky that both their competitors made some huge mistakes.

Brand Power on a world wide level. It's the same reason why they were able to come back with the PS3.

Microsoft was just being themselves and all Sony had to do was just sit there. Nintendo had third party issues which is a problem they've ALWAYS had which only blew up when Sony joined the console race because third parties found some other place to go. This has nothing to do with luck. Out of the two companies Sony is the natural balance.

What Nintendo lacks in third party, Sony delivers.

What Microsoft lacks in first party, Sony delivers.

They do what both companies lack, which make them more relevant and dependable, regardless of what haters think. 

They focussed the entire console around the wishes and needs of the developers. That is the biggest reason. Devs know PS4 has the best dev kit and they choose the PS4 as their main console to develop for. They asked developers what sort of hardware they needed and they said they needed super fast RAM. Sony delivered. They didn't cut costs to deliver a sub-par platform that tried to do too much.

Second reason is the honesty and the lack of backstabbing. Everything they communicated was clear and understandable to gamers. In other words they showed they care about their core audience. The gamers.

I think their lead is sustainable now if you see that Watch_Dogs sold twice as much copies on PS4 already. It's looking worse and worse for developers to create X1 exclusives.

Its the product that is best value for money.

Its is not hard to sell a console when you have the stronger hardware and the cheaper price. Its like microsoft are asking people to pay more for less.

I am not talking about Sony as a company. Only talking about the success of the PS4. What has happened so far this gen has nonthing to what party the games have come from.  None of them have a good selection to me.