| Mad55 said: My point was coming from a perspective of their continued success. They deserved the initial sales and success as they capitalized on Microsofts blunder and got a good head start. Though now those first 2 points don't matter as much. The better launch perception only last for a little while or at least it should as after a few months customer should wonder what now? In terms of newer offerings and experiences for consumers both Microsoft and Sony have been about equal, but Sony keeps selling better and that's not because of slightly better resolution on multiplats. Being cheaper from the start should not keep sony ahead when the xbox one is cheaper now and has been on equal footing with sony in terms of a lot of things. Sony started off doing more and deserving their success but now it seems like they aren't doing anything spectacular in comparison to Microsoft to warrant the continued lead over them in weekly and monthly sales. |
Equal footing isn't enough, though; let's set aside the differences in performance that do still exist, and the inevitably larger differences in available content, (if you're a big fan of plentiful Japanese titles, prooobably going to shoot yourself in the foot if the Xbox One is your only console,) as well inevitable brand power in the mainland European, Asian and nearly every other region that the Xbox doesn't have.
Just to be sure, your point appears to be that while Sony isn't doing anything spectacular to warrant higher sales, neither is Microsoft, putting them on literally equal footing when it comes to deserved sales. Basically, from what I can tell, your point doesn't seem to be that Microsoft is offering an objectively superior product either.
Now, for sake of argument, let's say that what differences DO exist between the consoles were sandblasted away tomorrow. No performance gap. Identical libraries except for first-party or money-hatted exclusives. Equal brand recognition and popularity. What you'd still be left with is one console that has been more or less on course from the beginning, and another whose messaging and image has been muddled by often rapidly changing policies, backtracking, reversals and alterations that make its incarnation today VASTLY different from the product that had been envisioned. Perception is everything, and even WHEN everything else is equal (which it really isn't,) the simple fact that one competitor made fewer mistakes and stuck to a clearer, far more confident message does have an impact. While making all these reversals was definitely the right call, it does shine the Xbox One in the light of being less an industry leader, and more a follower. =P
It's not simply going to be enough for the Xbox One to be on equal footing to the PS4; if it turns things around and regains control of the U.S., it's going to have to be because it is the BETTER option, at least in the U.S., with more desirable titles and features than its competitor. It's part of why Halo 5 gets tossed around alot as an expected sales driver; chances are, the last major pocket of holdouts waiting for a reason to jump on board will do so when that game hits. (Obviously, smaller pockets of holdouts will arrive in the future, I just think the peak of 'FINE, the time is now!' decisions will be this holiday.)
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