@bolded: I steadfastly disagree with that statement.  If Microsoft decides to make COD, Elder Scrolls and WoW console exclusive to Xbox in 2024 onward, there's a very good chance a victory similar to what 360 had could happen.  Without said occurrence, it may not happen, but it's still possible; whereas the PS5 has zero chance of selling even half of what the PS2 did in Japan.

While it is cool to see Xbox performing competitively again, I think some folks are getting ahead of themselves.

Xbox has the upper hand in the short term, but this doesn't mean the tide is turning long term and Playstation is still going to win this generation.

While their first party arsenal has improved by leaps and bounds, I still expect MS to keep putting most Bestheda and Activision games on PS just cos they'd be leaving too much money on the table by not doing so. We're not gonna see, say, Call of Duty become Xbox exclusive.

Meanwhile, Sony has a very strong first party battery themselves, and greater global brand power. Once they're no longer held back by shortages, the sales gap will start to widen again. It will be closer than last gen, but at the end of the day, PS5 will still outsell Series S/X.

Yes. A lot of people seem to think that Xbox is only US/UK, but that is simply not true.

Fun fact, Xbox has a 60% market share in Mexico. Rest of South America, Xbox is also very strong, especially Brazil.

Source: Industria de Videojuegos en México en 2020 — The CIU

Also, I would say things are also changing. VGCharts's Xbox Series X/S sales in the Rest of the World are also doing very well, and not even that far from the PS5 (2.78 vs 2.09). It'll probably easily beat Xbox One's 5.50 million.

Wow.... playstation kinda got slaughtered, really weird seeing playstation in third place

Yup. It's bleak at the moment due to stock availability and nothing else. Sure, some sales are probably being lost due to that but not a generational sales defining amount. Not to mention the Series S is purposefully built to act as a complimentary device and will not stop people using it simply as a secondary gamepass console... As intended.

PS5 will still be around 20-30 million above XSX primarily due to Europe and Japan.

I disagree with first party titles though, most of them will be exclusive. Starfield is hinting at that but that is a new IP so it's yet to be revealed either way, just betting on different outcomes at this point in time. 

Yeah I don't doubt we will see some exclusives like Starfield, but stuff like COD, Elder Scrolls, most currently multiplat franchises I expect to stay that way as you'd be missing out on millions and millions of potential sales by skipping PS.

You could also say that about Starfield though. Sure it's a new ip but it's the only new IP Toddy Howard Bethesda has done in 20 years, will have hype to the moon and most Fallout and/or Elder Scrolls players will have at least some interest. It's quite similar to Elden Ring imo, sure new IP but kinda related to the Soulsborn games and will come out of the gates swinging with sales and "active players"

I think CoD will be multiplatform until 2024 or whenever the contract with Sony ends, then they'll just have Warzone/Warzone 2 (lol y? Imagine a fortnight 2) after that.

I'll put 69.69 $vgc on it.

Yeah, same. I expect the titles like Fallout 76 and ES online to continue support too. Otherwise, pretty much exclusives moving forward.

I think some of the blizzard games, most notably Diablo 4 are already scheduled for release on PS systems. Pen already to paper before acquisition and that's the only reason they'll appear on PS systems. Blizzard games for the most part are also historically PC first titles.

Worst case scenario, if XB Series truly was giving PS5 a run for it's money by year 3 and 4, Sony could launch PS5 Slim year 2-3, then just hold off on a Pro launch, if they more so planned on it, and wait until MS announced XB Series XL or whatever they call the mid gen refresh.

Then Sony can follow up maybe a year later or so with the announcement of PS6, instead of PS5 Pro. Let XB lock themselves into last gen while you launch into next gen. Give PS5, 6 full years, and get a couple years ahead of XB (Series 2 X) next gen. Which would also give Sony the easy choice of a PS6 Pro, 1 year after XB Series 2 X launches.

Both companies have slowly been changing the game in different ways each console launch, so I wouldn't put it past Sony to go back to a 6 year gen if they end up in a sales situation like PS3 vs 360 again. They almost certainly won't get a chance at a similar PS4 vs XB1 moment again.

Yeah no, without complete exclusivity of Call of Duty, there is zero chance of the Xbox Series X/S winning NA like the 360 did.