It has been three weeks since the launch of Sony’s PlayStation 4 and a week since Microsoft opened up their Xbox One to the public. Now that the dust has settled, it is easy to see that the future of video games is very secure.
The PlayStation 4, released on Nov. 15, was the first console to launch in the “next generation.” The PS4 had a huge leg up on its competition just by its price. The PS4 retails at $399 while the Xbox One, which was released an entire week later on Nov. 22, retails at $499.
Both systems have similar technical specifications and game choices. So the questions for the customers are price, console specific functionality and brand loyalty. However, these different aspects did not greatly affect the launch day sales.
Both Sony and Microsoft announced that they each sold 1 million units on their specific launch days. However, in the United Kingdom the PS4 greatly outpaced the Xbox One in the first 48 hours of availability.
In the UK the PS4 sold 250 thousand units, while the Xbox One sold only 150 thousand units in that same time frame. The numbers for the PS4 in the UK have made it the fastest selling console in the nation’s history.
As for which console will have the edge, if either, we will have to wait and see. Overall both Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One have had very successful launches around the world.
Both have sold comparable numbers and it appears as if the war between the Xbox and PlayStation will continue on for another generation of gamers.
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