14 DAY TRIAL // The PS4 and Xbox One will be evenly matched in terms of sales in 2015, at least according to an analyst who predicts that there will be no clear winner in the new-generation console war after Microsoft manages to recover the early lead attained by the PS4 in 2014.
Both the PS4 and the Xbox One launched in November of 2013, delivering to many fans all around the world a new generation of console gaming and entertainment. Unfortunately for Microsoft, who had its Xbox 360 dominate the PS3, the PS4 quickly went on to become much more popular, leaving its Xbox One to sit in second place.
This holiday season, after a temporary price cut and a major price reduction in summer, the Xbox One managed to finally recover the crown, at least in the United States, and is looking like a contender to the PS4.
The Xbox One will continue to sell well
According to independent analyst Billy Pidgeon, who talks with GamesIndustry, the Xbox One will continue to sell well and eventually reach equal grounds with the PS4 in 2015. This is rather due to Microsoft's drastic measures than Sony's slip ups, as the American company is very keen on keeping its Xbox One relevant.
"Xbox One hardware is indeed selling stronger at the end of 2014, and this should continue into 2015. This is not because Sony is slipping, but because Microsoft is catching up. As hardware prices drop and exclusives and franchises begin to cluster on Xbox One, an ever-larger group of gamers is upgrading from Xbox 360," he explains.
There won't be a clear winner, however
Pidgeon is quick to emphasize, however, that there won't be a clear winner anymore as both the PS4 and the Xbox One will stay evenly matched during 2015. Unlike the dominance of the Xbox 360 in front of the PS3, the new consoles will find a home in many living rooms on the same shelf, as people opt to get both devices instead of just one.
"I don't think that Xbox One penetration will pull out far ahead of PS4, but rather that the two consoles should be evenly matched throughout the cycle. Also, a larger percentage of gamer households currently own both Sony and Microsoft eighth generation consoles, and this trend is likely to continue this cycle," he adds.
Sony has just revealed that its PS4 has reached 18.5 million units sold worldwide, while Microsoft continues to play coy with the actual sales figures of the Xbox One.
