The PlayStation 4 Is ‘First and Foremost a Video Game Console.’ So?

Time: After Microsoft spent much of its Xbox One reveal talking about television, Sony is eager to position itself as a pro-gaming alternative.

[Chaostar]

So it's important to gamers, especially those who only have one console and if a manufacturer chooses to focus on things other than games it could lead to less games for them to play.

"The result? Microsoft is winning the console wars."

Didn't PS3 overtake Xbox 360 in sales 'officially' (vgchartz officially lol) recently? Looks like Sony's gamers focus is working to me.

[iGAM3R-VIII]

Agreed, the author was probably messed up when he wrote this.

The author has to realise that like every company, it makes mistakes and when you keep improving, you get the Playstation 4,3,2 and 1. Sony HAVE been focusing on gamers based on the reveal and the features with the PS4.

I do not see how MS are winning the console wars when PS3 beat the 360 and IMO the PS4 reveal beat MS.

[marchinggamer]

In overall sales of hardware and software the Xbox 360 and Xbox live made 2 times for money than ps3 and pan
So yes Xbox 360 did win

[twinspectre]

So is a Real console for Real Gamers :) DAY 1 for Me with Killzone Shadow Fall and Knack

[stuna1]

I'm going to have to disagree with the last part of yor statement...j/k.

The PS4 reveal was good and all IMO, but I think Microsoft are beating themselves at this point!

I think it was pretty apparent that Microsoft was caught off guard with Sonys announcement, but Microsoft only made Sonys announcement better by trying to take the spotlight off of Sony! I bet you now they wish they had let Sony keep the spotlight.

[TotalHitman]

@marchinggamer, Orly? Where are your facts and figures to back that statement up?

[Shuyin]

@Marchin

Git off dat crack, son.

[dedicatedtogamers]

I love the denial across the interent.

*gaming websites hate on the Xbox One or, at best, they're neutral*

Xbox fanbase: "j-j-just wait for E3, guys!"

*non-gaming, American-focused publications like Forbes and Times say Xbox One is going to be great*

Xbox fanbase: "HAHAH! See?! See?! Everyone loves the Xbox One! This thing is going to sell like gangbusters!"

[dirigiblebill]

Here you go: actual figures that prove... something. Microsoft's IEB division took $9.6 billion in revenues for FY2012, compared to $7.5 billion from Sony's Game division.

http://www.sony.net/SonyInf...
http://www.microsoft.com/In...

That's just one year, of course, and it's revenue rather than profit, but hopefully it lends a bit more solidity to this, er, discussion.

[PiTCHBLaCK]

Sony leads in Consoles, This was news months ago so no idea why some are denying it.

http://www.theregister.co.u...

http://www.ign.com/articles...

For those saying but but but XBOX Made more money...They charge More for pretty much everything to AND the PS3 was released a year late with a High price.

[DragonKnight]

The author was messed up. Half the article glossed over what most consider bad moves from Microsoft in favour of stating over and over that "we don't know what Sony's doing."

The final half of the article is the author telling everyone that discussing what has been happening in the past 2 weeks is pointless and we're all wasting our time and that Microsoft is somehow "Microsoft is winning the console wars."

That last bit is hilarious considering that the PS3 has outsold the 360 every year globally since it's later release, and has been confirmed to have surpassed the 360's lifetime sales. If sales determine the winner, then how is Microsoft winning the console wars? Oh, the author probably thinks the U.S. = The World. Gotcha.

In the end, Sony is going into E3 with nothing but positive PR and MS is going into E3 with mostly negative PR. As things stand right now, it looks like Sony has won (or is winning) the battle of the early adopters and the core market. Going into this new gen, the final barrier for Sony will be pricing and if they can clinch that, then anyone would be hard pressed to find anything wrong with the PS4 until it's released.

[Ju]

FYI. He updated the article. And he acknowledges that Sony and MS are head-to-head on the global level.

[DragonKnight]

Yeah, his update is still sad. He just can't seem to say "Sony is ahead of Microsoft."

[MikeMyers]

"Yeah, his update is still sad. He just can't seem to say "Sony is ahead of Microsoft." "

Neither has Sony. I have yet to hear any official announcement yet from them. Not that it really matters anymore anyways but obviously it does to some.

[DragonKnight]

@Mike: When was the last time you heard any of the big 3 come out and say "We're ahead of _____" ever in their history competing against each other? And I'm not talking about standard marketing talk about specs or games or whatever. I'm talking sales of hardware. Globally.

[MikeMyers]

http://www.playstationlifes...

"We look at the market in worldwide terms, and every market is extremely important to us. The facts are, we debuted the PlayStation 3 at $599, which was an extremely steep price barrier for a lot of consumers. And we debuted a year after Microsoft, but on a worldwide basis, we’ve sold the same, if not more, devices. I think we’re at 77 million sold right now — it’s basically splitting hairs. Despite all that, our message has been extremely well-received around the world."

On a global scale the PS3 has also outsold the Xbox 360 every year but 2011.

http://www.geekwire.com/201...

The fact is both consoles have done well, well over 75 million and the Wii at about 100 million. We have seen both Nintendo and Microsoft expand their markets from the previous generation while Sony lost its dominance. So far the Wii U is off to a slow start and the PS4 is getting the most positive feedback. As Jack Tretton said, we're just splitting hairs at this point, a new generation is upon us. But I guess some people feel better knowing who will end up last and who ended up first.

[DragonKnight]

You always gotta get that last dig in no matter what it is you're saying don't you? You never let up the assault. It's you against the chosen few you have to stop at all cost isn't it? You need a better hobby.

Oh and btw, I can admit that quote is borderline, but it's not exactly coming right out and saying "we sold more than ____" now is it. It's PR nicety, but at the same time the idea of him saying "we’ve sold the same, if not more, devices" isn't a direct statement saying "yes, we've sold more."

But, that IS splitting hairs. Plus, this is all irrelevant to what I was speaking to Ju about anyway as the author of this article isn't Sony or Microsoft so, once again, I fail to see the relevance of your continued efforts of pushing conversation into areas where your sole goal is to get your digs in.

**EDIT** Btw, it's pretty sad that you're following me around you know. This article has been up for 13 hours, and the first time you comment is to be in opposition to me? Yeah, I think you really need to stop because, like I said, it's really sad.

[Limit760]

Shipped Vs Sold is completely different.
The Xbox 360 has sold the most consoles (number 1 according to NPD's) for 28 consecutive months. By quite a large margin every time. So while the PS3 may have SHIPPED more than the 360, the 360 still SOLD more than the PS3.

Just to clarify: Shipped = Sony has given stores like best buy, walmart, target, etc a shipment of PlayStation 3's. That means a ton of them are sitting in the stock room of a store. Sold = some person has bought an Xbox 360 console, money exchanged for product.

[DragonKnight]

Dude, you're smoking some potent stuff. MS reports shipped. All 3 report shipped. And when Microsoft's biggest sales fansite, vgchartz, puts the PS3 ahead of the 360 globally, you know it's true. Just stop.

[MysticStrummer]

No Limit. Sony shipped more than MS months and months ago. They have now passed MS in sales. That actually happened a few months ago too, but even the diehard sites have admitted it now.

[dedicatedtogamers]

"Shipped Vs Sold is completely different."

Sold vs Installed base is also completely different. For 3+ years, 360 owners bought multiple consoles when theirs died. Yes, even with the warranty. They would send in their dead one and play on the "good" one while they waited. I have a friend with two dead 360's sitting on his shelf right now and a third one plugged in. Working for Gamestop (yeah, it's just anecdotal evidence) I saw people come in on a weekly basis to buy a cheap Arcade 360 to tide them over while Microsoft sent a replacement. I'm certain my little store in Podunk, USA wasn't the only place it happened.

[Limit760]

"The latest numbers from NPD market research firm are out and the Xbox 360 was the top-selling console in April, marking the 28th straight month atop the U.S. console market.
Microsoft sold 130,000 Xbox 360′s last month — down 50 percent from last month — and also led all consoles in total retail spend (hardware, software and accessories) at $208 million. "

NPD reports on SALES. Sales are not equivalent to SHIPPED.

[DragonKnight]

Limit, you're talking about the U.S. only. NPD only deals in U.S. numbers. Globally, the 360 is in last place. In total sales numbers, the 360 is in last place.

And NPD also leave out a few big retailers. Also, accurate consumer sell through is a near impossibility.

And finally, Shipped are consoles SOLD to retailers. Don't get it twisted. The 360 is in LAST PLACE GLOBALLY. Those are the FACTS.

[babadivad]

PS3 has caught up almost solely because the 360 is only selling in the US & Europe. They get close to zero sells in Sony's home country of Japan.I saw this coming before the consoles even launched. Microsoft main goal was releasing Sony's death grip it had on the US[the larges gaming market] which they have been extremely successful at since 360 still outsells the PS3 by large margins in the US. If they can keep the US market and pretty much split Europe like they did this gen they will be happy. They'll never crack Japan which will always give Sony a huge advantage in GLOBAL sales.

[PiTCHBLaCK]

@ Limit760

Depends who you ask, these guys say PS3 Sold more
http://www.itworld.com/pers...

[NegativeCreepWA]

Just curious, what ever happened to "it only does everything"?

[DragonKnight]

It still does, only it does gaming better.

[MysticStrummer]

It didn't work as a marketing slogan.

MS is doing the same thing Sony did at the beginning of last gen, focusing less on games and more on the other things their console does. It didn't work for Sony, though the higher price didn't help either.

[finbars75]

I agree its important to gamers to have a console that plays games.I dont need another multi media function in my house.everything I own has what the Xboxone had to offer.I want to play games first and for most.Sony has done a great job over the years on improving themselves and it will continue into next gen.MS biggest fault to me is how the sqeeze every penny out of you for everything.You can say what you want but xboxlive is not that great for what you pay for so its time for people to start relizing what is the best bang for your buck and Sony is sitting in the right position for that.

[dirigiblebill]

Making more money = winnah, surely? No point selling 100 million consoles if you're turning a loss.

I tend to assume Microsoft's ahead, simply because the hardware was less expensive to produce to begin with and they charge for Gold. They seem to sell the lion's share of multiplat, too.

I wonder if either PS3 or 360 will ever overtake the Wii, or PS2?

[Donnieboi]

"Time" magazine has an opinion on gaming.

So?

[Arai]

The best part is at the end of the article /sarcasm

[Arai]

I guess people don't get it, I'm mocking this article because it's lame and makes no sense at all.

If anything it seems biased and misinformed...

[stuna1]

That why I gave you an agree, because I understood it! Anyway Time says what they've said, because they stand to benefit from the XBone being media based, since they are the media after all.

[DJMarty]

So glad PS4 won't be a cablebox paywall like Xbox one.

[sway_z]

'So'?

LMAO...now we got peeps hating on games!

I didn't even bother to give a hit to this....the title sums it all up...

What a dooosh ;/

[Raven77]

I swear, N4G just keeps sliding down hill.

This site has basically become a "forum" where every person with an opinion or a "top 10" list gets posted.

I visit this site once a day where I used to visit 5-6 times. Now I just go to NEOGAF, you know, a site where people post gaming news as its happening, not 8 hours later.

Hell I'm convinced that 90% of the stories on here are people browsing NEOGAF and then jumping out to their half-baked "game news" sites and posting it as if they are some sort of great gaming journalist.

I don't hate N4G, no, I miss what N4G used to be...

[MysticStrummer]

"This site has basically become a "forum" where every person with an opinion or a "top 10" list gets posted."

When was it not like this? I didn't find the site until mid 2007 or so, but it's always been the same since I've been looking at it. The only thing that's changed is which console has more fans here.

[Raven77]

Take a look at the front page, at least half the stories, at all times, are "top x lists" or "PS4 will win next gen because..." just these pointless click-grabbing opinion pieces by no-name gaming sites.

Again, all the real news is on NEOGAF and most of the real gaming news stories that actually ARE on N4G are taken directly from GAF about 4-8 hours late.

[SpinalRemains]

Don't know why ppl see speaking to your tv to change channels as cool or wanted, but I love the remote.

Lets be honest. We all can use our remotes blindfolded and can surf tv like champs. Guide button, bounce around and look, find and watch. I really don't see needing to Facebook on my tv and do fantasy on my tv. Its not necessary and trying too hard.

I think MS is trying to get some of the Mobil market users to use their features in the living room. I don't think it will work though. Only time will tell though of course.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if MS has been in contact with Dolan and inquired about some sort of Walking Dead exclusivity with AMC at a later date. That idea screams Microsoft.

Call of Duty, FaceBook and Walking Dead. That's what they want.

I'll stick to a game focused console, designed by a developer for developers, with no mandatory DRM or nanny check ins.

[ArnoldSchwarzenigra]

I didn't buy a PS3 to play blu-ray discs, I didn't buy it to listen to music. I bought it to play games. I will buy the PS4 to play games. Extras are nice but gamers will buy something for games, not for TV or music. We can still get that everywhere else. So Microsoft, what is so new and unique that we need the Xbox One to enjoy it?

[cyhm3112]

a lot of angry xbots, lmao

[Bathyj]

So?

Well if you need it explained to you why that's important then your probably just gonna get an Xbox anyway.

[HurstDarkStar]

By so they mean they don't actually want to play any games on their "VIDEO GAME CONSOLE"?????who ever wrote this needs to rethink their career path.

[from the beach]

Great article. The more I hear 'all about games' from both companies the more concerned I start to become - probably without reason, but it's still pretty cringy.

[Sono421]

you do know your on a gaming site right?

[headblackman]

if this is true then we shouldn't see anything on those ps4 that doesn't have anything to do with gaming. its none thing to try to choose the right words to get to people to pay attention to and its another thing to hold strong to your word. Microsoft can say the same thing about its console. its focus is mainly on games. its first and foremost a games console that just so happens to do way more than just gaming (just like your cellphones and computers).the things that give you the most in today's day and age is the thing that consumers tend to flock to. this is a multifunctional and multitasking world. we need things that help us to work and play through it smoothly. the Xbox one is going to be one of those major devices.

[Hicken]

"First and foremost" does not mean "one and only." It means FIRST AND FOREMOST. It means that its primary function is to play video games. That's how Sony has presented their device: a video game console that can do other stuff, too.

Man, I swear, Xbox fans really do hear/read only what they want to.

Maybe Microsoft COULD HAVE said the same thing about the XBOne, but if so, why didn't they? Why did they come out talking about TV deals and such, if it was "first and foremost" a video game console? Now, AFTER revealing their console, they want to tell people it's "all about the games," but they kinda forgot to do that from the start.

That'd be like Porsche debuting the new 911 and spending all their time talking about how much trunk space it had and the satellite radio, then waiting until a later press event to assure Porsche lovers that it still performs like a 911 should. Fans would be pissed, and they'd have every right to be.

They wouldn't make excuses or deflect by talking about how Ferrari did it with one of their cars some years ago.

Video game consoles are not a necessity in any sense of the word, so their similarity to cell phones ends rather quickly. With that in mind, as video game consoles are niche devices that cater, first and foremost, to gamers, that is the demographic you should be attempting to appeal to at inception.

Microsoft failed at that. Sony did not. #Dealwithit

[headblackman]

let's be real. no console company's main focus is games anymore, because that's not the market we live in anymore. I don't care what Sony tell the ignorant people. the main focus is to entertain on every level possible to keep your products relevant. may Microsoft is doing the right thing as far as making the Xbox one the ultimate multimedia system and hub. this will (I repeat WILL!) put it at the top and keep it there, because there are more people in the market other than gamers and Microsoft is reaching out to all of them including the gamers. but gamers was already an automatic as we all know. just because Microsoft choose to expand and continue to evolve by broadening their horizon, doesn't mean that games will all of a sudden be nonexistent. games will never stop being apart of the Xbox brand. it just won't ever be its only focus anymore, just as phone calls are no longer cellphones only focus and priority.

by the way, they talked about most of the tech stuff in the announcement because it was just announcement of the system and not the e3 show. they did this in order to clear out all of the tech blah blah so that the e3 for the xbox one could all be about the big wow's (mainly games games games as you've heard during the announcement and have been reading a lot lately). you Sony fans see the threat what Microsoft is doing and how it can and more than likely will put the ps4 in dead last again. so say what you need to help you sleep netter but Microsoft maybe saying all of the wrong things in order to keep the big wow's a secrete, but they are doing all of the right things to put their console in the living rooms or millions (if not billions) of homes. last time I checked, actions have always spoke louder than words.

[DigitalRaptor]

"let's be real. no console company's main focus is games anymore"

Keep telling yourself that, but you'll never be less than a deluded MS apologiser. Wii U is more about games than anything else. PS3 is more about games than anything else. 3DS is more about games than anything else. Vita is more about games than anything else. PS4 is more about games than anything else.

What Microsoft is doing is diluting gaming into the category of entertainment, in the GAMING INDUSTRY, and trying to get people like yourself to think that's a good idea. I've always said MS never really cared deeply, about the gaming industry and they always wanted it to be under their control so they could be in control of what they charge you for.

We'll leave it to Sony and Nintendo to keep supporting gamers, developers and holding the deep passion towards the industry, keeping its focus on games more than anything else.

MS can chase their "broad entertainment" market all they want by using their gaming brand as a trojan as they have done for years, and trying to go for the Google/Apple market rather than the one they got into the gaming industry "to stop". http://www.gamesindustry.bi...

I won't be supporting MS not just because of their focus, but because of their disgraceful anti-consumer restrictions they've put in place when actually designing their newest box.

[GamersHeaven]

It means PS4 is all about the games you know the reason why we buy consoles.

[Enigma_2099]

Anybody reember when people b****ed to Kutaragi about trying to do the exact same thing with the PS3? Then Hirai finally came out and said it was all about the games, and there was much rejoicing. Now Microsoft is doing the EXACT SAME THING... and you're making excuses for it?!?!?

[Krew_92]

It's like saying:

"This VIDEO GAME console is first and foremost a VIDEO GAME console. So?"

So? So it's doing what it's supposed to do, these articles are getting tedious now.

[Dan_scruggs]

I seem to remember when Playstation "Only Did Everything"
Now apparently Playstation only does games.

Kind of a step down if you ask me.

[Enigma_2099]

You buy one to play games or what?