The DeanBeat: For Microsoft, it’s time to worry about the console war

The evidence is piling up. Sony’s grip on the console business with the PlayStation 4 is starting to look unbreakable. Microsoft has to start worrying about whether it must accept and acknowledge its fate of being permanently stuck at No. 2 in this generation = Venturebeat

[sammarshall102]

2018 or 2019 Microsoft will probably release a very powerful new Xbox

And Xbox One is still selling good

[Fatdrinkofwater]

Xb1 sells 1.3 million consoles in november vs ps4 selling 1.5 million.

Ps4 is selling more so all the more to sony but xb1 is selling great too and its not far behind ps4 sales at all.

Someone has to come second in sales it doesnt mean they are losing. This fanboy war is for fanboys. To MS its just business and its a rather successful one at that.

[MasterCornholio]

"its not far behind ps4 sales at all. "

You mean the US right? Because world wide its a different story.

[FlipSwitch]

"its not far behind ps4 sales at all"

I know you guys like to ignore worldwide but Xbone is consistently getting outsold 2 to 1. November was no different

[Fatdrinkofwater]

I actually dont care tbh both consoles are selling better than last gen both are a success ps4 is selling tons and thats great just sick of concern trolling like xbox is hardly selling at all and ms need to be worried. Its not true and its fanboy bs trying to downplay xboxs success.

I live in New Zealand the xbox one is VERY popular down here and in australia.

[jb227]

I honestly think MS has an eye on the software market. I wouldn't be surprised if they do one more console in order to keep some mindshare but the way this gen has been going it tells a bit of a story. MS loses the sales war in the early going, so they snatch up the Gears license, they acquire Minecraft, they buy the Havok engine, and I think they had designs on buying the Tomb Raider franchise outright & this timed exclusivity was their testing ground. Phil said they wanted an Uncharted competitor, so if they are buying up the other licenses they want, chances are good they would want to buy that one as well. On top of this they have moved to owning any IP produced on their box like QB, Scalebound, ReCore, etc.

MS has always mainly been a software company, and software is where all of the profits are...all of these acquisitions sound to me like a company w/ an eye on switching to software only. I think optimistically the brass may give Xbox one more generation to turn a big profit and if that doesn't work well, they already have a huge portfolio in Halo, Gears, Forza, Fable, Minecraft, Havok engine, and any of the new IPs that are successful. I'm sure I'll get a boatload of disagrees for even suggesting the writing that's clearly on the wall, but you'd have to be dense or ignorant of the history of gaming platforms to flat out refuse it as a potentiality.

[Herbalistic]

I think MS accepts that Xbox One doesn't have a chance to make things close in terms of market share with PS4..The only thing MS could do is focus on creating exclusives to please owners of the machine and hope what they offer brings in enough new buyers..MS doesn't have anyone to blame but themselves for how things are going for the console.

[andibandit]

Yeah I think that when Phil Spencer said something about "beating the competition, wasnt his priority", it was obvious.

[XanderZane]

Microsoft and Sony said the same thing last generation as well. Neither cared about beating the Wii. No big deal really. Just keep the games coming.

[YinYangGaming]

All doom & gloom even though the XBO is selling well (better than 360 & OG Xbox at same time in their cycles) 2nd place DOESN'T equal failure so stop with the clickbait

[BitbyDeath]

Nope, after the year is over it will officially be behind the 360.
XB1 had a good start but has been lacking ever since.

[Fatdrinkofwater]

Bitbydeath stop spreading lies please.

Thnx

[FlipSwitch]

Actually he isn't lying. By 2007 X360 had sold over 17million consoles. The only reason Xbone is tracking higher is because of it's strong launch.

Xbone will soon be tracking lower than x360 in the same time frame

[Fatdrinkofwater]

Right.. So MS saying its been a record year for xbox sales and its up over last year means sales are declining to you?

MS doesnt even release sales numbers so how would you even know anyway?

They were over 10 million this time last year so if this year has been even better then xbox sales have to at least at 20 million by now.

[FlipSwitch]

Xbone is no where near 20million consoles. They have posted record sales but that is just for this month. Or black Friday. You always have to look past Microsofts spin

After the holidays the sales will return back to normal.

No it wasn't 10 million sales this time last year. It was 10 million "nearly shipped". Which could mean anywhere from 7 to 8 million actually sold through consoles.

Xbone is most likely around 15 million consoles now.

[boodi]

I'd like to know wtf are you talking about ....
if not i presume you are a zombie...or a troll..

[Fatdrinkofwater]

Wait so xbox was at 14 mil back when sony were at 22 million and people were predicting the gap would be over 10 mil between the two consoles worldwide by the end of the year.

Now sony are over 30 mil sold and you wanna tell me ms only only sold 1 million consoles in that time?

[BitbyDeath]

360 came out on November 22, 2005
In January 2008 it managed to sell 17.7M consoles.

http://www.engadget.com/200...

------------------

Meaning XB1 will need to reach 17.7M sold by Jan 2016 which is very very unlikely.

@Fatdrinkofwater, read this post for an idea of where the sales figure is at - http://n4g.com/news/1827868...

This however excludes November.

[DigitalRaptor]

@ Fatdrinkofwater

Nope. You need to stop lying. At this time last year, Microsoft still hadn't released their overall shipped numbers. They had said that they were "approaching" 10 million shipped, which isn't solid and could be anywhere from 7-9 million shipped (we know how MS lurves to spin). The likely number of Xbone consoles sold is around 16-17 million at this point. Not sure where you're getting that 20 million information from. For THAT to be reasonable, the worldwide sales gap would have to have been decreasing and it's not.

[Thatguy-310]

I mean the Xbox isn't outselling the beast of the ps4 but it is selling better than the 360 which shows improvement from a business perspective.

[CaptainObvious878]

Actually we don't know it's selling more than the 360. MS has refused to give proper numbers for over a year now.

[XanderZane]

We know it's selling better then the Xbox 360 because Microsoft told us it was in their report. I guess you missed that article.

[Lennoxb63]

Its selling at a normal rate for a new console. PS4 is just selling phenomally. It's not selling at a normal rate for a new console, which is making the X1 look bad. People actually think its struggling to sell even.

[iNFAMOUZ1]

must be slow news day or someone got mad over the ps4 europe price scam thing

[Rookie_Monster]

Dude..MS just had the biggest selling November of the Xbox One existence with almost 1.3.million unit sold, and is more than the 1.23 million xb1 sold last November, not to mentioned game sales, Live subscription, are up. They are just fine.

It is like saying Universal had a record setting year with Furious 7, Jurassic World that propelled them to the top spot but Disney with Star Wars and etc.. came in second, but also have a record breaking movie season.

It is not like the XB1 is selling like the Wii U.

In comparison, this is what the November 2008 NPD looks like.

Wii - 2,040,000
Nintendo DS - 1,570,000
Xbox 360 - 836,000
PlayStation Portable - 421,000
PlayStation 3 - 378,000
PlayStation 2 - 206,000

Both the X360 and PS3 manged to survive just fine in the face of the Wii domination on the first few years of last gen and so will XB1 as well since it is far outpacing both PS3 and X360 in terms of sale.

[FallenAngel1984]

Xbox One is actually seller slower than PlayStation 3 in the same two year time frame because it doesn't have as strong a global appeal.

[AstroCyborg]

actually no its not its outselling the 360 which sold more then the ps3

[FallenAngel1984]

Wrong. PS3 always selling at a faster rate than 360 since day one because of its stronger global appeal.

Xbox 360 sold 17.7 million consoles in its first two years on the market.

http://www.engadget.com/200...

PlayStation 3 sold 21.3 million consoles in its first two years on the market.

http://kotaku.com/5157636/s...

Xbox One's total in its first two year years on the market will be so where between those numbers.

[muzikjunkie80]

FallenAngel1984

and that matters what exactly? does that mean i should enjoy my ps4 more and my xbox one less?

just because the ps4 sold more globally does not mean its the better console.

lets say justin bieber sells more singles/albums than rem, pink floyd, the beatles etc does that mean that justin bieber is better?

popularity and more sales dont always mean a better product.. the wii was proof of that last gen.

[PhoenixUp]

@ Muzik

I didn't see Fallen bring up anything about how PS4 sells in comparison to XO.

I'm sure he was just pointing out the fact that XO is selling slower than PS3 in the same time frame.

Either way it shouldn't impact on what platform you enjoy to game on.

[FallenAngel1984]

@ Muzik

I did not once bring up PS4, so I don't see why you felt the need to do so.

It's fine that you have your own preference of console. You're free to like whatever you want.

I'm just pointing out a mistake that Rookie made, and that Xbox One didn't sell faster than PlayStation 3 at this point in time.

[BeefCurtains]

Oh man! X1 is selling slower than the PS3 did in the same time frame! We should all care so much! It affects everything!

Or affects no one, because I have an X1, and I don't have enough time to even play a FRACTION of the games that are available (same can be said for Ps4). Theres not enough time on either console to play everything, so who cares about those dumb "who's got the bigger exclusive library" arguments?

And how many consoles someone sold almost 10 years ago? Holy crap this is a dumbass argument.

So much penis envy in these forums. Always comparing who's is bigger. Who the hell takes pride in a PRODUCT they bought versus someone else?

[muzikjunkie80]

maybe you folks should learn to read i said should i enjoy my ps4 more and my xbox one less due to the playstation brand selling faster? i dont have a ps3 or xbox 360 anymore i do however own both a ps4 and an xbox one but hey go figure fanboys eh? oh and sorry for the late reply i do have a life unlike most of you on here arguing about what console sells more etc.

[ScorpiusX]

Finlay some common sense.
As for me i can't wait for next gen to start , looking forward to it .

[WinAttLife]

Microsoft shouldn't be worried. We as consumers need to be worried. Sony having a monopoly style grip on the console market is not good for the industry. I love my PS4 and Xbox but I fear the day when I don't have the option between them or the ability to own both.

[whoyouwit04]

Exactly, and that is why I hate Sony fans. They act like they don't remember sony phucking them in the ass last gen. Sony was cocky and arrogant the beginning of last gen and had to be humbled. I can't imagine the trash they will do if there is no Xbox to compete against.

[psforward]

I've owned a Sony console since the 90's and my ass is thus far unscathed. I played many exclusives and played online e without a fee. Explain how I was taken advantage of please.

[kenshiro100]

Wow...

The hatred is truly blinding.

Are you even a gamer...?

[nix]

Hahaha whoyiuwit...

Really? Is your faithfulness to MS that blind? MS didn't even win last gen and they nearly made you guys buy into "always online", no game sharing.. If IT WASN'T FOR SONY, THEY WOULD HAVE STUCK WITH THEIR DAMN PLANS. YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE ONLINE ALL THE TIME, YOU COULD NOT SHARE GAMES WITH YOUR FRIENDS. IS THAT THE WORLD OF GAMING YOU'RE DREAMING OF THEN YOU CLEARLY CHOSE THE RIGHT TEAM.

[Liqu1d]

So sad.

[Thatguy-310]

Well the gold years of gaming was when ps1&ps2 dominated their generations so a monopoly console market isn't as bad as you say. 360 started by dominating last gen and introduced subscription service that one had to get to play online. Now that's model that has been adapted with Sony which is bad imo.

[WinAttLife]

The Xbox original introduced xbox live as a subscription service. Not only did it revolutionize the industry, it was a way for Microsoft to secure new servers to stabilize the online network. Look at how much better PSN has got after a sub price was applied. It's not coincidence.

[Thatguy-310]

@winatlife
Yea which they hid everything behind that pay wall up until recently. That's a great example of how monopoly would have ruined the industry. It depends on the company whether they screw their customers or not. Based off history, when Playstation is the leader we get a plethora of different genres.

[Gwynbleidd]

I know people like free stuff but you can't expect an high quality online service for free. Servers and server maintenance for millions of users is not cheap and that is why we pay those subs, to get a stable environment with tons of features like party chat and achievements/trophies.
It was only a matter of time till Sony had to introduce the fees to keep pace with Xbox Live quality and IMO it has improved since Sony is able to invest in server infrastructure if they have a sub based income for that purpose.

[rainslacker]

Sony having a almost monopolistic control of the console market did great things for the industry in the PS2 days.

It's cheaper to make games for fewer platforms, and the larger a single install base is, the more risks can be taken due to the chance that it will sell....which is what happened in the PS2 days.

Not to say I want a monopolistic console market, just that your statement is a bit hyperbolic.

@edit at reply

I think their prior success did lead to them being overconfident and expecting their customer base to simply follow, which meant they believed the dev would have no choice but to follow.

But they also had some pretty lofty ideas for computing going into that gen, and a lot of people miss that despite their over-confidence, they did think about things that would be beneficial for gaming itself. The CELL was uniquely capable at handling game type code, and the system was designed for such purposes. When making the CELL, they actually believed that developers would adapt quickly to it, like they did with the emotion engine, which was also a rather stunning piece of kit for gaming at the time of it's release. The over confidence came into play though in that they didn't really discuss these things with the developer, and MS was offering an easier approach, which is what publishers wanted, because easier means cheaper.

The bad kind of confidence is what Nintendo had, where they release underpowered systems due to success, and expcet people to follow without really offering anything enticing for either the gamers or the developers.

But no, it's the customers who benefit from companies competing for their business. Customer benefit is not always beneficial to the industry, but does tends to lead to more long term stability overall.

Saying it's one way or the other is hyperbolic though, and it would have to be analyzed on a case by case basis. Some things are good, other things are bad.

[WinAttLife]

Hardly hyperbolic. Simply raising awareness that no competition leads to a poor future. Look at the start of the PS3. You think that was possibly led on by their previous success? Same can be said for the Xbox One. The industry benefits from competing companies wanting your business.

[WinAttLife]

In your Cell architecture discussion you say that Microsoft offered an easier approach and therefore lowered the cost of making games. Don't you think that led to the PS4's development having a more accessible architecture? That in turn is a direct correlation to the competition Microsoft provided and causing the industry to explode with the PS4. I refuse to believe the industry would be better with a single company.

Edit @ reply
I appreciate the healthy discussion.

[rainslacker]

No, I believe Sony going around asking the devs what they wanted instead of assuming what they offered would be adopted is the reason why it's more accessible now.

Sony had to ask themselves why they lost so much market share, and it would make sense to ask developers what they wanted since the 360 was quickly adopted due to it's more routine programming principals.

Sony likely came to this conclusion on their own anyways, which is why they asked developers what would be easiest for them.

Competition is good, and if only one company were available, I agree, it would be terrible. But there has never been a complete monopolistic control, and Sony always ran the risk of another company taking over due to having something more appealing...like say when the Wii came out.

However, if the company that maintains control also can manage to give the consumer what they want(PS2), then the industry at large would be better with a single company, because it would be cheaper and less risky to produce games.

[CaptainObvious878]

Wrong.

It's consumers that would need to be extremely worried if MS had a monopoly. See the disgusting, draconian policies MS tried to put on the xbone at launch.

But you know what happened last time Sony had a monopoly? We got arguably the best generation of gaming ever seen.

I honestly can't comprehend why anyone would a fan of MS while hating Sony.

[xxLuckyStrike]

I have to agree. I really wonder how many 360 owners bought a PS4 instead of an XBO. 4 million? MS were so worried about piracy that the reddiculous policy's put fourth did more harm to the brand. Probably lost more initial sales from gamers who wasn't havin it or were on the fence. I still Lol @ damn $500 for 24hr drm online checks no games without always on internet..

[DeadManMMX]

Yeah that stuff at launch wasn't that big of a deal. They took away the 24 hr check and retied games to their disks and voila here we are literally every other feature us still intact. Most importantly sharing live benefits with all accounts on your system, the ability to share game licenses across 2 consoles and play at the SAME time. A large amount of the games this gen require an internet connection and so do many of the features of both systems. They were guilty of trying to push the future before people were ready for it but falling physical game sales vs rising digital sales says that more and more are moving towards it. Truthfully used game sales have done nothing but hurt the industry and non AAA developers and made gamestop rich but whatever. Consumer rights and all that jazz until say next gen when we get over 60% of games sold primarily digitally. Then slowly but surely you all will succumb and go primarily digital on all platforms. Consoles will eventually be sold cheaper with no disc drives and voila. Just a matter of time.

[WinAttLife]

When did I say that it would be good if Microsoft had a monopoly? That would be worse than Sony having a monopoly. You do realize I am arguing for more competition right?

[chrisx]

no need for ms to worry anymore, the battle for 1st place is already long lost to Ps4. they have alrdy settled for 2nd

[NeoGamer232]

If any console vendor has to worry it is Nintendo. A year older than X1 and PS4 but relegated to third place quickly with third party support all but dead.

[FoxyGotGame]

Except this is not about Nintendo ...

Stay OT /

[NeoGamer232]

Nintendo has been in the "Console Wars" longer than any other console vendor. Talking about them on a article about "console wars" is always on topic.

Just because the writer does not mention them does not put it off topic.

For example, some people seem to really like bringing up Uncharted 4 when writers were writing about Rise of the Tomb Raider. I didn't see a lot of people call that as off-topic. Threads on N4G often bring up unmentioned competitors from the article in comments.

[DeadManMMX]

Discount them if you will but I gave a feeling they are about to pounce hard.

[NeoGamer232]

I'm not discounting them at all.

But if NX is a failure it is hard to imagine a scenario where Nintendo makes another console.

[NotanotherReboot]

Sony has marketed the PS4 very well, so I don't see the Xbox overtaking, let alone catching up anytime soon.

[xxLuckyStrike]

No doubt that DRM always on stunt set them back 3 years. Not to mention MS was fresh off the rrod scandal. Whoever thought the 24hr DRM mandatory online policies was smart was douch bag.

[Lon3wolf]

It's selling well enough to say they are releasing another console, not going to beat PS4 in sales but it only needs to sell enough to make profit.

[TheColbertinator]

I'm worried about micro transactions,DRM and broken launch releases. These "Who Sold More ?" articles are so trivial.

[SweatyFlorida]

In terms of sales they won't beat the PS4, however doesn't mean they can't still make and support a great product and satisfy their current(and some future) players. When console war resets next gen their hard work may pay off and give them a fighting chance for the next onslaught.

But with the way 2016 is looking yah no way of catching up, if at best they will hold ground/pace but not surpass PS4. Least they're not last place.

[Wallstreet37]

Microsoft will be fine. The Xbox one Is selling fine. I'm not sure what the profit margins specifically for Xbone are but I'm sure they are OK. I could be wrong though because I've heard before during investor meetings, stock holders want to end Xbox due to lack of profitability. Idk but their sales seem to be good overall.

[JunMei]

I have a feeling that this is why Microsoft is putting more money into PC gaming. Their next console will probably be like a steam box. Essentially, a PC. Which is great, by my book!

[KilKarazy]

Its not a war. Xbox is not a worldwide appealing brand like Sony is. They don't put a lot of money into games that appeal to audiences other than the Halo Gears bros. They also have a tendency to stiff people outside of NA. That is why they will always be outsold. Personally I love the Xbox because its where all my friends play. I think the social features are much better even down to the mic quality. We all fully understand that Sony has a better system but the games don't appeal to us. I have a PS4 and have played all the exclusives that appealed to me; infamous, the order, bloodborne, until dawn. Only one of those kept me playing longer than a day. I really wish Bloodborne would come to XB1 but it honestly wouldn't handle it well, the PS4 didn't really either. If you prefer PS4 more power to you. In the end all the companies need to care about is profit. Nintendo needs to worry about staying afloat. Sony is doing much better this gen and its NA success can partially be attributed to the awful XB1 reveal.

TL;DR Play whatever f#$%ing system you want, don't talk down to people who prefer the other. In the end all the companies care about is profit.

[2v1]

The thing with MS is, that they may support the console for another year then pull the plug on the games for the remaining time,
the suckers wait for the next one like last generation.

Thas my patcher predicction!

[DillyDilly]

Microsoft has a better head on their shoulders now for next gen & also now no excuse for no BC right out of the date with 360, X1 on the next XBOX

[parentsbasement]

I work for Microsoft and its bad , they are telling us this will cost us all our jobs and "better start sending out resumes "... probably keep a skeleton crew on the payroll while they shut stuff down but , yeah , 6 or 8 months then we're out...sad really...

[whoyouwit04]

That would be more believable if Phil didn't just confirmed there will be another Xbox you lying fanboy.

[sammarshall102]

Hahahahaha did he think one person would believe that fairy tale lol

[parentsbasement]

He has to put on a good face , only a select few know , but damn , aint it obvious ? PS4 is consuming all the money and Microsoft cant survive with out at least a little money , and Sony refuses to give them any...

[MegaRay]

Your ID is "parentsbasement" ...

[parentsbasement]

that's an insider joke at MS , most of us got started in our parents basement...

[parentsbasement]

facts are facts people , the PS4 has single handedly brought and end to Microsoft and its employees , they told us no severance package , but a free xbox one if at least 10 years of service , but with Xbox live coming to and end also , I don't see the point...clear some shelf space maybe , that's if anybody even wants the damn thing...

[MegaRay]

"most of us got started in our parents basement"

Something tells me you're still there xP

[OC_MurphysLaw]

LMAO....bravo, well played

[FallenAngel1984]

Even though Microsoft's Xbox division is more successful now than they've ever been, they should start worrying?

Does not compute, does not compute.

[AstroCyborg]

why should they care about this imaginary console war they continue to make tons of money which is what matters most to a billion dollar corperation not fanboy wars

[0to100]

just please bury the xbone and let's just call the next one xbox 3, like it never happened.

the software and games are still great but the hardware and it's design is pure crap.

[ApocalypseShadow]

Thing about David and Goliath,is that Microsoft has never been Goliath.or maybe it's "they never been David." David actually won.

They boasted and gloated and spent millions of dollars telling you they were the best.and had developers like turn 10 doing the same.but it was either Nintendo or Sony who have been Goliath.and their in-house developers.

Microsoft's problem is that they always cater to the west and English speaking countries.why do they lose in Japan?because they really don't care about Japan.Nintendo makes games that have a worldwide appeal.like Disneyland has worldwide appeal.

Sony not only makes eastern games,but euro games,western games,quirky games.that is what worldwide studios stands for.catering to everyone like disneyland.name one Japanese produced game made by Microsoft?you can't.but they want to push western games on the east.I thought they had billions in cash?

Even though each gen there is a reset,I would be worried if I were them.just like PS2 days,PS4 developers are happy.they have power,ease of development,and their games are selling bucket loads on PS4.Also,Sony is treating the little guys of indie communities as BIG guys.but Microsoft was the one that pushed the indie seen.now,not so much.and their gaming community seems to hate indies now when they are still games.some better that AAA.

Sony created goodwill coming out of last gen by still producing games for gamers who still had PS3. And not taking games and pushing them to next gen to make it seem that there were all these launch games.what about 360 gamers?Microsoft did the same thing going from Xbox to 360.

With RROD and trying to push DRM,that's Microsoft's fault for destroying their momentum.they got greedy and impatient.that is why they will always play second fiddle to Nintendo and Sony.And to the gaming community until they really want to be a game company.and not to control the living room.or the operating system in the living room .

[Minute Man 721]

So what?? the X1 won't outsell the PS4 this gen but it won't be a flop either. I'm predicting it will sell 80 - 90 million,that's not bad

[MegaRay]

How much do you think PS4 will sell?

[Minute Man 721]

About 140 million

[stuna1]

Theres no way Xbox 1 will sell 80/90 million consoles! Looking at things from a perspective based in reality, this generation would have to technically last at the very least as long as last generations. You would also have to take into account what year will the console reach its apex in sale? And that moment in time figure in the rate of decline of sales to even come close to a good estimate.

Looking at the fact that 2 solid year into this generation, the PS4 has sold over double the Xbox 1. If you want to put a figure to it? I'd say;
The PS4 sits somewhere around 33 to 34 million consoles sold currently.
I would put the Xbox 1 somewhere around 15 to 16 million consoles sold, and that's me being generous.

To think either console would be able to maintain their current momentum for a whole generation would be foolish to say the least! Even after they release their respective slimmed down version.

If I were to guess looking at a timeline of 4 to 5 more years on the market; I'd say the Xbox 1 would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of about 58 million to 62 million, taking into account Windows 10 actually can push a few consoles.

The PS4 on the other hand will not only maintain this sizable lead over the Xbox 1, but in certain instances be able to widen it consistently throughout the generation! When it's said and done the PS4 will sit somewhere around 94 million to 98 million

On both consoles we all know that they will continue to sell well into next generation, but at a much greater reduced selling rate.

[xxLuckyStrike]

Which is why MS could pull the XBOX ONE PC/Tablet card at some point this gen. Implementing Some version of Windows 10 for XBOX with PC/tablet capabilities. Watch!

[rainslacker]

Not being a flop I can agree with.

but 80-90 million? This gen would have to drag on for as long as the last one for that to happen, or MS would have to raise it's sales by 60-80% every year for the predicted end of this gen in 2019-2020.

[Mithan]

All that matters is profit.

Are they profiting or not?
And if not, can that turn around next generation?

It is very simple.

The "new" Microsoft will cut it loose next generation if its a net negative. If not, they will keep it.

The main issue this time was perceived "power" and probably size IMO. Those of us who knew, got the "better" system even though we may have owned the last few Xbox's.

I still have to buy an Xbox. I see no real point, as the PS4 was the system of choice this time around for all the non-exclusives, while last time, I owned a PS3 but barely touched it as I played everything on Xbox 360.

What does that leave me with? An Xbox for Halo, Gears of War and maybe Tomb Raider.

For joe-average consumer, it doesn't really matter of course as the Xbox meets their needs just fine.

Either way, both are good systems, but for me (a gamer), I purchased the "most powerful" system. I will get a X1 when the price drops, but not for a while. Halo 5 would be nice to play, but it isn't nice enough to drop $350 on it.

[sdplisken]

PSDomination continues i love it

MS is finally reaping what it has sown for years. Maybe people are tired of crap hardware and the same halo/gears/fable/forza EVERY YEAR. LOl they must be pissed as hell every time sony wins another npd month. Phil spencer, aaron greenburg, and major nelson oh what id give to hear their lil whining, pissing and tantrums.

Dear xbox fans reading this. Dont feel bad about being in 2nd place. Dont let M$ abuse you any longer. Join the ps nation and win back your pride :)

[muzikjunkie80]

i dont care about second place or sales i am enjoying my xbox one regardless and is sitting nicely next to my ps4 ;)

[Tsunade]

The article misses that NPD does not follow bundles or digital sales and also missed that Sony said Black Ops 3 broke records on PSN becoming number #1. With all that, I have no doubt Black Ops 3 sold more on PS4. Not to mention that Black Ops 3 sold more on PS4 worldwide.

[Clarence]

It's not all bad. For the first time in M$ console history the Xbox will come in 2nd place.

[GrubsterBeater]

Wait, what?! When were they ever 1st place?!

[Clarence]

The Xbox console has never been in 1st.

[JMyers]

You do know that the Wii won last gen right? Also that the PS3 caught the 360 last gen with worldwide sales? The Xbox has never ended a generation on first place.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

You Sony fans keep saying this but never give facts. PS3 came in last.

[JMyers]

"You PS3 fans?"... I owned all consoles from launch day. So stop making assumptions. A simple Google search will show that the PS3 is about 83 million while the 360 will show about 82 million. They are very close. The fact that the PS3 has bluray and still relevant in Japan and Europe with games still being released, logically it will continue to sell into 2016

[kenwonobi]

Ps3 won last generation too but whatever Xbox is getting dominated now anyways.

[guyman]

343 guilty

The ps3 had far better games and sold more units than the 360. The 360 came in last.

[XanderZane]

Xbox 360 was 2nd place last gen. Last official numbers from Sony was 80 million and Microsoft 84 million. Neither company has given any new official numbers, so until that happens, they are still in 2nd place. Microsoft has never been in first place in worldwide sales.

@JMyers
XBox 360 was at 84 million at last years E3. They are easily over 85 million today.

http://www.gamespot.com/art...

[Clarence]

The 360 had a year head start, plus RRod to help with their lead last gen.

1st Wii
2nd PS3
3rd 360

The first Xbox came in last, so this gen will be the first time that the a Xbox console will come in 2nd instead of 3rd.

[JMyers]

No official PS3 numbees so nothing to confirm 2nd place for either platforms. However, amazing numberange for both.

[XanderZane]

@Clarence
When you can provide proof from Sony, please let us know. Their last official PS3 numbers were 80 million back in Nov 2013. Microsoft announced 84 million at the 2014 E3 in June. Sony didn't announce any PS3 number during that time. They were still combining PS3, PS2 and PSP totals together.

[QuickdrawMcgraw]

MS has to be pleased going from 3rd last gen to 2nd this gen....

[Ristul]

That is not a big feat considering how bad the WiiU is doing ;)

[XanderZane]

2nd place last gen as well. Nothing has changed.

[MasterCornholio]

Ive seen the PS3 ahead in some reports.

My guess is that the two were so close to each other that its hard to determine whose in second. First place was easy since the Wii sold over 100 million.

Id say that last gen was a draw between Sony and Microsoft.

[XanderZane]

Last official reported numbers had PS3 at 80 million and XBox 360 at 84 million. So until Sony or Microsoft provides new official numbers, that's pretty much where things stand. VGChartz numbers are far from being official.

[noksucow73]

I have all 3, and even though xbox1 isn't selling as much as the ps4, they can still be successful, and profitable. Would they like to be first? I'm sure. But they just ain't gonna bow out just because they aren't selling at a rate like the ps4. I hope all 3 can succeed in this market. Each console offers unique titles imo

[Antwan3k]

Yep, and Apple should start to worry about Android owning over 80% of the worldwide smartphone market.. They should probably close their doors and give up I guess..

Oh wait, Apple is an extremely profitable company and their customers are currently very satisfied with their products and services..

Nevermind..

[Gwynbleidd]

Well said!

You don't have to be market leader to have success. Xbox is a great console and is selling well. PS4 is selling even better and too is a great platform.
It is a successfull industry and only fanboys try to spin it otherwise to keep the "console-war" going for reasons I don't understand.

[swordmasterman]

Yes Like Xbox One, is sold with Loss Margin to try to sell more than Playstation 4, and Apple Sell his Smartphone with a Ridiculous 1000% Profit Margin.

[lastking95]

Ppl aren't very smart. MS been accepted being 2nd in consoles sold. They're main objective now it too make money. That's why they been posting YOY numbers and $ made. Outselling the comp is no longer the top priority, making more is

[hiawa23]

Yes, they should accept they are 2, while continuing to give us the best overall experience of any console this gen. They were not going to outsell the Wii last gen and the360 did just well, so, MS just needs to continue doing what they have been doing. They can have a good generation being 2.

[jmac53]

Hey I had an original Xbox and I didn't even notice that they were in 2nd place with great games like KOTOR, Ghost Recon and Crimson Skies.

[audiocafe]

I feel like Microsoft has turned their console around from the reveal and the launch. I bought one this holiday and don't regret it and it sits in my entertainment system alongside my PS4 and Wii U. Seems that the old saying "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" holds true for many though.

[StormSailor]

Microsoft has not failed, it was Sony who got a huge success. Sony did a much better job from the beginning and kept doing, now receives the deserved results...

[Azzanation]

Really? These articles come out like Xbox is a flop. I am quite happy with the XB1 and have enjoyed it thought-out every year. I couldn't care less if they sell more then Nintendo or Sony. I play Xbox because it has the games I want to play. MS have been very good with there service and updates and have been giving me great games and even going out of there way and locking TR in for me to play earlier then others.

Xbox doesn't need to change, the gamers need to change there minds. There loss if they want to avoid it not mine. Ill be looking forward to the next Xbox after this one.

[Gwynbleidd]

*sign*

I play Xbox for its features and games. The console offers a lot and I am really happy with it since day one and that is all that matters to me.
It is doing good and has with Sony a really strong competitor who is outpacing it sales wise. That doesn't make Xbox a failure as all those doom and gloom articles try to implicate!

Is Mercedes a failure if BMW sells more cars?
Is Apple a failure since Android has the biggest market share?
Is Coca Cola a failure cause Pepsi has sold more over the last years?

[II__BONE__II]

N4G
Wednesday- Sony takes over the top spot again for the month of November. With sales well over 30 million.
Thursday-Xbox one, No longer the underdog console!
Friday- MS has to start worrying about the console war or be content on staying in 2nd place.
I'm confused!

[Trekster_Gamer]

At some point PS4 sales will saturate and true gamers that aren't blind Fanboys will own both consoles for the exclusives thstveachcbrand enjoys...

[FN4GM]

You dont have to be a fanboy to own one console, you can be a smart consumer and just not want to waste money on an xbox. People have the right to make that choice, people dont have to own both to appease you.

[Lennoxb63]

Both you, and trekster are idiots.

[MasterCornholio]

Can't the XB1 sales saturate as well?

[FN4GM]

It is permanently stuck at No. 2 that's not even up for debate and hasn't been for a while. Its fine Microsoft has a console to offer, they just need to know their place which this gen is second, or first loser.

[Azzanation]

I am amazed at how you don't get banned with the comments you make. You are clearly are one sided.

[Tzuno]

all they can do at some point is to release new console, 2018 we will see new consoles.

[DeadManMMX]

Why is it do bad to be number 2 if you have healthy business? Sony was number 2 most of last gen in hardware sales and pretty much the entire gen in software sales but the PS3 was a great system I had to own. Just like the Xbox One is a great system that I've been proud to own since day one. I hear more and more people talking about it and see more and more friends jumping on as time moves on. I'm also hearing a lot more casual talk about ps4 then I ever did about the PS3. The business is growing and and all consoles not named wii u or vita (and I love my Vita it pains me to say it) are doing well. Nintendo has a new console coming that may actually put them in the race power wise depending on their choices. Competition has only had a positive effect on all of these companies. Sony needed a turnaround last gen and got it. MS needed a turnaround this gen and got it, and now it's Nintendo that needs to rise to the occasion with a new direction. I'm reading this book Console Wars right now about the battle between Sega and Nintendo and the rise of Sony in games. It's fascinating to see how mirrored this stuff is in the last two gens. How bad mistakes and choices can make or break a company. Nintendo's decision to publicly embarrass Sony set in forth a chain of events that birthed Playstation. Sega's decisions ...well there were so many, the 32X, surprise launch of Saturn and subsequent loss of 3rd party support, etc. killed their hardware business. Xbox is in a rebuild period but things are going up and thus will build on itself into the next generation. Will they ever outsell Ps4 in hardware? no it is very close to impossible because they have an iron hold on Europe and Xbox has practically no presence in Japan where even PS4 was struggling. The US and eventually Uk will be hotly contested and we the consumers will reap the benefits. Know this, the Dark Horse that nobody's counting on is Nintendo. History has shown that this is when they strike hardest. The next few years will be fascinating but these doomsday adds for Xbox are sensationalist garbage and a hell of a reach.

[Budrazor]

In order to shake the mantra of more powerful machine for Sony, MS better make the more powerful machine next gen or it will be more of the same. It's clear having bigger hardware sells. People just look at numbers even if your tech savy or not.

[psvr]

microsoft will lose it all when the psvr goes mainstream, start digging your grave microsoft.

[Gwiz]

I'm surprised that Xbox as a brand lasted this long,it never became the top selling system of a generation and had many issues along the way.One thing it did do is make Western gaming development the most relevant of today.

That wasn't due to Sony,albeit they have big Western studios they were kind of tied to the exotic hardware direction and thus more relying on themselves than Microsoft's software support.

That changed with Mark Cerny and X86 development.Microsoft has another competitor to worry about on PC as well.
Times have changed and the Xbox as a brand name changed software approach on consoles ( especially with the uprising UE adaptation ) but that seems to be behind us now.Microsoft did change quite a few things on the console market but i really have no soft spot for the brand like Sega,Nintendo,Atari,Sony somehow managed to imprint on me as a gamer.

[MaxCompiler]

Both consoles are doing ok, the past generation Wii crushed all the competitions and still sony and Microsoft make revenue... so its all good. Well not so much for the Wii U

[Albert3034]

Guys comon do you think Microsoft is worried about their lost no, they are a multi-billion dollar company that did bad on xbox one and I have both console and I love playing on my ps4 bit sometimes the network go out like is getting hack to much they need to fix that and don't forget went Sony file for bankruptcy long time ago went they are not selling they product good like tv,computer all that stuff Microsoft would never go broke on money they have sow much money to buy Sony 5 times .

[swordmasterman]

First that Sony's Revenue is 68 Billions per year vs 94 Billions of Microsoft, Neither Sony, or Microsoft, will go bankrupt because Both Have Much Money and a Company will never let a Division Draning money without a Return and this is because the put Windows 10, on the "Game Division" Other wise they would not be able to Support Xbox's Brand.

Did you wanted to Sony, continue Loosing Money with the Betamax Division ?.

[corroios]

Microsoft failed big time the vision they had for the Xbox was with kinect and that bomb big.

Get real no big company wants to be second and they are miles and miles and miles away from the PS4. The gap is getting bigger and bigger and bigger by the day in every market. There isnt any catching up, not even in the holidays with the strongest lineup in history. Its done.

Microsoft already brought their big guns like Forza and Halo and it didnt change nothing.

3rd party and exclusives games will be much harder for Microsoft get them, because no studio can left out a machine with 32 plus millions gamers. They will be forced to pay even more.

The clear exemple is Tomb Raider fiasco. From system seller to one of the biggest flop of the year for a tripe AAA game with good reviews.

They better start working on the next gen and spent money on building a game machine with a good CPU, GPU and ram and not a box that can play games.

[kenwonobi]

The numbers are just telling us what we already know. Ps5 is a awesome all around system.

[Segata]

Xbox can never win. Nintendo can,Sony sure can. Nintendo's IPs and new takes on controllers hit or miss but when they hit they explode. They get some support and Japanese support. Sony always thrives on the best third party support.

Xbox well..while 360 did well overall was a bomb in Japan.XBO is a lost cause. It's stuck in the middle. Few exclusives worth talking about. 3rd party while ok, lacks heavy Japanese support. Rest are on PS4 and PC.

PS4 more power and started off cheaper. Sells like crazy but my fear is this will make Sony cocky again and screw up PS5.

Wii U while selling the worst and least support. The attach rates to it's exclusives are insanely good.

I will say XBO has the best storage options.

[Liveevirdtset]

Yet another site trying to make a name for itself be catering to fanboys, no real numbers given just speculation and propaganda, software sales often a better indicator of profits not even indicated save for stating how poor XB1 numbers are. Pocket lined propaganda like this is used to negate successful business moves by a rival (Microsoft) if you want clearer pictures look at the aggregated scores of some of the exclusives between the two (Wii U has some of the highest as a side note) on somethin like metacritic rather than cherry picked pseudo market opinions like this. Its sad really people are buying XB1 after trade ins of PS4 due to exclusives but those numbers I'm sure are not included in this article. again you can see a similar article on the net detailing the PS4 best selling bundle being the Uncharted bundle in outselling every other XB1 bundle so far, but the article fails to realize that is one of the only bindles the PS4 console has not taking into account the cumulative total of XB1 bundles sales as there are more available. This seems more like Sony running damage control and slander campaigns akin to politicians and I hope people are smart enough to simply look up the information. To have an opinion without considering the opposition is simply an idea untested and unfounded. It is because of this that I despise Sony's business practices and put off buying their products, the rely on their Loral's paired with the ignorance of the public to sell their products not on a strong line up or truly understanding their fanbase, (e.g. the second time they announced FF7 to sell yet another console that not is going to be parted out like harry potter).

[Subaruwrx]

@Liveevirdtset #57 WTF? Epic but, incomprehensible ramble.

[swordmasterman]

Microsoft, is like a Teacher, if you dont pay attetion to the Sentence she will Trick you.

[MannGamer]

I find it hard to believe that Xbox One owners are not worried. Me a PS4 owner is currently worried that MS is losing so badly. Cause right now after the floop from Tomb Raider and Sunset Overdrive (both good game from what I have seen) it has become very difficult for MS to secure exclusives in the future or exclusives deal... Something they did a lot last gen and that helped them a lot.
What I predict is that MS will start the next gen early and mess up both Xbox One and PS4 owners. They will then secure early exclusive for next gen, which will then push Sony to start working on next gen and PS4 game released at that time won't have the quality expected cause they have to start working on PS5.
So that will mess things for Xbox One owners who will see support of their platform fading fast and forced to upgrade to a new gen. And also mess PS4 owners by forcing Sony's hand to stop support on the PS4.

[DeadManMMX]

They are investing in their own creations and exclusive owned 2nd party ip. That tomb raider deal was the last time they outright bought timed exclusivity and it seems like they are getting away from that if the last year since has been any indication. This gen will be a rebuild one for Xbox all they have to do is make us owners happy and grow their business to build to the next generation and take another stab at early dominance. As an owner of both I can tell you I've had nothing but satisfaction this gen. Literally the only thing I'm mad about is paying 150 for a fight stick and then SFV and KOF going exclusive and cutting an already niche genre in half but that's why I'll be grabbing BlazBlue on One and SFV on either PS4 or PC.

[Maxor]

Just release an updated Xbox One that can run the current gen in 1080p 60 FPS as well as having full backward compatibility and the tide will quickly turn.

[Captain_TomAN94]

Everyone knew they would be #2 since early 2014. The real question is what MS will do with the XBOX brand moving forward...

[TheGreyest]

Why are they being pressured to do anything? They've done all they can. Price drops, free games, gift cards, layaways. There's nothing else that can be done outside of dropping the price even more and taking in further losses for the Xbox division. And for what? Just to TRY to be number one in one country?

Why is the media pressuring them to act? Too much clamoring for this system to desperately power its way ahead. Doesn't sound like they can truly enjoy the system unless its on top. Ridiculous.

[swordmasterman]

They dont invest in games with Global Appeal for Europe, Latin America, or Asia, and even in the Majority of the USA, this is the Why they are far Behind, the Only games that Microsoft, made by his own this gen was Forza 5, 6, Horizon, Halo 5.

[rataranian]

whoever gives me more jrpgs wins. oh look at that I think Ive made my decision.

[level 360]

What's wrong with being number 2?

Microsoft just needs to bring in more games - variation of games in general I think.

At least they don't suck like the WiiU.

[rigo8582]

Micrsoft shouldn't really be worried, their console is still selling well. If success was based solely on the sales comparison of your competitor then they should would be worried. The success is not judged by how you stack against your competitors. If Samsung sells more TVs then Vizio or LG that doesn't mean those companies weren't successful.
Hell the Wii outsold the PS3 and the Xbox 360, but most people wouldn't consider those consoles are failure.