The Xbox Series X has been able to collect quite a few points in the console battle over the past few weeks. MeinMMO author Maik Schneider, however, believes that it won’t be enough and already sees the PlayStation 5 as the clear winner.
For nearly 20 years, I’ve spent most of my free time on a console. During that time, I’ve at least gained a bit of maturity. Initially, I was a strong advocate for the PlayStation in the console war, but that has changed over the years, and now I also play a lot on PC and can even imagine buying an Xbox Series X. In the battle between the two consoles, I no longer see a conflict of two ideologies, but rather high-tech products that are in a financial competition with each other.
At MeinMMO, I’m actually not responsible for consumer electronics. Normally, I deal with broader topics, such as the best weapons of Call of Duty: Warzone or I’m excited about new features in FIFA. But last week, an article from my colleague Leya Jankowski came out that I had to think about for a long time:
I’ve turned it over and over. I understand the arguments. I get how great the Game Pass is and how many games you can get for so little money. But I still find it hard to understand the decision to switch from PS5 to Xbox Series X.
In my opinion, the PlayStation is already clearly ahead.
I’m referring only to the two competing products PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S. When looking at the ecosystems of the two consoles and how Microsoft is currently launching with the Game Pass, my assessment wouldn’t be so clear-cut. But here we are talking about the pure sales figures of the consoles.
Microsoft understands the PC market – Weakness in console marketing
Why will the PS5 win? Even though the Series X is currently doing well – I think the Xbox lacks a clear profile, as well as a real strategy to win over its customers to surpass the PlayStation. I base this statement on 2 points:
- Focus on the Xbox Pass dilutes console profile
- The better starting position of the PlayStation
Xbox Series X is actually just an appendage for the Game Pass
Why does the focus on the Game Pass bother? Here you can do the self-test. When you think of the Xbox Series X / S, what comes to mind first? High performance? The extensive backward compatibility? The chic look? For me, it’s the Xbox Game Pass.
So I don’t actually want the console, but I want to use the cheap pass as efficiently as possible. This reduces the Xbox Series X / S from a replacement for the PlayStation to a complementary good. These are goods that are often requested together, like vehicles & gasoline. But the Xbox does not take the dominant position of the vehicle but settles for the subordinate role of gasoline.
In contrast, the PlayStation clearly addresses console gamers and focuses on exclusivity. The Xbox should at least offer one of those, otherwise it remains too bland for me to compete on equal footing with the PS5. I’d rather get the Xbox Game Pass for PC and enjoy the PlayStation experience on the couch.
Large customer base strengthens the position of PlayStation
Why does PlayStation have the better starting position? So far, Sony consoles have always been able to perform better than Microsoft’s counterpart at the end, and that is why the PS5 already has an advantage at launch. Part of that includes players who no longer need to be convinced of the benefits of the new console:
- Sony had nearly 110 million sold PS4s at the beginning of August 2020 (via GamesWirtschaft.de)
- Microsoft does not publish the sales figures for the Xbox One. Estimates from the end of June 2020 speak of 51 million sales (via Ampere Analysis)
Over the last 25 years, Sony has built a large PlayStation player base that now has little interest in any of the Microsoft consoles. I felt the same when the PS4 came out. At that time, I didn’t even look at the specifications and features of the Xbox One. For me, it was clear from the start: It had to be the PS4.
Today, I look more closely at both consoles, but I also pay attention to my immediate surroundings. Many of my gamer friends are on PlayStation, and my closest friends supported me during the chaotic pre-ordering of the PS5, just as I did for them. In addition, I dislike the thought of leaving behind my nearly 5,000 trophies/achievements. Here are still real gems from the PS3 era that I fondly remember.
The Xbox has its “devotees” as well, but the PlayStation’s base is larger, so Sony enters the race with a significant lead.
If you are still unsure which console is right for you, then check out our special where we directly compare the two powerhouses:
Xbox not without chance, just currently at a disadvantage
Why could it still go well for Xbox? There are also many advantages for the Xbox. The starting positions differ significantly compared to the last generation release.
Manufacturer Microsoft has proven in recent years that they want to be pioneers in the market and no longer let themselves be driven by PlayStation. They are doing more of their own thing and letting the Japanese cousin react instead of having to react to Sony’s announcements themselves.
I think Xbox has learned from this and no longer directly confronts its “opponent,” but rather takes a passive-aggressive approach – they make strong announcements and offer players many advantages without stepping too much into competition with PlayStation. So far, this game has worked well, and Sony is now in the position of having to deliver:
- Microsoft announces a low price for the Xbox Series X – Rumor has it that Sony subsequently lowered the PlayStation price
- Xbox announces a partnership with EA to enhance the Game Pass – Sony then states that there are 18 free games for the PS5 in PS Plus
Here I get the feeling that Sony has fallen a bit behind. Through short-sighted decisions, the PlayStation brand could potentially lose its value and its image could suffer. Already, exclusive partnerships with games that also run on other platforms are a contentious point, leading to much excitement and sometimes even hatred.
In such seemingly “minor details,” Sony should be careful not to close itself off to certain user groups. Exclusive titles are one thing. But withholding content from players of games simply because they play on a different platform I find borderline.
A study by Innofact AG from 2018 indicates that a large portion of gamers in Germany either play only on the computer (42%) or on computers and a console (48%). Only 10% of participants referred to themselves as pure console gamers. A large field of potential customers that could be annoyed by such “minor details.” The numbers speak for the Game Pass, which is already enjoying great success due to the significant share of PC gamers (90%) and its current attractiveness.
Everything that currently makes the Xbox weaker, in my opinion, hinges solely on Sony’s image. If customers get the feeling in the medium term that they make a worse deal with Sony because their strategy tends to close off the gaming market while Microsoft and Xbox stand for an opening of the gaming market, it could be tight for PlayStation.
But Microsoft also has to be careful here. The company has previously profiled itself through its market-dominating position and often demonstrated with Windows how to exploit a market. The purchase of Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax for $7.5 billion could lead to more openness in the short term. However, it must still be shown how serious Microsoft and Xbox are about their “Gaming for All” strategy.
They might swing to an exclusivity strategy like Sony, and the starting position in the next console war would be quite different. Here, one must wait for the development to make a sustainable assessment. MeinMMO colleague Benedict Grothaus thinks anyway that the purchase of ZeniMax is particularly a reason to cheer for Fallout fans.
Without Xbox, PlayStation could do whatever it wants
I even wish for better outcomes for Xbox: Competition invigorates business. Who knows how expensive the PlayStation consoles would be by now if there were no rival Xbox.
That’s why I actually like the approach Xbox is currently taking. They let themselves be dictated less by Sony about what their console should do better than the PlayStation, but instead offer a clear, attractive proposition for many gamers – one that I even use myself.
I think that Sony will react to the announcements of the past weeks and perhaps as a reaction also further improve the PS Plus offer or provide something else that can keep up with the strong Xbox Game Pass.
Conclusion: The Xbox Series X / S lacks appeal
The Xbox pursues a clearly differentiated strategy from PlayStation and sees itself more as a small puzzle piece of an offering that is much larger than the console itself. Sony, on the other hand, clearly states: Buy the console and benefit from the advantages. You can even see the self-perception in the reveal trailers:
- The Xbox reveal trailer lasts 1:53 minutes, has a clear focus on graphics and shows the console for only 13 seconds – 12%
- The PlayStation trailer runs 3:10 and shows 1:20 minutes of just the console – 42%
These short videos are fully choreographed, and the creators knew exactly what they wanted to convey to the viewers.
Due to the lack of focus, the Xbox Series X appears gray to me, devoid of emotions and without appeal. A cool calculator may come to a different conclusion when evaluating both consoles. But with prices of several hundred euros, I expect a good story about the product as a buyer today – preferably one that I can identify with.
This is similar to the vehicle market – a strong brand like Porsche can demand higher prices because their product stands for something that nearly everyone knows and drives past in their expensive car. But in the console market, the Porsche is offered for the same price as a technically equivalent VW. So which console do I reach for – Porsche, uh, PlayStation, correct.
The strong image together with the superior user base of PlayStation is what I consider the strongest weapons in the battle of consoles. Xbox, on the other hand, relies on its tag team with the Game Pass and the Microsoft ecosystem. I am curious to see how the battle unfolds. But I’ve already placed my bet confidently. Because although the Game Pass offers a strong deal for Xbox, I want a console that convinces on its own and isn’t just a high-tech dust collector that serves merely as a means to the end of the Xbox Game Pass.
Sorry Xbox – it looks much better, but currently, I think the PS5 will beat you again.
Here you can find more opinions on the topic of the console war, which is currently hotly debated:
- GamePro sees Xbox and PlayStation as equal in the console battle
- Analysts at Ampere Analysis see PlayStation in front, but especially the ZeniMax acquisition could give Xbox the needed momentum (via Ampere Analysis in English)
- GameStar also sees the two competitors as mostly equal. In a YouTube video, they explain that the market will decide – for Xbox & Game Pass or PlayStation & exclusivity
Where do you see the two consoles? Do you also believe that PlayStation can assert itself again, or do you see Xbox on par with or even ahead of PlayStation due to recent events?
