Perplexed by Xbox One sales

[patseguin Global Moderator]

My next gen saga was kind of a stupid one. I bought the Xbox One shortly after release and enjoyed the TV integration as well as the exclusive games. A friend convinced me that the PS4 was better so I bought one. I found (and still sort of do) that the PS4's game lineup is kind of weak. So I went and bought a One again and now have both. I find myself on the One way more than my PS4. Maybe it's because when I'm watching TV, I can just tell it to play a game or whatever. I also really enjoy Forza Horizon 2 and a few other exclusive games. To me it seems like Microsoft has a more well founded, full featured console than Sony with better games. So, this sort of leaves me perplexed about all the news articles I see about Sony outselling it largely. Does anyone else in this forum feel the same way? Are people turned off by the One because it's not solely a games console? I've played the same game on both consoles and not found either to be better than the other as far as graphics and performance. I also really think the Kinect is an integral part of the true One experience. Telling it "Xbox watch TV", "Xbox play Call of Duty", Xbox go to Internet Explorer", etc. not to mention Kinect enabled games make it a must have to experience the console as it was intended. I enjoy having both but if I had to give one up, the PS4 would be it for sure.

[LightEco]

Microsoft really messed up when it came to selling the one to users during its initial announcement, E3, and launch. They had no clear messaging or vision, and with their constant reversals, it left consumers confused. Some people today still think the one cannot play used games or the Kinect is mandatory. Combine this with the constant media coverage about how the PS4 performs better on some games and you have the perfect storm of consumer mistrust. Basically for the last year all people knew was that the PS4 was a more powerful, cheaper, gaming centered machine.

 

In reality the One is actually less powerful in some respects to the PS4 (as shown with 3rd party games performing better on the PS4), but oddly enough Microsoft has the better fall lineup of games. Combine that with recent price drops, discounts, bundles, and Sony's Firmware 2.0 and Drive Club disasters and the one might actually have a chance to win back some good press this year. Don't expect sales to beat PS4 anytime soon though, as time and time again has shown, an initial bad impression takes quite a bit to wipe away.

[MikeChipshop Member]

Woah! Paragraphs mate, use 'em.

 

I totally agree with what LightEco said. also, the public is dumb. they'll believe any old crap a fanboy tells them.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

The XBox One having a better lineup all just comes down to personal preference.

I was only interested in two exclusive games for it, Sunset Overdrive and Forza Horizon 2. Before FH2 was released, I had not touched it in well over a month, if not closer to 2.
I also have zero interest in Halo MCC.
I also happen to think the XBox One is a bloated mess. I stopped using the Watch TV option of it months ago as it did more harm than good on my end.
The Preview Program consistently breaks things that were working.

And I do not use Kinect at all.

I also do not use a browser on any of my consoles. Sames goes for twitter, etc.

I just use my video game consoles to play video games.
If I want to do other internet related stuff, I do it on either my laptop or tablet or smartphone.
Oh yeah, the install times are a joke on the One, even when they are working properly.

Finally, the Media Player, which is the most appealing other option for my own personal use, while it has made strides at finally supporting DLNA, still does not support true DTS sound, and also is hit or miss on what type of .mkv wrappers it can play. So I have stuck to using my PS3 as my media player and will until the One at the very least supports DTS.

 

Since I only care about playing video games, I happen to prefer the simplicity of the PS4's UI.

I also very much prefer playing multiplatform releases on it as especially when developers do not force parity, I know that I am going the superior version of the game from a technical standpoint on the PS4.

I also very much enjoyed DriveClub when I played it despite the issues it has had, as most of them have not affected my experience of the SP campaign at all.

I loved Infamous: Second Son. The Last Of Us Remastered was great. And very much looking forward to playing LBP 3, Bloodborne, and The Order.

All of these exclusives appeal to me more.

 

Again, to reiterate, all multiplatforms I will enjoy on the PS4 as well.

 

So you see, your opinion should not really leave you perplexed as to why one console is outselling another, as it is, after all, your opinion.

 

One mans trash is another mans treasure, and vice versa.

What one person may find useful, another person may find unnecessary.

 

And the truth is both consoles do not have the greatest line up of exclusives this holiday season, so that really does simply come down to preference and what one likes to play.

 

If I was in a position for whatever reason I could only keep one console, I would get rid of the One without even thinking twice about it.

Luckily I am not in that position and I can own both consoles and enjoy the exclusives of each and then get the multiplatforms on the better performing console, which for now as proven to be the PS4.

[spaceelf]

I have a limited opinion of the PS4 as I haven't really been following it at all except to giggle at their online gaming issues and apologies and such.

 

I just think the X1s lineup hasn't been particularly strong until this month.  This is likely to be a major turning point for it, whether it really catches up or not.

[dead.cell]

My next gen saga was kind of a stupid one. I bought the Xbox One shortly after release and enjoyed the TV integration as well as the exclusive games. A friend convinced me that the PS4 was better so I bought one. I found (and still sort of do) that the PS4's game lineup is kind of weak. So I went and bought a One again and now have both. I find myself on the One way more than my PS4. Maybe it's because when I'm watching TV, I can just tell it to play a game or whatever. I also really enjoy Forza Horizon 2 and a few other exclusive games. To me it seems like Microsoft has a more well founded, full featured console than Sony with better games. So, this sort of leaves me perplexed about all the news articles I see about Sony outselling it largely. Does anyone else in this forum feel the same way? Are people turned off by the One because it's not solely a games console? I've played the same game on both consoles and not found either to be better than the other as far as graphics and performance. I also really think the Kinect is an integral part of the true One experience. Telling it "Xbox watch TV", "Xbox play Call of Duty", Xbox go to Internet Explorer", etc. not to mention Kinect enabled games make it a must have to experience the console as it was intended. I enjoy having both but if I had to give one up, the PS4 would be it for sure.

To each their own really.

 

If the Kinect was so important to Microsoft though, they wouldn't have dropped it in attempt to make up sales. Still, they felt giving people options and landing a sale with potential future sales was worth more than trying to push the Kinect on people. Makes sense from a business standpoint too. The only problem I see is that for those who already saved themselves $100 by getting a PS4, would they really go through the trouble of swapping out for an Xbox One? Or adding an additional console that plays most of the same games, with gameplay difference you say you cannot establish, what's the worth in wasting time and money swapping out?  If it's for Halo, you were probably likely to have bought an Xbox One on that merit alone, just like buying a Nintendo for SSB or Zelda.

 

No one's expecting you to like the PS4 more, as your preferences are your own. You're welcome to disagree and buy something else, but not everyone is jacked about Forza and Halo. Not everyone enjoys repeating a phrase to get their Xbox to do what they're asking (basing this on mixed reviews; me not having issues doesn't mean my friends aren't). And television... well, for someone that uses his computer for most things, and my girlfriend who still uses the PS3 for everything media related... I don't see where the perks are. At least,not yet anyway. The consoles are still in their infancy.

 

Personally though, I'd favor the PS4 just for the cross-buys. Terraria for example will be a cross-buy for PS4 and Vita. Binding of Isaac Rebirth I got for free this month, thanks to the PS4/Vita situation, even though is wasn't specifically listed for PS+ members. Pretty awesome getting a game at release for free. :)

 

tl;dr: different folks, different strokes.

[spacer]

It's not really hard to see why the PS4 has been outselling the Xbox One. Sony killed it at the 2013 E3, while at the same time Microsoft was being vague about their plans for the Xbox One, and trying to push some seriously anti-consumer BS. The PS4 has stayed the cheaper console by $100 from launch up until last week. And most multi-platform games perform better on the PS4.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Nice posts guys, thanks for the responses and good points. I will say that watching TV through the One is kind of a pain in the ass. Often when I power it on, I get "lost TV signal" for like 30 seconds to a minute even though the DirecTV box is on. Maybe I'll spend some more time on my PS4 and see if my opinion changes.

[Showan]

Just consider E3 2014 as the real release date for the Xbox One...  That was they're reset button...

 

So let's just says that the PS4 had a 7month head start in which they definitely took advantage of...

 

 

 

Other than that, like @Dead.Cell said above... It's all preference(s) really.

 

I just happen to love video games... So I grabbed a One and PS4.... 

[LightEco]

patseguin, on 10 Nov 2014 - 12:32, said:

Nice posts guys, thanks for the responses and good points. I will say that watching TV through the One is kind of a pain in the ass. Often when I power it on, I get "lost TV signal" for like 30 seconds to a minute even though the DirecTV box is on. Maybe I'll spend some more time on my PS4 and see if my opinion changes.

 

Ya, I experience that as well sometimes. I'm just spoiled now by the ability to use voice commands to switch back and forth between tv, games, youtube, and Netflix (really angry Netflix dumbed down their app). The only time I ever have to even turn on my controller now is to play a game (or use dumb Netflix now).

 

Super useful when I walk to the kitchen to get a drink and can pause/play a movie, or when my hands are full and I just want to silence the TV for a second.

[Vandalsquad]

Microsoft bombed the launch and $100 price difference which killed them and Sony have been riding that ever since without doing sweet f all in my eyes to turn the PS4 into a better machine other then multiplats look better on it.

 

Halo > Killzone

Sunset > Knack

Forza/FH > Driveclub

XBL > PSN

Xbox updates >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sony updates.

 

Titanfall, Ryse, Dead Rising > inFamous. (Not even sure what other AAA games exclusives PS4 has you could throw into this comparison)

 

If Microsoft didn't bungle the start of the race and released at the same time, at the same price. The figures would be very different. It will be very interesting to see over the holiday season what the $50 price drop and Halo does in relation to moving consoles, if it brings out the Xbox on top we will be looking at price cuts worldwide that stay I would figure. 

 

Positives from the failed launch? I believe next gen we will see complete emphasis on Microsofts part in the most powerful console they can make after what they learned this gen. Where does that leave us in the mean time? Cheaper consoles and cheaper games as they slash prices to lesson the gap so you as the consumer win. So don't feel to bad. 

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Nice posts guys, thanks for the responses and good points. I will say that watching TV through the One is kind of a pain in the ass. Often when I power it on, I get "lost TV signal" for like 30 seconds to a minute even though the DirecTV box is on. Maybe I'll spend some more time on my PS4 and see if my opinion changes.

I actually really enjoyed the Watch TV at one point, but I also saw the Lost Signal way too many times. It then started just dropping the connection to my receiver completely (only on Watch TV) and there was clearly something wrong with the HDMI handshake process. Then I also experienced an issue with popping audio (I even posted it somewhere here). Add to these experiences that my wife was not a big fan of controlling the TV with her voice (I even purchased the separate $25 TV remote, she did not use it LOL). However what really sealed the deal was the Kinect just refused to understand my father (I actually know the reasons, but I prefer not to share as they are somewhat personal) and it really frustrated him and he comes to my house at lunch time to check on my dog, so he likes to watch TV if he plans on hanging out with my dog and it really was not fair at all to get him to try and learn something that would frustrate him (my father was a truck driver, never touched a computer in his life).

 

I am pretty convinced though it was the damn preview program as to why I experienced most of those issues. I really wish I never joined it, and I know plenty of people point out that is what a preview program is for, but I was also part of the preview program for the 360 dash, which was actually way more limited and a lot less people involved, and I never had issues with it like I did with the One. Sure, I guess the One is more complex, but to have features break that worked perfectly really just was super annoying.

 

As I said, I really do just use my gaming consoles for gaming 95% of the time, so I do prefer the simplicity of the PS4 as it plays games easily and quickly. The Remote Play feature of the Vita and now the PS TV is awesome, works great on my home network. So yeah, it fits my needs great.

 

I am grateful though that I own both consoles, I get to play whatever exclusives I want, so it is a win win. I truly do like both consoles at the end of the day.

[+virtorio MVC]

I don't find the line-up on either console especially compelling, but I'm liking the exclusives on Xbox One much more so far.

 

Based entirely on the library, Wii U is still my "current gen" console of choice. 

[patseguin Global Moderator]

No sooner do I post than I get home from work and spend an hour figuring out why I had no DirecTV audio from my receiver. I tried everything and finally had to cold boot the One to get audio back. I still like it though for the ability to say pause when I have a handful of stuff to take to the kitchen or decide to play a game while watching TV. I played some FH2 and then played some DriveClub and it was no contest really, FH2 is so much better. I guess that's not a fair way to judge a console though. I guess it comes down to people preferring the PS4 when they want a console to simply run games or preferring a full featured media box like the One.

[trooper11]

Its pretty simple to explain why sales are the way they are. Sony won the war of words called pr early on (which includes the fact that it has a more powerful gpu), sold at a cheaper price, and had a lineup of games that was good enough.

Microsoft has worked to fix the pr, which they largely have, they have gotten the price down, and their lineup of games is good. All of that has only come together in the last couple of months. A turn around like this takes time, but it looks like MS is doing enough to make it happen. If they can keep up the gaming content, I wouldn't be shocked to see unit sales stay very close between the two for a while. Basically, a repeat of last gen.

One thing to keep in mind as well is that outside of the internet, gamers don't have some kind of like or hate for Sony or MS. Most haven't bought an X1 because (this can apply to the ps4 in some cases too):

1. They haven't saved up the money yet.

2. Their favorite game isn't out yet.

3. They are still playing their 360 or ps3 heavily.

Its not because the X1 has media features, or because Kinect exists, or because of what happened pr wise before the X1 launched. Those issues only seem big thanks to the internet echo chamber. What ultimately keeps most console gamers from buying a console is price and games. The extra features are usually icing on the cake or just ignored.

Heck, same goes for the ps4. Most gamers outside the internet are not affected by the issues with the new update or the issues with Drive Club. So while there seems to be a lot of yelling about that, its not going to be a reason most gamers have not bought a ps4.

If the Kinect was so important to Microsoft though, they wouldn't have dropped it in attempt to make up sales. Still, they felt giving people options and landing a sale with potential future sales was worth more than trying to push the Kinect on people. Makes sense from a business standpoint too.

It was important to them, but the vocal feedback forced their hand. Now they talk so little about it since it became taboo. I still think they should have attempted a price drop first, but that's over now.

 

Personally though, I'd favor the PS4 just for the cross-buys. Terraria for example will be a cross-buy for PS4 and Vita. Binding of Isaac Rebirth I got for free this month, thanks to the PS4/Vita situation, even though is wasn't specifically listed for PS+ members. Pretty awesome getting a game at release for free. :)

I really do like the deals Sony secures. That is something I make use of so much that it has drastically changed how I buy games. Its also something I'm happy to see MS copy. I've already got two nice indie games at release for free that were on GwG.

 

 

I am pretty convinced though it was the damn preview program as to why I experienced most of those issues. I really wish I never joined it, and I know plenty of people point out that is what a preview program is for, but I was also part of the preview program for the 360 dash, which was actually way more limited and a lot less people involved, and I never had issues with it like I did with the One. Sure, I guess the One is more complex, but to have features break that worked perfectly really just was super annoying.

Well the point of the preview was for users to test out unstable builds. It was thanks to users like yourself that the rest of us got a stable final release. I completely understand being frustrated when things don't work, so it seems like being in that program just isn't for you.

As I said, I really do just use my gaming consoles for gaming 95% of the time, so I do prefer the simplicity of the PS4 as it plays games easily and quickly. The Remote Play feature of the Vita and now the PS TV is awesome, works great on my home network. So yeah, it fits my needs great.

What exactly about the ps4 makes it easier or quicker to play games? I'm just wondering because I have not felt slowed down getting to my game or starting one on either system. I'm literally 3-4 button presses away on either one.

Remote play and PS TV are very much nice perks though. I don't have a Vita for remote play, but I will have a PS TV very soon.

[FreeJAC1310]

RANT

 

I hate it when people post negative anecdotals when they have opt-ed in to a beta program. If you have a sweet setup in your man cave and you get cranky when updates break stuff, don't join a beta program! Let someone else join who is willing to have broken stuff to help make things better for the rest of everyone. You know for science! ;)

 

/RANT

 

I say let the games decide for you. My preference is for the Xbox One line up. I couldn't imagine being without Halo this gen,  but the PS4 has a much better indie line up, although I also game on PC so I can get those titles on Steam.

 

The X1 is a much different machine than it was a year ago with a year`s worth of amazing updates. Lots of people like the extras that the Kinect offers such as talking to your Xbox and IRBLASTING to your other AV gear, and others do not. At least you can get an X1 now without Kinect and the HDMI port can be used for other devices not necessarily a TV box. I use a Media Center PC (kind of like a TV box) but have also used a Chromecast and a Roku.

 

Don`t get caught up on the feeds and streams (FPS, types of RAM GPU, Shaders blah blah blah) that a lot of other people do. If that was a really important thing nobody would buy the iPhone or iPad because they only have 1GB of RAM where other phones and tablets more often than not have more. Having a properly calibrated TV and a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system is far more important to your gaming experience than FPS RAM or Shaders.