I get that Sony is very much in the lead not just this gen, but going into the next in terms of mindshare, brand recognition and overall hype comparative to Microsoft, that said, in this industry things can change very quickly (PS2 to PS3, Wii to Wii U, 360 to One), and complacency can be dangerous.
I wasn't even planning to buy the Xbox Series X a year or so ago (which would have been the first time in history I would not have bought a Microsoft console), but what changed my mind?
Game Pass coupled with the high performance of the console.
Because here's the thing, even if I may have been less than impressed with Microsoft's exclusives this gen (in other words, extremely disappointed), the value proposition of Game Pass is simply undeniable, and makes passing up on the new system extremely difficult.
I have close to 2 years worth of Game Pass Ultimate stacked up, so why wouldn't I buy a Series X? Whatever the system costs me, will be offset by the savings I'll make in not having to buy any of the first partly exclusives, which to me will likely be equivalent to hundreds of dollars in savings. This is a saving I simply won't have with the PS5. And something to consider when weighing up the costs of both next-gen systems.
This value proposition difference is something that Sony ought to be wary of, beyond the typical considerations going in to a new generation.
Now I'm not saying Sony will be doomed if their system comes in at the same cost, or even more expensive than the Series X, just that it could make for a much tougher situation for them than they've enjoyed this gen, especially if Game Pass continues to grow in mindshare, install base and prominence, and it is too cost inefficient for Sony (loss of first party exclusives sales) to match them any time soon.
In any case, I'm predicting I might get some of the arguments and rebuttals below, so I thought I'd answer them first.
I think next-gen there's a good chance Microsoft could change its fortunes on the first party side of things, and it may be foolish of Sony to underestimate them here.
So to clarify, I'm not saying Sony will be doomed if their system comes in at the same cost, or even more expensive than the Xbox Series X, in fact I fully expect them to dominate next gen too (largely off the back of their strong first party efforts and global desirability).
That said, I do think that if the Xbox Series X comes in at the same price or cheaper than the PS5, coupled with the value proposition of Game Pass, this could pose more problematic for Sony next-gen, comparative to the ease at which they've had things this gen (eg they might not enjoy a similar dominance in terms of market share split in the console space), and it's something they ought to be wary of going forward, lest getting too complacent.
I wasn't even planning to buy the Xbox Series X a year or so ago (which would have been the first time in history I would not have bought a Microsoft console), but what changed my mind?
Game Pass coupled with the high performance of the console.
Because here's the thing, even if I may have been less than impressed with Microsoft's exclusives this gen (in other words, extremely disappointed), the value proposition of Game Pass is simply undeniable, and makes passing up on the new system extremely difficult.
I have close to 2 years worth of Game Pass Ultimate stacked up, so why wouldn't I buy a Series X? Whatever the system costs me, will be offset by the savings I'll make in not having to buy any of the first partly exclusives, which to me will likely be equivalent to hundreds of dollars in savings. This is a saving I simply won't have with the PS5. And something to consider when weighing up the costs of both next-gen systems.
This value proposition difference is something that Sony ought to be wary of, beyond the typical considerations going in to a new generation.
Now I'm not saying Sony will be doomed if their system comes in at the same cost, or even more expensive than the Series X, just that it could make for a much tougher situation for them than they've enjoyed this gen, especially if Game Pass continues to grow in mindshare, install base and prominence, and it is too cost inefficient for Sony (loss of first party exclusives sales) to match them any time soon.
In any case, I'm predicting I might get some of the arguments and rebuttals below, so I thought I'd answer them first.
- Xbox's exclusives have been weak this gen, and most consumers will be willing to pay the extra for Sony first party next-gen.
I think next-gen there's a good chance Microsoft could change its fortunes on the first party side of things, and it may be foolish of Sony to underestimate them here.
- Game Pass exists now and isn't making any difference in the console, sales or revenue race vs PlayStation.
- If things start changing away from Sony's favour, Sony can respond by matching Game Pass with Sony's own version of the service.
- Xbox first party next-gen games being cross-gen for the first year or two, diminishes the need for people to jump to the next-gen Xbox right away.
So to clarify, I'm not saying Sony will be doomed if their system comes in at the same cost, or even more expensive than the Xbox Series X, in fact I fully expect them to dominate next gen too (largely off the back of their strong first party efforts and global desirability).
That said, I do think that if the Xbox Series X comes in at the same price or cheaper than the PS5, coupled with the value proposition of Game Pass, this could pose more problematic for Sony next-gen, comparative to the ease at which they've had things this gen (eg they might not enjoy a similar dominance in terms of market share split in the console space), and it's something they ought to be wary of going forward, lest getting too complacent.
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