Ever since Microsoft released the first Xbox console, it’s been locked in a race with Sony for domination of the console space.
The Redmond company came close with the Xbox 360, a console which proved to be immensely popular thanks to a great catalog of games, design and other features, and which almost outsold Sony’s legendary PS3.
Microsoft tripped up with the Xbox One though – the console had a poor launch and never quite recovered in the previous generation, with Sony’s PS4 vastly outselling Microsoft’s machine.
Of course, there’s also Nintendo, although clearly its consoles are aimed at a different audience than Xbox and PlayStation…
Things seem different now, though, with the current-gen Xbox Series X/S consoles actually gaining ground on their rivals.
Microsoft chief Satya Nadella said so during a results call for the third quarter, as was recently reported on Eurogamer.
“With our Xbox Series X and S consoles, we have taken share globally for two quarters in a row and we are the market leader this quarter among the next-gen consoles in the United States, Canada, UK, and Western Europe”, said Microsoft’s head honcho.
So, does this mean that Xbox is replacing PlayStation in the hearts of gamers, and that Xbox Series X/S will be the dominant console this generation at the PlayStation 5’s expense?
Not necessarily, as numbers from market research company NPD have suggested that lack of availability of the PS5 vs a more plentiful supply of Xbox Series X/S might be one of the key factors behind Microsoft gaining ground in the last months.
Plus, Sony still holds the upper hand, as unofficial sales data on vgchartz.com shows the number of PS5 consoles sold is almost 19 million, while Microsoft is behind with slightly more than 14 million Xbox Series X/S consoles sold.
But still, it seems things will be radically different this generation with the gap between both console platforms not being as big as last-gen, when PS4 outsold Xbox One at least 2 to 1…
Also, Microsoft seems to be on a winning streak right now, with a Niko Partners analyst revealing that this was the “best non-holiday quarter for Xbox” in a tweet.
Said analyst also points out in his tweet that supply of Microsoft’s consoles was “up from last year”, something which may be giving Microsoft an edge right now as stated earlier.
Some notes:
Total revenue: $3.74 billion (+6% YoY)
Content & Services = 81% of revenue
Hardware = 19% of revenue– Best non-holiday quarter for Xbox
– Xbox Series X|S supply up from last year
– Content and Services crossed $3bn for the first time in a Q1 period. https://t.co/79y4NydXwM pic.twitter.com/GGHLapp9C1— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 26, 2022
It remains to be seen whether Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S will be catching up with PlayStation 5 anytime soon, but that may well be the case if the current trend continues. The Xbox Series X/S remain easier to get at retailers like Amazon for the time being, even if Sony’s supply woes cannot last forever, and PS5 remains the most desirable console truth to be told.
Nonetheless, Microsoft’s boss Satya Nadella also bragged about the fact that “billions of hours have been played by subscribers” on Xbox Games Pass in the last 12 months, showing how the service is becoming increasingly popular.
So while Sony might still be the (temporary) leader this gen, it’ll have to keep a close eye on Microsoft and its Xbox Series line of consoles, or else risk not having the best-selling console when this console generation is over.
Xbox Series X (Microsoft Corporation)