Sony‘s (NYSE:SNE) PlayStation 4 may be showing impressive figures so far but they pale in comparison with Microsoft‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Xbox One, which is slaying the UK console market like nobody’s business!
Last month, new data from NPD shows that the Xbox One has been outselling Sony PlayStation 4 for two consecutive months and the company’s marketing boss Mike Nichols credited the success of the console for Xbox’s new features including “built-in UHD 4K Blu-ray, 4K video streaming, and HDR for video and gaming.”
Since the launching of Xbox’s Model S gaming console – which is essentially a slimmer version of its older sibling – the console’s sales have shot up to almost 1000% week on week.
According to GfK data, the Xbox One grabbed 71% share of the hardware market for the week ending September 24th, which is an increase of 76% year on year!
It’s been a pretty stressful week for Xbox since the release of PS4 Slim, which saw a 22% week on week increase in sales. But after debuting its own slimmed down console, Xbox Slim’s sales were stronger than PS4 Slim by an impressive 361%.
But Sony, not one to back down, is set to debut another gaming console this November. The PS4 Pro console will come with better specs and a higher price tag. Because it will debut 12 months ahead of Microsoft’s Project Scorpio, Sony is able to woo more gamers to upgrade their gaming consoles, including those who might be holding off for the Scorpio.
But for now, Microsoft is enjoying the lead and execs are pleased that Xbox One has been performing well in the market. In a statement released to MCV UK, marketing executive Harvey Eagle reiterated that the feature-packed Xbox One appealed to consumers:
“It’s great to see how popular both the Xbox One S and the FIFA 17 Xbox One S consoles are with fans, not just over the last week but since the Xbox One S was released in August. 4K video streaming and 4K UHD Blu-ray have been extremely well received and we believe there is no better value right now for those looking to upgrade their console.
It’s a fantastic time for gamers with the range of upcoming titles appealing to all audiences, from Gears of War 4 to Skyrim Special Edition and the release this week of the acclaimed Forza Horizon 3. There’s never been a better time to own an Xbox One.””
While the Xbox One can play 4K video streaming natively, the PlayStation 4 only offers support for 4K. It’s expected that Sony’s November release will feature 4K video streaming but there won’t be a 4K Blu-Ray player. Although there’s no way to tell if Xbox’s 4K video streaming capabilities is a factor to its success in the UK, it’s one feature that could improve user experience, which true blue gamers want.
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