Xbox One Wins Again
Last month we reported how GameStop execs said they are “excited about the demand” that they have seen for the Xbox One S console. We also reported how the Xbox One outsold the PS4 last month. This according to data from tracking firm The NPD Group. August now marks two months in a row where Microsoft’s gaming system has outsold its Sony competition. This is just more bad news for Sony after their lackluster PlayStation meeting in NYC where the PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim were revealed.
Prior to Xbox’s big summer, the PlayStation 4 had topped the sales chart every month for the prior year except for October, which is when developer 343 Industries launched Halo 5: Guardians.
Microsoft provided the following statement from Xbox marketing boss Mike Nichols:
“Thanks to our fans and their excitement for new Xbox One games and the recently launched Xbox One S — which is the only console available this holiday with built-in UHD 4K Blu-ray, 4K video streaming, and HDR for video and gaming — Xbox One was the best-selling console in the U.S. in August, according to NPD Group. In addition, we continue to see strong engagement on Xbox Live — the fastest, most reliable gaming network — with total global gaming hours on Xbox One consoles increasing 42 percent year-over-year. We’ve also received an incredible response to Xbox Design Lab, which saw millions of visits to the site and hundreds of thousands of designs created by fans. We’re excited to launch Clubs and Looking for Group on Xbox Live broadly this holiday alongside some of our biggest titles for the year, including ReCore, Forza Horizon 3, Gears of War 4 and Dead Rising 4.”
This Microsoft sales triumph comes a day after Sony revealed that it is launching a revised PlayStation 4 and the upgraded PS4 Pro this holiday season. The Pro, which features amped up graphics processing capabilities, will debut November 10 for $400. Sony is positioning it as a solution for 4K gaming.
The Xbox One S is the major contributing factor in Microsoft’s summer surge.
X1 S is the most compact Xbox yet, 40 percent smaller than the original X1, and includes a built-in power supply. Xbox also shifted one of the three USB ports and the pairing button to the front of the Xbox One S alongside the newly added IR blaster for increased accessibility. Beyond the fresh new design, Xbox One S is the first and only console that allows you to watch Blu-ray movies and stream video in stunning 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (HDR).
X1 One S also comes bundled with the new Xbox Wireless Controller featuring textured grip, improved Xbox Wireless signal and added Bluetooth support. The controller can be purchased as a standalone item for $74.99 CAD and will also be available on August 2. All Xbox One games, accessories and Xbox Live services will work with Xbox One S.