gaming Xbox One Once Again Falls Short of the PS4

[Guest]

So with the recent release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, we all know this was one of the most anticipated games of this year. Naturally even if you aren't a fan you can't deny the significance of this game or the high level of graphic fidelity it is able to achieve. With last gen versions hardly able to run the game at 30FPS, it's easy to see why it's causing commotion in the gaming world.

 

Recent sales for the UK have come up and it turns out that the PS4 version of MGSV: TPP tops the charts with over 72% of the market share versus the 22% that the Xbox One holds. It's worth noting that the remaining 5% is split between the PS3 and Xbox 360 and that the PS4 is far more popular in the UK. No specific numbers for the US yet (as the VGChartz haven't been updated yet) but I suspect we're going to be seeing close to much of the same in that the PS4 version of the multi-plat will be doing far better in sales.

 

The Xbox One version of the game was criticized for only running at 900p while the PS4 is a full 1080p. While I am not someone who cares too much about the resolution (though a little) I can see how when people are given the option of multi-plats that they choose the PS4 because of the better appearance.

 

What do you guys think? How can Microsoft turn this around? Do those number matter?

[Commissar Alexer 764]

>incoming PC-Master Race Post

[Guest]

>incoming PC-Master Race Post

The PC version actually did not sell as well as the console versions. This is to be expected due to the fact that the PC makes up a smaller playerbase, and the game series was made famous on consoles. A lot of people tend to stick to the platform of origin with game franchises.

[Bright Honor 2,772]

Not surprised. PlayStation is MGS' home.

[Megas 28,129]

Using MGSV's sales doesn't really say much since MGS games have always sold very well on Sony Platforms, even the multiplatform releases. And it helps that the MGS series used to be mostly Playstation exclusives. We should wait until major multiplatform games like CoD, Ass.Creed, and sports games come out to make out some judgement like this(those have sold better on Xbox consoles for a while, but the strong PS4 sales might change this)

 

 

As for performance, I don't care about the 900p vs 1080p stuff, but I don't think there's much MS can do to change that now that I think they've done all they can, unless they release the next DirectX that's compatible with the Xbone

Edited September 8, 2015 by Gattai

[Guest]

 

 

Using MGSV's sales doesn't really say much since MGS games have always sold very well on Sony Platforms, even the multiplatform releases. And it helps that the MGS series used to be mostly Playstation exclusives. We should wait until major multiplatform games like CoD, Ass.Creed, and sports games come out to make out some judgement like this(those have sold better on Xbox consoles for a while, but the strong PS4 sales might change this)

 

 

Oh we've had plenty, and it appears as though the PS4 versions always did better.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,202]

The thing is, Metal Gear Solid has always been known as a Playstation centric brand at this point. Metal Gear Solid 1 was on the original Playstation and gained critical fame, which Twin Snakes released later for the Gamecube but many prefer the original. Since then it has mostly been Playstation centric. Metal Gear Solid 4, as an example, was only on the PS3. So these numbers do not surprise me. A slight resolution drop is not the reason I am sure. I have the game for Xbox One and it is amazing, and the resolution has not crossed my mind. 

 

Some people are a bit too obsessed with resolutions if that was their deciding factor. I personally don't think these numbers matter at all. As you said, the PS4 is more popular in the UK anyways. 

[Guest]

 

 

The thing is, Metal Gear Solid has always been known as a Playstation centric brand at this point.

 

 

I agree that this assisted in sales, however that doesn't always create ensured sales. The entire Metal Gear Solid (shy of 4) series at this point could be bought on the Xbox 360 for several years now and did quite well on that system. Certainly well enough to warrant the latest installment to get more the 22% of the sales.

 

 

 

Some people are a bit too obsessed with resolutions if that was their deciding factor.

 

While I personally don't find resolution to be a huge deal, when it comes to those multi-plats it can end up being the deciding factor for people who were on the fence about buying a new console. Some people only play those multi-plats and don't really care about exclusives, so they are going to move to the console which will deliver the better version, even if "better" is only in one category. We have been raised in a culture that tries its damn best to convince us that graphics matter.

 

While you and I don't buy too much into it, many sadly do. We're in a society that tries to break our sense of games into numbers and it's been like this since the beginning of gaming really. I often hear a lot of fellow old school gamers go on about how they wished "people would stop caring so much about graphics like we did back in the day", but that's just remembering things with rose colored glasses. Even in the days of the SNES, graphics were constantly talked about.

 

16-bit, blast processing, hell, even the Atari Jaguar's commercial was "Do the math". Resolution being talked about so much today is the same crap we had bad then.

 

At the end of the day we all know that inferior hardware doesn't make a worse game, hell look at the stats of the console generations if you need proof of that:

 

• Fourth Gen - Super Nintendo was the best seller, despite the Genesis with its 32X ad-on and the TurboGrafx-16 with its pretty all around great hardware.
• Fifth Gen - N64 was more capable than the PS1 (shy of its one flaw that held it back significantly) and yet the PS1 outsold it.
• Sixth Gen - Gamecube and the original Xbox were both insanely stronger than the PS2, but the PS2 outsold them.
• Seventh Gen - PS3 and Xbox 360 were almost twice as powerful as the Wii, yet the Wii outsold both.

We've never had a time where the most powerful hardware won the console war. It's always about optimizing that hardware. That's why the Wii U is doing so poorly, Nintendo failed to optimize their hardware for their devs.

 

I think the whole resolution thing will only help the PS4 in the short term.

 

 

 

I personally don't think these numbers matter at all. As you said, the PS4 is more popular in the UK anyways.

 

This is where we'd disagree. These numbers do matter. Numbers create trends and the Xbox has been following a trend. The problem is not that the Xbox version didn't sell as well because less people own an Xbox One in the UK, the problem is WHY people in the UK do not own Xbox Ones. Right now the Xbox One is not even selling enough in Japan to hardly justify making them. In the 3 biggest sell regions, Xbox is not doing well in 2 of them and they are only doing mediocre in the last. They're struggling to keep a hold on the Wii U, and meanwhile the PS4 is doing so well that if this trend continues, the PS4 may become the best selling console of all time, meaning for the third time, Sony will break the world record for console sales, something Microsoft has still yet to ever achieve.

 

Numbers tell a story, and right now the story that they're telling for Microsoft is not a good one.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,202]

 

 

I agree that this assisted in sales, however that doesn't always create ensured sales. The entire Metal Gear Solid (shy of 4) series at this point could be bought on the Xbox 360 for several years now and did quite well on that system. Certainly well enough to warrant the latest installment to get more the 22% of the sales.

 

 

 

 

While I personally don't find resolution to be a huge deal, when it comes to those multi-plats it can end up being the deciding factor for people who were on the fence about buying a new console. Some people only play those multi-plats and don't really care about exclusives, so they are going to move to the console which will deliver the better version, even if "better" is only in one category. We have been raised in a culture that tries its damn best to convince us that graphics matter.

 

While you and I don't buy too much into it, many sadly do. We're in a society that tries to break our sense of games into numbers and it's been like this since the beginning of gaming really. I often hear a lot of fellow old school gamers go on about how they wished "people would stop caring so much about graphics like we did back in the day", but that's just remembering things with rose colored glasses. Even in the days of the SNES, graphics were constantly talked about.

 

16-bit, blast processing, hell, even the Atari Jaguar's commercial was "Do the math". Resolution being talked about so much today is the same crap we had bad then.

 

At the end of the day we all know that inferior hardware doesn't make a worse game, hell look at the stats of the console generations if you need proof of that:

 

• Fourth Gen - Super Nintendo was the best seller, despite the Genesis with its 32X ad-on and the TurboGrafx-16 with its pretty all around great hardware.
• Fifth Gen - N64 was more capable than the PS1 (shy of its one flaw that held it back significantly) and yet the PS1 outsold it.
• Sixth Gen - Gamecube and the original Xbox were both insanely stronger than the PS2, but the PS2 outsold them.
• Seventh Gen - PS3 and Xbox 360 were almost twice as powerful as the Wii, yet the Wii outsold both.

We've never had a time where the most powerful hardware won the console war. It's always about optimizing that hardware. That's why the Wii U is doing so poorly, Nintendo failed to optimize their hardware for their devs.

 

I think the whole resolution thing will only help the PS4 in the short term.

 

 

 

 

This is where we'd disagree. These numbers do matter. Numbers create trends and the Xbox has been following a trend. The problem is not that the Xbox version didn't sell as well because less people own an Xbox One in the UK, the problem is WHY people in the UK do not own Xbox Ones. Right now the Xbox One is not even selling enough in Japan to hardly justify making them. In the 3 biggest sell regions, Xbox is not doing well in 2 of them and they are only doing mediocre in the last. They're struggling to keep a hold on the Wii U, and meanwhile the PS4 is doing so well that if this trend continues, the PS4 may become the best selling console of all time, meaning for the third time, Sony will break the world record for console sales, something Microsoft has still yet to ever achieve.

 

Numbers tell a story, and right now the story that they're telling for Microsoft is not a good one.

 

Little confused here. You asked us if the numbers matter then you go on to tell me how I am wrong. I don't get it.

 

The Xbox One overall is still performing better than what the Xbox 360 did in this stage and this is with it's competition performing better, so the numbers just do not matter to me. It is selling well enough and I really enjoy the console. That is all I need.

[Guest]

 

 

Little confused here. You asked us if the numbers matter then you go on to tell me how I am wrong. I don't get it.

 

I am proposing my opinion on the matter in counter to an opinion to create a discussion flow. Discussion would be rather boring if there was only "you say your bit, I say my bit, the two bits never interact further". 

 

 

 

The Xbox One overall is still performing better than what the Xbox 360 did in this stage

 

 

That actually is an excellent point, and one that I can not even explain. In the end the 360 ended up selling really well, so this could be the same trend, but it is strange that this is happening.

 

 

 

so the numbers just do not matter to me. It is selling well enough and I really enjoy the console. That is all I need.

 

 

The only reason I would say that an end user should even be remotely concerned is if the numbers dip far too low. Right now Microsoft is not in the danger zone or anything, but if they start getting closer I would worry as an end user only based on the fact that poor sales means less games being made, etc. Right now though, so long as their American market does not disappear they may be able to survive this gen.

[Mouse 302]

Tbh comparing the Wii or Wii U to the other consoles doesn't make much sense in general. The Wii doesn't care about graphics and it isn't directly competing with the other consoles, it cares about Mario and playing with family and all that jazz. It's really it's own category.

 

That said, it's no surprise that the PS4 version runs better because the Xbone has significantly less power (though both are pretty anemic when it comes to this point).

[Guest]

Tbh comparing the Wii or Wii U to the other consoles doesn't make much sense in general. The Wii doesn't care about graphics and it isn't directly competing with the other consoles, it cares about Mario and playing with family and all that jazz. It's really it's own category.

 

That said, it's no surprise that the PS4 version runs better because the Xbone has significantly less power (though both are pretty anemic when it comes to this point).

I wouldn't say that. Not being in competition with the others seems to be a failing business strategy in this case. That plan isn't going to work for them a second time.