We’re on the cusp of a new generation of consoles and, for players, it’s always an exciting time. Whether it’s about the graphics, the games, new services, or what have you, right now we’re in that period where the imagination is going wild, as we’re very ready for our new toys to play with. And one analyst sees it as a sign that their launch is going to be big.
In the latest issues of MCVUK magazine (March 2020, issue 955), Head of Games Research at IHS Markit Piers Harding-Rolls talked about his high expectations for the consoles. He said despite the fact there’s still a lot unknown about them, especially in Sony’s case, he thinks that as long as there’s no major supply shortages and they stay in an acceptable price range it can beat the launch of this current generation. He thinks the increased install base of the PS4 will help the adoption rate for Sony’s system and Microsoft has learned a lot from their mistakes of Xbox One’s botched launch.
“Although there is quite a lot we don’t know about the launch of next-generation consoles, my expectation is that both PS5 and Xbox Series X will launch strongly if there are no supply constraints and pricing is within an acceptable range, that being $499 or below.
By strongly I mean that both the PS5 and Xbox Series X will beat the launch figures of PS4 and Xbox One. I hold this view because the PS4 has a significantly bigger active userbase compared to the PS3 back in 2013, which should put Sony in a stronger starting position at launch. I also expect Microsoft to have a much more effective launch this gen compared to Xbox One and to be better positioned to drive early adoption.”
It’s a pretty bold predication, but considering the successes we’ve seen this generation, it’s probably not too out there. In the end, a lot of it will probably ride on the price. Both systems are slated to come out this Holiday season.
