If there were console wars, the Xbox One would be losing out to Sony's PlayStation 4 — but that's not a bad thing
First off, let's get one thing straight: The "console wars" don't exist. The idea that Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox are engaged in some kind of dogged winner-take-all battle is both outdated and toxic. It lets fans indulge in the idea that they're noble partisans, which in turn gives them an excuse to say offensive things about their so-called opponents. The videogame market is a big one and has more than enough space for multiple game devices from multiple manufacturers.
If past is prologue, it would seem being in second place has a paradoxical effect on consoles: without the scrutiny of the largest audience possible, there's less pressure from fan bases to stay the course, which offers an opportunity to try new things. At the same time, the perceived failure of the product requires experimentation in order to find ways to capture a lost audience.
See https://www.wired.com/story/xbox-console-wars/?mbid=synd_digg
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Xbox Is Losing the Console War—but That’s a Good Thing Not being on top makes it a lot easier for Microsoft to take risks with its hardware. |