Alex Yarde contemplates trading up to XBox One on the eve of Bungies’s Destiny release.
Microsoft announced that September 7-Sept. 13, conveniently coinciding with the launch of Bungie’s new First Person Shooter Destiny, that any retailer will be providing a free game with an Xbox One purchase. There are no stipulations on the title you choose, the announcement clearly states that ANY game is free with purchase. Time to make your own bundle!
There is simple a reason why. VGChartz estimates PS4 rests at a very comfortable 8.4 million units sold. Wii U is at 6.6 million for its install base, while Xbox One is in third-place at 4.8 million. Why is Xbox One struggling? After solidly leading the pack with the XBox 360 Microsoft squandered its momentum by first attempting to make game discs unshareable between different consoles; no trading, sharing, reselling or borrowing. Then they required internet connectivity to play. (Both these requirements were quickly rescinded prior to launch.) Then a $100 price drop after making the much ballyhooed Kinect an optional add on instead of packaged with the console. Not to mention for me personally, there’s plenty of life in my old 360 and Microsoft is notoriously not supportive of backward capability (PS4 offers nearly its entire catalogue of older games on their slick Playstation Network.)
Xbox One needs to do serious catch up to hit the magic 10 million units a new console needs as a safety zone to draw moderate exclusive first, second and third-party software. They are banking on Bungie’s Destiny to move consoles and pull sales up for the XBox One much like the original HALO did for the 360. The PlayStation 4 continues to dominate Both Wii U and XBox One. Wii U,– according to Nintendo Everything – and buoyed by the remarkable Mario Kart 8, managed to move 140,000 units in the month of June. That’s up 233% over what it did during last year during the same period, where the console was barely moving that amount over the course of three months. Good news for Mario fans!
The Playstation 4 console is a juggernaut and remains the number one selling console in the U.S., for the sixth consecutive month in a row and the lead sales platform for Watch Dogs, FIFA 14 and EA Sports UFC. The new games keep dropping like EA’s Madden 15 and the company continues to offer great deals and services at affordable prices. But keep your eyes on Microsoft. I guarantee you will hear new announcements galore. I can’t wait to see what other deals & price drops happen! If Xbox One offers some backward capability or offer their older catalogue of titles on XBox LIve and Destiny is the HALO killer that Bungie promised I might bite the bullet and trade up myself.
Do you own multiple next gen consoles? What’s your take? As always, sound off below!
all art~Microsoft