Do you think the 600sq ft Samsung display at BestBuy is there because iPhones just don't sell? Admittedly, I have no clue if you can buy online 'shelf space'. I'd suspect they would take the money.
Microsoft is the best video game company on the planet. It used to be Sega. And I used to think that Nintendo would take over for Sega, but I was proven wrong. And after some initial troubles with the Windoze part of Microsoft (I'm looking at you, Gates!), the gaming division is now back to full power with the Xbone. https://youtu.be/rUODlNffWmU
What are you going to do when they abandon the Xbox division because it's never been successful and the Xbone isn't selling?
Xbox was about Microsoft diversifying from a Windows revenue dependency.... 15 years later they have done it successfully with profitable Surface and Cloud divisions. They don't need to carry dead weight divisions anymore... I don't see them shutter this gen, but 1-2 more attempts tops. But with how quick the 'leader' changes, winning 1 in 5 generations may not be worth their investment.
The only thing that's got me worried is the Nintendo NX. Why? Because the world wide sales of the PS4 is being driven by "resolution-gate" and not by the games. The Nintendo NX's graphics will stomp the PS4's performance into the dirt. That will kill the PS4's sales... period! And without that income, they could go bankrupt before they get the PS5 out. As for Microsoft? The next Xbox is probably already in testing. So, this generation is going to be really short and Sony may not make it to the next party. And if they do, they'll be really late.
I don't think Nintendo have it in them to make a class leading console. NX will probably be to PS4 was N64 was to PSX - better in many ways but held back by stupid Nintendo stubbornness. Or it will be 16 shrunken gamecubes duct-taped together.
Gluing 16 Gamecubes together will definitely get them out of their slump and put them back in The Top Locaction™.
I think the Wii was early in catching what is now the 'casual gamer' demographic. Those people have all moved to cell phone gaming, where software is <$5 and the hardware is already in hand. I doubt that group is coming back to $200-300 consoles, which could explain Wii-U failing so hard. I agree with Fusion. Nintendo is too conservative to come out swinging, BUT it might be a smart move... they will cater to their small but loyal demo and get by. Meanwhile, Sony & Microsoft spend billions on hardware subsidies, marketing, and price wars. It's a race to the bottom where winning means you're profitable for a few years and losing leaves you billions in the hole. Then the cycle resets for next-gen. Seems like a shitty business model, really.
Locaction may be overrated. http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/29/9813932/who-won-black-friday-playstation-xbox-nintendo-wii
Rumour is that Sony have done what Microsoft did some time ago and given a 7th CPU core to developers for games by taking it away from OS reservation. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-unlocks-ps4s-seventh-cpu-core-data-suggests/1100-6432652/ Should help performance once games are coded to use it.
The Xbone won the sales war in the stores. While the PS4 won on Amazon. And overall, Amazon barely tipped it in the PS4's favor. I guess Microsoft should have bought a top spot on Amazon too. http://blog.infoscout.co/games-trump-console-sales-this-black-friday/
We thought that we will get something like this and we get an old VCR shape console that can't play vertical position. I buy the xbox on Christmas 2014 with two downloadable games and also buy call of duty and recently Halo 5 right now i have 50% of my Hdd"! my god! half of the space consume by four games.Microsoft is thinking in his pocket and not the gamers I think that's why a lot of xbox loyals are moving to other consoles,they are angry.
The main problem is the Xbox is underpowered and overpriced. Also, many of its exclusives are tired and old. The one thing MS got right is getting the prime locactions in some shops so it will still win worldwide.