PlayStation 5 Will Outsell Xbox Series X And PlayStation 4, Says Analyst

Sony's PlayStation 5 will outsell Microsoft's Xbox Series X this year, according to an analyst. IHS Markit Technology's Piers Harding-Rolls in a recent interview makes this bold claim as he predicts that Sony's next-generation gaming console will outsell its greatest rival, the next-generation Xbox Series X. Additionally, the analyst predicts that the Xbox Series X will beat its predecessor Xbox One in terms of sales at launch. The same goes for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

"I expect PS5 to outsell Xbox Series X in 2020, but for both platforms to sell more consoles at launch than both the PS4 and Xbox One did back in 2013," claimed the analyst. "One new factor for this upcoming generation is the impact of backwards compatibility on brand loyalty and audience transition. I think we'll see less brand switching as a result. I also expect pricing of both PS5 and Xbox Series X to be similar, and I think it's more likely than not they will be higher than the PS4 launch price point of $399."

The IHS Markit Technology analyst also said that "A high price point may prompt Microsoft to follow through with a dual-pronged product strategy and release a less powerful, cheaper version of its next-gen platform during the launch window. I don't expect Sony to follow this product strategy at launch so this approach would give Xbox more go-to-market flexibility although it would also add complexity around marketing and consumer education. Personally, I would wait to bring a cheaper version to market."

Based on his statement, the analyst predicted that Microsoft might release two next-generation gaming consoles. However, he does not agree with Microsoft on this move, and he thinks that it is not a wise thing to do. During the launch, companies must be clear and precise in terms of marketing and messaging to reach the market. Earlier leaks reveal that the specs of PlayStation 5 pale in comparison with Xbox Series X, which is rumored to use 56 custom Navi GPU that will run at a maximum speed of 560 GB per second.

In other words, Xbox Series X will have x12 teraflops of GPU computing power that could raise to 12.2 GB per second. These specs give Xbox Series X a massive edge over the PlayStation 5 if it pans out later. While it may be true that raw power is not the only factor that could make or break a gaming console, the leak is bad news for Sony PlayStation 5.

Content library and pricing also play a crucial role in the success of a gaming console. Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Sony's PlayStation 5 are scheduled to arrive sometime in the holiday of 2020. While the release window is just a few months away, both gaming console makers have not yet revealed the precise release date and price of their next-generation gaming consoles. But, expect to hear more about these gaming consoles between now and the release window.