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Xbox’s Magic Number is 50!

Xbox’s Magic Number is 50!

…as in $50 bucks that is.

I’m read a ton of speculation floating around blogs, forums and news outlets lately which question the validity of Microsoft’s new found success. The biggest point of contention is the recent $50 dollar price drop. Many have scoffed at the latest sales bump the console received during the month of November, convinced once the New Year arrives, things will go back to normal (and the ass kickin’ from Sony will promptly resume).

And this isn’t just an opinion bouncing around the fanboy bubble, where the Sony voices are louder within the echo chamber of some comments section. Michael Pachter, who is a professional analyst of our industry, also has written off Microsoft’s current accession. When speaking with Sony’s VP of Publisher Relations Adam Boyes, Pachter sights the lack of a strong games lineup as a key reason why Sony is likely to regain its title come 2015. “I don’t know what Microsoft has planned but I will be willing to bet that it’s not this many. I am surprised because I really thought that manufacturers won’t take the risk of developing for one console and they are taking it. Scott Rohde (who is head of software development for Sony Worldwide in America) has done a phenomenal job, you have done a phenomenal job…you guys got your s**t together.” he touts.

So it seems the popular consensus is that Microsoft should really enjoy their brief time in the hot sun, because it’s apparently not going to last. By all accounts, they’re destined to fail once again.

But wait just a second! Honestly, I’m not so sure I buy into that logic anymore. Now I can’t really argue that Sony isn’t as strong as ever, because it truly is. As Pachter so eloquent states above, they do in fact “have their s**t together.” Their level of services and forward-thinking product roll-out has kept them ahead of the curve on all fronts. But we can’t overlook one huge x-factor here. The general public doesn’t appreciate the minutia of things like a few extra GHz of processing power here or one console offering better online support there. Unless you’re an experienced gamer who’s well versed in those differences, the lines between what makes Xbox and PlayStation all that different easily gets blurred to the average Joe (or Jolene). However, one thing which always provides clarity is a smoking gun such as a lower price tag ($50 lower to be exact). I think people are underestimating just how powerful a tool this can be in the market. What might seem like a small, negligible amount to the initiated becomes quite appealing within other less-informed circles (as the One’s needle-jump has proven over the last 30 days).

Xbox’s Magic Number is 50!

We’ve also witnessed this phenomenon before. While the Wii was revolutionary for its level of accessibility (drawing in the non-gaming crowd in droves for the first time ever), let’s be honest here. Its significantly lower price point is what helped move it to the top of the heap. The Xbox is now riding that same wave of advantage. If Microsoft makes the call not to reinstate the normal retail price of $399.99 come January, it’s very likely we’ll see a continuation of this advantage into the early spring months at least (where the PS4’s laundry-list of positives will seemingly count for nothing).

The bottom line is this. When the time comes for gamers to pull out their wallets at the register, a $50 gap quickly melts away the differences between the two pieces of hardware. When that happens, you’re likely to find more green boxes flying off the shelves vs. blue ones. Like it or not, I’m just layin’ some truth on ya’ folks.

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