PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will soon be locked in a fight to dominate the news cycle as their respective "holiday 2020" release dates approach. With both consoles competing for gamer's affections, it's hard to say which will get the lead on the other.
However, several industry analysts have been consulted about the state of gaming in 2020. Among predictions about everything from cloud gaming to new releases, one analyst believes he knows which new release will win the console war's first battle.
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Gamesindustry.biz spoke to analysts including Piers Harding-Rolls of IHS Markit Technology, a leading source of technology analytics. Last year Harding-Rolls made 11 predictions for gaming in 2019, 10 of which were proven right.
Harding-Rolls believes that PS5 will outsell Xbox Series X, at least at first. He claims "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.
"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."
A price point higher than the PS4 and Xbox One launch costs are expected, but Harding-Rolls expects a similar price for both consoles, with no drastic differences. Other analysts, such as Dr Serkan Toto of Kantan Games, believes both consoles will cost around $499 in the US. That lines up with rumours we've previously heard, dispelling the myths of sky-high launch prices.
However, both consoles are set to be eclipsed once again by the Nintendo Switch, which will be the best-selling console of 2020 according to multiple analysts (including Harding-Rolls). Opinion is divided on the debut of a Switch Pro, given the improved flagship and the Switch Lite which only launched in 2019.
Will these predictions be right? We'll know more for sure once both consoles are out in the wild, and the buying frenzy begins. Which are you likely to snap up?
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