PlayStation 4 Predicted To Outsell The Xbox One Over The Holiday Season

Research firm IDC is predicting that this will be a good holiday season for game consoles and console makers around the world. IDC predicts that the number of game console bundles shipped globally for 2013 will be marginally higher than the total shipped in 2012 of 33 million units. If 2013 closes up marginally, it will end a four-year decline that began in 2009.

Perhaps even more important than a turnaround for the game console market overall is IDC's prediction that the Sony PlayStation 4 will outsell the Xbox One this holiday season. IDC says that there are number of factors that will see the PlayStation 4 outsell the Xbox One, but the most notable factor is the lower price point for the PlayStation 4.

IDC also expects revenue from prepaid full game, micro game, and add-on downloads through connected console channels will exceed global PC-based prepaid and add-on revenue this year. Another very important factor is that subscription revenue for connected console devices is growing while subscription-based PC revenues are declining.

IDC number expects that number of online console gamers around the world will exceed 165 million by 2017. With China proposing to lift the restriction on game consoles within the country, things could grow quicker than expected with millions of new gamers available for the console market. IDC isn't alone in predicting that the PlayStation 4 will outsell the Xbox One, a previous survey conducted by Reuters in the US came to the same conclusion.

SOURCE: IDC