Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have been out for quite some time, six years to be exact. In that time, both have produced some amazing games and console variations. Then the Nintendo Switch came out in 2017, taking portable gaming to a whole new level. However, it didn’t feature next-gen graphics. Still, it’s a great console with some amazing titles.
Gamers have been waiting in anticipation for the next generation of consoles. Release dates from both Sony and Microsoft have yet to come out, but many feel like they’re coming here pretty soon. GameStop — the video game and electronics retailer — certainly seems to think so.
The reason for this is because current consoles, including the PS4 and Xbox One, are starting to see significant drops in sales. It appears gamers are holding off on purchasing these systems in order to get the next wave of consoles.
CFO of GameStop had this to say regarding the matter at a recent earnings call, ”With respect to new hardware, as we get closer to the end of the current console cycle for Xbox and PlayStation, we expect demand to decline as some customers choose to wait on the sidelines in anticipation of acquiring the next generation of innovative consoles.”
We’ve seen similar purchase habits from gamers when the PS3 and Xbox 360 reached the end of their sales cycles. It happens with all consoles at some point. When can we expect an official announcement from Sony and Microsoft, though?
It’s being reported that Microsoft will probably unveil a couple of new consoles at E3 in June. This makes sense given how big this platform is. If they can beat Sony to the punch, they could gain a lot of hype and get gamers on the Xbox bandwagon.
As far as Sony is concerned, they’re not interested in attending E3 this year. They thus have a more flexible schedule as far as their console announcements. They could certainly jump in front and announce what they’ve been working on these past few years ahead of Microsoft. It would be a good tactic from a competitive standpoint.
Either way, we probably will have hard facts about these next-gen consoles sometime in 2019. It’s exciting to think about all of the possibilities. What will the graphics look like and what features will these new consoles have? It’s truly an amazing time to be a gamer. Let’s just hope both companies live up to the hype.
