The Xbox 360 has been steadily outselling the PS3 in North America for the entirety of 2011, thanks to a boost in sales from the hands-free motion controller Kinect, as well as a strong marketing campaign. However, industry analyst Michael Pachter predicts that if Microsoft doesn’t drop the price of the 360, that the tide may turn in Sony’s favor this holiday season, due to the recent PlayStation 3 price reduction.
Speaking in regards to how the price may affect sales, Pachter told Industry Gamers:
If Microsoft does nothing, I think PS3 will outsell Xbox 360.
He added:
My friends at Microsoft are extremely proud, and they absolutely refuse to tolerate the possibility that the PS3 will outsell the Xbox 360. I think they have the ads printed for the Xbox 360 price cut, and will drop them on us the instant they see PS3 sales greater than 360 sales.
The PS3 has a lot of great technology under the hood, and is a steal at just $249, not to mention that Sony has the largest stable of first party developers in the industry creating fantastic exclusive content. Price point is a very important determining factor for any major purchase, so Sony is probably eagerly waiting for the NPD numbers to be released next month.
