Sony Claim 80% Polled Prefer PlayStation 4 over Xbox One

It’s almost a no brainer that Sony’s PlayStation 4 is the more popular choice with consumers planning to buy a next-generation gaming console any time soon, first of all due to the attractive price tag, the specs and an overall more cohesive promotion campaign.

But how popular will the PS4 be in terms of actual sales? This question is yet difficult to answer, but Sony definitely has great expectations of the new platform. The company said recent polls show a significant majority of customers prefer PlayStation 4.

Sony officials say the PlayStation 4 is preferred by 80% of consumers.

CFO Masaru Kato did not offer any details about the polls he was referencing and no other comments were made by Sony on the topic. Kato made the announcement during the company’s latest earnings call.

The CFO said some polls indicate that 80% of customers actually prefer PlayStation 4 over Microsoft’s Xbox One or Nintendo’s Wii U. He added that the data was very encouraging for Sony, which is doing everything it can to make sure it can meet the demand when the console launches.

The main competition for PS4 will come from traditional rival Microsoft’s Xbox One. Both consoles are scheduled to be released this holiday season, the first time they will have a near simultaneous launch. The PS4 will retail for $400 and the Xbox One for $500.

Kato’s comments are not the first to hint that PlayStation 4 will outsell Xbox One at least in the immediate months after launch. Various consumer surveys, including a Strategy Analytics report, indicate that Sony’s next generation console will have a 50% lead in sales over Microsoft’s product.

PS4 release date October 21?

So far, Sony has not given a clear release date for the new console, but the company is believed to plan a launch close to the Xbox One’s in November. However, recent rumors suggest the PS4 may be heading for an early release.

An unidentified retail employee posting on NeoGAF said his store’s internal product release schedule lists an “unnamed” Sony console with an October 21 launch date. He underlined that all other products in the list were named in full. The poster also said that if the date hadn’t been confirmed by manufacturers, it would have been listed as TBA.

What do you think of recent rumors? Could Sony really launch its console this soon and will an early release date help PlayStation 4 secure even higher sales?

[Image via mobilemag]