Xbox One
The Xbox One has started to regain some attention in recent months. After a long period of speculation, Microsoft finally unveiled the Xbox One X (formerly known as Project Scorpio) during E3 2017 and has since been working on spreading the word of the upcoming hardware. Unfortunately, the mid-generation console is facing a serious hurdle that may potentially cause issues for the company. While there is currently a desire for the Xbox One X, you can’t actually pre-order one. With July over, and well over a month passing since the reveal of the console, you can’t buy an Xbox One X yet and that’s an issue.
Yet, even with the lack of pre-orders, the Xbox One as a whole could’ve still had a solid July as long as there were some great games to play. Unfortunately, with July being the core of the yearly summer drought, many gamers were left rifling through their back logs in the hopes of finding something to carry them through the sweltering weeks. The offerings were paltry at best, though.
Still, thanks to a growing backwards compatibility library, there are some classics to dive into if you’re into that sort of thing. But the lack of any meaningful releases and the continued wait to pre-order the Xbox One X (which would tide fans over and keep them future focused) made for a rough July for the green team.
PS4
Sony’s console fared a bit better than Microsoft’s in July, mostly due to a longer list of releases. There were a few exclusives thrown into the mix such as Accel World vs. Sword Art Online and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, that helped to keep players on the PS4. There were also some worthwhile multi-platform games like Aven Colony, Pyre (which is also on PC), and the start of Minecraft Story Mode’s second season. With no shortage of releases, owners of the PS4 had some options during the normally dead month.
There wasn’t much else happening with the platform, though. The PS4 maintained its momentum, keeping players invested, which is always a good thing, but there was nothing to really wow the masses. The games were good, but no game of the year contenders, and the hardware side of things is just cruising right now. It would’ve been great to see a bigger VR push during the slower month. Without much competition, July would have been the perfect time to give the PSVR headset some much needed attention, but alas that opportunity has come and gone.
Switch
The Switch didn’t have a whole lot of releases in July 2017, but out of the small group of titles, there was one that was a standout for the month: Splatoon 2. Nintendo’s squid-kid third-person shooter is just as fun as its predecessor while adding even more reasons to pick up the game and refuse to put it down. Deeper customization thanks to its gear system, more modes, and a larger armory of ink-splattering weaponry makes for one of the freshest multiplayer experiences of the year.
July also provided some big news from Nintendo regarding the Switch’s sales. The console has sold 4.7 million units as of June 30. That’s nearly five million consoles sold in just four months, putting it on pace to possibly outdo the Xbox One’s first year of sales (10 million). This puts Nintendo into a very good position going forward. With a strong list of upcoming exclusives, the Switch is looking like a much better contender than its predecessor, the Wii U.
Who Wins?
During a slow month, the Switch has managed to shine. Since March the console has managed to go toe to toe with the giants that are the PS4 and the Xbox One. Now, during a month that was really anybody’s to steal, the Switch boasted impressive numbers while also getting a really fun game that will be remembered as the year continues.
What’s great about this, for Nintendo at least, is it gives them a lot of attention as we start moving into an all important season. August marks the end of the dreaded summer drought and even brings along some big games for gamers to sink their teeth into. The Switch is proving to be popular (nearly five million sales in four months is no small task), and it has received at least one really good game each and every month, with another big one lined up for August (Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle). This type of momentum can make waves come fall and the holiday season. Those are periods where major developers like to release their heavy hitters, and whoever is sitting in the up at the top tends to benefit.
We don’t know what August may hold for these consoles, but right now the Switch is sitting pretty. Hopefully Microsoft comes out swinging for the fences in the coming weeks to start garnering attention while the PS4 will more than likely continue to coast along.
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