Pachter: PS4’s lifetime sales will be higher than Xbox One’s

Video game analyst Michael Pachter has weighed in on the next-gen competition, predicting that the PlayStation 4 will outsell the Xbox One, not just at launch, but in lifetime sales.

Speaking at the London Games Conference, Pachter said he expects the PS4 to sell somewhere between 100 million and 120 million units in its lifecycle, while the Xbox One will sell slightly less between 90 million and 110 million. Pachter gives the edge to the PS4 due to its attractive price; the PS4 is $100 cheaper than the Xbox One. However, he feels the consoles could be "neck and neck" should Microsoft lower the Xbox One's price. He also believes "gamers do not want the Kinect," the primary reason for the Xbox One's higher price tag.

As for the Wii U, Nintendo's version of next-gen, Pachter estimates it will sell just 30 million units in its lifetime. He described the system as "toast," but challenged Nintendo fans "bitching about my opinion on Wii U" to "stop, put your money where your mouth is and buy a Wii U."

While the Xbox One and PS4 are both expected to surpass lifetime sales of the Xbox 360 and PS3, Pachter believes this will be the last console generation. "I don't think the console market will get any bigger," he said. "The console installed base has peaked.

"Consoles may not be relevant in 10 years," he added. "We have expanded the market beyond the hardcore console owner. We now have ten times the audience over the internet, six times the audience over mobile.

"And I think one day you'll get to play any game, anywhere on any device."

The PlayStation 4 is set to release this Friday, November 15 in North America, while the Xbox One will launch a week after on November 22.

[MCV]