Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft Consumer Report – From Least Concerned to Most in 2018

When the clock ticks past 11:59 PM on New Years Eve and everyone celebrates a new year, its hard not to reflect on the past year, and what’s to come, whether in our personal lives, professional lives, or even our gaming lives. Nintendo easily won 2017, despite Sony having a really good showing, and although Microsoft launched a new console this year, it seems to have already sold the bulk of its units to early adopters, as sales have drastically trickled off. But what does 2018 have in store? Can Nintendo maintain – let alone build on – the successes of 2018? Can Sony build on a very solid 2017? And can Microsoft do anything to bring fans back? Let’s break down the big three and where they will sit in 2018!

No Concern – Sony’s PlayStation 4

The one thing Sony did in 2017 was release tons of games, both first party and third party; fan favorite franchises like Uncharted and Knack both received new titles in 2017, both priced lower than your average title which definitely helped with sales. Sony also introduced an all new franchise and character in Horizon Zero Dawn, and the likeable, yet mysterious, Aloy! I don’t believe Sony took a big risk with this title, but still were able to deliver an outstanding, open world experience! All of this was aided by other great titles like Nier, Nioh, and more!

Sony isn’t quitting as the clock turns to 2018 either, with TONS of games coming to console. At every trades show in 2017, Sony had one goal: announce games! Let’s run down the exclusives to make a point: Shadow is the Colossus,  The Last of Us Part 2, Death Stranding, Days Gone, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Detroit: Become Human, countless Square Enix titles, and so much more!

Don’t worry about Sony in 2018! They are doing just fine!

Slightly Concerned, but still not Really – Nintendo’s Switch / 3DS

Nintendo had a phenomenal 2017, although that wasn’t hard if you choose to compare these companies to their previous years work. 2016 was a disaster for Nintendo, and their success in 2017 hinged completely on their new, hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch. Launching the Switch also added another wrinkle for Nintendo to contend with, one of their own creation: with a new handheld HD system available for Nintendo fans, what happens to the Nintendo 3DS family of systems?

The good news for all Nintendo fans is that both the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Switch thrived in 2017, backed by outstanding games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Game of the Year winner at the Video Game Awards 2017 – Super Mario Odyssey, Mario+Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, and a plethora of great 3DS games that kept the console relevant despite success from the new kid on the block!

Nintendo in 2018 is a bit of a mystery. Yes, we know that a new Yoshi and Kirby game are due in Q1 or Q2, and we’ve seen a lot of great things from third party developers as well, most notably Square Enix. Past early 2018, though, what we can expect on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS is a bit of a mystery. Pokémon is in development for the Switch, as it Pikmin 4, but neither have been shown off yet in any form, and neither have a date. It might be the year of the indies on Nintendo Switch as Nintendo works on their next major rollouts, but based on the fantastic indie titles available already, that likely won’t be an issue for Switch owners.

Nintendo makes me pause for a moment and think, but I firmly believe they’ll be just fine in 2018!

Very Concerned – Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox One X

Launching the Xbox One X in 2017 was the highlight for Microsoft and their home gaming console, but unfortunately, that was about it. Sure, we got some fantastic titles this year, including Forza Motorsport 7, a Hot Wheels expansion for Forza Horizon 3, and a number of great indie titles, but there wasn’t a ton to get excited about on Xbox One. Cuphead was definitely the highlight of the year for me, outside of the Xbox One X launch, and rightfully so, the studio won 2 awards at the Video Game Awards 2017. But, that was about it.

If Microsoft can learn from anyone, however, it would be Nintendo. Like we said previously, Nintendo tanked in 2016, and had no where else to go but up in 2017. Of all the great titles we received in 2017, only Breath of the Wild was a 100% guarantee, with the rest being rumored. Microsoft can bounce back in 2018, as long as they have a few surprised under the table. We know about Sea of Thieves, a title I’m fairly excited about, Crackdown 3, and Ori 2. But we need more, and hopefully Microsoft delivers!

What do you think, who’s got the best chance at success in 2018?