While Microsoft sat comfortably on its throne during the Xbox 360 generation, Sony's PlayStation 4 swiftly claimed it for the current generation and ran with it all the way through. From stellar games to somewhat superior technology from the get-go, Sony has outdone Microsoft in nearly every regard and still appeals to the hardcore gamer over Nintendo products. However, given recent events regarding Sony and the Xbox Series X's promise, Sony could easily be dethroned in the next generation.

Ahead of the holiday competition, Sony has been crippled by some recent Playstation-related events. From the relatively minor slowing of PS4 downloads at the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown, to the controversy surrounding developer Naughty Dog and The Last of Us Part II, Sony hasn't been painted in the best light under these conditions.

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Plus, while the PS5 is certainly of intrigue to existing PlayStation fans and prospective next-gen gamers, there was a disappointment regarding its supply count. There may be "far fewer" PS5 consoles in circulation to start with, which could turn away potential buyers who may find little hope in even attempting to search for one.

Comparatively, Microsoft and the Xbox Series X have seen more positivity lately. For instance, there was the recent report that Xbox One games may load up to four times faster on the Xbox Series X than on Xbox One. Further, Microsoft's continual confidence is promising for the Xbox fans out there.

However, while Sony is already being slightly outdone by Microsoft ahead of the next generation, one thing will set Microsoft far ahead in advance of the consoles' release: the games. The Xbox Series X has yet to have many games announced for it; something which has been rectified by Xbox head Phil Spencer who promised a reveal shortly. So far, the launch release of Halo Infinite has been predicted, though outside of that much is yet to be confirmed. The concrete announcements for the Xbox Series X's games, both at launch and onward, will officially give Microsoft the power to dethrone Sony.

Microsoft is just barely ahead of Sony as far as the next-gen competition goes, if due mostly to events hurtful to the Sony company's public image. If Sony can somehow get out from under them seamlessly, then it's possible they could retain the crown ahead of the next-gen consoles' release. Though current circumstances suggest that Xbox Series X game reveals are what Microsoft needs to be solidly on top of Sony.

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