Analyst: PS4 to decisively outsell Xbox One by 2017

Forecasts PS4 to sell 11 million more units than Xbox One over next four years

The PlayStation 4 will outpace Xbox One over the next four years, predicts IHS head videogames researcher Piers Harding-Rolls.  

The seer foretells the machines will leave the starting gates neck and neck this holiday season, but he envisages Sony ultimately coming out top, projecting the PS4 will sell 49 million units by the end of 2017, as opposed to 38 million for Xbox One.

“IHS believes that Sony’s wider geographical brand allegiance – especially across continental Europe and Japan – will be decisive in allowing PS4 to outsell Xbox One on a global basis by the end of 2017,” Harding-Rolls said.

“We also believe that both Sony and Microsoft will continue to benefit from Nintendo’s Wii U weak sales,” the fortuneteller added, postulating a number of Wii owners will stray away from Nintendo for the competition.

Will the prophecy come true? We’ll just have to wait and see. Perhaps the Fates have other plans in mind. Maybe history will take a sudden and unexpected turn.

One thing is for sure though. Another oracle will emerge from the shrine at Delphi somewhere down the line, spouting off a fresh set of vapor-induced prognostications regarding the future of the games industry.

PS4 to comfortably outsell Xbox One over next 4 years, IHS forecasts [CVG]