Analyst praises Sony's "unrivalled" indie support, plays down price difference

The console wars are still to be decided, EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich has warned, but Sony definitely won a few skirmishes today.

"I doubt the console wars will be settled anytime soon and we believe that both Microsoft and Sony will succeed in the next-generation," the analyst said.

"Five years from now, it is unlikely we will look back and claim an outright winner. Both are likely to succeed in their own manner and both are likely to achieve their long-term strategy."

Divnich said Sony's promise to support used games, lack of online DRM, and commitment to indies are the PlayStation 4's selling points.

"Sony has actively listened to the feedback from the gaming community and has made this feedback a core part of its PlayStation 4 strategy going forward," he said.

"Sony’s support for the independent development community is unrivalled compared to other console manufacturers. The fact that Sony is actively courting, signing, and giving the independent community a voice on their platforms shows that Sony is attempting to create a profitable and vibrant independent community on the PlayStation platforms.

"Sony didn’t release full details on the ability to self-publish, but the fact that it exists is a monumental step forward for independent developers."

Meanwhile, Microsoft's commitment to first-party content is the Xbox One's selling point.

While Divnich acknowledged the PS4's lower price would be an advantage in the holiday season - the Kinect bundling drives the Xbox One price up, he said - he believes the two consoles are different enough that most core gamers will eventually try to own both for their respective benefits.

"It’s clear that both Microsoft and Sony have different strategic visions, but we firmly believe both are appropriate and achievable for what each are trying to accomplish long-term," he said

"In fact, the differentiating strategies may act as a beneficial catalyst for the industry and the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have differentiated themselves enough that consumers may own both consoles over-time. Multi-console homes isn’t a new concept, it has played a crucial role in supporting our industry over the last 20 years, but going into any new console cycle there is always an overarching concern that if all gaming hardware delivers the same experience there is no need to own multiple consoles. Multi-hardware ownership is a benefit that few industries receive.