Today we learned of two new weapons in Microsoft’s arsenal for the rest of 2014. For one, a $399 Xbox One Madden bundle will arrive on August 26th. Secondly, the long rumored White Xbox One including a copy of Sunset Overdrive will arrive on October 28th (price is unknown). These two SKUs are Microsoft’s way of trying to get Xbox One consoles off store shelves to prelude what will be a ferociously competitive and important holiday season.
Earlier in the year we saw a Titanfall bundle, the product of a huge exclusivity deal with EA that it would soon regret. Given the importance of the title, Microsoft marketed it like crazy with ads on the internet and on cable television. It made a difference, but unlikely to the extent that either EA or Microsoft were hoping.
Before that, we saw a Forza 5 bundle, which I would argue is the best of the bunch. There were also retailer-exclusive bundles shortly after launch that were thrown in to clear inventory.
When you consider how many Xbox One bundles there have been, you would almost think that the Xbox One has been on the market for two years or longer. Surprisingly, it’s only been nine months.
Related: New Xbox One Madden Bundle
There’s no way around it, the Xbox One is quickly falling behind the PS4 in terms of market share. Despite releasing within a week of one another, preliminary figures place the PS4 at around nine million and carrying steadily. Meanwhile, the Xbox One is at five million and having an issue with consistency.
But what’s becoming particularly clear is how dire of a situation the Xbox One is really in. During the last generation, the Xbox 360 established itself as the premier gaming console in North America, leading to a variety of strong partnerships between Microsoft and third-parties. Its strength in the region would make Microsoft a dangerous opponent heading into the new generation. Unfortunately, the Xbox One is not only losing ground worldwide, but in North America where it has at least a 25% smaller install base.
The truth is that the gaming industry has never seen so many bundles release for a console during its first year. For consumers, it means they get some extra value. For Microsoft, it means it’s using its big pieces early.
The PS4 has been flying off store shelves in North America without the need for a bundle. Yes, a Glacier White Destiny Bundle will arrive next month, but it’s the first bundle to be introduced to retailers in the region since the system’s launch. If it’s faring as well as it is without an attractive colorway and a game included, there’s no telling what Destiny will do with its PlayStation-exclusive content and downright gorgeous limited edition PS4.
We’re also only a few months away from Black Friday, which is a day that has routinely produced the highest sales figures for the console market. If people are already used to seeing Black Friday-esque bundles before it’s time for Christmas shopping, Sony is going to be able to attract a lot more attention.
As worrying as this all is, the Xbox One showed a lot of improvement in June’s NPD Group figures with 197,000 consoles sold during the month. It has a strong library to end the year with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a $10 Dance Central Spotlight, and of course, Insomniac’s Sunset Overdrive. There’s no way it’ll fall flat on its face, but chances are the sales margin between the Xbox One and PS4 will only grow.
Also See: April 2014 NPD Figures Show Why Microsoft Dropped the Mandatory Kinect
As an Xbox One owner, I’d love for these bundles to make a dramatic impact, introducing some competition between Sony and Microsoft. The Madden bundle can pack a strong punch given Microsoft’s $400 million NFL deal is about to turn into some strong marketing with the arrival of the new NFL season Meanwhile, the White Xbox One has been desired by many for its slick looks, and bundling in one of this holiday season’s most anticipated exclusives, Sunset Overdrive, makes it a hot item.
However, I can’t help but feel like Microsoft is already reaching deep into its bag of tricks to try and get consoles moving off store shelves, and the generation is just getting started. Third-parties are already looking to make the PS4 their primary platform, timed-exclusivity deals such as the one with No Man’s Sky are being made, and as a result the PS4 is getting a leg up with plenty of moves yet to be made. The Xbox One is going to need more than bundles to change where its ship is going.
