So winning in $elling data = winning the console war?
Fans and critics for the most part have shown generation to generation they like the PlayStation experience better.
But to fit things into your paradigm....the "console wars" is actually just a battle. The real war is for finances and accessibility.
And if you look at it like that yes Xbox is winning. Hell most people use a VPN or shelter their data on their laptops and if you add in signing into the Xbox network.....xbox is then probably monitoring/ monetizing everything you do while signed into Xbox....even if you're not using a game.....its sinister and genius at the same time.
There is no such thing as a Console war....
sadly... all these companies make their money with Data.
Since data collection turned into a profitable business... finances and accessibility have always been the battle.
Like on the real... VPN blocks the IP address, but when you sign into Playstation, Xbox, or Nintendo switch... You are giving them permission to collect your data.
www.playstation.com
All of the companies are making money from this... That's just a fact
but All three companies sell each console at a Loss... That's another fact... you can go all the way back to the Playstation 2 and Xbox days on that one..
So they have to make the money up somewhere.... Sony's bread and butter comes from making up the loss by mass selling units and retaining first party IP on these consoles... (Hence why you don't normally see PlayStation IP on PC) .... until recently (there's a reason for that)
Consoles cost way to much to make.... especially now..... You are basically putting a high end PC in a box now and selling Mass Units isn't enough..
Which is why both Playstation and Xbox started working on cloud networks years ago and why recently Sony started putting first party games on PC.
Sony wants to fold PC into its PlayStation ecosystem and break down exclusivity barriers.
www.tweaktown.com
But Microsoft has ALWAYS wanted you on their Brand.... Doesn't matter if it's PC, Xbox, Surface, their phone... They want you on their brand and they have been like this since Windows Vista to Windows 7. Windows 7 turned the operating system from a Purely software experience to more like a "Live" operating system... If you were online and operating Windows 7... Microsoft was collecting your data ....
Microsoft published several updates for Windows 7 and 8 recently that add Windows 10-like data collecting to those operating systems.
www.ghacks.net
Because Sony doesn't make PC or control any operating system.... they will never be able to compete with Microsoft's model and Sony see's that..
They know the end game .....
Microsofts biggest mistake with the XBox one was that they were too focused on skipping a step and forcing everyone into this data model like they did when they forced people into Windows 7 and Windows 8. Xbox one was supposed to be an ALWAYS ONLINE Console (AKA... 24/7 Data Collector) ...but obviously the world wasn't ready for that..... They still aren't ready...
So now they created a compromise.... Operating System and Console will be the same thing across all products.. It's smart. No matter what Sony does... they can never make the numbers on this.