Sony on PS4 vs. Xbox One -- "It's a marathon, not a sprint"

The battle between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is a long-haul effort, according to Sony UK managing director Fergal Gara. Speaking with Eurogamer, the executive said Sony is confident in its launch position, but acknowledged that release this November is just the beginning.

"This format war, if you want to call it that, is a marathon, not a sprint," Gara said. "We're coming out of the blocks in a strong position, but we're conscious that is nowhere close to job done, and we have to continually improve the proposition, proving what PS4 represents."

Gara said Sony has a history of doing just that. The PlayStation 3 launched sixteen months after the the Xbox 360 and at a steeper price. Yet over the platform's lifecycle, it has caught up to Microsoft's console in terms of overall shipments worldwide, a process that "took a lot of hard graft," Gara said.

"You've got to start good and keep on your toes. PS4 is a platform that can and will evolve. It will be great on day-one but it will be far better in year two and year three as expectations rise and ideas are generated and these new tools are executed," he said. "That's the way to win. And obviously the gameplay and the core experiences are hugely pivotal to that. They are going to start really strong, but they have to continue to grow and continue to improve."

The PS4 and Xbox One launch worldwide in November. According to a new Reuters poll, more shoppers in the United States are interested in the PS4 than the Xbox One.