Is Microsoft doomed to be second place forever?

Microsoft would have to to dominate the US like they did last gen just to get a tie. Not happening.

1. Pretty sure it's been said that Microsoft isn't making any profits from their Xbox division (thus the reason why investors are suggesting them to spin it off).

2. The sales difference of Xbox 360 to PS3 in the US balances out the performance in Japan.

Nope they are going to be 3rd place this generation.

Nope, that'll be the WiiU.

EDIT: Are you also counting 3DS/Vita?

They are making profit. That's why they keep having positive years and coming out the red from the first 5 years more and more. Becuase they are making money and tons of revenue... not to ention the Xbox one is the only one not really being sold at a loss.

Sega was first in the arcade only one era and that was right when it was about to die in the U.S. after Midway also dropped out. Also I don't think the first few versions of Windows did very well I think it was 95 that really got them in. Of course in MS's cases they have been first ever since.

The "most successful" console of Gen 7 was the one with the most sales. That was the Wii, and, again, spin doesn't change that.

The 360 catapulted Xbox brand into ... second place. From second place. And now it's in ... second place again.

I cant wait for ms to finally drop out of the consoles race

I'll take xbox360 second place on the 7th gen over the Wii's first place any day for what is worth. This console placement competition is completely absurd considering nintendo didn't even give nothing back to the consumers that got them the highest sales. Not even games.

"No" what? Since Sony entered gaming it lost 1 gen while Nintendo lost 2 already and is about to loose a 3rd time. Sony fans are bigger winners than Nintendo fans :P

Being a grammar nazi is the best you can come up with? lmao

You're the epitome of a "loser"

@The4thVIII: the Xbox one is being sold at a loss. Even if you take the Kinect out of the equation, it still costs more to produce than the PS4.

Don't say stuff like that like they're fact. An "IMO" would do. We know absolutely nothing if these consoles are sold at a loss or not.

Technically they didn't tie PS3 because xbox 360 was released a year earlier.

Sony has always been #1

This. The only people that care are stockholders and fanboys. And the latter has absolutely no justifiable reason to care.

@edidili: er, no. Both Microsoft and Sony are making a (small) loss on each console they sell. However, this can be made up with sales of first-party titles.

http://m.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2013/11/microsoft-selling-xbox-one-at-a-loss.html?page=all&r=full

er, no we don't know that. They haven't said anything yet and a guess some website made based on what these machines are packing didn't say they're selling a loss.

I don't think they're selling at a loss. The hardware inside both machines this time is not that amazing compared to existing tech on PC. They're mid range PCs mixed with netbook parts.

Even your article is saying the hardware is selling at averagely the cost to produce. Even if there is a loss is minimal, something like $10-$20, the kind of money Sony/MS makes back by selling only one copy of $60 game. A far cry from PS3 or even 360. Now those were machines that sold at a loss. The plan back then was to make the money back over a long period of time, a strategy they're not repeating this time.

1. It's been making profits off the Xbox 360 since 2007. http://www.techspot.com/news/23612-microsoft-makes-tiny-profit-on-xbox-360-hardware.html

2. The sale different between Euro & U.S. is close. Japan is Microsoft's weakest region overall. That's a fact.

You said the big word "IF". It's not a fact yet. Anything can happen in 5-6 years from now. No one has won anything this generation yet.

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The released and SOLD more games for the XBox 360 then the PS3. So no, they aren't last. The PS3 was last in just about every category last gen. Which is why most inelligent gamers say the were 3rd.

Well, at least you can spell it properly now.

@Sweenix: try third place if you really think xone with a 500 dollar price tag is gonna out sell wiiu with a 300 or less price tag , you out your mind , once wiiu gets a plethora of killer aps , and you know Nintendo they did it with 3ds and will do it with wiiu , so don't be surprised if xone ends 3rd overall

Sega has been the arcade market leader in a number of different eras. In the late 80's, they dominated the arcades with the Super Scaler machines (Space Harrier, Out Run, After Burner, etc.). In the early 90's, they may have fell behind Capcom and Midway due to the fighting game boom, but Sega then came back with their 3D hits (Virtua franchise, Daytona, etc.) and rose back to first place by the late 90's (rivalled only by Namco). And in the post-Dreamcast era, Sega has been dominating the (now mostly Asian) arcade market ever since (today rivalled only by Taito).

As for Microsoft, yes, I was referring to the post-Windows-95 era. I don't think anyone doubts Microsoft dominating the PC OS market ever since then.