Social networking will win the console wars

Comparisons between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 home gaming consoles usually revolve around chipsets, display resolutions, and controller designs. But integrating social tools and fostering online community may be the most influential factors in which of the two take the superior position in terms of market share and consumer loyalty in the eighth generation console war.

According to Entertainment Software Association data from 2013, 62 percent of the video game audience played games with others, either in-person or online, and 77 percent of them did so for at least an hour a week. The success or failure of Microsoft’s and Sony’s newest consoles will be tied to how they leverage this audience — and the strength of the online communities they create to hold these players once their attention has been captured.