The PlayStation 5 holds a relatively small lead over the Xbox Series S/X

What's even more interesting is that the Xbox Series S/X has outsold the PS5 in the United States by a total of 17,029 units over the past year.

If nothing else, this might guarantee that the Xbox Series S/X won't lag far behind in sales compared to the PS5, unlike what happened with the Xbox One and the PS4.

It's easy to explain why gamers are buying the Xbox Series S/X over the PlayStation 4 and it boils down to exclusivity and games selection. The PlayStation might have "better" first-party titles, but some of the best games of the current generation are available on multiple platforms. Keep in mind that It Takes Two and Elden Ring, the most recent GOTY winners, are available to play on both the PS5 and the Xbox Series S/X.

Also, don't forget, the vast majority of PS5 exclusives are available on the PS4 as well. The likes of Demon's Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Returnal, are all great games, but they're hardly compelling enough for PS4 owners to upgrade to the PS5, especially if it's not necessary. This might change in the next few years as the likes of Forspoken, Final Fantasy 16, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, are all exclusive to the PS5.

Not to mention, despite failing to hit its target growth rate, the Game Pass continues to be a massive draw for Microsoft. Also, Microsoft has phased out the Xbox One and Xbox One X ever since the Xbox Serie S/X came out, so consumers have no choice but to get the latest console. Finally, the PS5 is technically fighting against two consoles as the Xbox Series S is a more affordable product that rarely ran into stock shortage issues.

Ultimately, the consumers win when multiple products are fiercely competitive. The closing gap between the Xbox Serie S/X and the PS5, even if it's "just" in the United States, will be a good reason for Sony to make sure that it has enough PS5 units available and even more compelling reasons (i.e exclusives) for gamers to upgrade despite the price hike.

We're curious to find out if things will change now that Sony is confident that it has solved the PS5 availability issues. Also, the PSVR2's launch is coming up, which should give Sony a leg up. But, if we believe the recent reports, Microsoft plans to hold a showcase within the next few weeks or months to put the spotlight on the upcoming games for the Xbox Series S/X.