Xbox One vs PS4: 75% of Gamers Choose Sony's Console

For almost two weeks now, analysts and gamers have been endlessly debating which console will reign supreme this holiday season: the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4. While hardly scientific, we now have a pretty good set of numbers to add to that equation.

A site-wide pre-E3 poll ran on IGN, with a total of 310,397 votes counted. Over four different categories, the PlayStation 4 was the winner each time by a pretty wide margin.

Viewers were polled on who had the best conference, the best controller, the best name, and which was the overall best choice. In the end, the PlayStation took home the trophy, with nearly 75% of voters choosing Sony's console overall.

The reasons why aren't especially hard to break down. Sony came out swinging with a reveal event that focused on games first. If they weren't revealing a PS4 exclusive, they were showing off hardware or peripheral functionality that would enhance the gaming experience.

In addition, they revealed a number of high-profile games including Killzone: Shadow Fall, Infamous: Second Son, Deep Down, and The Witness.

Microsoft on the other hand spent the bulk of their one-hour presentation on the console's non-gaming features, going as far as demonstrating how to make a Skype call while watching a movie. They also spent a fair amount of time on televised sports and sports games, while ignoring the "core" franchises that many gamers tuned in to see featured.

The only big reveals were a Halo TV series (which while interesting, is not a game), and gameplay footage of Call of Duty: Ghosts, a cross-platform title.

In the aftermath of the Xbox One event, things turned even worse for Microsoft, with rampant rumors of used game fees, always on connectivity requirements, and a mandatory Kinect that brings with it a worrying Big Brother aspect to the console.

Instead of putting out the fires and addressing these issues head on, Microsoft has been content to provide PR doublespeak, vague, confusing, and sometimes conflicting responses; or even worse, simply stating they're waiting for E3 to explain the situation.

Sony on the other hand has been very candid about their console. They've confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will not feature mandatory used game fees or DRM, does not require a constant internet connection, and in an obvious jab at Microsoft, stated that their device is "first and foremost" a gaming console.

What's most interesting about this poll though is the fact that Sony won in every single category, including best controller. The Xbox One's controller design has been the single biggest point in favor of the console, with many stating that it just might be the best designed controller of all time. On the other hand, after the PlayStation presentation, many gamers mocked the Share button functionality and confusing touchpad of the PS4 controller.

What this seems to indicate is that many gamers are fed up with the Xbox as a whole. It isn't so much an issue of specific features anymore, as it is a general disdain for the way Microsoft is designing and marketing its console.

That presents a pretty huge uphill battle for the company. E3 will no longer just be about Microsoft showing off its lineup of games, it will be a chance (possibly their last) to convince gamers that the Xbox One hasn't forgotten its priorities. If Microsoft drops the ball again, it seems likely that the next console generation will be placed squarely in the hands of Sony and Nintendo.