The dominance of the PlayStation brand over the last 25 years has been undeniable. Since entering the industry in December of 1994, PlayStation has stood as the unquestioned market leader, dominating the hardware sales charts. While Nintendo and Microsoft have both proven to be worthy foes for the company, neither has managed to dethrone Sony throughout the last few console generations. Of course, that could change in the future. A Brand Intimacy 2020 report from MBLM shows that, while Millennials identify PlayStation as their favorite brand, Generation Z’s favorite is Xbox. It’s a rather surprising result, but one that could show where the future is heading for the video game industry.
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There are several reasons that could account for the PlayStation brand coming up short against Xbox among Generation Z participants. One of those reasons could be the fact that Xbox has been a far more experimental brand this generation. When it comes to cross-play, game streaming, and more, Xbox is pushing for innovation that Sony has been more hesitant to embrace. Generation Z generally constitutes those born between 1997 and 2010, putting the oldest gamers from this generation at 23 years of age, and the youngest at just 9-years-old. Sony likely doesn’t have a lot to worry about at the moment, as Millennials make up a much bigger portion of the gaming community. But with a new console generation set to start in the next few months, this should give the longtime market leader some pause. It might be time for a little more innovation.
Of course, Sony’s long-time dominance of the industry could actually be the reason Generation Z is less interested in the brand. It’s no secret that younger generations tend to seek out their own interests that differ from those of their parents. For Generation Z gamers, PlayStation might look more like the brand of the old guard. Perhaps further proving that point, Nintendo also made the top brands list among Millennials, but the company did not make Generation Z’s list.
At the end of the day, however, the fact that video game brands took the number one spot for brand intimacy among both age groups says a lot about where the industry is headed. The industry is in an era of unparalleled growth, and no matter who is on top, it seems there’s plenty of room at the table.
What video game brand do you most closely identify with? Do the results of the survey reflect your preference? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
