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The PlayStation 4 has not only outsold the Xbox One handsomely, but it's currently basking in the glow of AAA exclusive Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (which has received superb scores across the board), has a vibrant indie games market packed with titles like Axiom Verge and - most crucially of all - its fought back mindshare from the previous generation, where Microsoft and the Xbox 360 totally dominated.
Axiom Verge is coming to Xbox One later this year, however it has been out as a PS4 timed exclusive for months.
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That's some damn good progress considering the system has only been on the market about two and a half years. Sony has gone and done what we're guessing it aimed to do by the end of this hardware generation but at the midway point instead. They have, to put it simply, S-ranked.
The PS4 is currently riding high thanks to AAA exclusives such as Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
And, what's more, it look like Sony is trying to carry that win streak onwards, with both the PlayStation Neo and PlayStation VR headset landing later this year along with a host of AAA titles and exclusives.
The thing is though, Microsoft has gone awfully quiet as of late regarding the Xbox One, and this - along with a number of industry whisperings of new hardware, accessories and games - has got everybody poised for a dramatic, Rocky-style fightback. And, while nothing is officially confirmed, reports of both a slimmer and more powerful Xbox One have recently reached critical mass.
Will Microsoft unveil an upgraded Xbox One Slim at E3 2016?
Firstly, mentions of an Xbox One design update are widespread, as too those about a hardware update to match or exceed the specification of the PlayStation Neo. Xbox One Slim is the name on everybody's lips right now regarding a new console in 2016 and, if we're being honest, that makes perfect sense for Microsoft at this stage.
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The Xbox 360 Slim was a phenomenal success for Microsoft, selling like hot cakes and really cementing the console as the number one place to play games. It also, and this is incredibly prevalent considering Microsoft's current position of second in a two horse race, helped to paper over the cracks that had left a vast number of gamers horribly scarred by the Red Ring of Death scandal.
The Xbox 360 Slim did gangbusters for Microsoft last generation.
By releasing a slicker, thinner Xbox One Slim this year with a few small hardware advancements such as a HDD size increase, Microsoft can come out swinging in round two of this generation with a fresh new system. If it then follows that up with yet another system - maybe a super premium tier model - in 2017, it will really bring the heat to Sony.
And that's what everyone should want, as the reason why Microsoft cleaned up last generation with the Xbox 360 was because Sony had developed a massive monopoly with the PlayStation 2 and got arrogant and lazy. There had been no serious competition to challenge the company and the result was the PlayStation 3 launching at a bloated $600 with a game lineup which, if we're being honest, was one of the worst in the history of video games.
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Competition means we, the gamers, win. We get better games, cheaper consoles and a greater variety of accessories. So everyone should want Microsoft to start hitting home runs, ideally beginning at E3 2016, with that updated Xbox One Slim.
