According to market research and consulting firm DFC Intelligence, Microsoft's upcoming Xbox first-party lineup isn't enough to reduce Sony's market share.

　　That's what the firm writes in a new article that we received via email. With Microsoft lacking a steady stream of big first-party Xbox exclusives for quite some time, Sony has been leading when it comes to big games from its first-party studios. The gap, however, is closing when it comes to exclusives, especially in 2023 with Microsoft having more notable exclusives geared up compared to Sony (Starfield, Redfall, etc). This is partly due to Xbox game delays last year, but also due to Sony being able to out its exclusives in 2022. "The downside of Sony getting its games out on time in 2022 is the 2023 lineup is thin", the DFC writes in its article.

　　Despite Microsoft closing in on Xbox when it comes to exclusives, this won't be enough to substantially lower Sony's market share. "Of course, the big question is will these major titles be enough to encourage consumers to buy an Xbox Series X/S over a PlayStation 5", the article reads.  "Currently, DFC Intelligence believes the answer is no. These titles have been anticipated for some time and presumably have been factored into purchase decisions. On the contrary, if a title like Starfield does not meet expectations it could hurt Xbox Series X/S sales."

　　The DFC adds another issue for Microsoft might be that there's not a major need for consumers to buy Xbox hardware as players can get a PS5 alongside a Switch and subscribe to Game Pass on PC to be able to play major Xbox games.

　　In its article, the research firm also briefly mentions the highly-debated planned merger between Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard, which is believed to get approved, which could greatly benefit Microsoft when it comes to competing with Sony. If the deal doesn't pass, it could greatly hurt Microsoft. "If it is not approved, Microsoft’s position in the video game industry will be in jeopardy", the FTC writes. "Yes, Xbox has some big exclusives in the pipeline but currently, they are not enough to chop into the PlayStation market share."

　　An interesting take on the console landscape for sure. What are your thoughts about this analysis? Do you agree with the FTC about Microsoft catching up on Sony when it comes to exclusives? Will the planned merger go through? What if it doesn't? Hit the comments down below and discuss.