Will the Xbox One X prove to be a smart strategic move or a costly blunder? It’s a question many have been asking since Microsoft officially unveiled the souped-up console at this year’s E3. There seems to be some genuine excitement for the Xbox One X with pre-orders quickly selling out, but there’s reason to be concerned about the system’s high price and lack of exclusives.

　　Well, according to financial market analyst IDC, Microsoft’s gamble might just pay off. Per a recent IDC poll, the Xbox One is actually generating more interest than the PlayStation 4 as we head into the holiday season – 36.6 percent of consumers looking to buy a console want some version of the Xbox One, while only 35.6 percent want a PS4. Looking specifically at the high-end models, 21.6 percent of those polled want an Xbox One X, while 22.2 percent want a PS4 Pro.

　　IDW analyst Lewis Ward considers these numbers are a major victory for Microsoft.

　　“The takeaway [from our research] is that Microsoft’s gamble is going to pay off. [The Xbox One X] does appear to stabilize the slide that Microsoft has been on, which I think is a positive step. It looks like, in North America, that the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X will be neck-and-neck in sales for at least the next six months or so and if that happens, you have to say that’s a win for Microsoft.”

　　Microsoft director of product management Albert Penello is also optimistic about the Xbox One’s chances this holiday…

　　“I’m not afraid [that people won’t adopt]. I’m hopeful. There will be people who want that performance and they are going to be happy, then there are going to be people who aren’t on the bleeding edge and I’m totally happy for them to buy an Xbox One S.”

　　Of course, the PS4 has sold over 60 million units at this point, while the Xbox One has only moved a bit over 30 million, so it’s unlikely Microsoft will be able to catch up this generation. That said, it’s nice to see Microsoft getting back in the game – competition is a good thing for any industry.

　　The Xbox One X hits shelves on November 7.