During a conversation about the gaming industry with Theory Unlocked podcast, former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden explained the console market is going through a different phase, it is not how it used to be. According to Layden, the competitive dynamic between Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo defined the pace of the market but that is not the case anymore.
Layden highlighted that today, Sony PlayStation has no strong competition in the console market.
We’re looking at a market where there really is no major competition for PlayStation. Switch and Nintendo – they’re on their own private but lucrative island of Idaho, and Xbox…hasn’t been a force to contend with for some time.
Layden thinks we are in “uncharted territory” right now which makes the future unpredictable as far as launching new consoles go. However, the increasing cost of RAM and graphics unit is expected to be a major factor of this goes in my opinion.
The Birth of the PlayStation Monopoly
The PlayStation 5 has sold approximately 90.2 million units lifetime as of January 2026 (63 months on market), while Xbox Series X|S estimates sit at around 34.3 million – more than double despite identical launch timing. This dominance persists monthly: PS5 moved 760k units in January 2026 alone vs. Xbox’s 119k, a 6:1 gap.
Xbox’s shift to Game Pass, lackluster exclusives over the years, and the disastrous “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign has done irreparable damage to the brand. Despite Asha Sharma taking the reigns and assuring fans the return of a more gamer focused Xbox, the trust in the brand is at all time low.
Since Nintendo has always been on its own lane, PlayStation now has a chance to build a complete monopoly over the console market with Xbox pretty much out of the picture.
