Microsoft Xbox One Might Beat PS4 Launch Date

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Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) seems to have been one step behind Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE) since the companies began to talk up their coming consoles, the PS4 and the Xbox One. The Redmond company may have finally gotten the drop on the Japanese contender. The latest news suggests that Microsoft plans to launch the Xbox One on November 8, a week before the Playstation 4 drops.

Microsoft Xbox One Might Beat PS4 Launch Date

The report is unverified, and comes from Kotaku. The report sources a person close to the launch who works creating signage and other launch-related activities for Wal-Mart. Launching its console a week before the PS4 might be a move aimed directly at early adopters, but a week’s difference is unlikely to cause havoc for Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE).

Microsoft jumping the gun

According to the Kotaku piece, the date of launch remains changeable, as the company has not yet confirmed the launch with retailers, and they certainly haven’t announced it publicly. That means that the company may not be certain it can meet the date, and Kotaku speculates it may have been a recent decision.

Xbox One has not seen a smooth path toward launch, but an early launch date is unlikely to change public perception of the console drastically. In marketing, however, marginal improvements count for a lot. An early release may be enough to continue the recent improvement in the console’s image.

Market cares little about Xbox One

The Xbox is not a very big part of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) business, and other trends a the company are driving the company’s shares right now. Launching a week earlier than the PS4 is not something analysts and shareholders are likely excited about; the financial difference is negligible.

Unlike Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE), Microsoft is still a healthy and vibrant company. Its newer hardware business, recently responsible for a $900 million write down is more important for the company’s future, in the eyes of the market. Unless the Xbox One is set to really dominate, or fail dramatically, shareholders aren’t pushed.

The big news and price pusher at Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the firm’s search for a new CEO. After Steve Ballmer announced his resignation, pending replacement, last week, shares jumped. Investors want to know what precipitated the executive’s exit from the company he helped found. The Xbox One’s effect on share prices is unlikely to be overshadowed by other themes at the world’s biggest OS maker.

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