Xbox One Roundup

When it comes the just-beginning console war between Microsoft and Sony any victory counts. Any leg up that one company's console can get over the other is important, especially during the first year of this new console cycle.

With that being said, we bring word that the Xbox One has been named 'Product of the Year' for 2014 in the Home Entertainment category. Microsoft is suitably excited about the distinction, and presumably hopes this will help drum up more console sales.

Before delving into the Xbox One's win, it's important to lay the foundation for this 'Product of the Year' award. The awards themselves go through a two-step process starting with nominations. A jury of industry professionals selects products they deem worthy of recognition from a few dozen categories including Frozen Foods, Home Care, Beverages, and Liquid Soap.

After the nominees are selected, a pool of 40,000 home shoppers vote on the products that impress them the most. So, the same people that are evaluating the appeal of something like a new brand of soup are also voting on which home entertainment device most appeals to them.

While the 'Product of the Year' award is not necessarily something that the average gamer would care about, it could mean big things for Microsoft. Now that this group of home shoppers has highlighted the Xbox One as the best product in the home entertainment category, many like-minded shoppers might start to show interest in the console.

Moreover, it will be a strong platform from which Microsoft can work in terms of new marketing. Commercials that label the Xbox One as this year's product of the year will likely grab people's attention.

Whether or not that attention will turn into new sales, however, is unclear. As it stands the Xbox One is trailing slightly behind the PS4 in terms of worldwide sales, but each console is winning some smaller "battles." The Xbox One was a big seller on the all-important Black Friday shopping day, while Sony's PS4 has already hit 5.3 million sales worldwide…before it hit Japan and sold an additional 300,000 units in two days. In other words, while Microsoft might be boosting its profile with these types of awards, it seems like Sony's console is out there grinding out real sales.

Do you think that the Xbox One is the 'Product of the Year' for home entertainment? Will this award help Xbox One sales?

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Source: Adweek