Facebook likes for PS4, Xbox One provide an electoral map for the console wars

It's difficult to assign regional stereotypes or voting patterns to the console wars when an examination of Facebook likes for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is, well, all over the map. Of the United States.

This is an analysis by the Movoto Real Estate Blog, which has done these sorts of video-game themed trend pieces for publicity in the past. Movoto counted the Facebook likes received by the three consoles of the current generation — PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One. By this measure, the Xbox One comes out ahead overall, and in total number of states "won" — 22 to the PS4's 19. The Wii U did not win any states, coming in a distant third in all of them. Sort of like Ross Perot.

But what if this really was a presidential election? Xbox One would still prevail, even with nine states undecided, with 286 electoral votes to 162 for PS4. Texas, California and New York provide an insurmountable lead for Microsoft, even with Florida tied. (Note: the survey did not specify the preferences of Washington D.C.)

This is proof of nothing, and offered all in fun. But PlayStation fans should take some solace in the console's dominance of the upper Midwest. Anywhere there is snow on the ground from December straight through to April — and there's nothing to do outside in those months — is serious video gaming territory. (No surprise that Tecmo Super Bowl's de facto world championship, and numerous other major tournaments, are held in this region.) Excepting Minnesota, that's solid PS4 country, with Illinois and Iowa undecided.

For more on the survey and analysis of the trends it spotted, see the link.