You seem to think every game that comes out is Call of Duty in size. You do realize there are a ton games that are only a few GB in size or even less. Casual gamers aren't running around complaining that don't have enough space to store their game libraries especially if they only play one or two franchises. It is a non issue and there is a cheap and easy to add more space that doesn't require the Seagate drive. There is enough storage to save Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Madden at the same time.
Why ignore the primary reason the XSS isn't popular outside of N. America? PS is more popular and well known brand. I don't have to live in Europe to know that. You ignore that the XSS is selling quite well in N. America so your point that the XSS isn't popular is simply wrong. The Xbox as a brand is simply not as popular outside of N. America and that has been true for two out of the three previous generations MS has made consoles. This is not a deflection. A deflection would be trying to form some sort of twisted logic that it isn't that the Xbox brand is less popular in Europe and had a less than stellar previous generation, its because MS made an affordable console is the REAL problem! Yeah that makes...no sense whatsoever. But I think deep down you know that.
You are the one who got triggered when it was brought to your attention the console you claim to be 'gimped' can do things your preferred box cannot. I actually can't understand why that would upset you anyway. Perhaps if you thought it all the way through you'd have realized the glasshouse you were standing in when you started tossing stones. The things I mentioned were all FACTS. I know they are FACT because I personally experienced them. You have just bought, whole cloth, the marketing behind the PS and feel that if Sony doesn't offer a feature it isn't worth having. LOL Smart delivery hur hur hur. It's a sad state to be in actually. Just because Sony doesn't offer Game pass or charges you for cloud saves doesn't' make Game pass or free cloud storage bad things. Sony charging you $10 extra to play their games doesn't make their games better either.
You comments about the market are pretty much total nonsense. This generation has just started and to declare a 'winner' at this point is totally premature. What determines success is also different. MS would be happy with 100+ million Game pass subs. Sony doesn't care about PS Now subs at all. You've written up just as much as I have and have yet to make one substantive point proving that MS was going to drop the XSS before the end of the generation, you know, the actual topic of this thread. You talk about diversionary tactics yet spend time talking about how powerful the PS5 is, how great the controller is, and how the European market matters the most. All you've shown is that you can hold a device that is cheaper and has more features to a higher standard that your preferred console. Congratulations. XSS still isn't going anywhere and MS was right to focus on markets bigger than the core gaming audience.