Many industry experts have already gone on record saying that the PS4 has won the next generation. Depending on how you define "won", I would tend to agree. If by won you mean sales, then yes, I think Sony clearly has the advantage in the short term. The reason I feel the PS4 will outsell the Xbox One is simple, price. Sure its only an extra $100, and yes I understand that the Kinect is what adds that $100. And I also understand the "benefits" that the Kinect can bring to just about every game, some (benefits) good, most just gimmicky. Overall though, that $100 is a big hurdle for the Xbox One, and to the average consumer that extra $100 means a console (PS4), a game (or 2) of their choosing or a controller. And with these systems releasing so close to the Holiday season this year, that $100 will be the difference in a parent going Playstation over Xbox. It is a nice bonus that the Xbox One Day One edition includes a free exclusive digital download out of the box, but its still not enough to sway the average consumer in my opinion. And therefore puts the Playstation 4 on pace to outsell Xbox One through the holiday season and into the new year.
With sales numbers out of the way, I will say there are some victories to be had for Microsofts console. Unless you are a staunch Sony only Fanboy, I think its clear that the Xbox One is coming out of the gate with the better launch line up. While both consoles have great multi-platform games such as Battlefield 4, Assassins Creed, COD Ghosts and The Division. Most of the multi-platform games have many features and extras that will hit Xbox One first, showing Microsofts commitment to spend money and win the hearts of gamers with exclusive content. More importantly than multi-platform games though are exclusive ones. While the Playstation 4 does have potential gems in Killzone and Knack, its the Xbox One that seems to have the better exclusive line up at launch. Killer Instinct, RYSE, Forza 5 and Dead Rising 3 are all games made by reputable developers that look to set the bar for next gen games. Dead Rising 3 looks to me to be THE game to get this holiday season. So when it comes to the best launch line up, I give this win to the Xbox One.
One hurdle for the PS4 this year will be availability, as has always been an issue with Sony console launches. Both companies had some manufacturing hurdles early on with next gen consoles, but for Sony it seems those hurdles have continued. The reason for the hurdles is the GDDR5 ram used in the PS4. GDDR5 has been used in graphics cards for some time now, but with it still being relatively new and expensive and Sony using it as system ram, Sony will see less PS4's on the shelves this holiday season because of it. With DDR3 readily available and cheaper to mass produce, it will allow Microsoft to get more Xbox One's in stores by years end and will steal many sales from would-be PS4 buyers this Christmas, who will want a next gen system for that special someone (or themselves) and will find it much easier finding an Xbox One.
Another problem that will plague Sony is profitability, or the lack there-of. From the more expensive GDDR5 ram to the cheaper price tag, Sony will lose much more money, per console sold, than Microsoft. This is something that will help Microsoft get more exclusive content and games over Sony, who has already suffered huge financial losses over the past couple of years. Microsoft will dig deep into their pockets to win this generation, Sony can only dig so deep until all they see is more (debt) red.
All of Sony is pretty much riding on the Playstation brand at this point. While they still do well with movies and music, they need another avenue for profit as their electronics division has taken a big hit from competitors like Samsung and LG. Sony has put a lot (money) on the line with the PS4 and in order to actually "win" this coming generation, they need to do more than just sell the most consoles, they need to be profitable, something they've had a hard time achieving as of late (PS3, Vita, PSP).
Microsoft on the other hand has taken a more broad approach to the next gen with many more avenues for profit from the Xbox One. And whether we would like to admit it or not, profit is what Sony and Microsoft are really all about. None of this can happen (for long) without profit. Sony wants and needs to make a profit, just as much as Microsoft. And this is where Microsoft has the potential to win. From cable TV, to the exclusive NFL (ad space) partnership, to exclusive content with world renowned games like FIFA and COD, Microsoft has set the Xbox One up to make money, and again, none of this can exist without it. Just like with the current generation of consoles and games, the Xbox 360 sells more software per unit than the PS3 and therefore brings more profit to the console and developers. Its partly because of the exclusive content that more people buy games on the Xbox 360 than the PS3, and the same will hold true going forward. So while there may be more PS4's in homes than Xbox One's by the end of 2014, its quite possible there will be more Xbox One games in homes than PS4 games.
From a design standpoint, its easy to see by the size of the Xbox One console that Microsoft has learned some valuable lessons from its past. The Xbox One console is one of the (physically) largest consoles to ever launch, and the reason behind that is heat. With the RROD problems that plagued the Xbox 360, Microsoft wanted to make sure that this Xbox had room to breath. The Xbox One also has the capability of knowing its overheating and can adjust itself accordingly, its very smart tech that will keep the Xbox One running cool and quiet for years to come. Developed as an all in One entertainment console, Microsoft made this system to be on and constantly running for 10 years, and always at the ready with your games, movies, TV or whatever else you use it for. The Xbox One is indeed a console made with longevity in mind. Its built bulky for a reason and one that should matter to us all. Its built to last!
The PS4 console design for sure features a slimmer, sleeker and overall sexier look. What that means for heat inside the console is yet to be determined. In an age where technology is becoming faster and more powerful, heat is still a major issue, even with hardware becoming more efficient.
For most of the PS4's unveiling Sony has been relatively quiet about some of its other entertainment features like TV, movies, etc. As of late though, Sony has pursued more (TV) entertainment outlets to be used with PS4, like the latest deal with Viacom for example. So its looking like both next gen consoles will offer that all in one entertainment experience, hard to say which one will deliver more. As it currently stands it seems Microsoft has more to offer at the moment, with Sony slowly and steadily catching up.
Rumors have been running rampant about the specs of each console and many comparisons have been thrown around that may or may not hold much weight when the final specs are truly, fully revealed. My opinion at this point is we are looking at 2 consoles that, at the end of the day are very similar. Some standout features are PS4's GDDR5 ram and Xbox One's use of cloud processing. Both show promise for developers in the near future and therefore gamers will benefit. Which feature brings out the better in games has yet to be seen. While GDDR5 does offer some performance enhancements over DDR3 ram, like higher bandwidth. DDR3 does offer lower latency which is good for all around tasks. And with Xbox One's built in super fast 32mb eSRAM, it will give developers that extra power to move things around quickly and help Xbox One's ram run stride for stride with PS4's more advanced ram.
PS4 will be the first piece of hardware to really utilize GDDR5 as full on system ram, as its mostly been used for GPU memory. How well GDDR5 works with the CPU and other elements of the PS4 will be something we will hear about in the near future as developers get to know the PS4 architecture. When taking Xbox One's cloud processing into account, there are many tasks that will not even need to be processed by the Xbox One console (Ram, CPU, GPU) and therefore will leave more of the consoles resources for its most important tasks. So seeing the end result of both of these next gen features will be more than interesting to say the least. While the Kinect itself may be mostly gimmicky, I do not believe cloud processing will be. With over 300,000 servers up and running at Microsoft HQ, the power of Xbox One's cloud processing may have to be seen to truly be believed. More than just the "Driveatar" from Forza 5, I think Titanfall will be the first game that truly represents the benefits of cloud processing and what it has in store for the future of gaming.
If you find yourself on the fence as to which one to buy, to that I say the answer is simple, buy both ;). Of course, if thats not an option and you must choose, in my opinion its all about content. For me, I will be buying both. If I could only have one console, it would be the Xbox One. From its launch line up to its exclusivity deals with developers, to Xbox Live on down to the perfect controller. The Xbox One has my attention. And while I'm looking forward to playing Killzone on PS4 this year, theres just something about the Xbox One's exclusive launch titles and those coming in the launch window that have me most intrigued. Xbox 360 was my platform of choice this gen, and while I own over 100 PS3 games, its those 400+ Xbox 360 games that always kept me coming back. Maybe the PS4 will eventually grab this gamer the way the Playstation 1 did, but until that time comes its the Xbox that Im most looking forward to this coming generation. No matter which console you choose, there are some good times ahead for us all and there has never been a better time to be a gamer!
With sales numbers out of the way, I will say there are some victories to be had for Microsofts console. Unless you are a staunch Sony only Fanboy, I think its clear that the Xbox One is coming out of the gate with the better launch line up. While both consoles have great multi-platform games such as Battlefield 4, Assassins Creed, COD Ghosts and The Division. Most of the multi-platform games have many features and extras that will hit Xbox One first, showing Microsofts commitment to spend money and win the hearts of gamers with exclusive content. More importantly than multi-platform games though are exclusive ones. While the Playstation 4 does have potential gems in Killzone and Knack, its the Xbox One that seems to have the better exclusive line up at launch. Killer Instinct, RYSE, Forza 5 and Dead Rising 3 are all games made by reputable developers that look to set the bar for next gen games. Dead Rising 3 looks to me to be THE game to get this holiday season. So when it comes to the best launch line up, I give this win to the Xbox One.
One hurdle for the PS4 this year will be availability, as has always been an issue with Sony console launches. Both companies had some manufacturing hurdles early on with next gen consoles, but for Sony it seems those hurdles have continued. The reason for the hurdles is the GDDR5 ram used in the PS4. GDDR5 has been used in graphics cards for some time now, but with it still being relatively new and expensive and Sony using it as system ram, Sony will see less PS4's on the shelves this holiday season because of it. With DDR3 readily available and cheaper to mass produce, it will allow Microsoft to get more Xbox One's in stores by years end and will steal many sales from would-be PS4 buyers this Christmas, who will want a next gen system for that special someone (or themselves) and will find it much easier finding an Xbox One.
Another problem that will plague Sony is profitability, or the lack there-of. From the more expensive GDDR5 ram to the cheaper price tag, Sony will lose much more money, per console sold, than Microsoft. This is something that will help Microsoft get more exclusive content and games over Sony, who has already suffered huge financial losses over the past couple of years. Microsoft will dig deep into their pockets to win this generation, Sony can only dig so deep until all they see is more (debt) red.
All of Sony is pretty much riding on the Playstation brand at this point. While they still do well with movies and music, they need another avenue for profit as their electronics division has taken a big hit from competitors like Samsung and LG. Sony has put a lot (money) on the line with the PS4 and in order to actually "win" this coming generation, they need to do more than just sell the most consoles, they need to be profitable, something they've had a hard time achieving as of late (PS3, Vita, PSP).
Microsoft on the other hand has taken a more broad approach to the next gen with many more avenues for profit from the Xbox One. And whether we would like to admit it or not, profit is what Sony and Microsoft are really all about. None of this can happen (for long) without profit. Sony wants and needs to make a profit, just as much as Microsoft. And this is where Microsoft has the potential to win. From cable TV, to the exclusive NFL (ad space) partnership, to exclusive content with world renowned games like FIFA and COD, Microsoft has set the Xbox One up to make money, and again, none of this can exist without it. Just like with the current generation of consoles and games, the Xbox 360 sells more software per unit than the PS3 and therefore brings more profit to the console and developers. Its partly because of the exclusive content that more people buy games on the Xbox 360 than the PS3, and the same will hold true going forward. So while there may be more PS4's in homes than Xbox One's by the end of 2014, its quite possible there will be more Xbox One games in homes than PS4 games.
From a design standpoint, its easy to see by the size of the Xbox One console that Microsoft has learned some valuable lessons from its past. The Xbox One console is one of the (physically) largest consoles to ever launch, and the reason behind that is heat. With the RROD problems that plagued the Xbox 360, Microsoft wanted to make sure that this Xbox had room to breath. The Xbox One also has the capability of knowing its overheating and can adjust itself accordingly, its very smart tech that will keep the Xbox One running cool and quiet for years to come. Developed as an all in One entertainment console, Microsoft made this system to be on and constantly running for 10 years, and always at the ready with your games, movies, TV or whatever else you use it for. The Xbox One is indeed a console made with longevity in mind. Its built bulky for a reason and one that should matter to us all. Its built to last!
The PS4 console design for sure features a slimmer, sleeker and overall sexier look. What that means for heat inside the console is yet to be determined. In an age where technology is becoming faster and more powerful, heat is still a major issue, even with hardware becoming more efficient.
For most of the PS4's unveiling Sony has been relatively quiet about some of its other entertainment features like TV, movies, etc. As of late though, Sony has pursued more (TV) entertainment outlets to be used with PS4, like the latest deal with Viacom for example. So its looking like both next gen consoles will offer that all in one entertainment experience, hard to say which one will deliver more. As it currently stands it seems Microsoft has more to offer at the moment, with Sony slowly and steadily catching up.
Rumors have been running rampant about the specs of each console and many comparisons have been thrown around that may or may not hold much weight when the final specs are truly, fully revealed. My opinion at this point is we are looking at 2 consoles that, at the end of the day are very similar. Some standout features are PS4's GDDR5 ram and Xbox One's use of cloud processing. Both show promise for developers in the near future and therefore gamers will benefit. Which feature brings out the better in games has yet to be seen. While GDDR5 does offer some performance enhancements over DDR3 ram, like higher bandwidth. DDR3 does offer lower latency which is good for all around tasks. And with Xbox One's built in super fast 32mb eSRAM, it will give developers that extra power to move things around quickly and help Xbox One's ram run stride for stride with PS4's more advanced ram.
PS4 will be the first piece of hardware to really utilize GDDR5 as full on system ram, as its mostly been used for GPU memory. How well GDDR5 works with the CPU and other elements of the PS4 will be something we will hear about in the near future as developers get to know the PS4 architecture. When taking Xbox One's cloud processing into account, there are many tasks that will not even need to be processed by the Xbox One console (Ram, CPU, GPU) and therefore will leave more of the consoles resources for its most important tasks. So seeing the end result of both of these next gen features will be more than interesting to say the least. While the Kinect itself may be mostly gimmicky, I do not believe cloud processing will be. With over 300,000 servers up and running at Microsoft HQ, the power of Xbox One's cloud processing may have to be seen to truly be believed. More than just the "Driveatar" from Forza 5, I think Titanfall will be the first game that truly represents the benefits of cloud processing and what it has in store for the future of gaming.
If you find yourself on the fence as to which one to buy, to that I say the answer is simple, buy both ;). Of course, if thats not an option and you must choose, in my opinion its all about content. For me, I will be buying both. If I could only have one console, it would be the Xbox One. From its launch line up to its exclusivity deals with developers, to Xbox Live on down to the perfect controller. The Xbox One has my attention. And while I'm looking forward to playing Killzone on PS4 this year, theres just something about the Xbox One's exclusive launch titles and those coming in the launch window that have me most intrigued. Xbox 360 was my platform of choice this gen, and while I own over 100 PS3 games, its those 400+ Xbox 360 games that always kept me coming back. Maybe the PS4 will eventually grab this gamer the way the Playstation 1 did, but until that time comes its the Xbox that Im most looking forward to this coming generation. No matter which console you choose, there are some good times ahead for us all and there has never been a better time to be a gamer!
