PS4 or Xbox One: which will you choose? Our writers decide for themselves if the hype and controversy surrounding Sony’s and Microsoft’s 8th generation consoles are truly deserved, and what they mean for the future of gaming.

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PS4

So the release of the PS4 in the US has kick-started the obligatory weeks of console warring. After months of cat fighting between Sony and Microsoft we finally get to see whether there is any truth behind their words. The numbers are certainly flattering, with one million copies shifted in the first week, and likely to increase as December draws in, making this the most successful Sony launch ever. The console also achieves some small hardware victories over its competitors, allowing music to be streamed (with a subscription fee) and content to be downloaded while simultaneously playing. There are also persistent rumours about a ‘blue line of death’, a fatal hardware problem which has apparently affected roughly 4000 consoles since launch.

Contrast – a free PlayStation Plus puzzle platformer set in 1920s Paris

Hardware means nothing, however, if you haven’t got games to boast about and they’re… underwhelming to say the least. The obligatory FPSs and driving titles and FIFA (of course) and that’s about it; nothing new or particularly innovative, just franchises with ever increasing numbers at the end of their titles. Contrast and Resogun are notable exceptions, but they aren’t exactly going to draw buyers. Sadly falling into the same trap as Nintendo, Sony is heavily reliant on future releases (Arkham Origins among them) and unlike Nintendo, doesn’t have as strong a record in the handheld market. A cursory glance of review scores also shows similar ratings for the respective consoles’ line-ups too, not a great achievement given the focus on gaming espoused at E3 this year. If this is all Sony has to offer perhaps it’s a good thing that this Gen is characterised by general entertainment systems rather than being purely gaming platforms.

Thus, the PS4’s chances hang in the balance, it lacks the family friendly appeal of the Wii U and its mediocre launch titles could easily be trumped by the Xbox One. But maybe this is a biased view, as after all gamers will typically focus on the games, sometimes at the expense of the larger picture. Entertainment is becoming increasingly multiplatform, crowd-sourced and innovative particularly on smartphones and Mac/PCs. That smartphone in your pocket can have you browsing the library of Alexandria one moment and flinging vexed avians at discoloured swine the next. By comparison, full console releases are time-consuming and vastly expensive to make, preventing the same level of innovation being present in the majority of heavy hitters. Thus, we see an odd contrast of simple, but creative releases playing at the heels of monolithic franchises. So perhaps the PS4 and Xbox One should be viewed not as gaming consoles, but as stationary, hyper-powerful smartphones.

Scott Evans

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Xbox One

The next generation release is finally here, and while it’s uncertain how the Xbox One will fare against its competitors in months to come, it’s safe to say it has not been an entirely snag-free journey for Microsoft’s new flagship console. The inflated launch price, rumours of Kinect spying on people and frequent, disastrous press releases have made Sony’s job much easier than it ought to have been. Here’s hoping that the Xbox One can rise above its numerable critics to deliver on the legacy of its predecessor, and be the new driving force in gaming. Even if it does look a bit like a video player from the 1990s.

Looks aren’t everything, and neither are hardware specs (which is handy, as the PS4 wins on both counts). This is about the Xbox One’s unique selling point as a console, and in many ways the all-round entertainment package on display here is something to be very excited about. Aside from being able to stream movies, watch TV, listen to music, poach an egg, mow the lawn and play games all from the same big black box, the ability to switch between these options instantly may be useful for relieving matchmaking tedium, or switching up the music for a game whose soundtrack just isn’t cutting it.

Xbox One is loaded with memory and has a 500GB hard drive, and has managed to catch up with a seven-year-old console by including a Blu-Ray DVD player. There’s also been an increased focus on the Kinect’s capabilities, although if you’re anything like me then waving your arms in the living room for the amusement of a camera will never be anything less than repulsive.

However, possibly the most exciting improvements made here are for multiplayer, a facet of gaming on which seventh generation consoles have already steered a great deal of progress, and which for many will be the deciding factor in which shiny metal box they want to buy. Smarter online matchmaking gives more control over who you play with, while playing with cloud-based power promises to improve performance and prevent host advantage (to the roars of approval of COD players everywhere).

Snapshots of Forza 5’s graphic potential have been exciting fans for months

At this point in time, there appears to be only one area in which the Xbox One truly outshines the PS4; its launch line-up, which includes newcomers such as the bloody sword-em-up Ryse: Son of Rome, as well as highly anticipated sequels Dead Rising 3 and Forza 5. With more exclusives in the pipeline, the games stand to make all the difference, but all talk of the console war aside, Xbox One could still be destined to go anywhere. Its journey here may have been arduous, but the future could still be very bright indeed.

Joe Baker

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