PS4 and X-box One Compared: An Opinion Piece
Below is a brief break down of what I view as both PS4 and X1’s strengths and weaknesses just prior to their launch (only 2.5 months to go!!).
Please note; I am aware game system preferences/purchases are based on very individual and largely subjective factors. Past gaming history, brand loyalty, current popularity and recommendations, friend groups/affiliations, exclusive content and games preferences, additional features, etc; all play a large role in the decision making process. That said, and as someone who is admittedly pro Sony (due to my preferences as an antisocial and predominantly single player gamer), I have tried to be objective in the following analysis. Also a personal note for what it’s worth; I have owed every system released going back to the NES because I genuinely love games and can’t stand missing out on good exclusives, and I plan to buy both of these machines.
Price-
This category is a no brainer and obviously goes to the ps4. While $100 may not seem like much to the early adopter (not really a deciding factor for us), for most it’s the single largest differentiator between what are otherwise very similar machines. If the overall functionality of both systems is viewed to be relatively similar price WILL be the deciding factor. In this respect Sony has the upper hand, and sales should reflect this.
Winner- Sony (by exactly $100)
Hardware-
Again Sony has the upper hand here. PS4 has two things going for it, superior overall specs being the most important, and reliability/quality being the second. As far as power is concerned it is, and will likely remain, unclear how the PS4’s superior specs translate into performance advantages. We may end up with differences similar to ps3 vs x-box games (minimal in most cases), or it may be more pronounced.
There are some factors that mitigate the effect of these differences. Simply put; it typically takes a few years for devs to fully take advantage of new systems with graphics getting better over time. Therefore; any differences between the two on a hardware level will likely be masked by differences in increased performance over time. For example a year 2 X-1 game might look better than a year 1.5 PS4 game; with continual 1 ups man ship over the years. Unless the PS4 proves to be significantly superior from a performance level, this will likely be the case.
In addition; potential differences in multiplat games are likely to be undermined by developers’ budgets/dev targets and desire to create produces that are on parity with each other across platforms. They will also be unwilling to talk up one product over another as they have a need to sell across both platforms; so if you’re waiting for that kind of confirmation be prepared to wait, it may be a while.
All that said; a power advantage is a power advantage, and Sony’s PS4 on paper is the superior machine. IMO early ps4 efforts appear noticeably better than Microsoft’s from a raw performance perspective (IMO). Specifically I think Killzone (see 1080P multiplayer b-roll- I can provide a copy if anyone needs one) and infamous (also have 1080p if anyone wants) look light years better than Ryse and KI. Not that those games don’t look good, but the color quality, lighting, density and quality of imagery, and overall IQ appear superior in Sony’s offerings.
As far as hardware reliability is concerned; Sony also has the edge here. While Microsoft would like everyone to forget the RROD, and did a good job of repairing the damage, the fact is that they were willing to purposely overlook manufacturing defects to rush a product to market, and the corresponding piles of bricked systems, does not instill much confidence as we enter a new hardware cycle. Call me crazy but I take a wait and see approach based on their track record.
Winner-Sony (with a wait and see on the very important multiplat difference)
Multiplayer and Social experiences-
Make no mistake; both of these new boxes were designed to be significantly more socially connected devices. Both have game video storing and sharing, links to social networks, and interface designs focused around more social gaming experiences.
That said; this category is where I see Microsoft taking the lead. Specifically; the inclusion of the kinect in every box and their decision to design a system around it’s functionally, and Sony’s lack of Pseye, has the potential to be a significant differentiator. The included camera may not provide much in the way of hardcore gaming experiences on its own (it doesn’t), but as a tool for enhancing and augmenting the overall experience it brings some things to the table that cannot be ignored. For starters, Skype may not be new, but Skype and video chat functionality on the living room tv and face time with your friends, family, and fellow gamers is! To have it so universally available on for what is most people main media device, the living room tv, is a big deal.
I consider its inclusion analogous to 360’s included head set and Sony’s lack thereof. Because a head set was included with 360 the online community provided a potentially richer more connected social experience (even if 12 year olds prevent it from being realized). On the flip side; because a set wasn’t included with the PS3, Sony’s multiplayer community largely consists of more isolated/quiet and therefore inferior (less connected) multiplayer experience.
IMO; the default inclusion of kinect may prove to be a similar differentiator. If Microsoft’s players can see each other and talk shit face to face before/during/after a game, and Sony players can’t see each other, this may end up being a pretty big deal. The chance to make real connections with friends is much more likely with a camera system (because no offense to the blind, but hearing and seeing is better than hearing alone the same way hear is better than not last gen)
Other factors in this category which favor Microsoft’s include an online service that is historically the more popular one, extremely strong multiplayer first party software (halo…halo...halo..), plus the loss of free psn multiplayer.
All these things said; this category will likely to be won based on overall system popularity/sales. Despite X-1’s potential hardware advantage due to kinect being included, the quality of multiplayer and social experiences will largely be determined by the size of the user base. Put simply, the more popular system will have the richest online community (something we cannot fully know yet obviously).
Current Winner-Microsoft (Microsoft based on hardware/history with a wait and see/potential swing toward Sony based on popularity/system sales)
Overall Game variety and Single player game experiences-
What game system you prefer is largely based on preference in games. So if you’re a Halo guy it’s Xbox for you, etc. But from an overall software perspective, Sony offers the more diverse library of games, no questions asked. This category goes to Sony based on its significantly larger investment in first and second party developers, history of supporting very diverse and rich single player games, support further into the console cycle than it’s competitors, and their renewed focus on indi devs.
Winner- Sony (with a respectful tip of the hat to all you Haloites)
Brand loyalty-
The Xbox brand has seen significant increases in popularity this last gen and Sony has seen significant losses. From this perspective the Xbox is the clear winner. That said, those gains were predominantly in the US and UK, on a worldwide basis not so much. And after factoring in giving the competition a year lead and $100 price advantage; those losses seem more self induced on Sony’s part than anything else. The fact that the PS3’s total sales have surpassed the 360’s shows the strength of the Sony Playstation brand.
Winner- Tie with a slight edge toward Sony for overall global brand loyalty and Microsoft for positive brand momentum
Marketing-
This one’s Microsoft all the way. Microsoft invests significantly more in marketing and has more focused marketing efforts than Sony. They make fewer games and market the hell out of them to great success, with the remaining marketing focused on exclusive content (multiplat game ads with x-box at the end for the win). Sony on the other hand spends less on marketing and makes a lot of games which it for some reason or other sends out to die with little to no marketing.
Winner- Microsoft (Sony seriously start marketing your fing games!)
Momentum and Current PR status-
While Microsoft may have the superior large scale marketing, there is no question Sony has the better word of mouth at this point. Due to Microsoft’s unveiling of a media focused always online drm fiasco of a machine, and the corresponding confusing and condescending as hell pr nightmare, they are not in a good place. They are in fact in a very bad place but have to pretend not to be.
Side note bonus category only relative to hard core players and a personal pet peeve- Microsoft’s pr reps come across as disingenuous car salesmen types and are dislikeable in general. Sony has a better, less offensive, pr team; at least they come across as a more genuine, humble, and likeable bunch. Fire them Microsoft, we want to like you J
In any case, as everyone knows, Microsoft have faced a backlash from the gamer community so huge, and the presale numbers were so low, that they were forced to 180 their way back toward a more traditional system. While all well and good, it’s too little too late IMO! The damage is done, at least for launch. And while they can mitigate the damages to some respect with its getting better and we listen articles, their decisions earlier this year will see them fighting an uphill battle! They have a lot of work to do to regain/retain their consumer base, all while Sony stands by with open arms ready to swoop them up for $100 cheaper.
Winner- Sony (by a long shot)
So there you have it, based on my highly sophisticated and analytical analysis (sarcasm)- Sony wins on price, hardware, game variety/single player games, and overall momentum while x-box wins on multiplayer games, social experiences, and marketing; with a sort of tie on brand loyalty.
In summary; as I see it, the X1 appears to be a much more socially focused general purpose device which has the potential to offer very rich and unique social experiences due to its included camera. Multiplayer games enhanced by skype like functionality and voice commands and other camera functionality may be the next best thing. On the down side, Microsoft’s horrible reveal and mixed messaging (out right horribly bad pr) will impact their larger scale marketing efforts (word gets around) and the high price tag may turn gamers toward $100 greener pastures.
Sony on the other hand is offering a much more traditional/conservative gaming machine, with a box focused on the highest graphical effects, ease of programming, and overall narrow focus on the core gaming experience (at least for now). Their weakness if any, at least down the road, appears to be a lack of that one differentiating feature that made the Wii so successful. In the long run they run the risk of excluding a potentially wider more socially focused casual demographic due to the exclusion of a camera or some special feature. That and their marketing still sucks!
Well that’s my 2 cents for what it's worth. Should be an interesting one to watch play out.
