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Forums - Gaming - A [possible] difference between each console family

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As you view the charts on this site or view statistics of a single game, you may see a pattern. There are certain generes that perform better on certain platforms, regardless of the game. Racing games and JRPGs Playstation platforms, platformers and party games, or modern military FPSs for Xbox platforms. I'm here to talk about a more broad observation, one that each console manufacturer stresses a bit more their competitors...

Xbox is geared towards a user who primarily plays online multiplayer games.

Nintendo consoles are geared towards a user who primarily plays local multiplayer games.

Playstation is geared more towards a user who primarily plays single-player games.

The leading console family in online mulitplayer has always been Xbox. From its networking in Xbox Live, to its multiplayer-focused software. Halo, Gears [the series progressively stressed it], Sea of Theives, FPS multiplats come to mind. There are exceptions for sure, but online multiplayer is the main draw to Xbox. Anyone notice how Xbox has been active to get multiplayer-oreitned games like Smite, Gigantic, and Neverwinter on their platform? IT's nost just because these games have a following or expected to make money, they're also online-multiplayer games that make sense for the infostructure Microsoft has established with Xbox One. 

Speaking of infostructure, Nintendo is the king of local multiplayer. Smash, Mario Kart, and so much more show how local multiplayer is their main draw. I also think their traditionally single-player games will have co-op focus going forward. The Wii U will be the first 3D Nintendo console that won't have a single-player only mainline 3D mario game. Is this important at all? Now SM3DW is great and I'm not going to degrade it for what it is, but I think that future 3D mario games will be in this style rather than something like Galaxy or Sunshine. Call me crazy, but that same thing happened with the 2D New Super Mario Bros series. It's co-op focused now and it won't change back anytime soon. Of course, this is done with good reason: focus on their audience, and they are. Their audience primarily plays local multiplayer games, so it would make sense for their software to do so (to an extent).

As for Playstation, God of War, Infamous, The Last Guardian and Horizon: Zero Dawn are all single-player games; even Uncharted 4 (which as mulitplayer) is primarily played for the single-player campaign. There are exceptions (like Little Big Planet and mulitplats that focus on muliplayer), but the general concencus is that single-player games are the focus of Playstation platforms. I think that's the weird thing about the PS4 is that a console family that has been so focused on single-player is trying to be more multiplayer focused. It's a clash in longstanding identity; maybe it's just me, but if feels weird to me and couldn't identify it for the longest time.

Maybe you fit into this criteria, maybe not. This is more of a broad overview of the console families...



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Nintendo for everything.

Xbox and PS whenever I feel like playing them, only for single player :P



I suppose if those were your three options and you had to apply each to just one then I'd agree with your assessment. There is, however, an enormous amount of overlap.



Sony has more multiplayer games. Which debunks this theory. Microsoft is an FPS console. PS4 has more games period.



All 3 in a trollistic nutshell:

Xbox: MUST SHOOT EVERYTHING
Playstation: Ma feels and adventures
Nintendo: So...many..colours..



There's only 2 races: White and 'Political Agenda'
2 Genders: Male and 'Political Agenda'
2 Hairstyles for female characters: Long and 'Political Agenda'
2 Sexualities: Straight and 'Political Agenda'

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Playstation has always tried to have a wide footprint when it comes to genres and play-styles, so I disagree there. I remember when SOCOM was absolutely huge for multi-players, for example, and later they tried again with MAG.



There were some aspects that I didn't exactly stress. I was overviewing the console families as a whole, not just 8th gen. Also, it's going to be hard for my assessment to align with a single user's game habits, considering that everyone is different.
This was a little thing that may be applicable based on software coming to each system as it compares to its predecessors, as well as what type of games are popular on each system...

pokoko said:
Playstation has always tried to have a wide footprint when it comes to genres and play-styles, so I disagree there. I remember when SOCOM was absolutely huge for multi-players, for example, and later they tried again with MAG.

There are a lot of exceptions, this being one of them. I'll say this: there's a reason why they aren't trying like they were with SOCOM4 or MAG. They don't end up having a product that their consumer base supports, whether it's the quality of the game or a type of game the community doesn't latch onto. 

It doesn't help my case that there are differing factors like the different generations, change in consumer taste, etc.



Yeah, I guess you are mostly right. Although I feel like Nintendo makes more single player games.



    

NNID: FrequentFlyer54

I feel like there is some truth to what everyone here is saying:

 

Tyritorious said:

Xbox is geared towards a user who primarily plays online multiplayer games.

Nintendo consoles are geared towards a user who primarily plays local multiplayer games.

Playstation is geared more towards a user who primarily plays single-player games.

+

ArchangelMadzz said:
Xbox: MUST SHOOT EVERYTHING
Playstation: Ma feels and adventures
Nintendo: So...many..colours..

+

Ka-pi96 said:
hmm, while Playstation systems are more oriented towards single player than the others I think they are really more of a jack of all trades type console. Nintendo systems do have some standout single player games as well as their local multiplayer stuff. And even Microsoft have (or at least used to) some local multiplayer focus with co-op campaigns in their main franchises.