Why I'm Leaning Towards Sony For Next-Gen

Let me start this off by saying I don't own either next-generation console, nor do I have a particular bias towards Sony/Microsoft. I don't currently own a next-gen console yet because as a student I currently lack the time and money to purchase one. I have owned a Playstation 1, Playstation 2, Xbox 360 and I also game on my PC from time to time.

Price

First off, let's get to one of the most obvious points: price. Living in the U.K. at launch the Xbox One was around £80 more expensive. Since then the console has become much more competitively priced, bundling in Titanfall for just £399.99. Given the price of Xbox One games that's a pretty good deal. However, it is still cheaper to get a Playstation 4. So where does the extra price come in for the Xbox? Microsoft would point to Kinect, others the system's multimedia, all-in-one entertainment promise. Neither of these factors influence me as I will go on to explain.

Focus on the Gamer

From the first announcement of the PS4 Sony's message has been clear. This is a console garnered to the gamer. As I will use these machines for gaming first and foremost this appealed to me. Granted there will be others unlike me who are excited by the Xbox's promise of a wealth of entertainment. But Microsoft made a blunder on this point. It was gamers who first picked up the Xbox 360 and told their friends about it, and it is for the most part gamers who first pick up the new hardware so naturally your core audience has a larger mind share of gamers in it than it will later. Their focus on the extraneous features outside of gaming certainly disenchanted me, as I know it did others. Sony's focus on showing games, albeit mostly indie titles during the announcement and through E3 told me this was a gaming machine.

Mixed Messages

We all have bad days. Microsoft's marketing department may have just as well gone on vacation for a few months. The message was convoluted to say the least. Not only was there uproar over their used game policy, but the kinect and a required internet connection were causes for concern for many. Commendably, Microsoft reversed these policies which begs the question: were they so integral to the vision of the Xbox One so heavily referenced? At any rate, I can see how an average console buyer would be confused. Fortunately, I keep up with gaming news so was aware of what the Xbox One would and wouldn't do. However, the lack of a clear message confounded me at times, there was years of planning behind this machine, could they not have anticipated these problems? If not, could they have at least clarified themselves in a better manner?

Peripherals

This is a topic which doesn't provoke the most excitement from me for next gen. However, in the PS Vita I can see functionality via remote play and at the end of the day, its an extra portable device that I can play games on. The Kinect on the other hand while containing some admittedly neat voice recognition functionality lacks any significant input to gaming. This would not be a problem if it didn't come with every console and wasn't presumably driving that price higher than Sony's. I may never own a Vita if I get a PS4 but the Kinect I'd be stuck with if I purchased an Xbox One and it would be likely relegated to gathering dust. Using a controller to navigate the dashboard is just simpler and more natural to me.

Kinect

Playstation Now

Both Microsoft and Sony have explained how the cloud will benefit next-gen from matchmaking in multiplayer to saving your data in a secure location. The lack of backwards compatibility in the next-gen consoles certainly have made me question this feature. Its a strange situation. On the one hand I feel slightly aggrieved at not being able to play my old games in the new consoles, even if I still own the old consoles, I'd rather have one plugged in at all times and possibly sell or get rid of the old ones. But on the other hand, having backwards compatibility would probably be a low priority for me as there would so many new games I was looking to play.

The Future of Gaming is Cloudy

Playstation Now offers backwards compatibility, yes. But it also offers me the chance to play the abundant source of PS3 games I missed out on last generation. Titles like the Last of Us, Uncharted series etc. This is a highly appealing feature especially if the price to use such a service is reasonable. I am concerned about the issue of bringing this to Europe, however, for the most part I think broadband is strong enough here in the U.K. to cope with Playstation Now.

X-boned?

Do I think the Xbox One is dead in the water? No. Despite being outsold by the PS4 so far, it is still selling well. I think Titanfall will be a huge hit as I've heard nothing but positives from those playing the beta. The price has become much more competitive, at least here in the U.K. Functionality that many Xbox users have missed from the 360 is finding its way back onto the system. These consoles are going to be around for a while so the real winner will be us as gamers. Xbox may have struggled to get going but will likely continue to improve their service as will Sony.

One thing is certain. It's a good time to be a gamer.


But hey, these are just my opinions. What do you think? Agree/Disagree? Share in the comments below.