I wrote an article a couple weeks back, looking at the next generation gaming consoles that are on the horizon. Yesterday was day one of this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3 to the gaming world. The highlight this year is the debut of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 consoles. Looking at the coverage on day one it would appear that Sony is the early favorite, nearly scoring a knock out before things have even got rolling. There are a few differences between the two but the differences that are rather large in some aspects. I’ll admit, I am a Sony fan having played every system from the original PlayStation to the current console, although I did get into the Xbox for a while, it just isn’t really for me.
The first difference that I’ve seen is the most obvious one, pricing, right out of the gate the PlayStation 4 is set at a hundred dollars cheaper than the Xbox One. (Reuters) This is a pretty big deal in the world of gaming, as it makes the system more accessible to a larger group of people. I’m already looking into getting the funds together to pre-order a PlayStation 4, as it will be less money upfront than that of the Microsoft offering. While games will be expensive on each system, a lower ticket price on the first purchase could very well be the difference maker in ordering a particular machine over the other.
Another difference, a major difference, is the fact that the PlayStation 4 will not require you to check-in online, it also won’t restrict you from playing used games. For many players this is a huge deal as it allows them to keep using rental programs to test games before deciding if they would like to purchase the game themselves, it also allows you to trade in games at retailers still. (GAMESTOP) This is a big deal, as Microsoft is requiring a 24-hour login for the Xbox One and restricting the ability to play used games on the system. Many people are already using this as a reason to jump from being a diehard Xbox follower to the new Sony system.
The biggest difference is the use of Gaikai by Sony for the PlayStation 4 console. This is a great addition because it’s going to allow streaming of PS3 games onto the new system via the Cloud system. (mcvuk) Offering this capability is huge as it allows a form of backward compatibility that many were not expecting from the next gen systems. I’m personally looking forward to this as it allows you to keep playing the games you have on the current system as you wait for new games to come out on the new console. It’s also great for nostalgia, as you can play the games you grew up playing. When you look at everything together, it’s becoming clear that Sony has taken the lead on day one; we’ll see what happens from here.
