Many people are already touting the PS4 as Champion of the new console generation. I am here again to play devil’s advocate and defend the positions and choice of not only Microsoft, but the Xbox One as well.
Let me open by making several points clear. Sony has created an amazing console with the PS4, and Microsoft has made several huge mistakes in the design of the Xbox One. I am not downplaying what Sony is accomplishing and bringing to the table, nor is this me beating my (unfairly) branded fan boy chest in order to convince you to change your mind. Rather, I will try to help you see that the X1 is not a wash, and this console war still has a lot of fight left in it.
I will not be able to justify or pardon many aspects of the new system, but hopefully I can help you see some of the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of the matter.
I know this type article might make a lot of people upset, or even make them wave it away as uninformed, mindless drivel, but I feel there is more to these consoles than what we are being shown or what we hear in online comments sections. That said, leave comments if you feel so moved.
Microsoft’s Conference was actually pretty good
Let’s start with Microsoft’s E3 showings. Although E3 is far from the sole source of information we have about the console, it gave us a good view on how Microsoft is trying to to sell their system to the community.
Microsoft announced that Xbox Live will be offering two free games per month. *Doing this is an attempt to erase backwards compatibility concerns. How they will choose what games to release for free will probably correlate with sales since the game’s release. I also wonder if they will allow for fan voting to release certain “cult” games as well. *Although Sony has a similar system, with Microsoft you actually get to keep these games on your storage device, even if your membership runs out, something Sony can’t promise.*
Microsoft announced 13 Xbox One exclusives including old favorites such as Halo and Forza 5, as well as new IPs like Titanfall and Quantum Break. *Gamers criticized the Xbox One’s reveal for not focusing on any games, but Microsoft has now definitely beat Sony in regards of console exclusives. Sure, both will have their own as the years go on, but Microsoft puts on enormous pressure when Sony can’t claim to have exclusive rights to any of their old standbys such as Metal Gear Solid or the Final Fantasy series.
Xbox One is an alternative to Xbox 360
The biggest tip off of Microsoft’s business plan with their consoles came with the unassuming announcement that the Xbox 360 is coming out with a new look. This means they are not trying to replace the console, but offer X1 as an alternative and addition.
From the looks of it, the system will be kept very much alive over the next years. They promise hundreds of new games to be released for the 360, so they won’t phase the console out like the original Xbox. *Sure some games will be exclusive to the Xbox One, but the fact remains developers are still going to create many of those same games for your 360 as well.*
Microsoft is basically telling us we don’t have to move on just yet, but the option is there if we want to. People still played their PlayStation 2 when the new models of PS3 removed backwards compatibility. Yes, in case you’ve forgotten, that system started as backward compatible, but soon removed the feature.
Double Standards For Sony fans?
This point brings me to a tangent, but an idea that must be addressed when arguing for the Xbox system. It’s funny; being called an Xbox fan boy has become such a red letter over the past few months. It’s become a quick insult that shoots down any defense of Microsoft online. Strangely enough, being a Sony fan boy is completely excusable, and no one seems to call out the double standard.
Whether it is people booing and screaming “Xbox sucks!” during technical hiccups at the Microsoft press conference (*despite Sony’s having technical trouble with many games themselves – including Assassins Creed IV, which outright crashed on the PS4*), or hurling obscenities in the live stream chat, people just want something to hate. I’m not trying to excuse some of the laughable decisions that they are making during the release, but it’s hard to defend or justify yourself against a crowd effectively putting their fingers in their ears and going “Lalalalala we’re better in every way.”
These people are the people who bashed Xbox Live for costing money for years, but now that Sony has adopted the same policy, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. These are the people who defended the outrageous price of the PS3 when it first released, and now mock the X1’s cost. These are the same people who had private data leaked by Sony, and falsely demonize the Kinect for spying on you. These are the same people who will laugh that you can’t play old games on your X1, while their PS3s could not do the same.
*Again: Sony fans criticized Microsoft for not having games during their reveal but during E3, Sony barely had any exclusives of its own to announce, while Microsoft brought the heat. People say that Sony won E3 solely because their press event consisted of them saying “well, at least we’re not Microsoft!” to be met with thunderous applause. Instead they showed us third party games, many which are being released on both consoles. Overall, a lackluster showing. Despite many people saying they “won”, they have little to show for their superiority other than a 22 second clip of two guys sharing a game.*
And yes, these are perfectly valid concerns, no matter where your “camp” lies. I agree, Microsoft NEEDS to address the concerns stated by the community. In many ways they have shot themselves in the foot and are refusing to bandage the wound. Instead, they are metaphorically letting it fester as the internet community/media tear it apart. That leaves those who defend it to be branded as mere fan boys, and have their opinions and statements rendered invalid, or worse get branded as Microsoft shills.
The curious case of the price point
The $499 price tag shocked many. It is expensive for a console, but with all that it is offering, it is an understandable price. Even Michael Pachter (Analyst of Wedbush Securities) agrees that the price is reasonable, especially with the inclusion of Kinect. He says that millions pay that much for a iPad or similar tablet, so the offerings by the system justify the price.
The PS4 is going to be shipped with much less than the Xbox One on launch, justifying its lower price. However, adding the motion camera to the PS4 will run about $60 dollars, putting the X1 only $40 above the price range. It is a fair price difference for a unarguably superior motion capture device and system. The Kinect is packaged to include features that PS4 Eye does not have and precision it cannot match.
But, Lui, you say, I don’t even want/need a Kinect type device, why would I buy one for the PS4? Easy: developers are going to make their games with even greater compatibility and functionality with motion capture devices. In an evolving market, many are reaching out for ways to make their games not only superior, but stand out from competition. Kinect devices are the easiest and most practical mocap method, and one that certainly will be used by developers now all X1 are bundled with it.
Many will say it is a gimmicky device, but PS4 owners are going to find themselves reaching into their pockets to buy a piece of equipment they never thought of purchasing, just because they want to get more out of their system.
Hardware specs in perspective
From a technical standpoint, the PS4 does beat out the X1. Despite being similar in many ways under the plastic, the PS4 it is a slightly more powerful machine devoted to gaming. But as the old saying goes, “it’s not the size that matters but how you use it.” In the last console cycle, the PS3 beat the 360 in tech specs, but time and time again the 360 would outperform the PlayStation in side by side comparisons. In all likelihood, the differences between the hardware in these new systems are negligible. They will both look and run great, and the developers will show off the limits each system has in the future.
Major Nelson claimed that a little over half the RAM in the X1 is devoted to gameplay while the other is media only (*5GB to gaming, 3GB to apps and the “middle” OS*). Interestingly enough, this claim neglects to mention that the media half also counts the DVR recordings and other media features that cross over to gameplay aspects. So the division isn’t entirely accurate because there is a lot of cross over in how that RAM is applied.
You get what you pay for: Xbox One is an entertainment center
The PS4 is being released primarily as a gaming platform, and in way definitely has the Xbox beat in that respect. It is a terrific system that will please many hard core gamers (*despite not having as many exclusives*). But if we take a look at all of the other things the X1 is offering, we see it is more than just a simple gaming machine. All the extra features that people hated on since the X1 reveal justify the extra $40- $100 consumers will spend on it. There is a lot within the X1 package Microsoft is offering that the PS4 cannot match. Xbox One easily trumps the PS4 in regards to multimedia (as evidenced by partnerships with features such as Skype and Twitch.
Do these extra features that need constant internet connection to function optimally, justify once a day check-ins? Probably not, but it is an understandable necessity with the package. If it didn’t, we would have crippling update times whenever we started up the system. It would be like a child complaining that their bike is rusty and it’s taking their father too long to repair it. If they had let their father do active once a day maintenance, then it would prevent the rust from even being a problem.
*While many people are complaining about the need for internet access to play the system, polls have shown that over 80% of the population has constant internet connection. While yes, this leaves a good portion of the population out of the loop, I doubt either the PS4 or Xbox One is aimed at people who can’t afford internet.*
The Xbox One is more than a console
This brings me to the biggest point that many people seem to be missing. The X1 is no longer just a gaming system. Microsoft is aiming to create a multi-purpose device, while centered around video games, gaming is not the only use of the console. These additional features are showing that Xbox One is not a one trick pony, nor that it is afraid to embrace the changing market. We have E-readers and smart phones that can play games, watch movies and TV, listen to music, and access the internet in addition to their original purposes, and no one bats an eye.
The fact of the matter is the X1 will continue to deliver a fantastic gaming experience despite all its shortcomings. It won’t suddenly devolve into an unplayable mess nor an Orwellian nightmare of constant surveillance. We are seeing amazing exclusives and in-development games that are redefining our standards of performance. No DRM policy will change what kind of games are being produced.
*As an aside, this DRM policy can be changed by Microsoft if they want to. Maybe there is room for Xbox to retract their position on the matter because of all the backlash. Also, many 3rd party developers put in DRM on their games, no matter what console it is released on. That means even Sony games are not safe from DRM fears, despite what you may think. This is not a Microsoft issue, but an issue that has taken over the entire gaming industry.*
The bottom line:
For all its faults and controversies, many gamers could care less. They will buy it because they either like what they have been consistently delivered with the 360 or like the games and the features. Right now forums around the web are buzzing with cheers of triumph for Sony, mirroring the cheers for Microsoft when the 360 was first released.
As you can see despite all the hype, truth-isms, and even disappointments, both the PS3 and Xbox 360 did ridiculously well over the past years. The same will be true with these two new systems. Come Christmas time, both consoles will be flying off shelves, and even though many gamers promise to speak with their wallets, their “words” will be drowned out in a sea of pre-orders (something the Xbox One is already beating the PS4 in).
For some reason we divide ourselves up into separate camps when it comes to these consoles. We fight, curse, and demonize opposing views with a feverous passion that’s actually quite disgusting with concern to the subject matter. We have reached a huge milestone with not only the technology, but as a culture. Instead, we need to put our differences aside, and come together to appreciate the art, entertainment, and functionality these devices our bringing us.
*Author’s note: Edits from the original article will be shown by an * mark.
