The first volley of the next generation console war has been fired, and as the smoke clears, it becomes apparent that we know far less about the imminent release of the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One than is customary for hardware releases of this size and importance.
We’ve put together a comparison of what we do know in order to better illustrate the differences between the two, and we will be updating as more information becomes available.
Technical Specification
Microsoft Xbox One: Microsoft confirmed the following specs earlier today: an undisclosed 8 core CPU with 8 GBs of RAM-equivalent memory, sporting both a 500GB HDD and Blu Ray, built-in 802.11N WiFi with an HDMI In/Out, and several USB 3.0 ports.
Sony Playstation 4: Sony released the following information about the PS3 at its press conference earlier this year: a custom-built AMD processor operating at 1.84 TFlops, 8 GB of DDR5 RAM, a BluRay/DVD capable drive, several USB 3.0 ports, 802.11 N and Bluetooth capable wireless access with HDMI, and Digital/Audio outputs.
The Edge: This easily goes to Sony’s PS4. The Xbox is the equivalent of a low-range PC from early last year. The PS4 offers a piece of technology that no one barring industry insiders will have access to: DDR5 RAM. It’s important to note that the real advantage here is a much higher access speed, rendering the identical size of the memory less important than the speed with which it is accessed.
Controller
Microsoft Xbox One: Bearing a similar layout to the current generation of controllers, the Xbox One controller is a slimmer, sleeker design, with higher-end sticks and a built-in battery, as well as a much lower y-axis profile, designed to allow a much larger range of gamers to comfortably use the device. Of more importance is the clear re-design of the D-Pad, a universally reviled feature of the 360’s controller.
Sony Playstation 4: The DualShock 4 is, unsurprisingly, an incremental evolution of Sony’s venerable design. The DualShock has only vaguely changed in format over the last twenty years, and the startling shift between the DS3 and DS4 is perhaps the most visible difference between this and the next generation Sony console. The addition of a capacitive touchpad and speaker, while maintaining the dubious sixaxis technology certainly sends a message as to Sony’s intent.
The Edge: Inconclusive. Both seem to be playing to the strengths of their established design, and certainly look like they have taken critical commentary into account. Both seem to fit very neatly into the design vocabulary established by each brand label.
User Interface
Microsoft Xbox One: The Xbox One UI seems to be another outlet for Microsoft’s Metro design archetype. The Xbox Home screen seems to be very similar in nature to the current system, with customizable panels and a layout quite familiar to the current Xbox 360 OS interface.
Sony Playstation 4: What little has been shown seems to reflect the current design vocabulary Sony utilized in their recent redesign of the Playstation Store. But it’s hard to judge anything based on the limited sampling we’ve seen. It’s unlikely there’s anything too surprising up their sleeve, or it would have been used as a bullet-point at the announcement conference.
The Edge: This has to go to Microsoft. The Metro style-set has evolved neatly over the last several years, and they seem to have hit the sweet spot. The marriage has similarly improved over that timeframe, and we’re all excited to see how that evolves with the next generation. Sony has rarely been known for impressive or cohesive UI schemes, and what we’ve seen of this generation paints a similar picture, not an inferior or awful UI, but not on par with Microsoft Metro design.
Online Service
Microsoft Xbox One: Xbox LIVE has a widespread reputation for stability, security, and high-performance. The trade-off for this service has always been a set fee for this service. And that fee ranged from $50-$120 based on your subscription choices. This paid service has and will continue to be required for online play, access to services such as Netflix, Hulu, and the ESPN apps, and so on.
Sony Playstation 4: Playstation Network is the major unknown in Sony’s ecosystem. The service has had a rocky history, with several major security crises, and a less-than-stellar record of outages and down-times. If there is an area where Sony has an opportunity to gain real ground, it is in their online structure. There is always the mitigatory argument that Sony’s services, while almost unquestionably inferior, has always been that it is intrinsically free, and any difference in the level of quality of service is therefore justified.
The Edge: I think this has to go to Xbox LIVE. I’m not pleased by the prospect of shelling out nearly the cost of a new retail title in the past, but there is little in the way of question that their service is exemplary, and there is no reason to think that the quality will diminish in any significant way.
First-Party
Microsoft Xbox One: Among the many assets Microsoft boasts are their broad stable of established franchises, and their great history of support for the studios that have partnered with the giant. It’s not a stretch to imagine that the Xbox One will have the same stable as its predecessors, but working with what we know, it’s hard to get excited about the several, brief, and universally disappointing looks at the Xbox One’s lineup. The fact that only one established first-party franchise was shown was telling.
Sony Playstation 4: The PS4 announcement conference showed a much larger percentage of titles, and far more than one first-party. Major works like Killzone: Shadow Fall, and Infamous: Second Son actually gave the audience a reason to be interested in their platform.
The Edge: While both consoles are known for their exclusives, there’s a big difference between expected, promised, and forthcoming. Sony edges Microsoft in this category.
Third Party
Microsoft Xbox One: Microsoft has always managed to sweep the competition in third party partnerships with exclusive content, be it permanent or timed in nature, from major players like Activision’s Call of Duty franchise to Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls. This generation looks to be no different, with the aforementioned Call of Duty boasting a timed DLC exclusivity. The major players have all announced support for their system, from Ubisoft’s anticipated Watch Dogs to EA’s Battlefield 4, along with the inevitable Madden and Fifa, to Activision’s Call of Duty and Skylanders. There is no question that Microsoft will bring the full force of its leverage to bear.
Sony Playstation 4: Sony’s PS3 suffered from some early lack of third-party support, but eventually caught up, though never to the degree that the venerable PS2 managed to achieve. Sony seems to be aware of this, and one of their major stated goals with the PS4 is to build their relationship with third-party studios, and given the vocal support given to the PS4 devkits, it looks like they’re making headway.
The Edge: It’s tough to call a clear winner, but Microsoft’s brand momentum in this category is hard to argue against. Sony is fighting an up-hill battle against a lackluster performance in terms of install base and attach rate, and while numbers like that hardly matter to the average consumer, they do tend to sway the decisions of multi-million dollar corporations. Microsoft will likely have a slight advantage here, with particular reference to third-parties that aren’t centric to interactive entertainment.
Price Point & Release Date
Microsoft Xbox One: Unspecified and “Later This Year.”
Sony Playstation 4: Unspecified and ‘Holiday 2013.’
The Edge: It could be argued that it’s too soon to say, but this really can’t be much of a sticking point either way. Sony knows it cannot justify the absurdly high price point the PS3 first carried, and Microsoft has historically kept it’s price point in the $400 range. I doubt that we’ll see anything outside the $350-$450, and they will both undoubtibly launch in the holiday season. This looks to be a fair fight.
Intangibles
Microsoft Xbox One: Microsoft has raised and exacerbated a tidal wave of concerns with their attitude towards Always-On connectivity, Mandatory Activation and Installs, and restricting used and borrowed games. This is the weakest part of Xbox One’s ecology, and a seemingly unnecessary one. There are a lot of gamers that are violently opposed to several or all of these measures, and today’s press conference did nothing to alleviate them, and in many cases did not address them. The details on these points have been rooted out by the interactive entertainment media, and unfortunately almost all of the above ‘rumors’ proved unfortunately accurate. Add to this the news that independent publishers will no longer have the means to self-publish their work, a la the 360’s indie game channel, and you have disquiet on both sides of the market.
Sony Playstation 4: Many of the same rumors spun about the PS4, with a much less apocalyptic result. Within several hours after Sony’s PS4 announcement conference, Sony management had confirmed that they weren’t ready to release a full suite of details, but the console wouldn’t require constant connectivity, will be abandoning online pass systems, and ‘wouldn’t be making any decisions involving used games that would upset our user base.’ While this is certainly good news, there is residual stigma of the PS3’s less-than-stellar performance in market and it’s embattled PlayStation Network.
The Edge: The past is the past, and while I cannot say I am personally confidant about the changes Sony has made to its marketing or services, they haven’t shot themselves in the foot. Microsoft absolutely and unequivocally has. The choices they have made regarding connectivity, and restricting user rights is a dangerous move in a world where high-end gaming PCs are becoming more common and more affordable, and especially one in which your major competitor has gone on record stating they won’t be levying any of the same restrictions. Additionally, the prototypical gaming console of this generation had several strengths in comparison to the PC market, and Microsoft is abandoning many of them in favor of a similar Digital Rights Management philosophy WITHOUT offering any of the advantages of higher horsepower and additional functionality. Microsoft is giving away their position as a dominant force in the market when stronger choices could have cemented their position.
Overall Impressions:
On the whole, based on media, market, and consumer opinion, Microsoft has stumbled. They had the advantage of market position and the advantage of information about Sony’s strategy via the PS4 announcement conference. They had months to read the market response to rumors circulating around the Xbox One’s development plan. And despite that, we were given a bloated and substance-less hour of marketing non-speak. The choice to dominate the living room by involving cable companies is a joke. The lackluster technical specs, and the blindly stupid choices surrounding always-on connectivity and used/borrowed games rights management screams out-of-touch with the wishes of the consumer.
Earlier today, Microsoft’s stock tumbled. Sony’s stock soared. That’s not a coincidence.