This week we celebrated an important anniversary: PS5 and Xbox Series X have both been released for two years. In general, the consoles were released in solid condition, and only in the meantime have they improved. With excellent performance and powerful game libraries, both Sony and Microsoft have produced worthwhile current-generation consoles. What’s interesting, however, is that in doing so, both companies used radically different strategies.
With the PS5, Sony took a more conservative approach to the game console. For the most part, if you want to play a PS5 game, you will have to buy it at full price and play through it exclusively on your console. The downside to this approach is that purchasing PS5 games essentially ties you to one system for the duration of play. But the plus side is that Sony has built a beautiful hardware lineup to complement the PS5, computing writer Tony Polanco discusses.
Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X is a completely optional part of the larger Xbox experience. If you buy a game, you can often play it on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, or gaming PC — but you don’t have to buy the games at all. If you sign up for Xbox Game Pass, you can download or stream hundreds of games to a console, PC, or smartphone, syncing your file saves easily on the go. On the flip side, though, the Xbox Series X didn’t offer the same kind of unmissable exclusives as the PS5, notes senior editor Marshall Honorof.
Essentially, Sony built the PS5 ecosystem based on hardware, while Microsoft built the Xbox Series X ecosystem on the software. And while neither approach is entirely better or worse, they each offer some tantalizing benefits and some unfortunate drawbacks.
PS5 ecosystem
Sony has historically been a hardware company. For this reason, it comes as no surprise that it has taken a hardware-focused approach to gaming. Where Microsoft wants its titles to be played on different devices via Xbox Game Pass, Sony wants you to get a PlayStation to play its games. Yes, PlayStation titles are arriving on PC, but years after their initial console release. It’s doubtful we’ll see new PlayStation games arrive on console and PC the way they do on Xbox. Once again, Sony’s primary goal appears to be selling consoles.
Sony’s approach is interesting given how quickly games have shifted digitally over the past decade. According to PlayStation president, Jim Ryan, 80% of PlayStation gaming spending is digital. Regardless, if you want to play PlayStation exclusive games, you’ll need a PlayStation console. Looking at how a file works PS5 has now sold 25 million units Despite the supply chain problems, Sony’s strategy is clearly working.
And as far as we can tell, Sony will continue to put its gaming hardware on top. We say “game hardware” instead of a console because Sony has released many devices that complement the PlayStation experience. If you buy an official PlayStation peripheral like the Sony Inzone H9 headset or the Sony Inzone M9 gaming monitor, you won’t have to worry about compatibility. It will just work. TVs like the Sony Bravia XR A80J OLED also pair well with the PS5. You can view this as a Sony version of the Apple ecosystem.
Outside of games, PlayStation consoles served as secondary media centers, or in some cases, primary media centers. One of the main reasons for the success of the PS2 was that it was, at the time, the most affordable DVD player available. The PS3 was a great Blu-Ray player and still is today. Similarly, the PS5 doubles as a solid UHD player for 4K movies. Yes, Xbox consoles also let you play BD and UHD discs, but this aspect has always been a selling point for PlayStation systems—even outside of gamers. It’s one of the strongest aspects of PlayStation.
It’s unclear how long the Sony hardware focus will remain viable. Again, it’s clear that games are going (or gone) almost entirely digital. With that said, it’s hard to deny the comfort one feels when buying a toy physically. If the publisher decides to discontinue the title, the physical owners will remain in possession of it. There’s also something to be said about having a physical console rather than a small streaming device like the Google Chromecast.
Unless the gaming landscape changes so much that Sony has to adapt, the Tokyo-based tech giant will likely continue its traditional approach to gaming. It is doubtful that the PS5 was the last PlayStation console released. – Tony Polanco
Xbox Series X software ecosystem.
Even before the Xbox Series X debuted, I wrote about how Microsoft was building an ecosystem rather than tying gamers to one specific console. The past two years have proven my observations. Microsoft’s latest console doesn’t have any real exclusive games, every Xbox Series X title is also available for gaming PCs, and most are still available on Xbox One. Even as Microsoft begins phasing out its older hardware, though, gamers will still be able to stream Xbox Series X titles to Xbox One consoles — or smartphones and web browsers.
The link that ties Microsoft’s powerful ecosystem together is Xbox Game Pass. When it first came out in 2017, Xbox Game Pass lets you download about a hundred titles to your Xbox One console, but the service has grown exponentially since then. If you pay $15 a month for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can download about 400 games on your Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, or gaming PC — but that’s now only the basic functionality. Xbox Game Pass also lets you stream games to consoles, smartphones, smart TVs, and web browsers, and sync saved files wherever you go.
In other words, Microsoft has drastically lowered entry restrictions for traditional big-budget games. You don’t have to buy a $1000 gaming PC; You don’t have to buy a $500 Xbox Series X; You don’t have to buy an Xbox Series S. worth $300, and you don’t even have to buy $70 worth of standalone games. If you have any modern device with a screen, you can become a gamer on Xbox for $15 per month.
This arrangement is beneficial for both console gaming novices and hardcore Xbox gamers alike. Long-time console players may not need a ready-made game library, but keeping sync alone makes Microsoft’s approach look very attractive. Without Xbox Game Pass, gamers can sync their saves across Xbox consoles and PC gaming consoles; With Xbox Game Pass, they can sync saves across streaming platforms as well. The ability to take your progress with you to any screen in your home – or a variety of other screens on the go or travel – eliminates one of the traditional pain points associated with console gaming.
However, Microsoft’s focus on building an ecosystem rather than a single console comes at a cost. While the PS5 can boast dozens of best-in-class exclusives, including Demon’s Souls and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the Xbox only has three, and none of them take advantage of dedicated hardware features, such as the DualSense controller’s touch, Or Tempest 3D sound for the PlayStation Pulse headset. Admittedly, there’s something more immersive about hooking yourself up to a single console with a whole host of bespoke hardware, rather than moving your game — and yourself — across half a dozen screens.
Personally, I think the convenience of the Microsoft ecosystem, and Xbox Game Pass in particular, is a worthwhile trade-off. However, the Xbox Series X could use quite a few high-quality exclusive titles — and even Xbox boss Phil Spencer said so, too. – Honor Marshall
prospects
There is no denying that both the PS5 and Xbox Series X are the pinnacle of console gaming. Each of them is capable of delivering high definition graphics and super fast performance. The fact that they are all nearly as powerful as mid-range PCs says a lot. If you buy either system, you probably won’t be disappointed.
However, both console companies have taken radically different approaches to delivering games to their customers. As such, you will need to decide which methodology works best for you.
If you prefer the traditional gaming experience of buying a game console that can only be played on this system, the PS5 should be a no-brainer. However, if you don’t care about owning a console and simply want to access your games no matter what device you’re using, Xbox with its software-focused approach will look more appealing.
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