Xbox One vs PlayStation 4

Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will go head to head this holiday season.  For the first time ever, Sony and Microsoft will start out on equal footing, launching on the same day with comparable hardware and feature sets.  Both companies have pleaded their cases at E3 2013, and we’ve got a pretty clear picture of what games the consoles will be launching with, the system hardware and software capabilities, the new controllers, and new features like cloud based storage and second screen devices.  So who’s winning?  Oh, if it only it was that easy. It’s far too early tell, but Sony definitely started off on the right foot with an expertly crafted E3 reveal.  Since we’ve still got a lot to learn about the new consoles, consumers will ultimately determine their fates this holiday season.  For now, let’s look at what the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are made of.

The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Hardware

It’s been a long and drawn out console life-cycle for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.  It’s one that has had gamers waiting for the day when Sony and Microsoft would reveal their new hardware, and that day has come.  Both consoles have been revealed to the world, and looking at the two side-by-side, you’d be hard pressed to tell them apart.  Both are black, boxy contraptions, with their soul intent being the invasion of your living room, making friends with your television, and sticking around for the better part of a decade.

Both consoles have seen a significant jump in processing power and graphical capabilities.  They’re also both fairly comparable in terms of overall power.  Both feature eight-core processors and custom chip sets to squeeze every bit of power out of the machine.  Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will feature Blu-ray drives as their standard delivery method for media this time around.  So are they roughly the same?  For the layman, yes.  For those that have been paying close attention to what both the development community and the companies have been saying about their consoles, a verdict has yet to be reached.   As far as raw power goes, many are thinking that Sony will once again have the edge with the PlayStation 4.  Though as we saw with the last generation, raw power isn’t always the best or easiest system for developers to make games on.

Though one big area that Sony does have an advantage is in their memory.  When the PlayStation 4 was revealed, Sony touted that their new console will use 8GB of GDDR5 RAM.  This is especially important because it’s memory that optimized for delivering the highest quality games.  It’s used in high-end graphics cards that are found only in very expensive gaming computers.  Thus, when Sony came out with their “gamers first” message at E3 2013, they weren’t lying.  The machine was built around providing the highest possible quality for games first, with other things playing second fiddle.  Game Developers have had nothing but praise for the new machine, and that’s largely in part to the company making the PS4 an x86 architecture compared to the hard to develop for cell-processor of the PS3. This more powerful GDDR5 memory does have its downfalls. While its the best available on the market for games, it’s slower when used for system operations.

Microsoft on the other hand has plans that go beyond just gaming.   The reveal of the console showed some of these things in action.  They include watching television, playing movies, multi-tasking through the Windows 8 based operating system, and a multitude of other features that’ll likely be possible on the new hardware.  Because of that,  the decisions that Microsoft has made with their hardware design, don’t quite stack up to the PlayStation 4.  The company is using a lower latency but less powerful brand of memory, with 8GB of GDDR3 RAM.  However, Microsoft is also combining the CPU, GPU, and ESRAM, and is claiming that this design will ultimately make the Xbox One the faster of the two consoles.  It’s probably still too early to tell just whose console will have the better performance.  We’ll need to see how game developers are utilizing the available resources when games start to arrive later this year, and beyond.

Xbox One and PlayStation 4 System Software

Both Sony and Microsoft have already made some big claims about their new systems when it comes to software.  Both have seen significant changes made to their user interface, but Microsoft’s multiple focuses with the Xbox One have big implications for the way that owners will be able to consume media on the console.  Microsoft has unveiled new ways to interact with television, sports, movies, and other forms of media on the Xbox One.  Owners can pipe in their cable or satellite programming to the console, and the software on the system will suggest content for the viewer.  Though more importantly, the new user interface for the Xbox One allows owners to snap different applications into separate windows, allowing for multi-tasking within the Xbox One operating system.   They’ll also be taking things a step further with their sports offerings with the new console as well.  While Xbox 360 owners will have likely heard about the interactive sports features through sites like ESPN and others on the current-gen console, the Xbox One looks to be taking things to an all-new interactive level in the next generation.   The company has also announced that they will be partnering with Twitch to offer the ability to live-stream gameplay.

As for the PlayStation 4, a lot of what Sony revealed about their new system software revolved around their gamer first message.   The new PlayStation XMB will focus on a more social experience than the current hub, and coupled with the share button on the new Dual Shock controller, players will be able to share video, pictures, and interact with others on the PlayStation network.  Sony is also claiming that the PlayStation 4 will offer a personalized experience, similar to what Xbox One will be doing by offering its players customized, curated content and suggestions.  Though the exciting features that Sony announced earlier this year were certainly for gamers first.  They briefly explained using Gaikai streaming technology to offer games on demand, faster download times, and even the ability to watch your friends playing games, live and in real-time. It’s yet to be seen if all or any of these features will arrive when the console hits store shelves, but Sony is definitely thinking of innovative new ways to play games with friends.

Xbox One Controller vs PS4 Controller

New hardware means new controllers, and both Microsoft and Sony have completely redesigned these integral pieces of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.   Since Sony made the most drastic changes, we’ll start there.  The Dualshock 4 has seen a complete overhaul.  It’s been re-shaped, fitted with a new touch pad, speaker, and share button to save in-game moments to your PSN profile.   There’s also of plenty of subtle changes that have been made to the Dualshock 4.  The controller’s handles have been wrapped in a hatched texture, giving the player better overall grip than the Dualshock 3.  The thumbsticks remain level, and at the bottom of the controller, but have been redesigned to be concave, with deadzone having said to be worked on for more precise controls on-screen.    Lastly, the triggers have been re-designed to have more of a hooked feel to them.  The basically feel more like gun triggers, and less like buttons, theoretically better for shooters than the Dualshock 3 was.

As for the Xbox One Controller, it’s seen its fair share of changes also.  While it maintains a familiar look and feel to its predecessor, it’s what’s been added that might make a world of difference to Xbox fans.  The new Xbox One controller’s big new feature is their inclusion of rumble in the triggers.  Keeping its core rumble capabilities intact, adding these “Impulse Triggers” has made for a more immersing experience.  It offers players an added level of depth to games, and gives developers a whole new way to reach the player’s senses.  Going hands-on with the new controller, the new rumble was certainly a great addition to a controller that doesn’t feel much different than the Xbox 360.  Alongside a directional pad has been redesigned, the Xbox One controllers are recognized by Kinect which can tell who is playing, and on what controller.

Xbox Live vs PSN Plus

Microsoft has yet to really say how or if Xbox Live will change significantly with the arrival of the Xbox One.  The Xbox Live Gold premium subscription service has been a requirement for Xbox players for more than a decade, and offered very little other than the ability to get online and play with friends, party and cross-game chat, as well as access the multitude of premium features on the Xbox 360’s Xbox Live Marketplace.  It’s worth noting that the premium network very rarely sees downtime, and is widely considered to be reliable by those who use it.   As for additional features, Microsoft recently started a “Games with Gold” program where they’re giving away two games a month to subscribers for the rest of 2013.  Whether or not they’ll continue with the program is anyone’s guess, but they’ve never done anything like this in the past, and it could be in a direct response to the growing popularity of Sony’s PlayStation Plus service.

There’s no doubt that Microsoft will continue to charge users for a premium online experience with Xbox Live Gold, but if it will offer more value is anyone’s guess. Microsoft has talked about ways that they will enhance Xbox Live with things like a completely re-tooled reputation system that will group players with similar ratings for matchmaking purposes. The Xbox Live network will span across the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Friends list count will be increased on the new console, and will keep track of all your friends on both the new console and the Xbox 360.

Sony’s PlayStation Plus will see changes with the arrival of the PlayStation 4.  Never has Sony charged its players to play online via the PlayStation Network.  That’s changing.  When the PlayStation 4 arrives, if you want to go online and play multiplayer games with friends, you’ll need to be a subscriber to Sony’s PlayStation Plus service.  The service will offer you access to a previously free feature, but it’s far from a worthless offering.  The PlayStation Plus service also features a “Instant Game Collection” which gives out free games for all of Sony’s platforms each and every month, as well as offers discounts on specific games and other content on the network.

This is in addition to the slew of other features on the PlayStation Network that will remain free. Sony has yet to detail which applications will remain free, and which will be behind the pay wall. But according to Sony, they’ll be reinvesting the profits from their new premium online network in hopes of rivaling Xbox Live.

Price

All the specs in the world aren’t going to change some consumer minds. There’s no skating around the fact that the Xbox One costs more than the PlayStation 4, $100 more to be exact. The PlayStation 4 will launch at $399, where the Xbox One will launch at $499. So why the big divide in price? Well for starters, the Xbox One includes a Kinect camera in every box. It’s a vital component of the new system, one that Microsoft will not give you a choice in owning or not. If you buy an Xbox One, you have to have a Kinect, and you’ll pay up front for it, regardless.

Sony on the other hand is making their PlayStation camera an optional accessory. It gave the company an easy way to slash the price of the PS4, but it could have repercussion in the adoption of the device as an optional accessory.

New Policies  Used Games and DRM

As of this writing, both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will allow used games.  While it took Microsoft a little coercing to come around and see the light, it appears that the used game market will survive for a little while longer. After initially announcing a special plan for used games on the Xbox One, Microsoft pulled a 180 and announced the changes recently.  Neither the PlayStation 4 nor Xbox One will require any type of online check-in, and will allow owners to play games offline.  On the Xbox One, there will be a one-time system set-up that does require an internet connection, just like on the Xbox 360.

Both consoles will have games available for download, but these will not be able to be traded, resold, gifted.  Though disc-based versions will function similar to how they have in the past. This means that they can be shared with friends, resold, etc. It sounds like both Sony and Microsoft are going to allow the digital revolution to evolve naturally with the Xbox One and PS4. While physical copies of games sound like they’ll function similarly to how they have in the past. But as players start downloading more and more games, rights become severely limited with the digital content. Since the digital market is growing at a rapid pace, and both Sony and Microsoft have plans to offer faster downloads and availability for game demos and downloadable titles, these features will eventually be moot point.

Taking it to the Cloud

Both The Xbox One and PS4 have big plans for the way that we consume content and are delivered information in the coming generation.   For Microsoft, the Xbox One will take advantage of the cloud for enhancements to our gaming experiences.  Calling it the “Living Games Technology”, the company plans to use the cloud to allow game worlds to keep going even when you’re not playing.  Utilizing artificial intelligence, the company claims that a cloud based computer can “learn to play like you”, and your “shadow” can play on.  They’ll also be delivering information via the cloud.   Claiming that games can be instantly updated with real-time information, with game worlds staying in sync with the real world.  Microsoft has made a lot of big claims about the importance of the cloud with the Xbox One, some of them are debatable. The company has said that the cloud could provide game developers with more processing power, giving the console a little something extra under the hood, if true.

Another big implication of the cloud is in the cost for things like dedicated servers. For the most part, games on the Xbox Live network have been using a player hosted solution. Games like the popular Call of Duty titles use this player hosted features, and can have big connectivity problems because of it. The cloud will offer these developers a lower cost solution to providing stable dedicated servers for online multiplayer games.

Sony on the other hand recently purchased Gaikai.   Their cloud/streaming claims were very interesting as well.  Back when the PlayStation 4 was revealed, the company claimed that with Gaikai, those who own the PlayStation Vita would be able to play PS4 games on the handheld.  They also said PS4 players would have instant access to game demos or full games on the PlayStation Store. These claims were also tied to the previously mentioned social features of the new user interface that allows for streaming, sharing, and jumping into other friend’s games.

Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Games

Despite all the hardware specs, software features, and infrastructure of the new systems, the one thing that gets consumers into stores to buy consoles is games. Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will have no shortage of games for the new systems, of both the first party exclusive variety and third party titles as well. Microsoft revealed a number of games this summer that are coming to the Xbox One. Titanfall, Ryse, Killer Instinct, Forza Motorsport 5, Crimson Dragon, Dead Rising 3, Kinect Sports Rivvals, Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, Halo and other games will make their way to Microsoft’s console. Microsoft made a stand at E3 with a massive offering of titles on their new system. There’s also rumblings of the company continuing the Crackdown and Fable franchises in the next-generation.

Sony has proven their dedication to first party games with the PlayStation 3. They’ve got a number of beloved studios that’ll likely be making games for the PlayStation 4. This includes the likes of Sony Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla Games, Sucker Punch, and many more. Their first party line-up gave an equally impressive showing, with seemingly something for everyone with their launch window titles. While they’ve likely got a lot more on the way, they’ve revealed Drive Club, inFamous: Second Son, Killzone: Shadowfall, Knack, The Order 1886, and a wealth of indie titles from developers like Jonathan Blow with The Witness, Supergiant Games and Transistor, as well as titles like Octodad and Ray’s The Dead.

Indie titles have been a point of content between the Xbox One and PS4. Sony recently started a massive push to bring indie games to the PlayStation family of devices, and that push has seen a number of games arrive on the platforms because of the freedom to self-publish. It’s a big reason that you may see more indie games on the PlayStation 4, unless Microsoft changes their policies of self publishing on the Xbox One.

Both consoles have a world of third party support as well. Ubisoft, Activision, EA, Square, Capcom, Bethesda and all the big publishers are chomping at the bit to release their new games on the updated hardware. We’ll see the likes of Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, Watch Dogs, and many other games arrive with both of the new consoles this fall. Going forward, we’ve also got plenty to look forward to when it comes to third party titles. The Mass Effect series, Metal Gear Solid 5, Star Wars Battlefront, Destiny, and other games are due to arrive on both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

It also looks like Sony and Microsoft will both be angling to secure partnerships for exclusive content with these third party titles. While Microsoft appears to have secured deals with EA for content in Battlefield 4 and Activision with the Call of Duty series, Sony has also said that they’ve got their plans to release exclusive content for games like Destiny and Assassin’s Creed. Microsoft showed in the last generation that exclusive deals like these can pay big dividends when the scored DLC from Activision’s Call of Duty series a full month ahead of other platforms. It’s likely that this arms race will continue into the next generation. Some think that these exclusive partnerships are even more important than the first party games that Microsoft and Sony make because of their wide impact to fans of these massively popular series’.

Both Microsoft and Sony will also be making the jump into the world of free-to-play titles on the systems as well. The PS4 will launch with access to free-to-play titles like Warframe, Planetside 2, DC Universe Online, with expectedly more to come in that genre. Microsoft’s free to play offering included a creation style game called Project Spark and a free-to-play version of Killer Instinct.

Day One: Xbox One or PS4

Even with all the cards on the table, it’s still a tough call to make in which console to get on day one if you can only choose one or the other. Microsoft didn’t make the decision any easier with their recent Xbox One policy changes. At the end of the day, both consoles are going to play games. They are both going to have great exclusive titles that can only be played on that system. While Microsoft promises the console of the future with all its Kinect functionality, multimedia multitasking, and the games to boot; Sony specs are no less impressive, especially if you are all about the games on your video game console.