PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X

At this stage, we don’t know much…well, anything…about the PS5’s design. Yes, photos of an alleged development kit have leaked online, but if history has taught us anything, this dev kit will look nothing like the actual console. But we WILL go out on a limb and assume that the PS5 will be black. Just a hunch. Meanwhile, Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox Series X, and it is…different. And maybe not in a good way. If the original Xbox was a fifty-pound brick, then the Xbox Series X is a slab of concrete. It is absolutely massive and incredibly bulky. Like past consoles, it can be laid horizontally or stood vertically, in which case it looks like a PC tower. Granted, that is likely intentional, as the Xbox slowly seems to be merging with PCs to create one mega gaming unit. However, a PC tower can certainly be imposing, especially in a living room. Some people are going to need to redesign their entertainment center just to make room for this behemoth. Functionality aside, this is one hideous console, and we have to give the edge to Sony. We don’t even know what the PS5 looks like – the Xbox Series X is just that ugly. WINNER By Default: PlayStation 5 PS5 1 / Xbox Series X 0

For the ninth generation of consoles, both Sony and Microsoft are moving away from traditional hard drives in favor of solid-state drives, or SSDs. These SSDs will provide a massive performance boost to both consoles and will significantly decrease loading times. The PlayStation’s SSD will also allow for a more comprehensive installation process. It’s said that users will be able to select specific parts of a game to download and/or delete. For example, you can download just the multiplayer component and ignore the campaign, or vice versa. You also have the choice to download the entire game and delete the campaign when you are finished with it, leaving behind the multiplayer and freeing up space in the console. As we stated before, the Xbox Series X will also take advantage of a solid-state drive, although it is unclear whether they too will be utilizing a configurable installation process. In the meantime, we’re going to have to give this round to the PS5. WINNER: PlayStation 5 PS5 2 / Xbox Series X 0

ROUND 3: The Controller

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Sony will be keeping with the iconic DualShock design, and it’s reported that the new controller will be backwards compatible with the PS4. That said, it is also adding some interesting new features. Perhaps the most important difference is the integration of “haptic feedback.” According to a Sony blog post, this will replace the general vibration and add a much “broader range of feedback.” You will reportedly feel different textures as your character walks, and according to them, “crashing into a wall in a race car [will feel] much different than making a tackle on the football field.” They will also be integrating “adaptive triggers,” which will give users different experiences when pulling the controller’s triggers and will better simulate the on-screen action. Aside from that, it’s the same old DualShock. Like the DualShock, the Xbox Series X controller will be backwards compatible with the Xbox One. And, like the new DualShock, it isn’t deviating far from its predecessor. But that is not a bad thing. The Xbox controller has long garnered acclaim thanks to its unique design, customizable layout, and seamless compatibility with PCs. Aside from that, it’s an industry standard when it comes to first person shooters thanks in large part to the design of the triggers and their vibration motors. This basically boils down to personal preference, especially considering their general lack of major innovation on past controllers. But at this stage, we have to give it to the Xbox. The Xbox One controller was already near perfect, there’s really nowhere it can go but up. WINNER: Xbox Series X PS5 2 / Xbox Series X 1

ROUND 4: Online

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We fully expect to see more of PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live in the future. PS Plus will likely continue its free game tradition, along with discounts, cloud saves, and Share play. ‘Remote Play’ will also return, Which Sony is hyping up for the PS5; with lots of buzzwords, but nothing concrete at this stage. We’re also getting more of PlayStation Now, the streaming service that allows users to stream older PS3 and PS2 games. However, PS Now has proved finicky in the past, and many users take issue with its performance and steep price tag. That’s…interesting, but there’s no denying that Microsoft is the superior player when it comes to online utilization. For one thing, there is the Xbox Game Pass, a Netflix for video games that allows users to download games directly to their console. It also allows users to purchase the games at a discount. It’s a heck of a lot better than PS Now. But the biggest game changer is Project xCloud, a service that allows you to stream Xbox games via a cloud server on any platform, including mobile devices. Not sure how reliable that will be, but we’ll just have to wait and see! Still the service will offer cross compatibility with your Xbox Live saves. While this seems that both companies are throwing more eggs into the “On-Demand game streaming basket” this generation, as well as separate options for Remote Play, Game Pass gives XBox the clear upper hand here, since it also allows for downloading as many games as you want at no extra charge. We’ve got an easy winner with this one. WINNER: Xbox Series X PS5 1 / Xbox Series X 2

ROUND 5: Games

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Will Sony continue to dominate into the ninth generation? That is one of the biggest questions of the day, and we can’t wait to see the results. Unfortunately, not much is known about the respective launch lineups at this point, but there are a few informational nuggets we can discern and analyze. Microsoft has stated that “Halo Infinite” will see a release on both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X. “Halo” is arguably the most important launch title of all time, so we can’t wait to see what sort of impact “Halo Infinite” has on the upcoming console. It will also be hosting “Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II,” a sequel to Ninja Theory’s acclaimed “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.” On the other hand, Microsoft has also stated that the Series X won’t be getting any exclusives in it first year, which is quite the gutting blow that undermines getting the console at launch. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 will see “Godfall,” a high fantasy action RPG that borrows heavily from loot shooters like “Borderlands” and “Destiny.” However, it will also be released on PC, so it’s not exactly a PS5 exclusive. However we do know of two major games in the works that have yet to be announced; Bluepoint Games, the company behind the “Shadow of the Colossus” remake, is reported to be working on another exclusive project. While Guerilla Games seems to be working on a sequel to their acclaimed 2017 hit “Horizon Zero Dawn” However where Playstation does get a major upper hand is with backward compatibility. Both consoles will be able to play games from the PS4 and Xbox One respectively. But let’s be honest; the PS4’s exclusive lineup with the likes of “Uncharted 4” “The Last of Us Part 2” & God Of War” just to name a few, absolutely dwarfs the Xbox One’s offerings. For that reason alone, we’re giving this round to the PlayStation 5. WINNER: PlayStation 5 PS5 3 / Xbox Series 2 So far, it seems the PS5 is more impressive. Of course the question will still remain on whether it can maintain this hype, or lose it rapidly like they did in 2006 with the PS3 remains to be seen. For now though, Microsoft will need to wow our socks off when it comes to E3 2020.