Fellow editor Henry Holloway brought up an excellent point in our staff chat the other night when it comes to a key difference in the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The fact that both consoles are somewhat lagging behind in regular releases isn’t much of a surprise. There’s always been a period between a console’s launch and its first holiday software line-up that feels like an empty void. People often wonder why they cashed in so early on new and expensive hardware. It happened with both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, more with the former than the latter; having Oblivion certainly helped to alleviate any post-launch boredom.
This time, however, both Microsoft and Sony have gone through methods t combat said post-launch boredom. They’re going about it different ways, though: Sony is filling in the gaps between AAA releases with quality indies while Microsoft is reminding shooter fans why they’ve been playing on Xbox Live for the past decade. These are two moves that speak perfectly to the audiences we’d expect both consoles to have.
Sony’s indie support has only increased since the PS4’s announcement and continues to be a vital plan in the console’s growth. By offering games like Mercenary Kings and Secret Ponchos for free over PlayStation Plus, they’re giving gamers something new to play every month instead of sapping the life out of Infamous and Killzone. It’s part of a message you’ve undoubtedly seen somewhere on the internet since lat fall: the PS4 has games and lots of them.
Yet there seems to be one issue with this plan. I can play (and have) Mercenary Kings on Steam. I can pick up (and will) Secret Ponchos on Steam. There isn’t really any pressing need for me to run out and pick up Sony’s new console. Granted, I absolutely will at some point because the notion of paying nothing for games is just too good to ignore. The PS4’s exclusive line-up doesn’t entirely interest me. What does, though, is the Xbox One’s.
Well, Forza 5 to be precise. Being able to play Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare and Titanfall are a nice bonus. Now, I know, I know…they’re also on PC and 360, but my friends are playing it on Xbox One and I enjoy playing games with them. Plus, it’s handy to snap Netflix as I play.
Still, these games aren’t exactly enough to bridge the Xbox One from launch 2013 to holiday 2014, and yet that seems to be the strategy: keep gamers playing online until the next batch of shooters is released. Given one’s nature to be able to do this, it doesn’t sound too far-fetched. I can’t tell you how much I played Halo 3 and Gears of War in college. It was a ritual; I played with friends, I played at parties, I played alone. It’s something I’ve been doing with Titanfall. I may not play it every day, but I do play it every so often. Plus it was nice to show it off to my girlfriend who is currently without an Xbox One. She’s pretty jealous.
It’s interesting to see two consoles with a relatively healthy life some six or so months after its launch with two drastically different approaches. The important thing to takeaway here is that Microsoft and Sony seem to be going after two separate demographics. It feels safe to say that they’re doing a pretty good job at catering towards their intended markets. One of those markets just happens to have a broader appeal.
