Xbox One and Playstation 4 - The Dawn of Nuclear Console War

This Autumn both the next generation of Xbox and Playstation will launch in most countries. Though there has always been a ‘console war’ between Xbox and Playstation and a huge amount of fanboyism to either party, this will be nothing compared to what will begin at the start of this year.

Looking back at the current gen and by this I mean Xbox 360, PS3 and Nintendo Wii. The 360 launched almost an entire year ahead of the PS3 and Wii which both launched within days of each other (in the UK). The Xbox had that extra year advantage, a much cheaper price tag and no other innovative and entirely new and cheap console to throw a spanner in the works like the Wii did to the PS3 launch. This is entirely different to what is to come this Autumn. The Xbox One and PS4 will launch, if the rumours are true, within weeks of each other and the Wii-U, which many class as a current gen console, is struggling to make a place in people’s homes and doesn’t seem likely to affect these gaming giants’ releases, especially now the original attractions of the Wii have been sucked dry through the Xbox’s Kinect and Playstation Move / Camera.

So, with two next-gen giants set to release at the same time, each had to make an impact early to encourage pre orders and to excite gamers. I don’t need to explain to you reading this, it’s even been reported on BBC News on how badly Microsoft announced to the world the Xbox 1 and how it would be clamped down by DRM and region locking as well as other embarrassing gaffes I need not expand upon. But as is the way with the internet and its power to change everything by millions of people typing or blogging their opinions, Microsoft have now managed to swing back with a system almost entirely resembling their opponents. So now, the post e3 huge void between the next gen duo has become small step between gamers’ choice over which to buy. Even the Playstation 4 has an optional Kinect-like camera making the consoles even that more similar in tech.

With all the remaining tiny hardware differences and exclusive games set aside, there is one major factor which I feel is the true bringer of this real console war - the monthly cost. Xbox Live Gold has been around much longer than Playstation Plus but Gold is almost mandatory to do almost anything on your Xbox 360. To play games online or even use so called free apps such as YouTube or iPlayer requires a Gold membership but on PS3 these features have always been free. On the PS4, a Plus account will be required to play games online but streaming services and such will continue to function to free account holders. But  who would buy a next gen console and not make use of it’s full potential and pay for monthly service? Microsoft have even improved their Gold service to include monthly free games just like on Playstation Plus. With both parties offering such a good service and with potential customers already guaranteed to continue using their Playstation Plus / Gold accounts on to the next gen, it will be quite difficult to move from one to another or even have both. I’m sure some gaming enthusiasts will happily pay for both consoles and for both monthly services but will it be that many? It’s almost like a contract, one which you can be a member of already and one that begrudges you from having or moving to the other. The current gen didn’t have so much of a problem as those with an Xbox 360 may have happily bought a PS3 or Wii as well as they knew there would be no additional monthly cost to what they (may) have already been paying for on Live Gold.

It is something that has been overlooked by the countless scrutinies between which has fastest RAM available for gaming or which one does or doesn’t come with a headset. You can look at a whole list of comparisons of hardware and bundled gadgets but the true factor that will decide who will buy and stay on which is the monthly cost - the chosen, devoted cost to that service and provider. The supposed console wars have just been a cold war up till now, this Autumn is when sides will be chosen and the real console war will begin.