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PS5 vs Xbox Series X: How Microsoft's Game Reveal Stacked Up To Sony's
It's been a few days since Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase and players have had enough time to ruminate on the presentation and how it compared to last month's PS5 conference. Both events unveiled numerous amounts of exciting titles for the Xbox Series X and PS5, along with having their own share of controversies and of course, memes. While the PS5 conference revealed a new Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, and a sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn as their top contenders, Microsoft's showcase presented a new look at Halo: Infinite and Obsidian's new game Avowed, along with a new Fable. All of these titles are incredibly promising and solid exclusives for the systems, but which showcase took the prize?
When it comes to the Xbox Games Showcase, the biggest and most impressive piece of news was that every game shown is going to be included in Xbox Games Pass. If the service didn't seem worth it enough, Microsoft is doing everything they can to make it as appealing as possible to a wide audience. Nearly every genre of game is represented in the list of Games Pass games, and it's a relief to know that several titles in the future won't cost players $60 to try out. There was some backlash to Halo: Infinite's graphics, but otherwise, most of the games presented looked really solid, if a little too early in development.
For PlayStation, the console design sparked a huge online Twitter trend for Wi-Fi routers, but most of the actual focus was on the games and the new DualSense controller. Astro's Playroom is a built-in game that gives a great look at all of the unique features of the DualSense remote and looks incredibly charming. It's also safe to say that games like Resident Evil 8 will be more at home on PS5 if it incorporates VR again like it's predecessor on the PS4. Regardless, the actual PlayStation exclusives shown are enough to warrant a pre-order on the system for most players.
PS5 Vs Xbox Series X: Who Won?
When it comes to hype, nothing really comes close to the excitement that PlayStation Studios' first-party story-driven titles bring. Marvel's Spiderman was one of the top-selling exclusives on PS4, so a sequel is a no brainer. Horizon: Forbidden West looks to take Guerrilla Game's Decima Engine to the next level, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart did an excellent job of showing how the SSD included in the PS5 will allow for new gameplay possibilities by quickly jumping between worlds. Best of all, several of the titles shown in the showcase had actual gameplay, minus the Demons Souls remake (for which a title is enough to get people to throw their money at the screen).
Microsoft's conference, however, didn't seem to hit the same highs. While titles like Fable and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 are enough to generate excitement, the lack of gameplay and overuse of CG trailers in the conference didn't give a great example of what next-gen games on the Xbox Series X will bring. Obsidian's Avowed, while a brief trailer, does seem incredibly promising as an Elder Scroll's competitor, but it may be a while before we see more of how the game plays. Microsoft's flagship series, Halo, also didn't do a good job of impressing fans. Outdated graphics and lack of textures plagued the trailer, and it doesn't seem like the game will be utilizing the extra power Microsoft brags about with their next-gen system.
After fully taking in all of the information from both console showcases, it's clear that PlayStation is ahead of the game. Their current exclusives lineup mostly shows promising gameplay, while Xbox's was littered with CGI cutscenes. That doesn't mean that Microsoft can't turn the battle around, though. If they were to show some solid gameplay for Avowed, Fable, or even Forza Motorsport, it could easily quell the worries of several gamers. All in all, it still looks like this holiday season will offer a huge variety of excellent titles to try out on both PS5 and Xbox Series X.
