The fight between Microsoft and Sony for gaming superiority is heating up. And no, it isn’t because of the overheating issues plaguing the PlayStation 5.
Microsoft and Sony have recently acquired the developers Activision Blizzard and Bungie respectively, marking a potential increase in acquisitions according to a Polygon article by Nicole Carpenter on Feb 2, 2022.
An increase in console exclusives is a possibility that doesn’t really worry long-time gamer, and PlayStation superfan Kellan van Dorland.
“Microsoft would be shooting themselves in the foot if they didn’t let Activision design games for other consoles,” van Dorland said.
Van Dorland thinks it is likely some of the smaller titles from the developer will be exclusive while franchises such as Call of Duty continue to be published cross-platform. Publishers may need to account for brand loyalty before they decide to make a game exclusive.
“I chose the PS5 [since] I have owned every PlayStation since the original. I have played on Sony [consoles] for so long that it just made sense to continue,” he said, “I did have a little stint that I owned an Xbox 360, which was a decent console other than the ring of death.”
Dalton Tainton owns a PlayStation 5 and says he got the console because it was readily available to him, finding a deal online for a lightly used unit. However, he prefers the new Xbox Series X console his roommate has for a few reasons.
“My PlayStation 5 has been overheating and lagging a bit since I got it,” Tainton said, “The [PS5] controller isn’t as comfortable as the Xbox Series controller as well.”
Tainton said that the user interface was difficult for him to navigate at first as he was not accustomed to the layout. He complimented the Xbox Series X design and liked how they kept the same menus as the last console.
“I haven’t had the PlayStation very long so there is a bit of a learning curve, especially with the placement of the toggles on the controller,” Tainton said.
Both consoles have carried exclusive titles since release and will likely continue to do so as time progresses. Many games are now offering cross-platform support, allowing those with different consoles to still play together in their favourite digital world.
Van Dorland has been playing mainly PS4 games on his new console and sees a huge difference in the graphics when playing FarCry 6.
“Noticeably different and so much better on the PS5 [compared to PS4] ,” he said.
Unfortunately, not everyone is able to get their hands on a new console, with supply chain shortages of chips for the consoles expected to continue through the rest of the year.
If you can’t wait for a restock at your local store, there are places online reselling them. That’s if you are willing to pay a ridiculous amount to get one though, with the markup on these consoles being extremely high.
If you still haven’t gotten your hands on one, you may be waiting for a good long while.