The latest updates between the console combatants of Sony and Microsoft has continued to wage on throughout the years. As one launches a new generation console, the other is closely behind. We even saw this with the mid-generation upgrades with the Xbox One S and X launching around the same time as the PS4 Pro. The thing that leaves the Playstation players wondering is how do they plan to compete with the Xbox One X?
I did try to reach out to them and was unfortunately unable to get a comment on this issue from them, but I did find a few interesting factoids. The main interest of mine is in the console, so I took interest in a "code name Prime" that has been thrown around which could be the first hint to another mid-generation console upgrade that will allow true native 4K gaming and movies. This is of course unconfirmed and could just as easily be a way of hiding the details of the next generation console, PS5.
The PS5 is a great step to compete with the Xbox One X. While it may be the next generation, which would obviously blow the previous generations out of the water, they could easily be planning to make the ultra gaming machine. Including a minimal of a 2TB hard drive, an upgraded AMD graphics card to allow native 4K gaming (if not jumping up to 8K to get ahead of the game), and a professional compact design. While this may be considered a different category to competing with this generations console, I am including it simply because it doesn't matter if they beat the current generation if they remain behind in the game industry. It would be better for them to just let Microsoft have this generation and exceed tremendously in the next set of consoles.
The last option they have lies in the PSVR. While the Xbox has the Kinect, they don't have their own VR system - let alone one that is as easy as plug-n-play like Playstations. With a dedicated team, they could get to work on creating the best software update they can make in order to give the PSVR a much higher resolution. This would make the games that already feel realistic even more like your temporary reality and improve the overall gaming sessions for PSVR users.
Keeping the focus on hardware updates means that we aren't taking into account all of the exclusives that Playstation has. The list of games only available on the Playstation is rather large and continues to grow, but it isn't a way to combat with a consoles performance.
I am a big fan of the Playstation consoles myself, playing them since the first Playstation when I was a child. I would love to see the PS4 some how top the XB1X, but I really think they might be better off putting their attention into software updates to improve what is there and creating the best possible console for the next generation. After all, based on console generation launch time lines, we are due for the next generation within the next two to three years! What are your thoughts on the Playstation verse Xbox situation? Do you agree or are you hopeful for a Playstation 4 X?
