User blog:900bv/A Unbiased Look at the Next-Generation of Video Gaming

Well, E3 is essentially over. Apart from a few more demos, and stuff like that, all the big announcement have been launched at our faces. In this blog post, I will not be talking about next-generation games, I'll be looking at what we'll be playing them on.

First off, it's probably best that I tell you that I will be getting a PS4 at laumch and will not be considering an Xbox One purchase. However, I will be as fair to both sides as I can.

First off, let's have a look at the PS4. It can essentially be summarised in four words: "Offline, Plays Used, Cheaper". That is essentially why a good amount of people will be sticking with, and converting to, PlayStation. Those three points drew the biggest cheers at E3, and you know the competition has messed up when you can get huge cheers for doing what has been done for 40 years. The introduction of a couple of features like cross-game chat and background downloading is really awesome too.

However, Sony did falter at a couple of hurdles. The lack of true backwards compatability is crap, but if they can get Gaikai working effectively at a reasonable cost, it isn't too glaring an issue. Also, the introduction of P2P Online isn't great, but PS+ throws free games at you, so I'm not really that bothered. Also, it was said the F2P/MMO games will not require PS+, which is really quite smart.

The final, and frankly least important point, is the actual, physical console. I wasn't too sure at first, but it is certainly growing on me. However, the tiny power/eject buttons are ridiculous. Exclusive games are irrelevant in this argument but, for what it's worth, I'm more interested in the exclusives Sony showed off, along with the many exclusives they showed off. I mean, Octodad is gonna be great.

Let's press on with what is considered by the hardcore gaming crowd/Reddit as the Unholy Grail of Consoles. Now, Microsoft have cleared up a couple of really major issues that the Xbox One seemed to have. Paying a fee to use pre-owned games isn't actually there, and this slightly odd family system allows you to share games with up to ten family members, that aren't actually family members?

It's something they really need to explain in a proper interview, not PR-speak bullshit on Xbox Wire. If it works as implied, that could potentially be a really good feature that will fix a lot of the game lending hassle. However, with some of the other stuff they mentioned in the same article, such as giving a game to a friend once, contradicts what is said about family sharing. It's also mentioned that game lending will NOT be a launch feature, so it is clear they are implementing this because of the original backlash. Just clear it up Microsoft, you communicate like arse.

Then, for me, the kicker arise. The 24-hour connectivity. The point is not "Will it effect my experience?", it is "Why is it needed at all?". Peter Molyneux brought this up, as Microsoft never said what the benefits of being always online are, even if it is just a quick check-in every 24 hours.

I'd consider my dad the guy who got me into gaming. I mean, we played Resident Evil together when I was 3 or 4. However, he isn't too well off, and while my mum's house has stable internet, my dad's does not. It's unfair that people that love games are being denied the experience of, for example, Xbox One exclusives that they really want to play. My dad really hates the whole concept of the Xbox One, and is really happy with what Sony are doing. Even if you can check in using a mobile phone, how can you do it with no connectivity at all? Microsoft really need to say why it was implemented, because the only thing that is apparent at the moment is that it is essentially DRM.

Let's round everything off by looking at the physical Xbox One. I don't like the way it looks, but if you have a very cubic room then it'll probably fit in. Opinions on the hardware are subjective, but that's what I think. Also, the exclusives for the Xbox One didn't intrigue me as much, bar a couple. Project Spark has the potential to be huge, and I'm definitely gonna miss Dead Rising 3, now that it's confirmed it'll be funny. Also, Titanfall did interest me, but they have already said they are considering a PS4 port, so yeah.

Xbox One certainly wasn't as awful as it was rumoured to be, but the used game confusion and the lack of explaination for 'every 24-hour connectivity' is weird at best, and mind-numbingly retarded at worst. I am certain that the Xbox One could've been a good, even great, console if it wasn't for the idiotic additions they've made. Also, bringing out Minecraft, AGAIN, is just pathetic. It's not an indie game anymore, Octodad is.

PS4, aside from subjective points such as exclusive games, essentially destroys Xbox One in all places. There isn't a complicated system for lending or selling games, there isn't what seems to be a highly unneccesary connectivity system, and it doesn't need what has the potential to be a spy camera shoved up it's arse at all times.

It is not a question of whether these restrictions will affect you. It certainly doesn't matter to me, I have pretty much constant access to the internet, and I rarely by used games. However, let's go back to the example f my dad. How is he going to enjoy what could potentially be amazing Xbox One games? He can't, and saying that you already have an offline device in the Xbox 360 isn't helping Mattrick.

TL;DR: I think the Xbox One could've been great if it wasn't for the moronic restrictions placed on users, and I am going to be enjoying the PS4 as my next-generation console because of subjective reasons.