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IMPACT
The Console War: PlayStation vs Xbox As the perennial Microsoft vs Sony/Xbox vs PlayStation competition enters its next stage with the release of another console from both companies, Impact’s James Warrell looks at the successes and failures of both consoles, and what this means for the outcome of the ‘Console War’. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X are the latest consoles produced by Sony and Microsoft, respectively. Each generation of consoles brings major technological updates, including better graphics, lower loading times and the capability to play bigger and better games. With both consoles performing very similarly (from a technical perspective) and matching each other with a £449 price tag, who is currently winning the console war? Early reports on sales numbers demonstrate PlayStation seems to have achieved an early lead over Xbox. Veronica Rogers, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Head of Business Operations, stated: “We are thrilled to announce that as of July 18th, 2021, we have sold more than 10 million PlayStation 5 consoles globally.” On the other hand, industry experts hypothesise that the Xbox S/X had sold 6.5 million units by June 2021, and sale rates suggest that by the end of 2021, sales numbers between the two consoles will likely be neck and neck. Either way, the sales of both consoles are staggering, outselling any of their predecessors. While neither console had a particularly inspired initial set of launch games, PlayStation’s first year featured far more exclusive games than Xbox. In 2021, massive titles such as Crash Bandicoot 4, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Deathloop were released to the PS5.
In comparison, Xbox’s biggest game releases will be Halo and Forza, both coming in 2022. This is, perhaps, the most prominent reason for the initial gap in sales, as Xbox had fewer launches and console exclusives. Additionally, both companies had a different number of units available at launch. PlayStation anticipated more sales, and thus had more units, while Xbox had less to sell. So, can there be any real winner at the moment? Both companies are suffering from shortages in semiconductor microchips which are essential in the production of both consoles. This shortage has resulted in PlayStation and Xbox underperforming in sales. With that being said, I cannot help but feel there is a winner in this so-called console war, namely: Sony. With PlayStation’s everexpanding exclusive line-up only getting better and better, the PS5 continues to be a hot commodity. The PlayStation Showcase announced titles such as Marvel’s Spiderman 2, Wolverine, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Horizon Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarök. Contrastingly, Xbox’s line-up remains relatively bare-boned. With the sales of PS5 increasing, it is more likely that the gap will expand. It seems clear to all involved, with the launch of the PS5, that Sony has established a hegemony over gaming that will be hard to challenge. But Xbox will certainly not fall too far behind, with their emphasis on affordable gaming and Xbox Game Pass, which offers far more high-profile games than the PS Plus subscription service.
By James Warrell Illustration and Page Design by Philippa Stazicker
