Technology – Microsoft and Sony go to virtual war
November is set to be a huge month for gaming fans. The two titans of the games console world, Microsoft and Sony, are bringing their all new offerings to market. For Microsoft it’s the Xbox One, a hard edged, uncompromising, glossy black cuboid that promises to bring intense gaming pleasure and all your media needs together in one device – hence the name, geddit? On the other side is Sony’s Play Station 4, an angular matt black blade like some unimaginably powerful weapon from a dark and violent future. But who is going to win this war?
Sony has already announced a release date of the 15th of November for the PS4. Microsoft won’t commit to anything more precise than November, but insiders are speculating on a November 8th release date for the Xbox One. Will that extra week allow Microsoft to steal a march over its bitter rival? PS4 fans will point to the price, a mere £349 compared to a hefty £429 for the Xbox. Microsoft supporters will counter with the knowledge that the One comes with a free copy of the mighty Fifa 14, just in time for the World Cup. All well and good if you’re a football game enthusiast, but what if you’re not?
Talking of games, both protagonists have a launch line-up of 23 titles. The Play Station offering includes Killzone: Shadow Fall, Drive Club and Knack. Xbox kicks off with Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome and Killer Instinct. Both consoles offer the much hyped, next generation shoot ‘em up, Infamous 2: Titanfall. Both Ryse and Killzone are big budget, top rated games created to coincide with the release of PS4 and One.
So far so good, but what are they like to use? Initial reports are encouraging. The Xbox One boasts huge processing power and can even draw extra capacity from the Cloud when required. This equates to blindingly fast draw rates and incredibly sharp graphics – you can actually see the worn leather on the steering wheel when playing Forza Motorsport 5 and Titanfall is more reminiscent of a mega budget Hollywood blockbuster than a console game. Never has gaming stepped so close to reality. The user interface is modelled closely on the Windows 8 Metro screen and makes flipping between movies, music and apps or even from game to game a doddle. Microsoft has put a lot of effort into promoting their voice control function which allows users to perform the same function without the hassle of picking up the controller. Good luck with that… does anyone remember Siri? Anyway, the controller itself is as close to perfection as you’re likely to get; why would anyone want to avoid using it?
The technological improvements in PS4 are less obvious. The draw rate is up to 60 frames per second, generally accepted as the ideal for action games, but the graphics are not greatly superior to those on the PS3. The controller is much improved to make it more of a match for the Xbox and it now features a touchpad, similar to the one found on a laptop, although most of the games in the launch line-up have yet to find a proper use for it. There is also a camera available as a separate purchase; users can create their own real life avatar for use in some games.
So, who will win this war? Traditionally, Microsoft has dominated the market in America where it is on home turf and the price differential is less pronounced, while Sony has dominated in Europe. I think that the Xbox is technically the better product but the PS4 will win in the UK. This is down to price, not just the £80 difference in purchase price but also the fact that many free to play games will work on the PS4 whereas only one, World of Tanks, works on Xbox
It seems that Microsoft still can’t resist the temptation to squeeze every last dollar out of its customers.
Graham Iek
IT Consultant
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