Xbox One

[Retrogamer0001]

The whole "console wars" thing is such a marketing machine for both companies, it's no surprise that it gets milked so hard on the internet (or on tv in the 80s/90s) and in gaming circles.

I don't think think there is much of a war going on this generation. To me Xbox One and PS4 are just too similar, and whatever you can do with one system you can do with the other. I also believe that this generation is going to have the least amount of exclusives so that will even ease any kind of "war" going on. As for the Wii U, their sales numbers are just too low for us to say they are in a "war" with PS4 even though it offers different features/capabilities .

Last generation we had a good war with stuff like this:
-Bluray vs HD-DVD (No Bluray in 360)
-High prices(ps3) vs Cheap ($250 Wiis)
-Motion controls vs cameras vs tradional controllers
-Huge storage space(PS3) vs hardly any (Wii)
-paid XBL vs free PSN
- Ethernet(Xbox until 2010 I believe) vs. PS3 Wifi (from late 06)

Regardless, the PS4 vs XB1 argument among fanboys and consumers continues. The exclusives will once again be the deciding factor for many, especially with marquee franchises like Halo, Gears of War, and Killzone, among others. New exclusives like Titanfall will also undoubtedly be a factor. When everything is so similar, like you're suggesting, it comes down to any kind of difference for consumers (exclusive titles are actually a major difference though). I don't see these kind of arguments going away any time soon as long as there are multiple consoles on the market.

[Stark]

...especially with marquee franchises like Halo, Gears of War, and Killzone, among others.

It occurs to me that there aren't enough marquis franchises.

[isiolia]

I don't think think there is much of a war going on this generation. To me Xbox One and PS4 are just too similar, and whatever you can do with one system you can do with the other.

I think they have significantly different takes on some things. Either way though, there's probably more at stake at this point, not less. Regardless of how similar the hardware is, if someone is only investing in one of them, then it's not just accessories and licensing fees, but online subscription fees, digital content sales, that kind of thing too. Think of it like iTunes versus Google Play - even if the same music is on either one, the respective companies want you to buy it through their store, not the other guy's.

Plus, the trophy/achievement systems, chat features, online play, etc are all tied to one platform. Sell the early adopters on one platform, and chances are their friends will follow later.

To go back to the example again, if Apple sold you on an iPod years ago, and you've spent $1000 on iTunes music and video...an Android device is likely a harder sell. They want you to get invested in the platform.

[prfsnl_gmr]

...especially with marquee franchises like Halo, Gears of War, and Killzone, among others.

It occurs to me that there aren't enough marquis franchises.

There is only one Marquis Franchisè!

[Stark]

There is only one Marquis Franchisè!

We're friends.

[BogusMeatFactory]

There is only one Marquis Franchisè!

We're friends.

Group Hug!

[RCBH928]

To go back to the example again, if Apple sold you on an iPod years ago, and you've spent $1000 on iTunes music and video...an Android device is likely a harder sell. They want you to get invested in the platform.

I didn't know that your past account with XBL/PSN is transferable to next generation. As far as I know the games of last gen. won't work on current generation including downloads. As for music and video, unlike iTunes, I am not sure many buy movies/songs from their consoles' digital store.

Either the fight is equal here because both of Sony and Microsoft has an install base of 80m each. So no one is in the deep water.

@Retrogamer

I agree, exclusives is the deciding factor and I haven't heard much. Last generation we had similar arguments. You want Gears of War, Halo, Fable get 360. You want GT, MGS, Uncharted go with ps3. I went 360. Gears of War was awesome .

[Stark]

To go back to the example again, if Apple sold you on an iPod years ago, and you've spent $1000 on iTunes music and video...an Android device is likely a harder sell. They want you to get invested in the platform.

I didn't know that your past account with XBL/PSN is transferable to next generation. As far as I know the games of last gen. won't work on current generation including downloads.

The accounts work across gens. The games of last gen do not work on the current gen, but in some small cases on the PS4, if you purchased the PS3 version, you get the PS4 version free. That doesn't mean that the PS3 version works on the PS4, it is different code.

[Phades]

The accounts work across gens. The games of last gen do not work on the current gen, but in some small cases on the PS4, if you purchased the PS3 version, you get the PS4 version free. That doesn't mean that the PS3 version works on the PS4, it is different code.

It's also worth mentioning that your shows or movies you may have bought come over as well. It wouldn't be enough to sway me to buy one system or the other, but there were a few titles I bought on the video store.

[Retrogamer0001]

Also, let's not commit the sin of ignoring our PS3s/360s - it isn't like they automatically explode when the next new thing is brought home. As long as any downloaded games are still on the 7th-gen stuff, I personally wouldn't care if they're transferable to the 8th-gen stuff or not.