Looks like Sony won the next-gen wars today

[Ddrak]

XBone: $499, lots of potential restrictions on used game sales, fairly mediocre set of launch titles, lots of "always-on, always-connected" questions.
PS4: $399, fully supportive of the used game market, rich set of launch titles, standard stand-alone console philosophy.

I'm gonna say PS4 sells double XBone this holiday season unless MS does something dramatic like having games half the cost.

Dd

[Kulaf]

I don't know. Seems like both systems are very close. Apparently you need a sub with Sony to play any online multiplayer game just like you do with XB One:

While everyone was busy cheering on Sony for allowing PlayStation 4 owners to sell and trade retail game discs just like they always have, many missed an important change to Sony's pricing structure for online services. Apparently, online multiplayer gaming on the PS4 will require a $50 per year subscription to PlayStation Plus, matching a similar requirement for Xbox Live Gold to get online multiplayer on Microsoft's systems.

The "announcement" was buried at the bottom of a list of "features" of PlayStation Plus, which was listed on a single slide during Sony's press conference (we snapped the above picture of it but didn't absorb the real impact in all the craziness at the time). The list included "immersive multiplayer online on PS4" as one of the benefits of a Plus subscription, alongside discounted games, cloud saves, an instant game collection, and more.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/06/p ... ltiplayer/

Personally I think the game devs are going to get their slice of the resale market one way or another. And considering the XB One comes with the camera, the price on both is competitive when you compare feature for feature.

[Harlowe]

It went from free to a $50 a year sub iirc, so still much cheaper than Xbox live. The big things for me Ddrak already listed - fully supportive of the used game market and standard stand-alone console philosophy.

The "always on/connected" (with a camera creeps me out) and the virtual middle finger to their customer-base has led to my inevitable break-up with Xbox. I primarily play PC games or PC versions of the games, so I definitely do not need two consoles anymore. $100 cheaper is great as well, so unless things change drastically with the Xbox, and MS has a come to Jesus moment, I'll be going PS4.

[Kulaf]

1 year of Xbox Live is also 50 bucks, so not seeing the difference. It also doesn't matter what the console maker wants. If the game devs decide to require online play.......the game will require online play.

[Minute]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

[Harlowe]

Right Kulaf, but having a choice is more important to me. I want to be able to use a stand alone without an internet connection if that's what I want to do. I also don't want to be penalized for used games.

[Taxious]

the virtual middle finger to their customer-base has led to my inevitable break-up with Xbox.

This really irks me into never wanting to buy anything xbox again as well. I've been a loyal xbox consumer until this point, from here on out it's only PC gaming for me (on windows of course ).

[Harlowe]

I was wrong about the pricing, I was factoring $25 every 3 months, but if you pay for a year it is $50.

Tax, same here - I've gotten to the point where I almost exclusively play on PC now.

[Fallakin Kuvari]

Even if you do get the Eye for the PS4, its $59. Still cheaper than the Xbox One. Bundling the Kinect with the system was a dumb move, imo.

This whole fiasco reminds me of Sega vs Sony in 1999-2000. Sega shot themselves in the foot on multiple occasions and Sony was the victor (Having hit the market in the US a full 6 months later, and over a year and a half later in Japan).

Honestly, I haven't been this excited about a console since the PS2.

[Ddrak]

I think it's pretty reminiscent of PS3 vs XBox360. PS3 was more expensive but more capable, and the XBox smashed it.

Dd

[Fallakin Kuvari]

In terms of what the companies are doing and how the public is reacting? Totally Sega vs PS2. Sega did nothing to make people love them, and burned quite a few bridges along the way. Sony sat back and let them do it.

I bought 1 system back in 99-2000. It was a PS2, with my own hard earned money. I didn't end up buying a Dreamcast until a year later when they were on sale for $100 at Walmart cause they were being discontinued.

[Ddrak]

I didn't pay attention to consoles back then because PC games owned.

Dd