While gaming console cycles have always been defined by hardware bumps and exclusives, this current generation shows us the power of services.
It’s been over two years since the start of the current console generation, which launched with a rocky start at the end of 2020. You’d think it’s been more than long enough to understand what it’s all about, but for many, there’s still confusion. That might be changing this year. As Tomas Franzese wrote earlier this month, 2023 could be the year where we finally see what games define this generation’s consoles, at least in terms of exclusives.
While the PS5 is more powerful than its predecessor, most of what I said above won’t matter to the average user. Besides decreased loading times, some visual improvements, and more ray tracing capabilities, there isn’t a huge difference between AAA games of the last generation and this one. And this won’t be just a one-off fluke.
The rise of services At this point, there is little difference between Xbox and PlayStation regarding the consoles themselves, and until we start to see more exclusives in 2023, there’s little reason to purchase a PS5 over an Xbox Series X or vice versa. However, that’s not to say you can’t give those companies your money.
Microsoft is all-in on Xbox Game Pass. You can see this with the release of the Xbox Series S, which is almost identical to an Xbox Series X minus a couple of features and a disc drive, essentially making it a cloud gaming box. Executives have also said as much, touting inclusivity and its mission to bring its games to as many people as possible. In marketing materials, you can see that Xbox Game Pass gets as much play as consoles or first-party titles.
“Back in the PS2 era someone bought a box, connected it to a TV, and had to buy games on a disc. The ways in which people engage with these boxes have just expanded in so many ways. It’s all about playing what you want, when you want, where you want, and with whom you want. Back in the day it was play what you got where you are and that was it,” Piscatella says.
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