Summary
There’s no doubt that Sony’s PlayStation 5 has taken the prize in this generation’s console war, but there’s no such thing as a perfect console. I have more consoles than sense, and I still pick up my Xbox controller 90% of the time.
It’s no secret that Microsoft is going through a tough time in terms of console sales. While we don’t have accurate figures on which to draw concrete comparisons, you don’t have to look far to see signs of a struggling hardware business.
It’s plain to see when walking into brick-and-mortar game retailers that the Xbox games are located on the back wall, well away from the Switch cartridges andPokémonplushies. You can also see it in decisions that the company has been making over the last 12 months, chief among them being the choice to bring previously Xbox-exclusive games to rival platforms.
Microsoft was always keen to bring its games to the PC after all, and the PCisthe world’s most popular gaming platform. If it were a three-way competition, Windows would win even with upstarts like Valve’s SteamOS trying to eat Microsoft’s lunch. But the decision to bring games other thanMinecraftand acquired properties likeDOOMto Switch and PS5 is a significant one.
If you’ve ventured into Sony spaces on forums like Reddit in the past month or so, you might have spotted the surprising trend of PS5 and PS5 Pro owners glazing Microsoft’s accomplishments withForza Horizon 5. The game already looked stunning on the Series X, but Turn 10 made exceptional use of the PS5 Pro’s added grunt to put out aPro-enhanced version. This means that the best version of Microsoft’s flagship arcade racer is now on a Sony console.
Financially, Microsoft’s decision to tap into its rivals’ massive user bases makes a lot of sense. But it’s also a sign that the company has shifted focus away from more traditional console practices of guarding its console ecosystem. This has led to some drama from Xbox stalwarts, even though the company still operates under an “Xbox first” policy.
Personally, I’m not too bothered. If my primary Xbox broke tomorrow, I’d probably head right out and buy another one. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that future Microsoft consoles deliver the goods, but I don’t consider myself loyal to any particular platform.Forzaand the like on PlayStation just means that more people get to play, and if that makes the franchise more successful, then we all get to benefit.
Game Pass Is a Huge Draw
Game Pass is a huge part of what I love about my Xbox. I jumped on the Xbox train after sitting out the Xbox One last generation in favor of the PS4 (and eventually PS4 Pro). The Xbox One did very little to win me over, from the underwhelming reveal to the weak hardware to the trickle of games that interested me.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate lets you stream a massive catalog of games to Xbox consoles, PC, and mobile.
When the Series X and PlayStation 5 generation finally kicked off, I decided that there was probably room in my life and budget for both consoles. I decided I’d start with the Xbox Series X and catch up on the games that I’d missed out on while glued to my PS4. I redeemed three months of Game Pass for $1 and never looked back.
I’m happy to admit that Game Pass has been a huge influence on my gaming life. Not only does it represent great value to me, but I also see the service as a tastemaker. Even if Microsoft’s latest first-party release is a miss, you can guarantee that a few more games will arrive on the service that same month that are worth checking out. If not, there’s a huge backlog of things I’ve been meaning to play forever.
I’m self-aware enough to understand that a conglomerate like Microsoft picking up publishers like Bethesda and Activision is concerning for the industry as a whole, but I won’t pretend that I haven’t benefited from these developments. It’s how I’ve experienced some of my favorite games of the last few years, likeIndiana Jones and the Great Circleand my current obsessionThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remasteredwithout having to shell out full price.
And then there’s the trimmings. I’d probably never have played games likeBlue PrinceandKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddesswere it not for the fact that they just showed up on my console. Being able to try out the bestCall of Dutygame in years, risk-free, so that I could get owned by 13-year-olds again was a blast.
Game Pass is, hands down, the main reason that the Xbox is my primary gaming platform. It’s the reason I pick up Microsoft’s controller first, rather than a DualSense, or the Switch, or my Steam Deck. It’s the reason I haven’t been able to justify throwing together a gaming PC. For now, I’m happy to let the good times roll for my $20 per month.
I Barely Turn on My PS5
Despite Sony’s misshapen white box still sitting under my TV, I don’t find myself turning it on very often. Sony’s first-party output hasn’t done a lot to win me over this generation, particularly in the last few years. When I finally got my hands on a PS5 in 2022, I played catch-up with games likeSpider-Man: Miles Moralesand the previously-exclusiveDeathloopbut fell off once Game Pass drew me back in.
I found myself sitting outSpider-Man 2andGod of War: Ragnarok, not because I don’t believe they’re good but because Game Pass always gave me something else to do. In a world where there is so much to play at all times, a game really has to capture my attention to draw me in or pique my curiosity enough to give it a go, risk-free. It also happens that third-party output has been pretty solid this generation, with games likeBaldur’s GateandElden Ringbeing particularly good examples of this.
Fortunately, Sony’s upcomingGhost of Yotei, the sequel to the excellentGhost of Tshusima, should do enough to turn my head and finally charge the old DualSense. Games likePacific DriveandHelldivers 2are still on my to-play list, but I’ve little interest inFinal Fantasyreboots and I’m not convinced yet that Bungie’sMarathonwill do enough to prevent anotherConcordsituation.
This, like all matters of taste, is purely subjective. Microsoft’s first-party titles haven’t all been belters this generation either (though I’d argue they’ve turned it around in the last few years). It’s just that I find myself resonating more with a console on which I can play theOblivionremaster andDOOM: The Dark Ageson day one without shelling out more than the monthly fee I’ve become accustomed to.
Will I Buy Another Xbox?
There are already two Xbox Series X consoles in my living room, one for me and one for my partner. I’m looking forward to buyingBorderlands 4once andplaying it on both consoles simultaneously with the aid of game sharing(you can do this on PlayStation 5 too).
It would be foolish to commit to the purchase of any console before anything has been announced, though Microsoft has teased that work on the next generation of consoles is already underway. There are also somepersistent rumors about a handheld portable Xbox, though it’s looking increasingly unlikely that Microsoft will manufacture the hardware itself.
Perhaps the most interesting question is what Microsoft will do with the next Xbox console to make it more enticing. One idea that just won’t die is the prospect of integrating third-partystores like Steaminto the platform. From a hardware perspective, the Xbox is already a glorified PC (so is the PS5). Integrating services like Steam (or GOG, or the Epic Game Store) sounds great to me.
As someone who loves the Game Pass experience and who owns a decent library of games on the Steam platform, this is one prospect I’m very excited about. Ironically, it would even provide a pathway to playing Sony’s PC titles on a Microsoft console.
Xbox Series X
The Series X is the most powerful current-generation console and offers access to Microsoft Game Pass for a large library of subscription games out of the box. It also doubles as a UHD Blu-Ray player!
Xbox Series S
While not as powerful as the Series X, it’s incredible the Xbox Series S can still run the same library of next-gen titles. If you aren’t interested in running games at 4K, you can save a lot opting for the Series S instead.
The Xbox isn’t dead, but the next console will likely be very different from anything Microsoft has offered before. In a way, it has to be. While a collaborative portable Xbox doesn’t seem far away, currentreports point to 2027being the year we see a successor to the Xbox Series X.
