{"id":21386,"date":"2022-01-13T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-13T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=21386"},"modified":"2025-01-04T21:00:32","modified_gmt":"2025-01-05T02:00:32","slug":"roundtable-our-thoughts-on-the-current-console-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=21386","title":{"rendered":"Roundtable: Our Thoughts On The Current Console Cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Is X going to give it to ya? Or is PS where it’s at? Find out in this Roundtable on the current cycle of consoles!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Xbox Series consoles and the PlayStation 5 in the hands of those who were able to overcome the odds of fighting a bot for their console of choice, we here at VGUTV have both or in some cases one of the two. Because we are opinionated over here at VGU we (probably Graydon), will have at least one or two hot takes.
Hey, I resent that! – Graydon<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allan Muir – EiC\/Site Admin\/Fiddler on The Xbox Series X<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft Is Going To Bring Out The Best In Sony<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Xbox<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Appearances can be deceiving. One can look at the current console cycle and see the acquisition of smaller studios by Sony and Microsoft as an arms race in the video games industry. My view is that of good sportsmanship and bringing out the best in each other. We had the iconic moment from the 2018 iteration of The Game Awards of the three heads for the major console manufacturers united as one force so to speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike Josh and Graydon I own both a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series X and sure, there are big differences between the two platforms such as the embrace of the past by Microsoft with backwards compatibility with Series S and X while over on the PlayStation 5 they are seemingly only focused on the here and now rather than the days of yore. But with the rumors<\/a> of Sony working on an equivalent or possible “Game Pass Killer” service with backwards compatibility and the integration of the existing PlayStation Now service in a tiered plan system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the Series X, it is great. It loads fast, it resumes fast, it even shuts down fast. Add to it the Auto HDR feature which works well most of the time, the Game DVR function that is a godsend for VGU Game Nights (which you can check out here<\/a>), and other times I need to capture gameplay for a video for a potential VGU Plays or First 30. Features of a new console are great and all but it’s all about the games for said console and that’s where the Series X shines. The games look and feel incredible. Mid-tier games like Aliens: Fireteam Elite look like what previous Aliens games were dreamt of by fans of the series. Halo: Infinite especially looks phenomenal and deserves all the praise it is currently getting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, onto the PlayStation 5. I… I don’t believe the PlayStation 5 has earned all the praise it has gotten. I understand being excited for a new video game system, especially the successor to the PlayStation 4 which is right up there with the PlayStation 2 and PSPGo. But there are those who are making the PS5 out to be the second coming of the PlayStation 2. Again, this could just be my point of view. With that said, the exclusive PlayStation Studios games such as Spider-Man Miles Morales<\/em>, Sackboy: A Big Adventure<\/em>, Returnal<\/em>, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart<\/em> have been well worth the time invested. I’ll be honest, I haven’t finished Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut<\/em> or Final Fantasy VII: Intergrade<\/em> both of which have received upgrades from PS4 to PS5 with added content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all of that said, I genuinely believe that things will balance out between Sony and Microsoft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Josh Miller – The Family Man\/Deserter of PlayStation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Xbox
Credit: Microsoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It started with the size of the box. It really was that simple. My space for consoles is limited and the console maker I ditched back in 2010 found its way as my main console again in 2020<\/a>. And the main reason again? The Xbox Series S wasn’t the size of a tractor like the PlayStation 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sad thing is…I want to own a PlayStation 5. The exclusives on that end had me far interested than what Microsoft has put out in years. But between the size, the element of Game Pass, Xbox Design Labs<\/a>, putting more effort in the exclusive space (even if I have my issues with how they did it), and more; my trepidation in owning an Xbox again has disappeared. And that is ultimately the trend of the current consoles, at least for me. While Sony may be winning on the sales front (from what I understand at least), Microsoft is slowly building itself back up in the best ways possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that’s also something I feel I should comment on. There’s a lot of promises. Hopes. Things that look great on paper. But as of right now…the new consoles have mostly felt unnecessary. I’m not a developer, so I’m sure games being released are doing better or wouldn’t be anywhere on par if they were only released on last-gen platforms, but the leap feels almost negligible in my eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There will no doubt be a moment people will point to that really was the “onset” of new-gen games. Maybe it’s Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. Maybe it was Forza Horizon 5. Maybe it hasn’t been released yet. But whatever it is, I’m still waiting. Waiting for something that makes me feel like it could only exist on these new consoles. So my overall thought on this cycle: a lot to look forward to, but little having actually been delivered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Graydon Webb – The Contrarian American\/Game Pass Guru<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forgive me for making this seem like a biased list toward all things Xbox, but I cannot tell a lie: Xbox is knocking it out of the park this generation. The guys in green can seemingly do no wrong, and I really want to give a ton of kudos to Phil Spencer for turning the ship around. Even just watching that 20th anniversary celebration <\/a>of Xbox and seeing them embrace the memes of the Kinect era, the company knows how far they’ve come, and they have grown from their mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Xbox<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PlayStation, on the other hand… I gotta say, I have never been so disappointed. PlayStation was the king <\/em>of the eighth console generation. Every exclusive they touched turned to gold. The PS4 ushered in a brand-new era of video games, changing how we see “interactive experiences,” all the while giving the fans what they want. But now, whether it’s the lack of enticing exclusives, the abysmal PS5 restocking practices, the underwhelming PS+ offerings that have nearly convinced the VGU writers before me to cancel entirely, or the immense size of the damn console, the PlayStation 5 has left such a bad taste in my mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This console generation is at the point where I simply cannot fathom wanting a PS5 right now. I’ve seen so many friends lament their inability to add one to their cart, or even find a retailer willing to restock them. But I will openly say that I have never once attempted to purchase one in its first year, and the thought of that is bittersweet. Sweet for my wallet, but bitter for my nostalgia. I’ve been a PlayStation kid all my life! Save for the PS3, I owned every iteration during the height of their popularity, and the PS1 shaped me into the gamer I am today. I hate to see this company fall from grace as it has and continue to spiral downward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I must say, however, I wish no ill will on any of the companies in this console race. I even own a PC now, and I respect PC gaming for what it is (I mean, did you see<\/em> our Back 4 Blood<\/em> video<\/a>? The PC graphics look insane<\/em> compared to the Xbox!) I won’t even get into the Switch, as most of its exclusives don’t entice me, nor do the persistently high prices of Nintendo games. Not to mention its lackluster OLED upgrade, meant to divert attention from the secret 4K version we all know is coming. But I even welcome that! I will happily purchase a 4K Switch, and you know what? I will happily purchase a PlayStation 5 for Horizon Forbidden West<\/em>. I decided that yesterday, actually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But all in all, I think if you want a console right this second? Go for an Xbox, no matter the series. Game Pass is indisputably the best thing to ever happen to the games industry, and until we get some high profile “changing the game” exclusives, it’s the best way to sit back and enjoy the awesome world of video games we live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Emmett Watkins Jr. – Pilot Master\/Lyrical Miracle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been fortunate enough to secure both a PS5 and an Xbox Series X in the last year, and I’ve had a Switch and PC for even longer. I’ve been playing on all of these platforms fairly regularly so I’m going into this console generation with a perspective I’ve never had before. Ever since first acquiring a PS2 back around 2003, I put all my investment into the PlayStation ecosystem. I’ve owned multiple PSPs, Vitas, PS3s, PS4s, and I even often refer to myself as the PlayStation Stan on many posts. Well, now I can’t genuinely claim a preference for any platform, because they all have enough positives to make them worth considering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over on Xbox, they still don’t quite have that many major exclusives on the horizon outside of Redfall <\/em>and Starfield<\/em>. But they are literally knocking everything else about their platform out of the park. The praise for Game Pass is everywhere, even on this very article, and I reflect that sentiment. Their willingness to their service everything from the biggest third-party releases (like Outriders <\/em>and Yakuza: Like a Dragon<\/em>) to the most obscure indies (like She Dreams Elsewhere<\/em> and Unpacking<\/em>), means that there’s something for everyone on there. But their push to make this library playable on PC and through streaming makes the service impossible to pass up. But beyond that, Xbox is easily the most rewarding console ecosystem to be a part of. Microsoft Rewards, a site that gives you reward points for using Microsoft products, makes engaging with the ecosystem make monetary sense, as many of the rewards you can claim, like gift cards from Amazon, Walmart, and Burger Kings, are usable on things other than Xbox products. In fact, I’m paying off most of my Horizon: Forbidden West<\/em> pre-order using Amazon cards from this service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But that’s just Xbox, PlayStation isn’t too shabby either. While they don’t have a game-changing rewards system, they regularly give away excellent games through their PlayStation Plus subscription. A Plague Tale: Innocence<\/em>, Control: Definitive Editon<\/em>, and most recently, Deep Rock Galactic<\/em>, have all been great reasons to stay subscribed. Now, there is also PlayStation Now, which is a service with a major marketing problem. Originally a streaming-only service, many still don’t know that you can play PS4 and PS2 games natively on it, much like Game Pass. But for those of us who do know, the library on the service is pretty damn solid. It’s a good blend of modern underrated titles and old classics, held back only from the PS3 titles still being streaming only and most of the highest-profile titles being on the service for only 3-4 months at a time. But both of those services, pale in comparison to the wealth of blockbuster exclusives that Sony has lined up. Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us P2: Factions, God of War: Ragnarok, Wolverine<\/em>, and the imminent Horizon: Forbidden West<\/em> all guarantee I won’t be leaving the PlayStation ecosystem anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what about the Switch? Well, to be honest, there aren’t that many exclusives I’m really looking forward to. I’m interested in the long-rumored Metroid Prime Trilogy<\/em> (and Prime 4<\/em>), I’m excited to play Kirby and the Forgotten Land<\/em>, and Bayonetta 3<\/em> is one of my most anticipated games of this year. But Zelda <\/em>and all of the different flavors of Mario <\/em>never really appealed to me. Plus, Nintendo Online is an incredibly lackluster service to me. Playing NES games isn’t something I want to do, even if it ran natively instead of streaming, and the same goes for the Expansion Pack tier and its Sega Genesis and N64 library. Really, the main benefit to playing on Switch is the mobility of the platform and the novelty of that feature. Getting to play Bayonetta 2<\/em> in bed last year made the game all the more compelling for me, and some games, like Slay the Spire<\/em>, I don’t think I would have played much at all if I only could do so on a big screen. Still, that portability comes at a price, as the lower graphical power of the console means the most technically inferior ports of most games are on Switch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now, playing on PC is fastly different. There’s no one uniting ecosystem that unifies every game on PC, but there are so many ways to acquire games on the platform for free or cheap that it feels insane to not keep up with the platform at all. The Epic Games Store gives away free games (like the entire Tomb Raider Trilogy<\/em>) every single week, and during special holiday events, every single day. Twitch Prime, which most of us already have through Amazon Prime, gives away about a half dozen games every month, from indies like Etherborn <\/em>to AAA titles like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order<\/em>. And if you keep up with third-party sellers like Green Man Gaming, Humble Bundle, and Fanatical, you can even get Steam titles for free or cheap during certain sales and promotions. Now, I know PC gaming still has a high barrier to entry, especially with the current graphics card shortage, so these savings come at a higher upfront cost. But once you have the hardware to run these games, it really is an embarrassment of riches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, while it is undoubtedly the weakest offering out of this bunch, those who wish not to own any hardware at all have great options. I subscribed to Stadia Pro earlier last year and was delighted to see how solid the platform is. Now, since this is streaming only, I only can recommend this to anyone with a decent to great internet connection. But if you do, then you’ll get a great version of solid AA titles like Saints Row IV<\/em> and Sniper Elite 4<\/em> and console exclusive indies like Grime<\/em> and Wavetale<\/em>. While I can’t speak on similar services like Amazon’s Luna (which Graydon did try out<\/a>!), Google Stadia is a surprisingly good service that is easily worth trying with free games like PUBG <\/em>or Destiny 2<\/em> or worth paying $10 a month for its slowly growing library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So, where does that leave my opinion on the upcoming generation. Honestly, I’m at a bit of a stalemate, but it’s a positive one. Xbox is probably the ecosystem that objectively is the best place to play, with the availability of games and the rewards from play being the highest there. PlayStation has the most excited upcoming games, and I’m grandfathered in with the PS+ games I’ve claimed over the years. The Nintendos Switch’s novelty of portability can’t be touched by anyone else, despite the very few exclusives and preferred ports on the platform. PC gaming is easily the most frugal, though I can already feel my need for a more modern graphics card already creeping up after only 3 years. And Stadia has been my place to play some of my favorite games of last year, but even I don’t always feel like playing games through streaming exclusively. I think what I’m most satisfied with is just how diverse the landscape of gaming is. There are not only more entry points for gaming than ever before, but they’ve never been so varied. No longer is there a reason to limit yourself to just one platform, because you’d be missing out on so much if you did so. Plus, streaming options mean you don’t even have to spend hundreds of dollars on hardware in most cases. Now I’m just excited to see if any of these options will give me a reason to consider them the obvious best choice because so far, I think they’re all worth investing in!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is X going to give it to ya? Or is PS where it’s at? Find out in this Roundtable on the current cycle of consoles! With the Xbox Series consoles and the PlayStation 5 in the hands of those who were able to overcome the odds of fighting a bot for their console of choice, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102109308,"featured_media":22437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[682628583,1914],"tags":[682625894,682621624,682622314],"class_list":["post-21386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-roundtables","category-video-games","tag-prime-3","tag-playstation-5","tag-xbox-series-x"],"yoast_head":"\nRoundtable: Our Thoughts On The Current Console Cycle - VGU.TV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the current console cycle now a year in effect for those that have been able to get around the bots, we at VGU give our thoughts.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=21386\" \/>\n<link rel=\"next\" href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=21386&page=2\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Roundtable: Our Thoughts On The Current Console Cycle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With the current console cycle now a year in effect for those that have been able to get around the bots, we at VGU give our thoughts.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=21386\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"VGU.TV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-01-13T14:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-05T02:00:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/NextGenConsoleCycleRTFI.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Allan Muir\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@VGU_TV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@VGU_TV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Allan Muir\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Allan Muir\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d0a1a29fd7f08d381bc9f8728a7c38f9\"},\"headline\":\"Roundtable: Our Thoughts On The Current Console Cycle\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-01-13T14:30:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-05T02:00:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386\"},\"wordCount\":2755,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/NextGenConsoleCycleRTFI.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Featured\",\"PlayStation 5\",\"Xbox Series X\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Roundtables\",\"Video Games\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=21386\",\"name\":\"Roundtable: Our Thoughts On The Current Console Cycle - 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