PS4 Versus Xbox 720

Okay, it’s true nothing is truly known about the PlayStation 4 or Xbox 720, the next generation of consoles, but we can’t help but wonder: which will be better? What should you, as a gamer, be looking for when it comes time to shell out another $400-600?

It would be nice if there was one giant conglomerate for game consoles, a PXii kind of thing, but that will never happen. So what differentiates PlayStation games from Xbox gamers?

There are a few common grounds for the consoles that have gravitated players. Most Xbox players are dedicated to a certain game that is Xbox-only, like Halo or Gears of War. But games like Call of Duty span both consoles!

It all depends on what kind of gamer you are. Yes, PS and Xbox are both great for RPG-adventure games, personal shooters, and party games. We do admit, though, that the Xbox Kinect’s motion sensor (instead of a controller) beats the PSMove. A rumor a few months ago said that the PS4 was in development with a Kinect-type sensor, yet it is just a rumor.

But Sony has always had better quality graphics in the PlayStation than the Xbox, probably because they specialize in televisions and software while Microsoft focuses more on software.

I’ve heard so many complaints about the “red ring of death” on the Xbox 360, but the newer versions have already fixed this issue. So now what? They’re still beat on graphics.

Even though it broke down, PlayStation Network is very similar to Xbox Live, although it seems that Xbox Live ends up with more dedicated players due to their social connections: it’s always better to play with a friend than by yourself (FYI, this is why Wii will never be on par: they don’t have a comparable online network).

So where do you weigh in? Look at the current generation and tell us which console you prefer? What do you expect from the PS4 and Xbox 720 in the future? Which would you buy first?

Price Cut on PS Vita?

When the Nintendo 3DS released on March 27, 2011, we weren’t too phased by the $250 price tag. Now, Nintendo is doing a price cut that leaves people a little surprised, all the way down to $169.99.

Why? Well, much of the speculation stems from the PlayStation Vita price. Sony told us during E3 that the Vita will start at $249, the exact same price as the 3DS release, which is probably the reason Nintendo had to drop prices (and the fact it wasn’t selling as well as Nintendo expected for the first 3D portable gaming device).

But because of this price drop, more and more people are pushing for a PSV price cut. They think the Vita will “fail” if they don’t drop the price.

My opinion? That’s ridiculous.

The PS Vita is so much more powerful that the Nintendo 3DS that is isn’t even funny. The power of the hardware, the graphics, internet gameplay, and social networking (and we can’t forget the cameras, touchpad, and Near) put this platform far, far beyond the reach of the 3DS, even if Sony didn’t opt to go 3D with the PSP successor.

How do we know it will still succeed? Because Vita pre-orders are already sky high, letting us know that the Vita will sell-out upon release (and we aren’t surprised by that in the least).

Another reason why the PS Vita beats Nintendo 3DS? It can do what the Wii U (which releases next year) is hyped up over: console gameplay on a portable screen.

Sorry, Nintendo: it seems that Sony will beat you guys again in the technology department, and a simple price-cut won’t fix anything. Quality is always better than saving cash when it comes to gaming.

Will Apple Make PS4 Worthless?

I’m sure I’m not the only one amused by Best Buy commercials mocking the lightning-fast speed of new technology constantly updating the market. The one that sticks out the most is the 4G commercial with Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber: “What’s a Bieber?”

The entire point of those commercials is that, when you finally save up the money and buy the next big gadget you’ve wanted (like the iPad or iPhone), the next one hits the market within a few months, sometimes weeks. Now there is the iPad 2 and iPhone 4, one for each year the device has been on the market (and that gets expensive).

The Epic Games leader, Mike Capps, weighed in on the effect that Apple will have on PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720: in short, he said the next generation consoles are completely worthless.

In a way, he’s almost right. Look at how quickly smartphones have taken over the market. Now they run on dual-core with 1GhZ RAM, remarkable for a portable device that is supposed to only do phone calls and texts. Games like Angry Birds flood the market, playable everywhere and addicting in their simplicity. But what if smartphones went one step further into console territory?

What Capps means is that, with the way iPhone keeps excelling, it makes sense that in a few years (like the iPhone 8 ) will be able to work as a controller and console in one. Simply plug into the TV and play.

While this seems possible, why would anyone want to rely on the same device for both gaming and phone calls? And I know a few of you have thrown a controller when a little PO’d at a game: imagine you threw your console everytime you threw a controller. That’s just plain silly!

But the thing that seems interesting: smartphones progress much faster than consoles, always getting faster and better. If someone wanted to buy the Xbox 720 or PS4, they’re shelling out at least $500 for the console and guts.

So, what would be a good solution to this predicament? One way would be to have a console “shell”, kind of like a tower, that can have pieces upgraded as Sony or Microsoft release better technology. Yeah, you’d probably end up spending more over time, but at least it would be optional instead of having to buy an entire new console every few years – and it would always be top of the line!

What do you think? Rumors abound about Xbox 720 and PS4 release dates, but is this just nonsense? Is Capps right?

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