PS4 Vs Xbox ONE: Moving Closer

Launch dates are set, The PlayStation 4 will hit shelves November 15th. Xbox One, Novemeber 22nd.

Everybody who knows me knows that I am a 360 man.  I wholeheartedly enjoyed playing the 360 over the PS3.  Comparatively, I felt that Xbox Live provided an excellent environment where gamers in the community benefited from exclusive DLC content and earlier game releases for titles such as Call Of Duty.  I took pride in my achievement points and how the provided functional value to hours of gameplay. The Kinect was seamless and extremely intuitive, navigating through apps, espn, games and even common system functionality (All with the sound of my voice, "Xbox Off...Yes" lol)... The system and peripherals were cheaper than the PS3's.  Most importantly I think, the majority of my friends used xbox as well.

However, I found myself playing games early last year less and less.  I had recently picked up a new job last December with more demanding hours, working as an electronics technician.  A lot of my time got re-prioritized, and that actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise (As we'll hear later).  Further more, my job required that I have a capable laptop for handling daily operations. I purchased my laptop and as the month progressed I spent more freetime studying and researching on that and my Galaxy S3 instead of using my xbox.

One night I was fixing a PS3 for a client.  Mid way through the repair I began to think on my gaming console and it's household utility, or lack there of, as of late.  It was actually collecting dust.  I couldn't even remember the last thing I used my xbox for... That is no knock to the 360, my life just became very involved with other things...I also knew the next generation consoles were right around the corner. With all my re-prioritized time I knew I wasn't going to have time for any new titles for the 360 either.  It didn't make sense to buy new games

That's when it hit me

I need a fresh start

For Starters:

I decided it was time to shelve the whole "Xbox 360 vs PS3" debate. Whatever the 360 and PS3 was is in the past as far as I'm concerned.  Being a fan of Xbox was ok, but if this fresh start was going to work I needed to be invested in learning about the state of the gaming industry as a whole. 

Additionally, I reaffirmed that if I'm going to invest my hard earned money and valuable time into a "next generation console" I need to spend some time really listening to the people of the industry and all of you. 

Lastly, I sold my 360 Elite, games, Kinect, Year refund on my Live Account, etc. It was hard....(ha)...In retrospect, I'm glad I did it.  It has given me a chance to give honest assessments of both sides since then: Microsoft and Sony developments, their business practice histories, the companies profits outside of the gaming industry (Computers, TV, Smartphones, Tablets, Enterprise Software, Smart Watches, etc), the promises, the lies, the games, how the gaming developers feel about each company, Nintendo's ever evolving agenda, Conferences, various other X factors.  

As a gamer this was a big deal for me...Challenge accepted. On a broader spectrum it has been a fun ride, working with timeless technology, networking with some really cool people in the gaming industry and learning a lot of skills further helping me provide you with relevant media (oh yeah...that was the blessing in disguise!) 

With that being said, Microsoft has made ALOT of concessions to the Xbox ONE that honestly look very appealing on paper (assuming it wasn't written with erasable ink). They have great Xbox ONE bundles available for pre-order, great games lined up for day-one launch, all the major restrictions have been reversed for now.  Considering how the Xbox ONE campaign started things are definitely looking competitive again.  For me personally, I'm still sold on the PS4.  Sony has not given me any indication that they intend to repeat last generations (PS3) mistakes.  So far I trust them more than Microsoft to look out for the gamer's interest moving forward. Plus, I love FPS and all, but Microsoft never had Final Fantasy (lol)...  Anyways...  Looking out for a consumers interests can be a tricky thing though so the war is far from over. Anything can happen. You may know what the consumer wants.  That is easy enough. When you attempt to develop something new and better you're tasked with creating a solution that incorporates the already aforementioned wants along with the subtle, and sometimes unspoken, needs. Pole position in a industry like this is no cake walk. 

What are your thoughts on the new systems coming out?  I know some people who aren't going to get them! They are going to stick with what they have. Microsoft (and Sony) will still be providing games, entertainment, and updates to the 360 and PS3 for a couple more years. I know some people who are getting both! (Yeah, that escalated pretty quickly.)  I know some people who believe the Nintendo Wii U is still onto something unique and has yet to reach it's full potential.  PC gaming has grown even more popular with services like Steam.  Let me know!

There is no right answer here, only a right balance of preferences...

Peace

- JA (@Joe_Andrew)