Let’s take a look as we check-in on the current state of the console wars.

Price was a big point of difference in the previous generation, but Sony and Microsoft have closed the gap this time around. The PS5 launches with two versions: the regular version which retails for $629, and the digital-only edition of the console which goes for $499. The technical specifications of both systems are the same with the main difference being the lack of a disc drive in its budget console.

The Xbox Series X markets at $599 while its budget edition, the Xbox Series S sells at $379. The Series S has a slight downgrade in graphics capabilities from the Series X where it can only achieve 1440p resolution and 60 FPS while the Series X can achieve 4k resolution at 120FPS. It does include a disc drive, however.

Game Libraries

A great game line-up at launch can sometimes make or break a system. The PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S went with very different approaches for their games this time around.

At launch, the PS5 had a few exciting exclusives available from Spider-Man: Miles Morales, to the remake of Demon’s Souls, which features native 4k resolution at 30 fps.

The Xbox Series X/S had Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla ahead of the PS5 release and a huge library of games available to play with its Xbox Game Pass. There seemed to be an emphasis on making a wide variety of games available as Microsoft highlighted the backwards compatibility of the console, which even extends to some Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. The PlayStation 5 also offers backwards compatibility, but only for PS4 games.

The new Halo installment was a big title that the Xbox was counting on, but its release was delayed because of the pandemic. With that in mind, the console didn’t have any exciting exclusives available at launch.

At least gamers have exciting new titles to look forward to in the future as both systems have new releases scheduled this year to beef up their libraries.

For the PS5, the much-anticipated sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn – Horizon: Forbidden West is set for release this year along with God of War: Ragnarok. While no release date for Final Fantasy XVI has been announced yet, Sony anticipates a big update on the game later in the year. For the Xbox Series X/S, the newest installment in the Halo series – Halo: Infinite is slated for 2021 as is Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. The exciting Fable reboot is also in development with no release date as of yet.

PlayStation Plus vs. Xbox Game Pass

A conversation about games repertoires wouldn’t be complete without talking about Sony and Microsoft’s competing subscription services.

Sony has two offerings in the form of its monthly subscription service PlayStation Plus and its game streaming service PlayStation Now.

PS Plus costs $11.99 monthly and offers: online multiplayer access, two PS4 games monthly, discounts at the PlayStation store, and cloud storage for game saves and bonus content in some games like Fortnite. It also offers PS5-owning members access to the PlayStation Plus Collection – a collection of 20 of Sony’s biggest hits across its systems. It includes titles like Bloodborne, The Last of Us, and Resident Evil 7 biohazard.

PlayStation Now is Sony’s cloud gaming service which allows players to stream games to their console if they have a reliable internet connection. It doesn’t seem to have any PS5 games available yet.

When it comes to Microsoft, they have three different types of passes: Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Gold is their online multiplayer service which gives players two games monthly and some discounts at the Microsoft store. Game Pass costs $11.99 monthly and gives access to over a hundred games for download with a rotating roster. Microsoft tends to put their first party games on the service at launch which is something Sony shies away from. Ultimate costs $16.99 a month, includes both services above and includes access to some EA titles in their library. An added feature is access to Microsoft’s mobile streaming service xCloud which streams games to Android phones.

Who Is Winning?

Both systems are so closely matched in technical specifications – with beautiful 4k graphics and 120Hz refresh rates – and price point – both offering budget versions of their consoles this time around – that it’s going to come down to games for a lot of people. The PlayStation 5 has more exclusives available, but less access to a variety of games including first-party titles, whereas the Xbox Series X/S has less exclusives, but more access to a wide library of games including a lot of their heavy hitters. With some exciting titles on the horizon for Sony and Microsoft, the competition is going to come even closer than ever before.