14 DAY TRIAL // E3 2013 brought a whole lot of new data to the next-gen console war, with games, features, and policies being discussed by Sony and Microsoft for their PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, respectively.
Two main strategies are present in this new console battle, with the first being Sony's pro-gamer stance that practically keeps almost everything intact, and the second being Microsoft’s pro-future stance, which sacrifices consumer rights in the short term to, hopefully, push the industry forward in the long term.
First up, let's talk about Sony.
After burning itself with the PlayStation 3, which carried an extremely high price tag at launch, Sony has apparently targeted a much more affordable 399 USD/EUR price for its PlayStation 4 and achieved it, even if there are some peripherals, like the PS4 Eye Camera, which increase the initial investment.
Besides the great price, Sony also made a show of force at E3 2013 by presenting not just games, but also by reiterating its position in favor of used games and in favor of offline play.
Probably the only downside to the conference was that, for PS4 games that have multiplayer modes, Sony requires a PS Plus subscription. Even this, however, has advantages, as it entitles subscribers to free games and other such things.
Now, let's talk about Microsoft.
While Sony's pro-gamer decisions maintain the status quo from the PS3, Microsoft is willing to sacrifice its public image so that the industry can move forward.
Decisions like requiring a 24-hour Internet check and putting up hurdles for used games have already generated a huge negative reaction, and Microsoft tried to alleviate the concerns by going into further detail and by presenting the many games that will appear on the Xbox One.
Sure, taking the console environment towards a direction already explored by Steam sounds good, and things such as a lowering of price for retail games could happen, but Microsoft is taking a huge risk with its Xbox One.
The company has already drawn the ire of fans with its initial reveal that focused on entertainment and the restrictive policies regarding used games. Now, with a higher price, at 499 USD/EUR, not to mention all this negative publicity, the company might end up losing the console war.
After this huge E3 2013, are you decided on what next-gen console to buy? Will you stick with current-gen ones or the PC? Share your thoughts below.