We’re fast approaching the release of next-gen consoles from both Sony and Microsoft. It comes as no surprise that these two industry titans are going toe to toe once again. The competition has always been fierce in terms of putting out the latest and great technology, as well as exclusive games that bring gamers to a particular platform.
Sony shined bright with the PS4. Games like God of War, Spider-Man, and Horizon Zero Dawn garnered a lot of attention for the company and pushed PS4 sales. Although Microsoft wasn’t able to keep up, they are looking to turn the page with the Xbox Series X, a powerful system that resembles a mini-PC.
They were eager to get visuals and performance specs out to the masses. Sometimes, the being-first approach can pay dividends in getting the buzz going and leaving a lasting impression just before the official release. So far so good for Microsoft.
However, it’s their decisions with backwards compatibility that are drawing a lot of attention, especially just recently when Sony revealed their backwards compatible design with the upcoming PS5. Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will play games from older consoles, but only a select number of PS4 games will be available at launch. Around 100 will be offered, at least initially.
Conversely, the Xbox Series X will be able to play every game that’s currently available on the Xbox One. This is a huge list that includes Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. That’s a huge feature that will more than likely push a lot of gamers towards to this latest Microsoft console.
Backwards compatibility is a huge aspect for a lot of gamers, even still today. Many want to re-live some of their fondest memories playing older titles or perhaps experience games they missed in the previous console cycle. Seeing Microsoft taking such a stance on this feature shows they’re committed to doing everything they can to provide their fans with amazing experiences.
It’s fan service like this that could be a huge deciding factor. Of course, Sony could always switch up tactics and offer even more backwards compatible games on the PS5. For now, though, it seems like the Xbox Series X is pulling ahead in this department. It will be interesting to see if they can keep their momentum heading into the holiday season, which is when both consoles will be launching.
It’s an exciting time right now to be a gamer. There are so many possibilities and a bunch of amazing games coming down the pipe. Let’s see how this race shakes up later on down the road.
