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Monday, November 11, 2013

Everything You Need to Know About Next Gen

The count down has begun. Unless you have been living under a rock, you are probably aware that this month marks the highly anticipated launch of next gen consoles by industry leaders Sony and Microsoft. I think it's safe to say that the majority of us have already made our choice of which console to purchase this holiday season, but for those who are on the fence, lets do a quick run down of the Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. 



Hardware and Graphics

I'm not a techie by any stretch of the imagination and we could spend all day talking about the subtle differences of the two systems. The simple fact is that the actual hardware only plays a small role in overall performance. Each individual factor is less important than how the system works as a whole. 

There are aspects of each console that are respectively better than it's competitor, but unless you have a degree in electronics, engineering, or software design, these aspects will probably mean very little. 

As an example, the specs of the PlayStation 3 were far superior to those of the Xbox 360. However, as a complete system, the 360 generally performed better (Especially in the beginning) due to software compatibility and greater accessibility by game designers. While the PS3 made a major come back in recent years (I'm not partial, I think both systems are fantastic) the 360 was a more stable system that generally produced better looking games with higher performance rates.

For the sake of brevity, lets just say that both systems are leaps and bounds ahead of their predecessors. Unfortunately, we can't really say which is better until we try them our for ourselves. For the techies out there, full system specs can be found here.

Features

This is where things start to get interesting. Both systems have come a long way in user accessibility and will tout a range of new features. Some are shared and some are unique to each system so lets try to break this down.  


FeatureXbox OnePlayStation 4
Optical Drive
Blu-Ray/DVD
Blue-Ray/DVD
Storage
500 GB Hard Drive
500 GB 5400 RPM
SATA II Hard Drive
External Storage
Yes, USB
No
Removable Hard Drive
No
Yes. Must be at least 
160 GB, thinner than 
9.5mm
Cloud Storage
Yes
Yes
Play As You Download
Yes
Yes
Remote Download
Yes
Yes
Account Access From 
Multiple Consoles
Yes
Yes
Mandatory Game Installs
Yes
No
Required Internet Connection
No, but required for
mandatory day one 
update.
No
Used Game Fee
No
No
Digital Game Sharing or
Gifting
No
No
Backwards Compatibility
No
No
Cross Game Chat
Yes
Yes
Controller Batteries
2 AA Batteries. 
Rechargeable Battery 
Packs Sold Separately.
Rechargeable (Built In)
Motion Control
Kinect 2
Duel Shock 4,
PlayStation Eye (Not
Included), PlayStation
Move (Not Included)
Second Screen
SmartGlass (Not Included) 
PS Vita (Not Included)
Voice Commands
Yes
Yes (TBA)
Subscription Service
Xbox Live
PlayStation Plus
USB
USB 3.0 (3 Ports)
USB 3.0 (2 Ports)
Live Streaming
Yes
Yes
Reputation Preservation
Achievements Will Be 
Transferred  
Trophies Will Be 
Transferred
Blue Tooth
No
Blue Tooth 2.1 (EDR)
Wi-Fi Direct (For Device
Connection)
Yes
No
Power Supply
External (Power Brick)
Internal

Created with the HTML Table Generator

Additionally, each system will have access to a variety of online features including standard online play, Netflix, Skype, Hulu Plus, and web browsers. The catch is that Microsoft will be charging fees for these services via paid subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold, while Sony is offering most of them for free. However, Microsoft will offer a larger variety of these apps such as the NFL app, and possibly ESPN and HBO Go.

Alright, enough with technicalities. Lets get to the good part. THE GAMES! Unfortunately we live in a world where not every game is available for every console, so if there's one game that will decide your choice of console, this part is very important.

Launch Date Titles

Xbox One

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Battlefield 4
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Crimson Dragon
Dead Rising 3
FIFA 14
Fighter Within
Forza Motorsport 5
Just Dance 2014
Killer Instinct
LEGO: Marvel Super Heroes
LocoCycle 
Madden NFL 25 
NBA 2K14
NBA Live 2014
Need For Speed: Rivals
Powerstar Golf
Ryse: Son of Rome
Skylanders: Swap Force
Zoo Tycoon
Zumba Fitness: World Party


PlayStation 4

Angry Birds Star Wars
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Battlefield 4
Blacklight: Retribution
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Contrast
DC Universe Online
DiveKick
FIFA 14
Flower
Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition
Just Dance 2014
Killzone Shadow Fall
Knack
LEGO: Marvel Super Heroes
Madden NFL 25
NBA 2K14
NBA Live 2014
Need For Speed: Rivals
PlayRoom (Included with PS4, requires PlayStation Eye)
Resogun
Skylander Swap Force
Sound Shapes
Super Motherload
Trine 2: The Complete Story
Warframe


Confirmed Exclusive Titles

Xbox One
Crimson Dragon
Dead Rising 3
Fable Legends
The Fighter Within
Forza Motorsport 5
The Next Halo Game (Currently Untitled)
Killer Instinct
Kinect Sports Rivals
Powerstar Golf
Quantum Break
Ryse: Son of Rome
Sunset Overdrive 
Xbox Fitness


Playstation 4
Basement Crawl
DriveClub
Earth Defense Force
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
Infamous Second Son
Kill Zone Shadow Fall
Knack
Mobile Suit Gundam 
N++
The Order: 1866
Resogun
Rime
Shadow of the Beast
Deep Down
The Playroom 

Keep in mind that these are only the games that have been confirmed as an exclusive and/or launch title. There are many MANY more games in production that will be released at a later date for each respective console. 

Personally, the decision between Dead Rising 3 and Infamous: Second Son is an excruciating one, but don't fret. If you still haven't decided, there are a few more things to consider.



Extras

The Xbox One will come packaged with a full headset, while the PS4 will only include ear buds. Each console will include a 14 day trail for their respective online services. The PlayStation 4 is being released on November 15th, while Xbox fans will have to wait until November 22nd, and the PS4 will set you back $399.00, a full $100 less than the Xbox One. 

The next great console war is nearly upon us. Which side will you chose?

Check back to The De-evolution of Video Games for all of your gaming needs. For the latest news, be sure to subscribe and follow us on Facebook. Please leave a comment in the area below. For questions or suggestions, email us at devolutionofvideogames@gmail.com. 











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