Back in the 80’s and 90’s it was Nintendo vs Sega. You were almost forced to choose a side, It was a war that everyone was forced to fight in, you apparently couldn't be neutral in the matter. As Medal of Honor used to say: "you don't play, you volunteer."

This ongoing theme of bloodshed (mostly in the games themselves) continued for some time until some new kids showed up on the block: Microsoft and Sony. The latter had a jump because the original Xbox didn't come out until the PS2 era, but that point is moot because we're need deep in the trenches at this point.

Since then, it has been Microsoft vs Sony, or to put it generationally, Xbox vs PS2, Xbox 360 vs PS3 and Xbox One vs Ps4, with Nintendo and their respective consoles chasing somewhere behind a little more casually.

Nobody will ever agree on who won which generation – there are always die-hard fans arguing blindly on each side and not listening to what each other have to say. They definitely won’t back down and concede defeat of any kind, and they will defend the honor of their chosen console until the day they die.

The Beginning of a New War

So it’s safe to assume that this will continue in to the next generation. Xbox Two vs PS5 debates will begin before the two consoles are even announced – and to be fair, this very article may well be the first of its kind.

What Microsoft tried to do with Xbox One, but were ultimately shot down for, will be resurrected for the Xbox Two. Microsoft were perhaps a little ahead of their time with their early Xbox One policies, and these will no doubt be perfected and implemented in to the next generation. Internet will be much faster and more accessible when the Xbox Two takes center stage, so these policies won't alienate customers as much as they did the first time around.

Developers don’t want to be ‘wasting money’ on physical distribution when the option of downloadable software is there and proven to be successful. It has been working for PC gamers for years and Microsoft are desperate for console gamers to catch up to their desktop cousins. You never hear a PC gamercomplain about not being able to trade in their used games – once you own it, you OWN it.

Once Xbox Two is announced, it will anger certain gamers once again, but I believe PS5 will also go down the same route. Sony doesn't want additional costs, nor does Microsoft, and with a few more years getting used to the likes of digital downloads, audiences will be more accepting of this method of distribution.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, the next generation will mark the extinction of video game stores as we know them. It’s sad, because I for one love browsing the collection of games I have amassed on my shelf over the years. Even so, after spending a good chunk of my life working in the video game retail industry, I've come to see how bloated and mutated it has become. Pre-order lockouts, DLC season passes, customer service horror stories, it's all signs of an industry that needs to be put down before it embarrasses itself any further.

In the end, they will most likely adapt, but in the process I hope they shave off the corporate grime that has turned many of them into greed filled money grabbers. There are still good ones out there, I saw them during my tenure, but there are plenty who just in it to suck the customer dry, and that's not what games are about. Personal feelings aside, let's move on.

A Peek Under the Hood

As for the console hardware itself, I also believe a dramatic change is inbound. We have seen with consoles such as the Ouya and the Gamestick that bulky, intrusive consoles are not a necessity. A lot of the hardware inside the Xbox One and PS4 are to do with the optical readers themselves – remove this and you eliminate a lot of the bulk, hence the possibility that the Xbox Two and PS5 will be much smaller and sleeker in size and design. I imagine something much more in line with the Wii U console for the next generation, with the possibility o that shrinking further the generation after that (I’m thinking USB size) that plugs directly in to your TV – think Gamestick.

We know how much both Microsoft and Sony love the current design of their consoles – both have changed relatively little over the past three generations. Will screens in the controller become the norm? Many believed, after the introduction of the Wii U, that the Xbox One and PS4 would also house screens in their gamepads, but both have ignored this in favor of smart phone integration – but that’s not to say the Xbox Two and PS5 won’t adopt this. In order for a conveniently sized screen to be integrated in to it, the PS5 controller would have to undergo a rather hefty redesign, something I can’t imagine happening. For the Xbox Two, however, I could envisage this being more likely. Would this give the Xbox Two the advantage in gamers’ eyes? For me, it would.

And then there are the stats, the only part of the console which can definitely be ‘better’ than the competition. The previous three generations have been close, with one beating the other in some ways while trailing behind on something else. With that in mind, the consoles have been fairly evenly matched with regards to CPU, RAM and everything in between. Am I sitting on the fence by saying the Xbox Two and PS5 will follow this trend? Yes, but for one to fall behind the other would no doubt be devastating, and therefore isn’t likely to happen.

They may take different approaches, but the Xbox Two is most likely going to embrace the idea of cloud-based gaming. With Microsoft owning and running the Azure cloud, the technology is certainly there. On the flipside though, Sony has also invested a good chunk into PlayStation Now which is a true-to-form cloud-based gaming service, so it's possible they will both pursue this route.

With cloud-based streaming games, the hardware becomes moot. Everything is being handled by servers remotely and the game is streamed to you. At this point the only way to "win" will be to innovate with the games better than the competitor. Graphics will be on par with each other if we're talking about cloud-based technology.

Virtual Reality vs Augmented Reality

Here's where the two beasts go down different paths. Sony is pushing forward with Project Morpheus, which is a virtual reality headset, while Microsoft is moving towards the HoloLens, an augmented reality headset. The difference? On the surface, virtual reality puts you entirely in a different world, while augmented reality simply takes what you see before you and changes or adds to it. There's arguments to be made about which one is better, but in terms of immersion, the augmented reality side of things is fighting an uphill battle.

Say you live in an apartment and you want to play a game with your HoloLens. Well, you've only got the space around you to work with, which could be constraining. There's ways to innovate though, perhaps using the television screen in conjunction with your living room to pull the game out and immerse in both forms of the medium? It's not that AR is impossible to implement into games, it just requires a stronger imagination and more innovation than before, that's all.

Virtual reality lets you go into an entirely different world. Everything before you is artificial, which leaves plenty of flexibility for game developers to really pull you into their imaginations. On the surface, this seems like the easier choice for gaming, but it doesn't offer the convenience of being able to see all around you while still playing the game. Neither of these prototypes are available for human consumption yet, so we'll have to wait and see, but it looks like Microsoft has put all of their eggs in the AR basket.

At this stage, we know nothing about either console, so it is all pure speculation. With Microsoft stating that they will continue to offer support for the 360 for a further three years, it’s safe to assume that we will hear nothing with regards tto the Xbox Two until at least two or three years after that support ends. So who knows, we may hear our first rumblings around March 2018?

Let the debate begin!

PS for me anytime anyday!!!

Nnna na wa oooo...

All dis oyinbos don sabi how dem go dey collect my 10 percent.

And na dollar dey fly go moon so.

If these your "concepts" were real, then I'd have to stop playing video games, since I don't own a pair of ham fisted hands.

cao:
If these your "concepts" were real, then I'd have to stop playing video games, since I don't own a pair of ham fisted hands.

Concepts arent real, thats why they call it a concept or specification. Its just an opinion, idea . Not the real thing. Cao stop looking for faults please.

Do you really believe Microsoft would make an entirely touch based controller? That doesn't make sense.

Renji:

Concepts arent real, thats why they call it a concept or specification. Its just an opinion, idea . Not the real thing. Cao stop looking for faults please.

Stop acting all defensive, I simply pointed out a flaw in your concept, the Xbox controllers have always been monstrosities made for the ham fisted, hence why I have always preferred the Playstation controllers. Even though, the current PS4 controller is the widest Sony has ever produced, it's still not as big as the Xbox One controller. So abeg, make I hear word. Both your concept controllers would be hella annoying for me to use.

Believe me, in 2020 holograms would be real. I dont see why a touch based controller wont be possible

cao:

Stop acting all defensive, I simply pointed out a flaw in your concept, the Xbox controllers have always been monstrosities made for the ham fisted, hence why I have always preferred the Playstation controllers. Even though, the current PS4 controller is the widest Sony has ever produced, it's still not as big as the Xbox One controller. So abeg, make I hear word. Both your concept controllers would be hella annoying for me to use.

Okay. Sue sony if they produce controllers like that na.

Renji:


Okay. Sue sony if they produce controllers like that na.

Remember a while back when Sony thought that the boomerang controller would be the way to go for the PS3?
[img]http://pcholic.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ps-3-boomerang-controller.jpg[/img]
Well, that tanked faster than the Titanic...so I'd guess that would be same fate, no lawsuit needed.

cao:

Stop acting all defensive, I simply pointed out a flaw in your concept, the Xbox controllers have always been monstrosities made for the ham fisted, hence why I have always preferred the Playstation controllers. Even though, the current PS4 controller is the widest Sony has ever produced, it's still not as big as the Xbox One controller. So abeg, make I hear word. Both your concept controllers would be hella annoying for me to use.

Cao whats your problem na. Leave the guy alone. Hes just going the extra mile. No matter how intense and crazy his specifications are, it is just a concept, a rumour. Do you think anybody will be able to stand sony with this crazy spec. I like it very much. If to my mistake, id say that you are jealous you cant present a well ordered and comprehendable spec.

dammyjust:


Cao whats your problem na. Leave the guy alone. Hes just going the extra mile. No matter how intense and crazy his specifications are, it is just a concept, a rumour. Do you think anybody will be able to stand sony with this crazy spec. I like it very much. If to my mistake, id say that you are jealous you cant present a well ordered and comprehendable spec.

Now, it's a problem, tsk tsk tsk, defensive much? Just because he's made a concept doesn't mean everybody has to like it. I've given my reason for why I don't like it, so I should just change my mind because the OP can't take criticism? The OP has always been rather defensive of his concepts. Now, if you've been blessed with great big hands, good for you.

Plus, I didn't even go into great detail about my criticism of the controllers because I'm being quite considerate and I know how defensive the OP gets with his creations. Now, if I did, y'all would start crying that cao has entered Spartan mode. So abeg, free me.

Sigh...

All these concept artists are always way too ambitious. I tend not to drool over what we expect, cuz we expect is never what we get.

I agree with khalhokage. A touch based controller is one of the dumbest things I can personally imagine. We need to feel what we press. More established gamers don't have to flash glances at their controllers cuz they know where everything is. Try and type on your phone screen without looking for just one minute. Without autocorrect. Exactly. Microsoft would never even attempt such anyway.

Cao, about the Xbox controller. Well, I'd say the Fattie for the original Xbox was a terrible terrible mistake (definitely a monstrosity), but 360 and One are okay by my standards. Sure they are bigger than the Playstation controllers, but I like the layout. The S Class for the original Xbox wasn't bad either.
I have an Xbox1(not One(why MS?)).
There's this controller between the Fatty and S in terms of size. That's what I use... I like my hands full when gaming.

That boomerang up there reminds me of my old Logitech Wingman(back when computers had serial style controller ports). That was an odd controller... Used it for Jazz Jackrabbit 2...

HyDef, the Playstation controllers for me feels like home, I once got thumb grips for my DualShock 3, that thing scrapped my fingers finish. I already hold the Xbox One controller weird at work. In fact, one of my colleagues was asking why I was holding the controller the wrong way, I just stopped what I was doing and had to point out I wasn't blessed with Akuma's fists. Then we had an argument after he said it was the best controller. I think I said something along the lines "of course it is, when it's been made for ham fisted mofos, who enjoy holding monstrosities." The look on his face after like I had insulted his life, future wife and all his descendants. There's one particular game, that whenever I'm testing it, I've to mentally prepare my right hand, because by the end of the day, my last two fingers will be dead to the world.

'Akuma's fists' You're a true gamer cao, ya know that?

Well to each their own I say. I actually find the Dualshock 2 small... But then again, I wear 48s, so forgive me for ape hands.

The Xbone controller looks good though. And I loved the 360. To each their own.

Although, I'll give Microsoft credit for the triggers though, that was a good call.

i didnt say you shouldnt look for faults in my work, but at least when criticising, do it as if its just a friendly point out not aggresively. Of course, not everyone will like it, there will always be haters.

Renji:
i didnt say you shouldnt look for faults in my work, but at least when criticising, do it as if its just a friendly point out not aggresively. Of course, not everyone will like it, there will always be haters.

Friendly manner...you're highly defensive of your works. Any time someone has criticised your work, you enter mama bear mode, you should calm down. Or have you forgotten that your very first reply to my post was that I should stop looking for faults?

@cao am a playstation fan since ps1, bt let truth b told xbox controllers are nw better compaired to sonys i.e dualshock4. my bad if am getting outta point though

abduldope:
@cao am a playstation fan since ps1, bt let truth b told xbox controllers are nw better compaired to sonys i.e dualshock4. my bad if am getting outta point though

Not necessarily, it is your opinion. Now, I can't really talk about the ps4 controller, since I've only used it once during an interview, but as my hands wrap around my DualShock 3...**seriously I honestly just did this** it just fits my hands perfectly...Anywho, before I start waxing poetic about the DualShock...

cao:

Not necessarily, it is your opinion. Now, I can't really talk about the ps4 controller, since I've only used it once during an interview, but as my hands wrap around my DualShock 3...**seriously I honestly just did this** it just fits my hands perfectly...Anywho, before I start waxing poetic about the DualShock...

lol. yea agreed

Cao . Make your spec of an upcoming console and lets see

dammyjust:
Cao . Make your spec of an upcoming console and lets see

Ah...these sentimental fanboys be catching feelings...

dammy. Abeg free the guy. Dude is the fifa 16 still lagging on your andy. Ill email you the fix

Console wahala
Make una kill urselfs

PC all the way

*logs out*

AdeLaNa1:
Console wahala Make una kill urselfs
PC all the way
*logs out*

can you even compare pc to ps2 ?

Renji:
can you even compare pc to ps2 ?

Nah. Not at all. The PS2 shítes on PC everyday of the week. I mean. Its an insult to even put ps2 and pc in the same sentence

AdeLaNa1:
Nah. Not at all. The PS2 shítes on PC everyday of the week. I mean. Its an insult to even put ps2 and pc in the same sentence

the highest fps attained on pc isnt up to the normal fps of ps2

Renji:
the highest fps attained on pc isnt up to the normal fps of ps2

U're right. The Ps2 is the greatest console ever.....

AdeLaNa1:
U're right. The Ps2 is the greatest console ever.....

Guy. Do you even know what a console is Guy you are confused oo . Ps2 greatest?

We appear to be having a Drax moment...
[img]http://caragaleblog.files./2015/04/guardians-quote.gif[/img]