Next Generation Consoles - Your thoughts so far?

Hi all,

After watching the Microsoft Xbox stream yesterday, I felt I had more questions than answers regarding the next generation console cycle. So I decided to create a topic where I could see what people here were thinking, whether anybody was feeling the same or different and why.

My thoughts:

1). The messaging has been poor, especially given how much more control Sony, Microsoft et al have over their own streams now. Why do I feel like this? Well, the details have been mixed in terms of when games are due, what the games even are in some cases (vague trailers that do not really give anything other than a feel or vibe of a games setting but no details about what the game actually entails) or even a window for when the games are due. I feel this especially affects Microsoft given how much of their footage has been in engine cut scenes (or CGI footage, not really sure what to describe it as, but not actual gameplay with a HUD). Fable and State of Decay 3 especially felt pretty poor in this regard as they both feel a long way off, the Obsidian game I am more willing to be forgiving as that studio has a lot in the pipeline as it is. Forza was especially disappointing as I am a huge fan of those games, and it seems like the new one will not be a launch title? This is where I feel the messaging has been poor, because we are left with lots of questions from all the conferences about release dates, game genres or content type. The Sony messaging has been just as bad, such as with Spider-Man and the potential of a new game but then turns out to be an expansion style game (not that I am against that, but the trailer did not fit compared to how a Sony staff member describing it as an expansion pack when talking to the press later felt like a poor way to reveal what that game actually is). Even EA managed to drop the ball here, SKATE being a game I thought you could not mess up an announcement for, yet somehow EA manage to find a way to mess that up by being vague, not saying what the game title is, what platform it is going to be for, just "Hey SKATE, you want that right?"

2). These consoles are either not ready to be launched or are going to be rushed out to be first to launch. Why do I feel like this? The same issue as above, a lack of games and a timeframe for when the games are due out. I understand the whole world situation is a nightmare right now and this will impact on development of games (I am in the keep people safe, games can wait side rather than the give me all the games right now side) but we seem to have had a lot of trailers or vibe videos (as in creepy backgrounds and somebody walking along or sci fi generic soldiers walking around but no gameplay shown or possibly not even in game, just a cut scene thrown up to say we have something available). So far I think Ratchet and Clank and Halo are the only games I can think of where we have seen next generation games being ran (possible Ubisoft with Watch_dogs and Assassins Creed as well) which seems really bad given how close these consoles potentially are. It is very worrying how little gameplay we are being shown given how little time is left. If this is a dripping out gameplay and footage, then the messaging around this has been poor. Would a Nintendo Direct style once a month and a focus on one or two games and going in depth have been better? I feel that way, if the games are not ready, and, in some cases not ready for a long time then this is worrying.

3). Details are lacking. Why do I feel this way? The PS5 and Xbox Series X are supposed to be out this year, but we have no idea of when still or what price or what you will get or anything at all other than what the boxes look like. The way these systems have been presented to me feels like we are still a year off these things being ready. This feels like a general aim of what is being targeted as a first wave of information, rather than a "Here are 5 games you will want to buy with your console at launch, and here is the price and release date." Maybe I am wrong, but it feels like there is less information about these machines and what software they will offer than we have experienced in similar time frames around a new hardware cycle.

Am I excited about new consoles? Yes, as somebody who has the base unit Xbox One/PS4 I am ready for the next step up. However, it really feels like Sony and Microsoft are scrambling and playing a game with each other over who will be first to set a price/launch date or if they are waiting to be second to delay as they don't want the PR nightmare of being first to say "sorry, turns out we are not ready to launch this year".

I would love to hear what you are all thinking in this, I also welcome thoughts that do not reflect mine. I could be over thinking or missing information that would perhaps resolve some of my personal concerns or have overlooked information that answers what I have said.

Thanks.

The fact they're so mum about the prices/release dates is preposterous

I guess I’m a little underwhelmed so far, but with the pandemic I’m willing to cut the companies some slack about a not so perfect rollout of information. But on a broader scale, I feel like I’m the only one who isn’t surprised that the new consoles aren’t showing games that are a huge leap from the current gen, and that software may be sparse at launch. I mean, this was the case last gen and the gen before that. The PS4’s first year was just high res PS3 games and Killzone, and the X1 wasn’t much better. And for everyone expecting new, unique experiences with the new gen, can they point me to anything this gen that couldn’t have been done on the 360/PS3? Battle royale may be the only new major genre to emerge since 2013, but considering that they run on Switch and phones, I’m not sure the extra power of the current gen is really necessary to enable that experience.

I’m on the fence about getting a next gen console this fall as well, but I don’t see that as a downside necessarily. The new hotness is there for if I want to treat myself to a new toy, but I like the fact that I can stay with what I got for at least a few more years with little downside. And I absolutely love the fact that if I upgrade, I can still play with my friends who don’t make the leap.

But like, I get it. We all look fondly back at when we got a SNES/Genesis/PlayStation or whatever under the Christmas tree when we were kids. But the industry has changed a ton since those days in terms of technology, network infrastructure, and business practices. There are fewer big leaps to take, because a lot of those big leaps already happened to get us to this point. And that’s ok.

With every successive digital event, I become more and more convinced that there is really no good reason to be an early adopter.

If you have the means and just want the newest technology, then more power to you! Personally, though, I think I’ll be happy with my Switch and Xbox One S for a couple more years.

Working my backlog until the time is right. This is literally the best time for vidya games!!

Im trying to remember but my hazy memory feels like PS4 and XB1 was very similar during this calm before the launch. And then at launch it was like yay resogun? knack? .... and yay .. forza, dead rising, and ... Ryse!? very underwhelming even after all the launch games were confirmed.

I bought a XB1 because at the end of the day, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising, Ryse, and Forza were more the GENREs of games I wanted, but then look what happened w SFV.... seriously the xb1/ps4 era wasn't a leap forward, even mid-gen revisions... I agree with @navster15 above... the leaps will probably continue to be subtle. I think we are learning that games at their core do not need amazing tech to be fun games with the "retro" revolution. And the ones that do are so expensive the industry literally buckles trying to make them.

Wasn't VR gonna change the game? It kinda did ... for the 7 of us that have headsets and a room where we don't knock shit over tryna play...

I get the feeling this will just be a similar mess, but I'm not surprised or somehow shocked.

But hey, new games! and LOTS of new IPs!! Indie's getting really high fidelity for small games! That's where my excitement is. Give more processing power to those with a more creative vision than the big dogs.

I would not say the lack of revolution concerns me, more what has been said about launch titles. Halo seems to be the only game first party wise for Series X? I would be happy with Forza, KI and a couple of others as was the case with Xbox One. PS5 is perhaps a bit better placed here with Ratchet and Clank alongside Spider-Man.

@johnlocke: Ratchet has no release date according to Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_%26_Clank:_Rift_Apart), so I doubt it’s going to make launch. I mean, I guess it’s a possibility but compared to the Spider-Man trailer that specifically said holiday 2020 that seems doubtful.

I'm really not looking forward to spending the money on new consoles that will ultimately devolve into the same ol' same ol'.

Halo would interest me if i cared about multiplayer and my expectation for fps is something like Destiny. That environment for Infinite looked so barren. The spidertank from Destiny 1 was pretty awesome and i really don't see Halo doing anything as cool. I dont really need my enemies to talk at me.

Medium seems like next generation tech but man 3rd person over the shoulder is overdone. If that had been Alan Wake 2 or something where there's something to do with the way the light from the first world plays on the second that would have been cool. But this is just another one of them.

I like the art style for As Dusk Falls, but without seeing a demo it could range from Her Story to Life is Strange, both of which i completed but i never need to visit those types of games again.

The Gunk looked cool but i can already imagine ice planet, fire planet, and plant planet. I'm already bored.

Jack Black in anything but Psychonauts 2 please i'm not into Tim Schafer games but i would enjoy a game staring JB.

Crossfire story looks cool

Echo Generation looks good.

If Forza Horizon can do a story mode on par with the Journey in Fifa 17,18, and 19 i'm sold (get me Amy Hennig levels of story in my sports game. I didnt sit at the table with the Dungeons and Dragon folks in school.. why do i have to do the same for story in videogames.

State of Decay 3 will be right up my alley.

I couldnt care less about Fable. Maybe that was a some message board darling that i missed during the 2000s and 2010s but that game has zero nostalgia for me. Continues to also ran for me.

Overall everything seems fine. I might get a Series X. I skipped the Wii-U. I skipped the Switch. I will probably skip PS5. My backlog is overflowing. I don't think i've replayed a game to completion in the last 20 years because i'm always hungry for what's next. Maybe i should start doing that.

I’m excited for the PS5, but I think Sony needs to come out and say exactly how old games will work, how games will work at launch, if there will be a change on the services end. It feels like a lot of companies are sort of waiting around while Sony says what they are going to do. CD Project Red said here’s what we’re doing with Xbox...PS5, well, they haven’t made their announcement yet. With Yakuza, is it actually launching on Series X before PS5 due to some marketing / console exclusive thing, or will it be launching on PS5 also, but they just didn’t say that for whatever reason.

If old games do work, will it be just the PS4 version? The PS4 with boost mode? A super duper boost mode on top of the PS4 Pro boost mode? Some crazy all games no matter what will run at 4K if it is compatible? Do they have a for real PS1 - PS3 backwards compatibility solution or were all of those just patents? None of these are deal breakers. It’s more based on it’s crazy we don’t know the answer on these questions yet, when it is almost August. With the PS4 they had to get it out of the way during their launch event. Basically, “This architecture is better than the cell, although that means there will be no backwards compatibility.” Last time we knew about that in February for a console that launched in November.

The price I assume we will know in August, but it is still weird that we don’t know what it is so late in the year. It’s presumably going to be $500 or $600, which isn’t a deal breaker for me.

My guess is a handful of some of these things will be similar across before consoles. However, with Microsoft repeatedly saying “Smart Delivery” it seems like people are treating this as something that will only exist on the Series X. Who knows, maybe some of that is only on the Xbox. Whatever their plans are, it’s getting late enough that they need to lay out all of those details. Everybody needs to talk openly about what launch will look like, what the services are, etc.

It's strange. Sony's going for a full "this is next-gen" break whereas Microsoft is more into pushing cross-gen. But the messaging just isn't all that impressive.

I'm getting both because I always do and I got my money back from a canceled vacation, but I don't feel like they're doing a good job at selling these things. I'm buying for the potential, but for launch? Nothing really stands out as something that couldn't have been done. It seems to be more about resolution, frame rate, and loading times. Which doesn't exactly work well on a stream.

I'm sure we'll have plenty of cool games, game pass will ensure I play many of them, and that games will look great at home on my big TV. But it's telling that the most exciting potential announcement they could make right now is backwards compatibility for the first three Playstations.

I am still yet to see any decent next-gen games that I need to play but the new consoles look promising. They are much more powerful and won't be as underwhelming as the launch of the PS4/ xbox one. From day one those two consoles were so incredibly under powered and slow. I remember getting my PS4 on launch day and being so disappointed that my average spec'ed gaming pc at the time looked better and had more than double its frame rate and was already using an SSD to play games. The new consoles are good step in the right direction and wont be lagging so far behind PC this time.

Since the PS4's launch I have only used the machine to play the exclusives that I don't want to miss out on playing or wait 12 plus months to play on PC eg. RDR2, Death Stranding, Final Fantasy 7 Remake etc.

So yes I will be getting a PS5 but not on launch this time, to play Sony exclusives. I'll wait until the first decent Sony exclusive that I really want to play comes out and then I will buy it. I'm not considering an Xbox series X as I have a PC more powerful than the new consoles and can already play all first party games on Windows 10.

@csl316: I went out and hoarded some PS1, PS2, and PS3 games in anticipation of some big backwards compatibility reveal from Sony. Alot of those games do not play well. And if they don't incorporate achievements/trophies or upres in the manner that xbox does then you're really going to be dissapointed. Now if they can smooth out some some of the polygons in PS1 games and have their entire catalog (and that means the tony hawk games and Madden 20xx) then i'll be impressed. But i don't see it happening. Sony will have some 100 title list that gets updated never. I think Microsoft is going to be able to say all of our non-kinect titles work here with achievements and 4K.

@clagnaught: I agree. There are a lot of details in the air about what each system will offer. This is what makes me think they are not going to get released this year, there is still too much in the air regarding what these systems will offer. By the specifications, these consoles are going to be quite powerful so I would imagine quite pricey, to have so little details regarding what is on offer for what is likely going to be a steep entry fee, it seems really poor messaging or deliberate smoke and mirrors.

Seeing above that Ratchet and Clank will not be a launch title means first party wise from Sony we are looking at an expansion for Spider-Man (which admittedly, I would like to play, but it is still not a game built from the ground up for the next hardware system or one where they are creating it to push the system like launch titles of old). Microsoft seem to be offering Halo, although there has been some negative press about how the game looks visually and what the game is actually offering. I get new systems do not have great launches generally speaking (I know there have been some big hits in the past such as Mario 64, Sonic, maybe Tomb Raider?) but this launch seems like there are no games actually ready for it, or they are going to be games that are built for old hardware that will be upscaled for the new systems (such as Watch Dogs and Assassins Creed, Dirt 5, Madden, basically third party standard offerings) and the console manufacturers are potentially pushing these systems out with very little software on offer from their own studios. That seems unusual. I do not expect a new game from every studio under Sony or Microsoft umbrella, but these vague launch windows and trailers for games with no gameplay (or CGI trailers) suggest some of the games being talked about now are a long way off, leaving the question, what exactly is going to be playable on these consoles?

I guess I'm moderately excited for both?

Ratchet and Clank looks amazing but, after the fact, what they showed wasn't much different than titanfall 2 letting you swap between two worlds (or the silent hill game in the xbox thing) that just happen to be less detailed so they both fit in memory. It looked GOOD but I guess I don't know if they look new generation good. But part of that is definitely because I primarily play pretty games on PC.

And MS haven't really wowed me with any one game. Although Halo Infinite I go back and forth on as I really don't want a giant open world collectathon but... I would be cool with just going MGS5 and driving across a halo ring with a puppy in the passenger seat of my warthog as I take out covenant outposts and listen to audiologs I don't care about. What I am saying is John needs a dog. And if John got a kitty it would be game of the decade.

But mostly, this generation just feels weird in ways that are kind of cool. The previous/current gen had refresh SKUs in a way that no prior generation had and that contributes a lot to the wonkiness. PS3->4 was "You know that 6 year old tech that nobody could ever really use? Here is some new shit". This feels more like "Yo dog, wanna buy a new graphics card?" in a way I both love and kind of hate as the price of those consoles probably doubles (probably more 1.5x. I forget how much consoles cost new). I am still not convinced I need a PS5 rather than a PS4.66 but... that is kind of the point as there is a good chance this is the final console generation until we have a new contender (I kind of expect the PS6 and the Xbox: Some other stupid modifier to come out but we'll see).

And in that regard: Sony makes me want a PS5. Microsoft makes me want Gamepass. Which.... also is probably the point and is kind of mental. I am going to be smarter this gen and wait until either platform has enough games to justify the purchase (instead of buy a PS4 on launch because I can and play a lot of killzone and blacklight). And MS sort of are already there. if I hadn't bought an xbonex right as lockdown started the xsex would be almost a no brainer as it would give me faster loading times and some visual upgrades on older games while letting me play... halo? Whereas Sony I am basically waiting for an exclusive Souls game before I even consider looking for a sale.

But more interesting is that MS are kind of in a really great position. Was thinking after the show yesterday on that. I am probably going in on the windows store/xbox pc ecosystem for flight sim DLC in a few months/weeks/whenevers. And I had previously been thinking I would pull a stupid and double dip on Crusader Kings 3 because I would rather the DLC on Steam where there will likely be better sales and let me consolidate a bit. But... console xbox already has some pretty decent DLC sales and there is no reason to think paradox won't do that on pc xbox where I get it "for free". So that is already two long term games that will keep me in their ecosystem on PC and I've been having a blast dipping in on various gamepass games on console and PC and really enjoying crossprogression to sync progress between living room and PC.

So yeah: MS have done jack all with the xsex. But... I am not sure they need to. If they just get people locked in to gamepass (and keep the terms favorable enough for devs to engage) then the xsex is a foregone conclusion. Well, maybe not the xsex but the xses or whatever the expected mid-tier is.

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Which gets me to what I think is the more interesting point. I see a lot of comments of people angry that MS barely touch on the xsex. Some from "gamers" and some from games media folk. And I definitely feel some of that. But also... don't we enter every console generation saying "that looks great but where are the games?". And MS are kind of doing exactly what we always whinge about wanting. They are showing us all the games.

Which is kind of eerily reminding me of last gen. What MS were offering was kind of what we wanted three or four years later. Tools to watch media with family and friends. The ability to share and loan and even re-sell our digital games. No distinction between physical and digital. They just cocked up the messaging horribly in ways that let the "Rawr rawr rawr, I want to own my games that have a 500 gig day one patch" crowd to go wild.

Whereas, in both cases, Sony did a much more traditional approach of "here is a new console. we aren't going to show you the interface because we are sony and you know it will look functional but barely work which somehow puts it ahead of both of our console competitors. But we got games!"

VERY curious if people will pick up what MS are putting down in time. And more curious how the various influencers will side since that is probably even more important these days (and probably back with the ps4 and xbone).

@fourthline: I routinely play old Playstation games so I know what I'm getting into. I use BC on my Xbox, use my Genesis Mini+, and play those old NES/SNES games on my Switch. I really like backwards compatibility and see it as more than a novelty.

Frankly, I don't really need them to upgraded. It's just the convenience of having everything accessible in my living room setup without adding to the clutter.

With one or two exceptions from Obsidian (IIRC), Microsoft has been pretty underwhelming, with the Usual Suspects from the "Hey, Fellow Teens (now 30 and 40-something adults)! Remember how great the 360 was?!" now here's a new Halo, Forza, etc.; new IP that didn't hit for me, and non-exlusive, 3rd party IP coming to other consoles and PC.

Basically, I feel like Nintendo and Sony are still committed to console gaming for the near future, while Microsoft is trying to pivot into being the "Netflix" of video games for EVERY platform (that will have them). Hence all of Phil's talk about Nintendo and Sony not being MS's competition, because MS has their sights set against other tech giants like Apple, Google, Amazon, etc., and giants in the PC marketplace like Steam.

I feel like this is the last console generation from Microsoft before they 100% become a subscription / services provider, or try to, at least. And MS is willing to take a hefty loss this generation on Xbox, xCloud, Game Pass, etc. to try to make that work.

It’s the weirdest launch cycle, I’ll be getting a ps5 at launch, but mostly to hopefully play my PS4 backlog in a hopefully upscaled way with hopefully faster load times, and I have no interest in a series X, but will dip into the Xcloud service to play Halo infinite since that service will have Halo at launch..

So far the feeling I have is Series X content is a very long way off. Avowed, Everwild, Fable, Hellblade 2 and State of Decay 3 are going to be 2-3 years away. I don't know why but MS are trying really hard for me not to buy their new box or at least wait 3 years to do so.

Halo Infinite looks like its coming in really hot too trailer wasn't that impressive had tons of pop in and plenty of other issues, noticeable step down from the first look.

@thepanzini: It is kind of inevitable. MS only ramped up their studio portfolio over the past year or two and a lot of those studios had prior commitments. So 2021 at the earliest for the fruits of that

From a quick google, it sounds like spider-man, astrobots (woo!), kena (?) and jett/jeff (?) are the only launch window confirmed PS5 "first party" games.

Which is more or less where we were with the ps4/xbone. Sony had Killzone and Resogun. MS had Ryse (?) and... Dead Rising? Everything else was rapid ports of previous gen games and third parties so we all just played AssFlag a lot.

We may never know what they plan for the consoles were going from October 2019 forward. Covid-19 has changed it in way we cannot know. Some might argue small changes, some other might argue ist changed nearly every aspect in one way ot another. Merely one part, the economic situation in teh world-wide, has made this a tricky launch year. Moreover, the lack of an e3 has created a situation where the finisgs lines has moved.

I do not blame Sony or Microsoft at all for not saying more than they have, they literally hold the jobs of tens of thousands of people across teh industry in their hands. There is a lot at stake if you screw up in a CEO position even is a tiny branch of a multinational corporation.

Consider: Don Mattrick went from being President of the Interactive Entertainment Business reposrtsing directly to Balmer to being CEO of Zynga (a step down for sure) to a year laster being replaced by as CEO. Its ovber for him - he jsu CEO of nothing. He likely wenty forma salaries and benefits package in the seven figure range to being " involuntarily retired" at 56. That is what happens when you screw up at the top level.

Consider: Phil Harrison going from President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) to Atari. because of how he handled PS3...Sony got rid of him. Then he went from Atari to Gaikai., teh game straming service. Well, he was at Gaikai, until Sony bought Gaikai who again pushed him out. Then he went to Microsoft who -yet again- got rid of him after three years. Then Google hired him, and you think "Great, Google must love him, right?" Well they put him in charge of Stadia...yeah, he is about to catch the boot yet again. And I'll tell you what, Phil Harrison will not be landing on his feet after this fourth and final chance. Phil is over in any upper management fo a big company in video games.

Video games are an unforgiving place to work at the highest levels. It seems like working for Pablo Escobar, there are big rewards for running your 'gaming cartel' well and making good profits; however, there are hard punishments when you don't deliver.

@monkeyking1969: Eh, Mattrick and Harrison both got their golden parachutes and are set for life (and likely the lives of their children and grandchildren). If "punishment" means being wildly rich and never having to work another day in your life, then sign me up for the gulag.

@monkeyking1969: I understand what you mean. I am not asking for console manufacturers to force staff to work long hours (I would advocate them treating staff fairly, both in pay and treatment outside of pay) or have 20+ games for each system at launch from their own studios. I guess my real concern is the lack of information which they are presumably expecting to sell a lot of (I feel like I saw a report on Eurogamer or BBC where Sony said they were planning to have 10 million PS5 consoles ready for launch), that is expecting a lot of faith to jump in right now given the slow speed of information. The game side perhaps I am poor memory with, as I thought Killer Instinct was a launch title with Forza 5, that is not me saying your wrong, I just really thought they were, but perhaps I am blending it all together in my mind or thinking of when I actually started using the Xbox One a lot? I don't know. Perhaps I am being too harsh, I do not expect people to work more, just would be nice to get more clarity in the presentations from all parties, not just Microsoft and Sony, but third party studios too. I mean, I have no idea what EA is doing (FIFA and Madden seem to be confirmed, and Star Wars, outside of that, I have no idea what their main studios are doing, oh and Skate) and Activision, is there even a Call of Duty due out this year?

I still have a base Xbox one and PS4, I'm looking forward to some kind of upgrade but at this rate that is probably looking like a new PC early next year. I still haven't played half of the big exclusive titles on the current Gen and no launch window games are interesting enough to make me want to upgrade right away anyway. With Microsoft bringing a lot of games over to PC gamepass by the sounds of it then I don't see a huge reason to buy a series X if I have a decent PC. I like my PS4 over my X1, I hated the PS3 and loved the X360 so I have no real brand bias anymore but the PS5 seems real uninteresting currently and that controller even less so.

PS5 has a game that I want to play that I can't play on PC or Xbox. So whenever I do get a next gen box it'll be a PS5. However, I'm not in a huge rush. Too many things are still unknown. Price, backwards compatibility, release dates, etc

I've always been a Playstation guy since the PS1 days. I did buy a 360 and had it red ring 3 times. After that, I sort of swore off Xbox. I do think the game pass sounds amazing though.

Anyway, to be honest, I'm sure at some point I'll pick up a PS5 next year when it hits it's first sale or comes with a game. I believe I did that with PS4, ended up getting Second Son for free with it.

Honestly though, there is nothing really that has been shown that makes me say, holy cow I need it now. I love Ratchet and Clank and the Souls games. I'll definitely pick up both PS5 games in those franchises. However, besides that, I feel like I'm still good rocking my OG PS4 and my Switch. I sort of find myself playing the Switch a lot more oddly enough.

I feel like Jeff nailed it in this weeks Hot Spot. With the claims of how powerful the new systems are, they should not be confined to either "performance" or "visuals." I feel like by now, everything on these new consoles should be 60 frames per second and 1080p (I guess 1440? I don't have a TV that does that). I realize though developers might not want to take advantage of it, etc.

At one time or another I've had a PS2, PS3, PS4, Xbox and 360. If the "Lockhart" rumour is true and it feels a sufficient upgrade over the PS4, then I'd be tempted to pay a little for a mini Microsoft system(Especially with Gamepass). I'm very enthusiastic about the PS5 increase in throughput the Ratchet clip suggested, but right now it just feels too much of an unknown. Much like the intended launch prices.

There is still too much unknown for me about the consoles themselves. I am however very happy that Microsoft seem to be saying everything on the Xbox will also be on the PC. Mostly because that saves me thinking about ever getting an Xbox as I have a PC.

So really my only decision will be if I want to play first party Sony games on the PS5. With the current announced line up and NO idea about price, that would be a massive no so far.

My personal thoughts is that all of the information they have released has informed me that I don't need either. Which is a little counter to the message they most likely want to be giving out.

I'm just gonna hold on my my 2080 Ti for a bit longer.

I'll just play whatever multi platform games come out on Stadia. My PC is garbage and these consoles look expensive. I have such a backlog of games plus big games coming out like Cyberpunk and Avengers that I will be happy for the foreseeable future. And if XCloud turns out to be good I'll probably pick that up too.

I can definitely say interest in being an early adopter is lowering as time goes by. Which sounds crazy for me to think. Maybe Covid is the reason everything seems bare and info is so staggered. Or maybe Sony and Microsoft are rushing these out a little too quickly.

What concerns me with Microsoft (maybe Sony too) is I can imagine scenarios where a new Xbox game comes out, but we will end up waiting an extra month or more for the "Series X" version to be "smart delivered". I feel like Cyberpunk is doing that? I wouldn't want that to be the normal thing for the first year or two of the consoles life but it seems likely.

Financially, I am prepared for a $500 console. In my head though, there are still too many unknowns which I suspect will be answered this month. I want the full view of Microsoft's strategy and I want Sony's back compat info for example. It's hard to see either company messing it up with the exception of price maybe, but we will see.

Also show me the games running please!

@monkeyking1969:

The reported $15m severance package Don received from Zynga was ‘hard punishment’ for sure !

@colonel_pockets: I agree. We are getting close to what is potentially the release window but have barely seen any gameplay from these consoles. That and the lack of solid information about launch date/pricing/launch window titles are contributing to my thinking these consoles will get delayed. You are likely right though, I would imagine we get more concrete information this month, it just seems like a game of who is going to blink first between Sony and Microsoft on announcing a date/price.

Dude, that is a fraction of the compensation he could be earning in teh executive suite....so, yeah, it is a hit.

@monkeyking1969: Sooooo, work for more money that you don’t have time to spend, or abscond with fuck you money and all the time in the world. I’m gonna go with the latter 10 out of 10 times if given the choice.

I just wished the PS5 had the XSX GPU. And that the new Xbox controller didn't have uncomfortable-looking "ribbed for her pleasure" triggers.