If you take a quick look at Twitter you will reveal that the war of control platforms is in full swing. Every day, thousands of accounts - some with large fan followers - move to the battlefields and argue endlessly about the advantages of PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The title "war" seems accurate, because these discussions are not polite and sober. These online scream matches are not banned, complete with unbridled accusations, verbal slurs and, in some cases, threats of actual violence. The problem - one of many, really - is that modern technology has made the PS5 Vs Xbox Series X war fundamentally useless.
Not that it was not in vain before. Adults who attack each other because of the comparative advantages of two plastic box are somewhere between "pathetic" and "mentally ill," depending on how much compassion you feel for participants. But there are two relatively recent developments that have made most of the arguments for the control platform war null and void: specifically, the emergence of cloud games and the emergence of PC ports.
There are still some fundamental differences between the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. Each system already has strengths and weaknesses. But the era of excess conflict that ends in the world between two very similar governing platforms could finally end, if participants can leave it. The truth is that there is not much worth getting anymore.
Critical factor in the battle of control platforms: the emergence of cloud games
Let's talk about one point directly: cloud games are not yet ready to replace the control platform or computer games in any substantial way. However, they are not far away, but they are improving every day. Microsoft's exponent Xbox Game Pass has arguably the best cloud gaming app right now, but Nvidia GeForce Now, PlayStation Now and even Google Stadia all have their own charm.
In other words, most games are not only available on both main platforms – most are available, regardless of whether you have a major control platform. Whether you share a rich gaming library, such as with Xbox Game Pass, or buy it from an eclectic list, such as with Google Stadia, you don't need ps5 or Xbox Series X to run titles like Hades, Doom Eternal, Mas Effect Legendary Edition or Assassin's Creed Valhalla. You can do this on a computer that is not for games, a smartphone, or even on a TV.
You can argue that cloud games still don't offer the same high resolution and smooth tire rates as titles played on control platforms, which is true. But in the age of control platform games across generations and thousands of different computer configurations for games, the debate over performance details seems trivial. Each gaming system handles the performance of the game slightly differently. We can (and must) analyze these differences, but if you adopt a zero-sum game mentality based on slight differences in graphics or performance, you should be aware of how ridiculous your point of view is compared to any rational opinion.
Cloud games have another key advantage, although only Microsoft has now fully benefited from them. Previously, one of the biggest arguments for buying Xbox was the list of exclusive chains - Halo, Forza, Gears of War, etc. With Xbox Game Pass, you can play many of these "exclusive" games on almost any system, from an Android smartphone, to an IPad, to a Windows laptop. If Xbox doesn't really have any "exclusive" games, you might have a better gaming experience on the Xbox Series X, but you don't really "need" one.
Before responding that Sony won't do anything like this, remember that PlayStation Now is available on computers, and it already offers older versions in a series like God of War, Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, etc. More platforms, not fewer, seem to be the trend that will prevail in the future.
PC console exclusives
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| An example of an exclusive available for PC |
Microsoft led the mission, and Sony followed, on another key issue: PC ports. With regard to primary accessibility, there is no denying that gaming computers are at least as annoying as control platforms, and perhaps more. (Have you tried buying a GPU like RTX 3050 recently?) Gaming computers are always more expensive than control platforms, and require a lot of experience in use. At the same time, if you buy or assemble a computer, you can now play a lot of previous exclusive games on Xbox and PlayStation consoles on one device.
A few years ago, Microsoft committed to making all first-party addresses available for download on both Xbox and PC. At first, this meant buyers had to go through the weary Microsoft store, but recently, Microsoft started selling its games via Steam as well. This means you can turn on Microsoft Flight Simulator, Halo Infinite or Forza Horizon 5 whether you have an Xbox Series X or a gaming computer. (You can even turn them on if you don't have these things; see the previous paragraph.) Based on Steam sales figures and cash reception, this practice has been highly successful.
Slowly but surely, Sony is also building its computer credentials. Over the past few years, we've seen Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone and God of War (2018) make their way to Steam, and there are two Uncharted games about to continue. Although Sony may never promise parity with Microsoft, it seems inevitable to see more Sony games on your PC, sooner rather than later.
In other words, PC players may have been right all the time. You can argue about PlayStation and Xbox control platforms until Half-Life 3 is released, but owning a gaming computer may be the solution after all.
What else is there to fight for?
The truth is that PS5 and Xbox Series X perform similarly and, mostly, the same gaming library. Exclusive games were the only thing worth fighting for. Because of the actions taken by Microsoft and Sony, there will be no more fighting anymore.
There's always a Nintendo Switch to consider, too, but Nintendo generally takes its own path, and I don't expect that to change over the next five years.
So, if the battle of the control platforms is really over, who won? I would like to say that anyone who has spent their time playing games rather than shouting about them on social media platforms is the winner personally. But with regard to the system that will offer most games in this generation and beyond, the answer , as ever, is a gaming computer.
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