Sony's Boring PS4 Is Winning The Console War Despite More Exciting Competition

Forbes contributor Erik Kain talks about why Sony is winning the console war by being boring and ignoring gimmicks to concentrate on games for gamers.

[ThatEnglishDude]

The word "boring" used 8 times in that article. Something tells me this guy has a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

[weekev15]

The guy writes for Forbes. If anyone knows boring its him.

[Alsybub]

The article was tongue in cheek and pro PS4. I hope you're an Xbox fan because you basically just said the PS4 is boring.

[weekev15]

@alsybub the article is tongue in cheek, as is my comment.

[Magicite]

I for one am hyped for PS4 and gonna buy it next year. Meanwhile Ive zero interest in competition (I own gaming PC though).

[Hyper_Tension140]

Its a video game console, isnt that what people wanted sony to focus on last gen after the ps3 was filled with features/gimmicks and lacked games.

It plays the multiplats better, that reason alone should be enough to make you go buy one(that was my reason) unless you have a pc......or a fanboy.

[KarmaV12]

So a better looking game, one that nobody can tell the difference between, is more important than a better online service, where friends play, and whats better for a family?

[MRMagoo123]

@karma

Well friends may matter but ppl can always make more, better online service is odd tho because the psn is pretty much identical to xbox live in performance and the wiius online is worse than both so thats a point not even worth bringing up.

[KarmaV12]

^^Lmao at all the disagrees
You cannot compare psn to Xbox live. XBL is on a different level of quality, I give Sony the benefit of the doubt since they offer extras at a cheaper price but you can get live for 50$ on sale all over the internet. But on terms of quality of the network, its not even a competition. And I already have friends that I know in real life that play Xbox and its always a blast, why would I throw that away for new people across the world. But wiiU... I agree lol

[styferion]

@karma: XBL is where friends play? must be living in NA/UK.. the rest of the earth, not so much.

[Mr_Writer85]

@Karma

Do you have any figures to show this superiority?

[morganfell]

Where all of your frinds play? Seems to me your friends are leaving MS for the Sony - the better consolke, the better service with more features and gamer rewards. Why do you think Sony won two generations ago, they beat Microsoft last gen, and they are winning this gen. I really hate to use a Batman reference but, victory has defeated you.

[y7jzdgy]

If better multi-plats are more important then why settle for just a PS4 when the PC is far more capable? That argument is so silly.

[Alsybub]

It's interesting that Sony, through necessity of it's financial situation, has a winning formula. They couldn't afford to do anything but streamline their approach and it has paid off for them.

I remember reading once that, in the future (this was 7 or 8 years ago), the trend would be that anything small enough to fit in a pocket moves towards convergence and anything bigger than that moves towards divergence. In other words, unless it's a smartphone then the more popular devices tend to do one thing well, rather than a plethora of things. We are always led to believe that having a device that does a thousand tasks is what the consumer wants but actually it's the opposite. More often than not when a piece of hardware comes out with multiple uses it falls by the wayside. With lower production costs and consumers able to afford more there is becoming less of a desire to have a jack of all trades.

edit:@y7jzdgy

Pric and not having to buy a new graphics card every other year. PC games may be a little cheaper but all of the bother and cost that goes with it for the average consumer still makes it inaccessible. I used to be a PC gamer and I would covet a new component every time a big game came out.

[Prime157]

Karma, I love when people's insecurity shines bright through pointing at, and talking at, those who disagree.

Share play will be the best thing to happen to online gaming in awhile. Much better use of online services than cloud computing and definitely fulfills, how did you say it, "where friends play" more than xbl. I can't wait for more details.

if xbl is better than psn (speeds, perhaps, not really anymore) then it's because of the 5 billion extra dollars that xbl made off of it on the original xbox and 360.

That was a bad trend that Microsoft started.

[hulk_bash1987]

Haha what does this guy want it to do? Sing, dance and juggle for him? It's a games console that is focused on providing a quality gaming experience. That's why it's selling so well, period.

[Khimarhi]

Not sure you read the article. You are making the same point as he did.

[Army_of_Darkness]

Author- "If games are the most important thing to gamers, making things like the Kinect or the Wii U gamepad mandatory is a big mistake.

The PS4′s continued trouncing of both these systems is proof enough of that."

So the author thinks the PS4 is boring because it doesn't come with a mandatory gimmick while trying to downplay the fact that he himself stated has only pure price and horse power going for it?! LOL!
Sure he sounded like a fanboy at first( well, throughout the entire article I should say) but in the end he at least got it right. It's a machine built for gamers and if having a console that only has a good price point while being the most powerful out of the 3 then sure, consider me a boring gamer ;-)

[MRMagoo123]

"consider me a boring gamer" and the other 10 million plus people that are now happy owners.

[N4g_null]

The problem is sony... where are your games or when will you dump killzone and lbs they sort of suck but look pretty. The game play on sony titles are horribly boring. When is sony going to fix this? It's like sony makes games for blood thirsty soccer moms with no gaming skill.

You have a pure gaming console but where are your streets of rage, virtual fighter, kid icuras, 2d shooters, insane puzzle addiction inducing games! We want not just cool to look at games we want cool to play games.

No one cares about power if it isn't fun. No one cares about features unless it's gameplay. The pc has those both and no one literally cares.

The reason why the fighting is getting so bad is because we are all bored. Our go to developers have retired mentally it would seem.

[FriedGoat]

Scissor Runner?
The PC has barely no decent exclusives these days. MMOS and MOBAs are so boring.

I'm waiting for star citizen, thats about it, the PC market is just saturated with trash. If you want AAA, you need a console.

The last of us is better than any PC exclusive I have played for years. I use my PC mainly for multiplatform games, but usually they are subpar compared to your console exclusives.

[Seafort]

@FriedGoat Why do you think the PC doesn't have any exclusives now? Is it because the console owners keep buying off the pc developers or because games shouldn't be exclusive to one platform but played by all gamers.

The Witcher used to be a PC exclusive, Call of Duty did, Battlefield did, H1Z1 and DayZ did.

It doesn't bother me that the PC doesn't have many exclusives. What does both me is console gamers thinking that PC never had any exclusives and yet you are all playing the former PC exclusives day in day out and won't admit it.

Exclusives are never good for the gaming community as it segregates them and pits them against each other. That's only good for the companies that want you to throw money at them for one side or the other.

Recently I played Divinity Original Sin which is a PC exclusive. It's probably one of the best turn based RPGs in recent years. Another PC exclusive turn based RPG is Wasteland 2 coming in September.

PC has many more exclusives than all the consoles combined you just don't know about them as the PC platform doesn't have a massive corporation spending millions marketing the games for PC.

@edonus
"With my X1 I am playing gorgeous games I have had some fun with several exclusives including Killer Instinct, Ryse, DR3, Forza 5, Titanfall, Kinect Sports Rivals, Max, Spartan Assault. The multiplats look way better than last gen so what am i missing not having a Ps4 other than its few exclusives and a crapload of indies."

Ryse, DR3, Titanfall, Max and Spartan Assault are all on PC so not Xbox exclusive. I think I just cut your xbox exclusives in half :P

[wsoutlaw87]

The article isnt really negitive towards the ps4. Everyone is just getting caught up on the word boring.

[FriedGoat]

@seafort,

I'm not saying exclusives is a good business practice because it isn't. But it's a fact that I can't play the majority of the best games on my PC.

Sure the PC has alot of exclusives, but most of them are garbage and wouldn't stand up to the likes of Naughtydog or something from Microsoft studios and that's a fact.

I own both and have owned both consoles and PC since the early 90's. I would say in the 2000's PC was the the best place to play, but these days I have much more fun on AAA console exclusives than I do PC multiplats and MMO/MOBAs it all just feels old, maybe I've just been a PC gamer too long.

[Prime157]

Scissor runner, ".The game play on sony titles are horribly boring."

the problem with what you are saying is that IT'S COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE. That's why we talk about diversity in games offered as being crucial.

I am one of those rare few who found halo's gameplay boring. I know I'm in a very small minority there, but that doesn't mean that kz and lbp aren't fun to someone BESIDES you.

I like the diversity of games.

[Born2Game83]

He relied on people raging at his article and not reading the entire article. All for hits for the article. He only puts the positive stuff right at the very end.

[come_bom]

"Sony's Boring PS4 Is Winning The Console War Despite More Exciting Competition"

I have to agree with some points in the article. Gamers don't want innovation, they want the same old games with the same old boring experience.
I have a PS4 and until now it has been lacking. No great exclusives. It's PS+ games offered until now are subpar. Hasn't got that many features. I don't understand how it sells so much... or maybe I do, way to much hype and gamers don't want innovation. They want the same thing just with more power and nicer graphics.

[BiggerBoss]

Did you actually read the article? The author is actually praising the PS4 for not doing gimmicks like the Kinect and Gamepad. He praises it for having better games. He praises it for being a superior gaming machine.

[rainslacker]

I think gamers want innovation. I just think they don't really know what constitutes innovation. It's possible to innovate in the same old boring games. New IP's aren't always innovative.

People like certain things about established IP's. So it's understandable that they would want more of that. I've never had a problem with that myself.

I personally have a problem with those same established IP's don't try to innovate at all, or in some cases become worse(for instance, Mass Effect got worse as it went on and became a lot like other games out there).

[Prime157]

Game developers are the ones who create game innovation.

Sony has great innovation coming. Streaming games, budget virtual reality, and the awesome share play. I believe share play could be the biggest thing to help online gaming.

[Deeeeznuuuts]

exactly what I thought, a writer cant use a word 8 times and not have a bit of a grudge against Sony or the PlayStation 4, what a tool.

[Zombro]

I have it and RIGHT NOW it is boring after a couple 10 hour story's there is nothing out

[1Victor]

I'm Translating The Article "Congrats Sony You Listen To The Developers And The Gaming Community And I Hate You For That".

[RosweeSon]

Clinically depressed if he finds ps4 that boring! Why bother buying one, I got one on launch, does it get used, not really with a ps3/360/vita and 3ds/wii u all here it's just hard to find time to play it that and the games aren't up to scratch yet, but boring no chance, it might not be getting the usage it deserves now but it will, give it a year a ps4 will be a force to be reckoned with, if it can sell 10 million on hype alone when the goo games start rolling in and are actually nearing completion or release, gonna be madness they will sell even faster than they already are, if they were to reduce to £299 I think Microsoft would struggle big time!

[Clunkyd]

Is funny how it's a "boring" console yet its the console that is getting the most game releases right now, by a mile!

[CorndogBurglar]

I think you missed the point, maybe?

He actually wasn't talking trash about the PS4 at all.

He was actually complimenting Sony for knowing what its customers want, and giving it to them.

Which just goes to show that as smart as everyone on this site THINKS they are, they actually aren't.

[Aceman18]

haha i'm proud to be boring as this article suggests, there are times where when playing my Wii U i wish i just had a regular controller instead of holding something that's about the same size as the system itself lol.

after working all day long i don't want to come home as start jumping around like an idiot trying to play a game. i just want to sit back, relax and enjoy a couple hrs of gaming. as voice controls to me are highly overrated.

[IcarusOne]

Best part about this is how none of you read far enough to see that it's a satire, tongue in cheek article.

[Tedakin]

Wow Forbes wrote this? They lead the Xbone is a piece of crap charge earlier this year. If you go by doing new things, at least for the moment, the article is correct. PS4 is a more powerful version of what we've been playing for 10 years. XBox and Wii U at least tried, even if unsuccessfully, to do new things.

[mediate-this]

@tedakin read the article, title leads you to believe they are bashing the ps4,but they are not. Boring is the safe route is sometimes the better route, saying that gamers wamt games and sony got it right.

Atleast that is the perception i got. Xb1 n wii u tried to innovate and its not really working out for them, sony kept it focused on games amd they trouncing the comp

[Tedakin]

I read the article.

[ratchet426]

PLEASE *READ* THE ARTICLE.

The author is basically saying (in a tongue-in-cheek manner) that the PS4 is "boring" because Sony built a superior gaming system that focuses on games rather than gimmicks like Kinect.

Direct quote from the article:

(While this article is largely tongue-in-cheek—bet you didn’t notice!— ...)

That's a good bet, because 95% of the people commenting here didn't realize that the author was praising the PS4 for being the better console. He just used the word "boring" to be witty. Obviously most people missed that.

[lonelyplayer]

PS4 is an amazing machine.

[jamsam360]

Tell me why? I believe the the Xbox One is a Stellar Console! The console Is all About convenience every thing that modern people do is at your ready with voice or control! The tv stuff is there so you do not have to switch inputs! Apps, Games , Entertainment! Or porn if thats your thing! lol. If i am playing a game and say xbox turn off , my game will be suspended and when i say xbox on, or touch the power button , or turn it on by controller, my game will be right were i left off without saving!

Things are only getting better! So go play your 10 million PS4's, i will sit right here on my couch More spoiled than previous console generations! And have a blast! BTW Games will come to both consoles just have patience!!

[mkis007]

But what if I am not burdened by the thought of having to press the input button on my remote control?

What if I don't subscribe to TV?

[TKCMuzzer]

Yet again you are trying to justify your purchase by shouting about features that a lot of people don't care about.
People who generally game are not bothered about watching TV at the same time or skyping whilst gaming or surfing the web. Most of them probably have a laptop next to them if they need any of those features without taking up any of the TV screen.
I'm a bit of a tech freak but even I'm not going to shell out £350 for an Xbox One because if I'm not gaming I'm not going to turn in it on to watch the TV.

Sony did it right, please the gamers first then add features to cater for none gaming afterwards, it puts their focus on games which strangely enough is what gamers are after.

[spacedelete]

why does he need to explain himself to a sad little Xbox troll ? its funny how trolls think Xbox one is the only console that does media. you do know PS4 has some media features and apps not on Xbox one right ? either way enjoy your inferior console with the games with the worse graphics, resolution and framerate just so you can use a worthless a app like Skype from a company who are super rich but don't want to invest anything worthwhile on their console because they know brainless mugs will still buy it. there are alot of dumbasses out there and it isn't from the console with over 10 million userbase.

[Tito08]

Mr. Obvious, he just said PS4 is an amazing console and you just bothered by writing a long paragraph about your preference towards the XBox, like seriously, at this point in time, nobody cares about your console preference, btw, if you didn't read the article, it's actually pro-PS4, anti-XBox fool, lol.

[Man_Marmalade]

The PS4 isn't boring. As I recall, both systems had a small library of games at launch and are starting to pick up pace. I don't think the author recalls the DRM fiasco before the Xbox One was even released.

[Letthewookiewin]

Read the article he is actually all for the PS4.

[Man_Marmalade]

Fiascos aren't boring :P

[torchic]

the headline is very misleading.

[ratchet426]

READ the article.

The author uses the word "boring" as a tongue-in-cheek compliment to the PS4 for being a superior gaming machine that focuses on _games_ rather than gimmicks like Kinect.

It is a pro-PS4 article.

[Letthewookiewin]

This is great article. It's true. Don't let the title fool ya!

[CPTN MITCHELL]

Wow talk about a frustrating article about a guy beaing 😡 because the ps4 is selling better than his console (xbone) is not 💤 to me I play at least 8 hrs a day

[KaladinStormblessed]

Actually read the article man. Seriously why comment if you haven't read the article?

[HeWhoWalks]

I'd advise reading the entire article. It's not what you think it is - based on the title. In fact, it's an excellent read!

[MRMagoo123]

The thing is , they will miss a bunch of clicks just for making the title the way it is, look how many ppl already havent read it from the first few comments. Maybe if the title was "Sony stuck with gaming this gen and thats why its had 10 million sales" it would see a lot more clicks and would make more sense to what is written in the said article imo of course.

[SilentNegotiator]

Articles with misleading titles should simply be turned away from N4G.

[incendy35]

PS4 really does nothing well, yet. However they have Naughty Dog so you have to own one.

[MRMagoo123]

Yeh it just does everything gaming related better than the nearest competition the WiiU and third place xbone, thats why it sells double the comp.

[HeWhoWalks]

So 10 million people bought a machine that does nothing well? OK.

Also, you apparently didn't read the article, since those sentiments are not shared.

[gootimes]

If it doesn't do anything well it still does it better than the competition...

[DigitalRaptor]

I wouldn't really know, but how does it feel being delusional?

[N4g_null]

Don't you need a game with replay value to do games better? So far the wiiu is closer to that it would seem. Precieved power does equal better games. It just means they struggle less. Yet design a game correctly and it doesn't struggle at all.

Pcs neo geos all where more powerful yet for some reason the weak ps2 won off pure game play that isn't being replicated this gen or last. We have a talent ressesion this gen in game design it would seem.

[Spotie]

What I don't get is that two words from me is enough to warrant being marked for trolling, but you can construct multiple whole comments that are trolling and... Nothing happens.

What games on PS4 have no replay value? Well, since it's you, I imagine you'll say not one game has even the slightest bit of replay value.

It's not perceived power; it's ACTUAL power. And that actual power means that the devs could have made better versions of EVERY Wii U game for the more capable hardware of the PS4 or XB1.

The PS2, like its predecessor, won on library, not gameplay alone. And the variety of games seen back then is pretty close to being around this gen. Whether you're interested in them is irrelevant; the point is that they exist (given your comment history, I imagine the only thing that has ever interested you has been Nintendo games).

What we have are a lot of fanboys doing their best to downplay the good, and brush away any bad for their preferred console. And they're not doing anyone any favors.

[rainslacker]

It sells well.

@scissor
Neo Geo? Well, that was a super expensive console back in the day. Even a single game was as much or more than the competition. It also had a rather limited game library of SNK games, which while good, wasn't varied enough...mostly fighting. It was pretty awesome though.

PCs back then were nowhere near as easy to use for gaming back then. They were starting to get there with MS introducing DirectX, but many games still used DOS or required a lot of configuration to work properly. Back then, getting a PC that was more powerful than a console would cost quite a bit, whereas today, even an entry level cheap PC is more powerful than a console.

[Butters360]

Funny article when you actually read it.

[zsquaresoff]

Its not what you think people, read the article.

[CPTN MITCHELL]

Playstation start the last of us....see just like kinect

[urwifeminder]

Seems a few may think this , got a fridge delivered yesterday and was playing Forza 5 the delivery guy asked if It was Bathurst and if the game was on ps4 , he said he has nothing to play but would play Forza had to let him know it is not on ps4. Obviously not a hard core gamer or very well informed .

[Keltech]

The he sat on the couch with you and you two got real close to each other. Stared into each other's eyes and... Bow chicka Wow Wow!!

[kratoz1209]

Well its not boring for me, playing the last of us for the first time and blown away by this videogames story telling, cannot wait to go home and play some more, I am up to the dam.
Ellie feels so real reminds me of my oldest daughter

[user367272]

Surprising well written article and it is much more than meets the eye and don't judge the book by it's cover....in this case..the troll bait like headlines.

I am looking to get my PS4 next year when Uncharted 4, No Man's Sky and some other neat titles that can't be play anywhere else are release. Hope people from the PS4 camp feel the same way about other consoles as well when some games they secretly love are available. Games are games and meat to be fun and entertain us regardless of which console they are on.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I'm not interested in a PS4 so long as the PS3 has free online and is still getting games.
It's going to take more than streaming overpriced rentals of PS3 games and paying for online that used to be free for me to shell out over $400.

Maybe if KH3 is really good I'll pick up a used one later on.
If it had native BC with the PS3, though, I'd already own it.
It's a shame they had to suck up to third party desires so much that they dropped 2 of the features I had hoped to see most in the console...

[N4g_null]

I would have gotten a ps4 long ago if it played ps3 games. Sony should release a ps4 with bc, then it wouldn't be as boring.

[aaron5829]

Read it first, then comment people... I'm pro-sony and i strongly agree...

[TheJacksonRGN]

People need to read beyond the title but the author could have chosen something better.

[Born2Game83]

He relied on people not reading the entire article. He wanted people to rage and give the article hits.

[knifefight]

It's a bit underhanded, but...
then again, if they're stupid enough to rage....

[lashes2ashes]

Wow reading the comments makes me think people should really read the story before typing. It's not about games at all. When the author states boring he is referring to ps4 being a game first style of system and not voice and hand control super connected media center.

[brotherlymoses]

I recently bought a ps4 and I find it very boring, that being said, I also find my xbox one very boring. Nothing to get excited about yet until the games start rolling in.

[SolidDuck]

Wow where do I even start. Let's see I could go with this persons lack of parenting skills make the kinect a voice commands an excellent choice. Or if the wii u's gamepad is so amazing why is it used for such incredible things like a horn in mario cart 8. But yes to answer this persons's lingering question. People want a video game machine to play video games on. Fun, good looking, great playing games. Not to stand up and wave there arms around and not to talk to there systems and have it work 40 percent of the time. Most of us have a smartphone, tablet, Apple TV, laptop, or something that multitasks. We want are consoles to play games.

Edit. I did read the article, I guess the sarcasm was lost on me.

[KaladinStormblessed]

Mario Kart is a racing game, you rarely want to take your eyes off the track, so why would you add needless gimmicks to a great game? The gamepad isn't made for every game, it's the small things that count, enhancing the gameplay without totally redefining it is the best.

[N4g_null]

That gamepad is used as a second screen for local co op. Internet is free and the micro transaction 3rd party games are coming! If you like the last of us so much well imagine playing two players with no need for online. Hopefully sony tries to steal that idea too next gen. Then that extra ram will have a point other than spec boosting.

[CertifiedGamer]

Apparently people in here read the titles and based their conclusion from it. What the guy in this article said was true.

Xbox One made a kinect ready innovative entertainment console and it didn't work in their favor because gamer don't want entertainment but they want games which PS4 is all about delivering.

Wii U went and gave the innovative controller on their Wii-U but that gamers didn't care for that either.

Sony on the other hand is called boring but not in offensive manner, he meant more as in a conservative term. He said Sony delivered a console that is all about delivering games and they manage to win by just focusing on what gamers want. They gave us the most powerful console in the market today by not trying to innovate things that gamers aren't interested in.

I agree with the article because I didn't buy my PS4 expecting a Wii like experience but I got it because it is a console for that is most focused on delivering the gaming experience that I expect from it. I love my PS4 for not trying to shove a ps camera or a ps vita down my throat but giving me the option to do that if I choose to.

You people need to learn how to read an article before coming to a conclusion.

[jts1891]

Oh wow, this is hilarious.

'Microsoft's Xbox One (originally) launched with the exciting and innovative Kinect sensor, all for just $499.'

The Kinect was 'exciting and innovative'? Motion controls using a camera have been around since the PS2 era. There was nothing 'innovative' about it, and no one was excited for it except for this author, apparently.

As for the Wii U and the Gamepad, it wasn't 'innovative' either. It was an attempt to appeal to the ever growing demographic that plays games on smartphones and tablets by merging them with a console.

Finally, his statement about the PS4 is amusing. You do not need the PS Move to do 'what Kinect does' most of the time. He praises the X1 for having voice commands. Meanwhile, the PS4 also has voice commands, and you can use them with the microphone that comes included with the console. The only thing that it doesn't do out of the box that the X1 can is motion gaming, which...is dead in the water as the X1 still doesn't have a game that actually uses Kinect to any real degree.

So, is the PS4 'boring'? It's no more boring that a Blu-Ray Player or a TV is 'boring'.

[ratchet426]

Reading is fundamental.

[Rimeskeem]

Now before any of you get hurt by the title please read the article because it's actually quite interesting and pretty funny.

[Majin-vegeta]

Lol read the damn article guys.

[HappyWithOneBubble]

PS4 is soooo boring but yet I play it soooo much. PS4 the best baby.

The article was funny. Wasn't nothing serious about it.

[x_RadicalAura_x]

I don't know wtf planet this guy must be from to consider games like Uncharted 4 and Bloodborne "boring." I'm not looking forward to any other two games more than those, both of which are PS4 exclusives.

[BiggerBoss]

Read the article. He's actually praising ps4. Not to mention he actually says Bloodborne is the best looking exclusive on any console

[Scatpants]

I have both and I like my PS4 more. I don't really use any of the TV stuff on the X1 and I only use the voice commands because the interface is so stupid and cluttered you can't find anything without the voice commands. I do like the vibrating triggers though and I'm pretty hyped for Sunset Overdrive.

[supes_24]

Same here, I own both but play my PS4 a lot more. I don't even use the x1 for all that extra crap either. It's pointless IMO, I bought it for games and that's it! So I've only played Ryse and a couple games with gold on it but I've bought everything else for my PS4. X1 is basically for there exclusives like Halo and whatever Gears comes out next.

[Scatpants]

Also, I didn't think I would, but I like PS4's controller more. I hated the PS3 controller and thought the 360 one was great. Sony really redeemed themselves this generation with the DS4.

[supes_24]

@scatpants,

Agree about the controllers last gen. This gen I prefer the PS4 controller. I can't wait for this share play feature!

[OUROSMAG]

I'd say a very small number of people who commented actually read the article.

[Silent_Radiance]

That's because we've had like 5 articles sharing similar headlines in the past week. At that point people stop reading the articles because they all seem like stupid clickbait.

[Sideras]

I think I'd rather play Bloodborne on a gaming console than Halo (snore) on a DVR, thank you very much.

[Rask]

Great article.

[DafunkyRebel]

DW8XL and FFXIVARR begs to differ on the whole boring thing. What a noob of a writer.

[ps5fanboy]

On n4g you can write any flame bait article or trolling nonsense, but say anything what so ever of your own point of view in comments or your kicked for three days and loose a bubble?

Boring the idiot says? Guess I'm boring then as I play mine everyday and love it!

[ps5fanboy]

On n4g you can write any flame bait article or trolling nonsense, but say anything what so ever of your own point of view in comments,your kicked for three days and loose a bubble?

Boring the idiot says? Guess I'm boring then as I play mine everyday and love it!

[Harpers_Ferry]

If a game console focusing on gaming is considered boring these days, then sign me up for a double dose of boring.

[Horseheadinthebed]

A good tongue in cheek article, which needs to be read from top to bottom, which a lot of people are clearly not doing.....

[Jazzuri]

Lol the only truth is in the title for our family...

I look forward to using my Ps4 again one day. Was purchased for second son but it sits quietly now beside our worn out wiiu and xbox one.

The Wiiu is an absolutely brilliant console and the games are truely fantastic.
COD, 2 player without the need for split screen is one of the best features to ever grace console gaming. Not sure a true gamer would ever speak ill of any console, let alone the Wiiu.

Loved PT on PS4?but unless silent hills is PS4 only we really don't have a reason to keep it anymore. Not hating on the console just being honest about our lack of interest in its library.

Its weird but for 2 generations now we've barely used our playstation consoles for anything more than playing dvds, blue rays and some first party titles. They have served a purpose just not primarily gaming.

And worse still our old faves like Gran Turismo no longer hold our interest and/or our attention. A series we once loved but now feels very dated.

And whilst we look forward to the new drake we are more interested in tomb raider. The definitive edition really was brilliant and its left us wanting more, more so than drakes fortune.

The last of us we returned, we just didnt enjoy it but we did love "beyond 2 souls", too bad it wasnt well received....so I doubt there will be a sequel?

Not to mention the comunity can be extremely childish.

All things considered Im not sure why i bothered other than this inherent need I have to own every console combined with the hype which for us it just hasn't lived up to..early days maybe but usage says it all.

Each to his own....

Money spent so far on games...
WIIU - 800
Xbox one - 700
PS4 - 100

[Paprika]

Although tomb raider does look great, I just feel naughty dog are the team you want making exclusives, crystal dynamics... not even half the pedigree IMO. Uncharted 4 has only had a cut scene reveal "I think?" Although powered in game, I think everyone will be blown away by its gameplay and in game set pieces.

Everybody said the wiiu had no titles a year ago, slowly and still coming, they are here now! Sony is no different. In an ideal world ps4 would have been being released this year instead of last, however Xbox forced out out due to it being ready and Sony could not afford a repeat of last gen, that even still, they won!

[skoorydook]

Funny, the only time I ever come across anybody that claims to own multiple consoles, praise some then claim one simply gathers dust is on the internet, the people I personally know that spend the money on multiple consoles actually play them.

Silly notion I know

[Jazzuri]

You musn't spend too much time online .

People who own multiple consoles simply buy games they like, brand names are of no importance to them and that is the bottom line.

[i3eyond the Circle]

I don't agree with this guy entirely. The Kinect is the least most innovative feature of the Xbox One.

Being able to multitask seamlessly through up to 4 apps without loading and jumping right back into a game is in my eyes the most overlooked feature.

It does games with stunning next gen quality but it also brings what a console only player like myself has never experienced while laying back.

The Xbox is built God Damn well and I hate that its always about graphics.

[Jazzuri]

Absolutely agree.

Not to mention this little secret gem...

You can purchase 1 digital copy of a game..say cod onto your first console.

And anyone (profile) on that console can play COD

The owner can then download COD onto second console using his/her profile.

What it means is.

1 gold membership and 1 digital purchase of a game allows a household with 2 consoles to play online without needing to purchase 2 copies of a game and 2 seperate gold memberships.

[HacSawJimThugin]

Completely agree dude. Its does gaming just as well as the PS4 plus the extras are just amazing. I downloaded the new redd X (reddit) app last night and had a blast showing a few friends what reddit was. Also like you so eloquently stated above the multitasking is top notch be far and not promoted enough.

[jts1891]

Built well? It's a piece of crap from a hardware perspective. Despite the fact that MS made it huge and added a power brick to avoid the problem of overheating, the PS4 runs cooler and more quietly during gaming despite being dramatically smaller. Then you've got the fact that it's noticeably less powerful than the competition despite having the same price tag, which is ridiculous. Add in the fact that with the X1 you still have to buy batteries unless you 'invest' in rechargeables, and I don't see how anyone can claim it's 'built well'.

Of course, from a software perspective it's a solid console, aside from the fact that when you play a new game, you have to wait 10 to 15 minutes for a game to install before you can get started playing it, while you can pop a disc in on the PS4 and get to the game within 30 seconds.

But...It has media features. Which is cool, I guess, if that's your thing.

[tyler01durden77]

'boring' is mentioned quite a lot. this person clearly doesn't like the PS4 and wasn't very professional.

however, as a person who owns all three, i do sort of see his point. the PS4 has less features when you break it down. i just think calling a great 'games' console boring if off the mark.

where as I like the more interactive X1, some people do just want the games.

[quenomamen]

Lol, this is the biggest backhanded compliment of the X1 I've ever heard. So it has the most exciting games on it and in the works ? ( yea sure it does ) and it's still getting outsold by 2X ?
So the X1 has soured the consumer so much they rather buy the more boring system ?
How badly have you screwed up that no one wants your ( much more exciting ) console?

[Paprika]

Could we not just all agree that the ps4 is the better console, but perhaps the Xbox was more ready for launch than the ps4.

What I feel, is ps4 could have not released yet and waited on its games, but it had yo release as to not repeat last gen.

So to sum it up, ps4 is a better console... just wait for its games, uncharted, quantic dreams, guerrilla games title, media molecules, drive club, the order, and countless more AAA. In 12 months time, ps4 is still shipping AND selling more consoles, but by then the argument of "so boring, indie noobs no AAA" will be a distant memory.

[Taz X14]

Posted this:
I've read both the article and the comments you've made. Some people have made valid complaints about your article and your response has been "You didn’t read the article". To be honest I think your flamebaiting tactics such as your title to garner hits on a site like Forbes is quite despicable.
In your article you seem to miss on many aspects that Sony had innovated on over MS just to point out that they went for a games only machine. Fair enough, but did they innovate anything in gaming? Take a look at the controller, or the awfully priced playstation now, or how about the innovative subscription service such as Psn+ which has amassed a huge following. Your idea that they haven't innovated in the entertainment world flies over you own head as an inexperienced gaming journalist and more like a fox news anchor.

In the future, I'd suggest taking a bit more time to research your topic and avoid writing biased titles to get hits on your article. I can tell you that I often visit Forbes for a variety of different news articles, usually related to business considering I live and work abroad, and I refuse to return if this is the kind of attention seeking posts that Forbes insists allowing on their site!

Go ahead and call me out, like you've done to so many, but honestly you had to of expected this kind of attention with a title like that."

Guess they're resorting to Fox news tactics to get hits!

[Alinea]

For now, its boring, I have to admit, but lets see how it gets in 2015, i see a lot of good things there.

[Claudinho69]

Xbox and its fans are looking more and more pathetic as the ps4 sales goes up.

[Born2Game83]

Forbes resorting to CLICKBAIT HEADLINES to get people mad for hits.

[Manubiggs]

Please read the article, he is not bashing the PS4 before commenting. I moved from X360 to ps4 and have to say Last of Us and Infamous Second Son are AWESOME !!!!! Don't regret my decision. I agree with the article Xbone was more innovative in terms of what it was trying to do but Sony focussed on expanding the gaming experience one was already acustomed to.

[RobLoPR]

The PS4 sold more units because it was $100 dollars cheaper... and it was mostly parents buying the console for their kids... a lot of them didnt even know what they were looking for... they just saw the cheaper price tag.

[guyman]

Im not going to give a flamebait troll article my click, however, i will say that neither console has any hard hitting games at the moment, so your distaste towards the ps4 alone is childish and unjust:

The order 1886
Bloodborne
Uncharted 4
No man's sky
Little big planet 3
Everybody's gone to rapture
Wild
Rime
Alienation
Until dawn
Tearaway unfolded

That's a mighty good line up for 2015: Three massive AAA games i.e. uncharted, the order and bloodborne (one or two more may be announced for release 2015 at E3 next year) and some extremely impressive looking indie games - not to mention little big planet 3 that looks amazing is releasing in november this year. I could go one step further and list the confirmed but announced AAA games in development by sony First party studios, which is an additional 8-10 games in the pipeline for 2016 and beyond.

That is the reason i love my Ps4, top that with exciting multiplatform games releasing this year and next year, then there's no reason not to own at least one next gen system by end of next year.

The Xbox ones' line up looks exceptional as well for 2015 but im not going to elaborate on that... ha ha ha (too much typing)

[tiffac008]

The article makes some good points, sometimes the tried and tested approach will win over the gimmicky and fanciful stuff.

[jts1891]

Pretty much. There is nothing wrong with polishing a well known mechanic to perfection. More often than not, it works better than trying to reinvent the wheel.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

this is just like the PS3 wasn't doing well it was doomed, the PS4 is doing well but apparently it's doomed.

I just buy the Playstations because they have most of the games I want to play. I'm fined with the PS4 being a very beefed up version of the PS3, it's pretty much what I want as long as I get the games I want (JRPGs, unique and interesting games, ect...).

These past few years have been great for PS3, especially if you like Japanese games (I'm buying a PS Vita closer to the end of the year and a 3DS next year). Never before have we had so many unlikely localizations compared to previous generations.

It's good to see Sony learning from past mistakes.

[cyhm3112]

yeah, Fable, gears of war, forza and halo all over again is very exciting

[Vanfernal]

This is so stupid. An article's headline is just as important as the content. Even if the article is praising the PS4 in some this was clearly a click bait title. It could've easily said that the PS4 is winning by playing it safe despite gimmicky competition. But apparently sticking to what works is "boring".

[jts1891]

Honestly, I found the entire article somewhat insulting. He seems to be insinuating that all the gamers who bought the PS4 dislike or are afraid of change, all the while praising the X1 and the Wii U for their 'innovation'. (Of course, he ignores that the X1 didn't 'innovate' anything. A Camera for motion and voice controls have been around since the EyeToy for the PS2.)

[WitWolfy]

Wow this was so made just for the clicks, no doubt about it.

[chikane]

wow the announcement of the ps4 selling over 10m really did hit the shitbox fans hard wow

dont worry shitbox fans china is gonna save your box soon.

face it no body wants you shit system http://www.amazon.com/best-...

just look at amazom top 100 those bundles didn't even last 3 days in the top 40 before falling down and yet the ps4 still in the top 10 and the distniy bundle to

[PingasoFromHell]

My ps4 is collecting dust...I definitely use my Xbox one a lot more....I can see why this guy says this

[MasterofMagnetism]

So PS4 is boring because it didn't have gimmicks like kinect shoved down our throats? I'll take games over gimmicks all day, every day.

[Revengeance]

PS4 is only boring if he didn't bother buying any games for it. Last I checked the library was huge.

[cruzngta]

How the hell is it boring?!?!?!?!?!? Its an awesome console.

[Grave]

Did you even read the article?

[Jrmy84]

I think a lot of people didn't read the piece, just seen PS4 is winning cause its boring:-)

[CrowbaitBob]

I read the article and came to the conclusion that the use of the word boring applies only as a ploy to attract attention.

There are plenty of adjectives that would more accurately represent the approach Sony took with the PS4.

If an article is advertised as flamebait (see headline) it's kind of disingenuous to expect the majority of people on the internet to assume it has substance worthy of attention.

It's like yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre and then wondering why so many people didn't take the time to ask you what you meant by it.

[supes_24]

Im getting tired of all these click bait opinion piece type articles. I joined this site for gaming news, you know, news about actual games. All I see are these flame war starting pieces of crap articles to start a fan boy arguement. Pathetic, out of all the articles on this site maybe 3-4 are worth reading.

[Grave]

Funny article and he speaks the truth. Sony has successfully positioned the PS4 as a games console that is for games and gamers first. They've built a superior machine that is cheaper than the competition. Capitalism says: Sony wins!

[Jrmy84]

Was a good read, at first reading the title I was like what!!! Another fanboy smack talker for sure, not the case, its a good read('! ')

[noctis_lumia]

poor guy

[noctis_lumia]

fail article

[StormLegend]

Not bad of a article... But even tho Sony is focused more on games doesn't mean it won't get features like the xb1.. Just give the PS4 some more time..

[CrowbaitBob]

From the article:
"Sometimes boring is the most business-savvy road to travel. Sometimes it’s a word that shouldn’t carry such negative connotation."

I'd add that sometimes "boring" is a word used by lazy "journalists" to attract hits.

[Artemidorus]

The fact someone in here claims Sony has better AAA titles than anywhere else really mesns SONYN4G.com fans have no idea what they are talking about and way too narrow minded.

[S2Killinit]

why is that? they DO have more AAA. its a fact. Go count them please. They have more games released, they have more games coming, they have shown in each and every generation that they bring the games (all the way to the end of the generation mind you), they have more 1st and 2nd party developers, and they have more in every category whether that be the so called "indie" or AAA. bring the list please.

oh and they showed more exclusives at Gamescom that just passed, you see new announcements almost on a daily bases about developers making games for it, and thats just not the story with xbox, pure and simple. As the generation wears on, there will be more and more exclusives on PS4 as we are seeing a trend here.

[Artemidorus]

List the AAA out on Playstation 4 from todays date.

[S2Killinit]

go look it up, i aint your secretary.

[Clown_Syndr0me]

I love my PS4, but mainly because everyone else does tbh.
Playing games on it is great, but when Im not playing games, its really boring.
This is okay, as its a GAMES console, but when Im not playing games on my Xbox One (which is most the time as I only own Titanfall which I dont play and Just Dance) I still have fun. Mainly as theres more apps to play around with and Im a big Upload fan. I can watch videos all day.

[Muadiib]

Lol at all the people that clearly didn't read the article, he's right as well.

[unicron7]

Wow. So many crap articles here lately written by salty fanboys. This isn't journalism by any means. This is just sad. lol

[S2Killinit]

"boring" what the hell does that mean even? Its come to slander i see. Sad, sad. very.

do not click this junk.

[Jubez187]

Gamers want to play games, the last generation makes the abundantly clear. Wii sold a lot, but no one actually played their Wiis. Kinect and Move failed.

[Saithraphim]

Incredible, this is second article i've seem so far thats trying to play down Sony's success by avoiding the facts.

Lets take a little stroll down memory lane. Microsoft was trying to sell a less powerful console, that required an internet connection and with a non optional camera for $500.

Then they basically said screw you to all those of us, such as solders stationed over seas, who couldn't have a internet connection at all time by saying well we have a console for you people..its called the xbox 360. (WHY should we need a constant internet connection..sounds weird to me)

Not to mention all the policies they were trying to force down our collective throats just so they could make more money.

And lets not forget that shortly after they announced that the kinect would be required to stay on we heard news of patents that indicated they had some interest in using the kinect as a tool to gather information about usage thus invading our privacy.

Sony came out the gate with one main intention...to give gamers what they wanted.

Microsoft is loosing because of there own practices, its not just games or hardware performance thats going to determine the success, its also about the way these companies treat there customers.

Granted now they are doing much better, but lets not forget how they got there where they are in the first place.

[Petebloodyonion]

Might I suggest reading the article!

If you did you would have learned that the author actually praise Sony in it instead of downplaying it!

[rapidturtle]

Just sold my PS4 due to it becoming a dust collector. No good games = no fun.

[busytoad]

Hello X-bot troll,you can leave now and go play your ryse game lmao.

[rapidturtle]

Not a troll, just saying why I sold it. Whith the money I got, I'm going to grab the Xbone Madden bundle on Tuesday. To me, Killzone Shadowfall wasn't that great, COD ghosts had terrible slow down, I had Madden 25, and also Need for Speed which was pretty good. I'm a FPS fan, and when I saw the Halo Masterchief collection for Xbone coming in November, I knew I wanted an Xbone. I will probably pick up a PS4 again in the future, but for now, I like the games coming for Xbone more than stuff coming out for PS4.

[CrowbaitBob]

"No good games"

Subjective and baffling. What kind of games do you game?

Also @busytoad,
You don't have to bash Ryse or Xbox in order to call out nonsense. I'm primarily PS4 all day long but I, along with many of my friends, have enjoyed what Ryse has to offer. Throwing Ryse around like some sort of pejorative is no better than blathering on about the PS4 having "no good games."

[Neonridr]

Well a lot of people make their purchases based on what they anticipate. Lots of good PS4 games coming, so it's only natural that people plan ahead. Japan is probably one of the only markets that purchases consoles/handhelds based on what is available now, not down the road. Hence the reason why the Vita sold so terribly there for such a long time (lack of games) and why the PS4 is currently selling so bad. When the software shows up, that market will pick up.

Obviously Sony is in a great position as most people are going to pick the PS4 over the XB1 because they want the best place to play the multiplats and it seems like the PS4 is consistently better in that department. Sure if you have some favorite exclusives from the MS camp, you may be swayed into purchasing an XB1, but likewise can be said about the PS4.

Nintendo is still trying to show people that it's a capable platform and they have released some awesome software lately and some more great games are on their way. Unfortunately too many people unjustly label them as kiddie or not mature enough so a lot of people miss out on some really good games.

I don't see Sony having any issue for winning this console generation as they are already off to a great start.

[busytoad]

Boring?? Wtf is Erik Kain smoking? Im guessing meth and crack.
My ps4 is on atleast 9 hours a day when i get home from work, so many games to play.

[Gunstar75]

This thread outlines everything that is wrong with (some) gamers today.... Vicious, nasty, vitriolic comments from boys who have some weird loyalty to a consumer electronics device and treat a multinational conglomerate corporation like some sort of Demi-God.

The same life-trolls that spit on copies of tomb raider or who threaten people associated with a game that isn't coming to their system first.

Grow the f**k up you absolute bunch of children*

*this comment applies to those who can have a reasoned debate without resorting to cliches and insults!!

[xtheblackparade]

Clearly the author has a niche opinion.

[N8]

I don't like to get into the fanboy stuff the only thing that's gets to me is when people say the ps4 had no games. No games compared to what? Xb1? Because I there is nothing to play on that either if you really want to compare.

[Ddavis513]

There's a lot of butt hurt in this thread. You guys need some ice?

[Petebloodyonion]

What this article prove today is that the average N4G user don't take time to actually read theses articles

Here's the conclusion of the article for all you!

"As much as I admire both Microsoft and Nintendo for their willingness to … think outside the box (as it were) Sony’s move was the most intuitive. The core gaming community that Sony is catering to with the PS4 doesn’t care much about motion controls, and they play games on their phones already and don’t need a touchscreen gamepad for their couch-gaming.

Sometimes boring is the most business-savvy road to travel. Sometimes it’s a word that shouldn’t carry such negative connotation. If games are the most important thing to gamers, making things like the Kinect or the Wii U gamepad mandatory is a big mistake.

The PS4′s continued trouncing of both these systems is proof enough of that."

Basically the guy praise Sony (yes praise) for being simple and offering a straight solution to ppl who just want a new gaming console. No Camera, Tablets, toaster, etc. Just a GAMING console.

[Miacosa]

This is a nice satirical read, Boring is good =)

[arbitor365]

cableboxes and gimmick tablet controllers dont excite me.

i will stick to boring things like better games and graphics, thank you

[ShadowWolf712]

I don't think anyone raging or "agreeing" here actually read this. lol

[LadiesAndGentlemen]

Certainly not boring lol...

[HowarthsNJ]

Looks like Forbes is trying to sell an e-book with this article.

Sorry if someone already brought this up.

[whybag]

Is Forbes making satire pieces now? That's the only explanation I can come up with...but this guy is really bad at it.

[ShadowWolf712]

Actually, it makes the point quite effective. Especially since the most common method of internet attack is how PS4 isn't "innovative" and is "dull" compared to the Xbone with the kinect and the Wii U and its gamepad.

And it points out WHY it still sells better.

[level 360]

Article is boringly one-sided.

Author is that sort of person nowadays who think they are entitled to everything.

[phantomxll]

The best thing about this article is that it shows how well the programming of insecure fanboys is working. Hundreds have flocked to comment and defend the PS4 without a moments hesitation because of this Click Bait article. The title of the article alone was enough to get their blood boiling and begin regurgitating the same quotes, and numbers that everyone has been hearing for almost a year now. If only they had read the actual article instead of being "butthurt" about the title lol they would have realized how pro PS4 the article is. Kudos to everyone (but especially the fanboys) that first read the article and then commented. Keep on gaming!

[masterfox]

haters gonna hate ?

[DJ]

And thank goodness for it! Sexy features can come later, games come first.

[captainexplosion]

So the XB1 is innovative because of the Kinect which isn't even being supported and because it can be used as a cable box but that degrades picture quality?

[mopground]

i think the real problem is game devs making boring games. i mean last gen didnt even compare to ps2 in terms of fun. Perhaps it was because studios were just happy to sell copies of the base game and making it the best it could be. Now everything is subsectioned, monetized and held off for dlc and microtransactions.

I have an xbone and the only game i found fun was ryse of the ones i own. i planned on getting a ps4 shortly after xb1 but my experience with the next gen games has held that off.

But, i must admit, after coming to this site everyday, the ps4s future looks "more" promising than xbones