How the Next Console War Will Be Won, Now That Cross-Play Is Fully Realized

Consumers won't fight the next console war proving their personal console's superiority. Instead, companies should take heed of the player’s needs for their subsequent console iterations. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo need to approach the future of console gaming with a consumer-first mindset.

[ziggurcat]

it's not fully realized yet.

[JaguarEvolved]

Ps5 will win the next console war and if you have knowledge about the gaming industry for the past two decades you would believe so. PlayStation consoles always has the most exclusive games And the most highly rated games which will be the same on ps5. The console with the best games will win the next console race and that'll be the ps5

[darthv72]

I been gaming for over 40 years and I'd say that I am the winner for being able to play so many great games on a variety of systems.

[Eonjay]

Sony will continue to win until someone can beat the math game. Assuming that Sony doesn't screw itself over, there is just not enough people who will buy the other consoles to trigger a loss. Nintendo Wii showed us the only other way to win. You need to reach beyond the classic console gaming sphere to get enough bodies to even attempt a direct win. There is nothing that non casuals can do otherwise. To put it simply, Sony trump card is a disproportionate amount of loyal consumers. It has the most loyal consumer therefore it wins. What we chose will always win. At this point the only thing Microsoft and Nintendo can do is get more consumers.

[WickedLester]

To add to this, Sony has spent the last 4 generations building such an enormous amount of gridlock trust and loyalty with it's consumers. Gamers know what they are getting when they buy a PlayStation console. They are getting a tried and true formula of impeccable 3rd party support and the lion's share of critically acclaimed 1st party/2nd party exclusives. That is the winning formula. Everything else is just window dressing. As long as Sony stays the course and continues with this formula, they are unbeatable.

[Sayai jin]

Ah yes, a roughly $400 piece of plastic puts someone in an elite brotherhood ;)
Let the arcade Rambo have their thrill with the fake console war.

[UltraNova]

Wait, since when was cross play a gen winning factor to begin with?

Smh...

Games, games, games period.

[BehindTheRows]

Exactly. Cross-play was hardly a factor even before last week. It's not going to be any kind of game changer.

[bluefox755]

It's never been, just a ginned up nontroversy for the purpose of riling up fanboys and getting clicks. It will always be games.

[trooper_]

New games will ALWAYS sell consoles.

[Eonjay]

Don't you know its now the PS1, PS2, Wii, and PS4 (the last winners) won. They won by having crossplay s\

[Quetzll]

It never says that in the article. It actually states that Microsoft doesn't have enough games. And that the only way to win is games, games, period.

Smh...

If you're gonna take the time to write a comment, you need to read the article first.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

It MIGHT hurt sales and digital revenue slightly (hence way Sony was so obstinate for so long), but it's not a decisive blow to anyone.

[UltraNova]

Quetzll,

If the author/site wants its article to be taken seriously aka reading the whole thing (which I did, as always) and understanding the points presented then firstly, they should respect their onw work by not writing clikbait, unsubstantiated, lying titles like the one here. If they do that then I'll comment accordingly.

PS: My time is my business and mine alone to choose how I spend it, in this case comment how the hell I want. Deal with it.

[Quetzll]

Nova

The headline doesn't say that cross-play will win the next gen. You were triggered into an impulse response because it used the words "win next gen" and "cross-play" when the two are separate ideas. Its a shitty title and the article makes a bunch of obvious points, but you and dozens of people commenting here did the same thing - you fell for the click bait and made comments about your misinterpretation of the title instead of about the points that are made in the article, which again, are obvious. It's about the games, games period. You and the author agree on that.

PS

Thanks for reminding me that you are entitled to your own poorly thought out comments, just like poorly written headlines and articles. And we're both entitled to remain passively aggressive with these cheesy "PS" sections.

PS PS

Cheers to games

[WANNAGETHIGH]

Next gen will be won just how every gen is won. By the person who brings out the most quality AAA exclusives and my money will be on Sony yet again.

[ZeroX9876]

Exclusives still decides if your systems sells or not as far as my opinion goes.

Sony have been delivering since the original PS1 and Nintendo has been releasing great titles lately also!
Between the Big 3, Xbox is the one that needs to put extra efforts to regain those market share. Nothing's impossible, but the other 2 won't sat there doing nothing and will keep releasing great exclusives at the same time.

MS didn't give me a good reason to spend and buy their console this gen. I'm just about to buy a switch alongside my PC/PS4 with smash coming up though.

[rainslacker]

Doesn't matter, because cross play won't have any bearing on the next generation of console wars either way....at least assuming that by console war they mean the competition between the businesses, and not the utter nonsense that we see on forums, which is about the only place it mattered to begin with.

[ArchangelMike]

it's extremely naive to say that "cross-play is fully realised." Microsoft haven't invested in multiple new first party studio's just so that their first party games will be available on other consoles. Basically there will always be the consoles' differentiator. If not why not all just go back to PC gaming?

[lxeasy]

@archangelmike what? LMAOL

[ArchangelMike]

I didn't get the joke?
Anyway see my reply to JackBNimble below. My comment should make more sense then, and probably be less, or more funny depending on your current predisposition, and level of, or lack of intoxication!

[JackBNimble]

I'm not sure you understand what cross play means.

It's about 3rd party multiplatform games, not 1st party exclusives.

[ArchangelMike]

I'm not sure you read the article. The author is all over the place, and doesn't even reach a conclusive factor on "how the next console war will be won". The author instead falls back on exclusive games and NOT multiplatform games - what a surprise.

So basically the author claims Microsoft has won a victory over Sony by pushing Sony to adopt "cross-platform play" - but then at the same time affirms that if Microsoft doesn't heavily invest in exclusives it will lose next gen. So which is it? What will win next gen, cross-platform play or exclusives? (FYI the conversation about who will "win" is about the console manufacturers, and not the third party game makers.)

My point still stands. Microsoft knows that it is First Party exclusives and NOT cross-platform play that will win next gen, that's why it is investing in first party studios.

But if we all want to play on the same servers with our friends, and can't agree on what platform to all play on, then why don't we all just go buy PC's? That's the great leveler right there.

p.s. read the article - then come back to this comment, it'll make more sense then.

[JackBNimble]

Well your first comment is rather confusing then.

[SLiSH83]

It’s pretty simple
Next gen all 3rd party games will be cross play.
Madden COD NBA ect
What the console makers need now to win the “next” gen is strong first party titles to sell that console to someone.
Because the “well all my friends play COD on PlayStation” won matter anymore.
You wanna stick w Xbox and still play with your friends on COD you will be able to.
Maybe you like MS offerings more over Sony.
Maybe you enjoy game pass and that is what sold you on a Xbox over PlayStation.
Just an example.

[doggo84]

What the console makers need now to win the “next” gen is strong first party titles to sell that console to someone. - Something Sony has EXACTLY done this gen (and something Microsoft has completely dropped the ball with besides Forza), and is the reason they are taking this gen by a landslide.

"Because the “well all my friends play COD on PlayStation” won matter anymore." - hahaha ok.

[SpaceRanger]

Cross play, one “truly realized”, means that there’s no need to get another console if younalready have a preference for exclusives. So whatever the ratio of the market is now, may end up staying into the next gen.

[FallenAngel1984]

It’ll won by whoever has the best software

[ApocalypseShadow]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

You win the internet.
https://ubisafe.org/images/...

It's all about exclusive GAMES with supporting software.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Don't dismiss the power of proper messaging/advertisement, though.
If great games were all it took, the Wii U would have beat the GameCube in sales, at least.
It's a mix of various factors, really; good games and proper ads are just the tip of the success iceberg.

[KickSpinFilter]

AD's?!? Nope

[v_eno_m]

the Wii U had piss pour marketing.

[CarlDechance]

Wii U? Sometimes you just have to admit when something is just a piece of shit product and no matter how badly you wish otherwise, it was never going to be successful. That, to me, describes the Wii U. It was an overpriced disaster.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

@kickspin
By ads, i mean marketing via tv billboards internet etc.
Visibility and clarity in marketing are major factors in giving a product the chance to become a big seller.

@venom
Agreed.
And the Switch does not have that flaw.
Hence my point.

@carl
The Wii U had more issues than its price tag.l, but it could have sold far better if those issues were addressed.
The Switch doesn't have even a fourth of the Wii U's problems, though, hence why it's selling so well.

[Hardiman]

The same way every gen has been won and that's amazing exclusive games!

[Rimeskeem]

1. Not fully realized
2. Exclusives have always been my deciding factor.

[CarlDechance]

Console price and first party content. Those are the two most important factors, imo. Oh....and not doing something off the wall and stupid, a la Don Mattrick.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The same way it has always been; with good marketing, great exclusives, and playing the heartstrings of fanboys like fiddles, using console war feelings, amongst other things.XD

[proudly_X]

Although this is a Lame excuse for an article, I don't believe Microsoft is yet to understands how the gaming ecosystem works.

[HeyNowChillax]

If crossplay is a system seller and your console of choice has very few good exclusives then you're only sticking around due to some misplaced sense of consumer loyalty. In my opinion, whichever next gen console has the most/best exclusive games available and supports crossplay for multiplayer with friends on other systems will easily dominate.

[CarlDechance]

The next console war is Sony's to lose, frankly. So many gamers have invested into PS4 and as long as they can bring those purchases forward to PS5 and PS5 is smartly priced, things will not change very dramatically. Cross play was just a fart in the wind.

[jznrpg]

It’s always there’s to lose since PS2 and they dominated with PS1 . PS3 was a slow start but they always finish great . PS4 has been a good start and great finish . I anticipate PS5 being a smooth transition

[jznrpg]

It’s already over. Crossplay fully realized is Fortnite ? Rocket League?

[The_Sage]

Exclusives.... Of course.

[ILostMyMind]

Good exclusives.

[The_Sage]

Exactly.

[nucky64]

the same way it's always won - who has the most/best games. this is WHY i buy a GAMES console. i don't care about bc; i don't care about cross-play nor do i need MP in every game. whether it's MP or SP - i want great games.

[Phoenix76]

Jesus christ can we just been done with all this crossplay BS. Sony have been using this feature for years now and it's always been a secondary feature. Just because a "free to play" game is using the feature, does not mean in anyway whatsoever that suddenly next gen every game or dev is going to be using it. Its all a marketing tactic.
Psynoix dropped it completely, months after they said it could be done between consoles, but now its "apparently" not going to happen even though they do with pcs n consoles already. Bethesda talked big, then we all saw their balls shrivel up and disappear faster than a nuclear blast. Along with any mention about crossplay with their ES card game.
And do we here much from nintendo about how great its been with Minecraft? No.
In fact we don't even hear that much from MS anymore about it either. And they we're the ones pushing hardest for it.
It's not going to be what wins next gen. Good games will.

[blacktiger]

actually how is console won, if now anyone can buy PC. This was Microsoft plan, to force everyone to buy PC so that PC is Microsoft hopefully,

[pyroxxx]

by price and exclusives,...

[Kostche]

lmao... No, not really and Sony never won this gen because of cross play garbage, same as next gen, they will not win because of cross play garbage, they will win because of what they continue to DO and deliver

and if u want cross game play, go PC/Playstation/switch, that is all you need EVER

[PaleMoonDeath]

Same as all the others son, Exclusives.

[Fist4achin]

Gamers will win. So many great games coming out we can hardly keep up!

[one2thr]

If and I mean IF, either decides to make the online portion free, and have the extra features like cloud save, monthly free games as a seperate paid service, then off the bat that company will win the initial start of next gen.

Can you imagine the storm that'll happen when all 3 support crossplay, but 1 of the 2 main competitors offer free online.

[FGHFGHFGH]

well xbox does have some crossplay with windows 10 xbox app for pc, and they don't pay for live.

[one2thr]

Right, what I meant is that both will seemingly support open crossplay with each other now(speculation), but which ever of the 2 offers online for the premium price of free, that'll be the winner during the first few months after release. Heck, it might even force the other company to follow that business decision. Ultimately, the gamers win, that was one of the biggest gripes people had towards online play, besides crossplay.

[Father__Merrin]

It will be won by best games and services and which platform pumps out the most exclusive games

[BLUEKNIFE]

VR will be the factor next gen

[victorMaje]

Uhm just like this one? Games?

[Smitty2020]

Like ppl have stated game will sell consoles, am buying an switch just for Pokémon lol

[MrPickles2018]

Exclusive games will define the console war in the next gen.

[Tross]

The next console war will be won in the same way that most have been won in the past and present: the console with the best exclusives will clinch it.

[Elda]

The console with the most well received/reviewed exclusives bought by the majority will be the winner.

[Platformgamer]

i want articles about why F2P games are behind a paywall on xbox one every single day, like the stupid articles against sony for the crossplay bullshit

[BlaqMagiq1]

The same way it's being won now: Games.

[Suave_Langosta]

Console wars are for loyalist who are to blinded to enjoy the full spectrum that is gaming. I have and will continue to support the industry as a whole and reap the rewards of being all encompassing.

[MasterCornholio]

Games for the most part.

[ILostMyMind]

As always. It will win who has better/more games.

[MrSec84]

Crossplay is by no means a fully realized thing yet, considering that not all games, that are available in each platform can allow each platform to play with every system that gets those games.

It's early days, it won't be fully realized until all systems that get games with online Multiplayer can all play together.

Really Crossplay never mattered as much as quantity and quality of games, as well as value of the hardware and expected features will decide who gets the biggest market share.

Most likely Sony's standing with gamers will carry them through to dominate again, most likely Nintendo will come up second, but it depends on how each platform creator executes on each factor.

[ghostrider32]

I cross play is more expanded next gen, people that do nothing but argue can prove they have skills.

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

The system with the best exclusives always wins. It's as simple as that.

[snoopgg]

The system that has the best and highest rated exclusives will win. Ps5 will probably be the system of choice again, unless Microsoft actually puts out some exclusives that gamers want to play.

[Dragonscale]

It'll be won the same way that this one was by the same company this one was.

[SLiSH83]

Nintendo ?

[Dragonscale]

Really ? Lol.

[onisama]

As it has always been.... Exclusives

[doggo84]

"First-party exclusives and innovative ideas will make or break the winner of the next console war."

That has, is and always will determine the best console in a given generation. End of story. Also, Cross-play isn't fully realized yet.