PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X|S: Grading the First 2 Years

Welcome back to Next-Gen Console Watch, our show following all the news and rumors on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. I’m Daemon Hatfield, and this week I’m joined by Ryan McCaffrey, host of IGN’s Xbox podcast, Podcast Unlocked, and Max Scoville, host of IGN's PlayStation podcast, Podcast Beyond. This week we take a look back at the first two years of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. How did they deliver on their initial promises? How do their launch lineups stack up against their predecessors? All that, and poll results!

[Orchard]

For me:

PS5: better games, better controller
Xbox: better hardware (excl controller, better subs/services, better handling of upgrades

Do you really need either though? Not just yet since we still haven’t really left last gen behind.

[bleedsoe9mm]

Sounds like a fair assessment

[crazyCoconuts]

"need" - I don't know, but after playing on my ps5 with fast load times, controller improvements, and better graphics, it would suck going back to my PS4 Pro. After a few weeks, I'd say I "need" my PS5 back.

[Orchard]

Yeah i would say at this point upgrading is a luxury. If you have the cash, and want to pay for a better experience overall - go for it.

But if you’re a casual gamer or strapped for cash, you’ll be able to get by on a PS4 for the time being.

I suspect we’ll start to see PS4 releases wind down in 12 months or so though.

[Army_of_Darkness]

60fps enhancements on ps5 alone discourages me from returning to my ps4 pro.
On topic, I may be moderately bias here, but ps5 is the clear winner so far. Better games (exclusives specifically) and unquestionably better controller! Xbox just has gamepass.

[darthv72]

I still game on a pro in addition to my 5 and going back and forth isnt as bad as you think. Then again I outfitted my pro with an ssd so that helps.

[shinoff2183]

Nice spin

[Profchaos]

Imo barely anything seperating them you would just be happy to be playing the best possible version of cross gen games.

It'd be nice if we could kick the generation off now please

[crazyCoconuts]

Yeah.... No exclusive games that would be separating the two or anything... No features that differ that I can think of. No unique capabilities like VR or anything that differs.
Yup, they both play COD so pretty much the same.

[Profchaos]

I was more getting at generation exclusives sure there's r&C but what else can't be played on a ps4 at this point I know there's a small selection of Xbox games in the same boat.

Also for VR support I actually do have a psvr2 pre order in I was a psvr1 customer to. But psvr2 isn't out yet so you can't count it for a 2 year report.

[Crows90]

@prof
Ratchet and returnal. Also demons souls since you can't play that on PS4 actually. That's at least 3 incredible games. More than the competition released in 5 years or more.

[HeliosHex]

It's been neck and neck between the two. Neither one seems to have really kicked into gear. But something tells me that by this time next year all that's going to change big time.

[Flawlessmic]

Anyone saying the first 2 yrs has been close has got rocks in there head, I have both!

My ps5 has had a steady stream of 1st party exclusives to supplement 3rd party games, my series x on the other hand has been collecting dust since December basically a whole yr of absolutely nothing.

Finally turned it on for a few hrs yesterday to play pentiment

[darthv72]

I have both too and use my SX more than the 5 for only one reason... gamepass. On the 5, I have played more exclusives, but their releases have been spaced out. So between them I play gamepass and there have been a lot of releases. Many are also on the 5 but I play them on the SX since I am subbed to GP.

[DOMination-]

I'm curious to hear about the steady stream of 1st party exclusives on PS5. Ratchet & Clank is the only one I can think of but happy to be wrong.

Returnal & Demon's Souls weren't first party at time of release.
Everything else is cross-gen I think?

[Crows90]

Demons souls and returnal are 1st party IP. Their devs weren't bought but they were already acting like 1st party devs. Demons souls is an IP owned by Sony. And so is re to returnal ..and yes at time of release.

[DOMination-]

That's largely irrelevant to the point being made (about first party exclusives) - it doesn't matter if Sony owns the IP, they were still made by third party studios. At best, you can make the argument that they were "second-party".

Even if you do include these two games (which you can't really, but if you do then you have to apply the rules fairly and count the likes of MSFS and As Dusk Falls as first party on that other console), that's 3 games in total. Hardly a "steady stream of first party exclusives" which is being claimed.

[shinoff2183]

Don't forget third party exclusives to

[anast]

GoW, Demon Souls, Ratchet, Returnal, and Astro's playroom vs Halo infinite and Forza...it's not even close

[Flawlessmic]

Miles morales, HFW, gt7, lasted of us remake.

deathloop and ghostwhire as timed exclusive

[anast]

True, I forgot those. Deathloop and Ghostwire are average, but the other ones you mentioned are top-shelf.

[darkrider]

The diference, even bigger then last gen by this time, are games. It's like night and day. Microsoft was again caught with the pants down. For the second year Sony keeps launching goty quality games.

The biggest flaw, huge lack of supply. Sony would have a much bigger ps5 base and the ps4 would be already collecting dust. They needed to have 30 or 40% more ps5 available on the market from day one.

[shinoff2183]

Wasn't exactly sonys fault

[TicklefistCP]

PS5 has more new games you can buy outright. Xbox has more new games you can play via subscription.

Done.

[Crows90]

Except those new games via subscription are available on PS5 as well via purchase.

[TicklefistCP]

Nothing I've said suggests otherwise.

[Aloymetal]

''Wait for next year''...

[darkrider]

Classic

[randomvoice]

As an adult and an owner of both consoles, my PS5 is getting regular action while the Xbox is just sitting there like a paperweight. Gamepass is good but as a working adult, I really think it is more catered for college kids who have all the time in the world to play Indie games and AA titles. For me, it isn't even a competition. PS5 is miles ahead right now with better games and a better controller.