LAUNCHMAGEDDON 2013!

What an exciting time to be a console gamer!  Here we sit, bookended by the PS4 launch last week and the XB1 coming tomorrow.  I myself pledged to sit on the sideline for a few months, thinking I'd give the "system sellers" time to be created (and that I wouldn't be able to find a system anyhow) but that I'd eventuall go XB1 because of the functionality beyond gaming that it offers, and maintain my gaming PC to experience some indie/MMO/PC-centric content.

That was all before I lucked into one of Amazon's last-ditch Day One preorders for the XB1, so that will be here Friday, although I'm expecting the normal launch week sketchiness and don't plan on doing much apart from setup and poking around this weekend (ok, if BF4 or CoD: Ghosts work I'll do that a bit too).[View Image]

There have been a lot of comments (many passionate and not well thought out) about both systems, their games, their shortcomings, etc. so I'm not going to rehash any of that.  I'll just say that as a fan of irony, I find it interesting that at launch both companies seem to be outdoing the other in their respective area of differentiation they chose to land consumers:

The PS4 promised to be THE console for hardcore gamers who just wanted the best and greatest gaming experience...and then launched with precisely ZERO incredible "must-have" games!  On the other hand, first impressions on the UI, the PSN (once it was stable), the navigation, the "experience" have been overwhelmingly positive.

The XB1 promised to be THE digital hub for your living room.  Not only would it have great games, but also be a revolution in how you consume and interact with your media via TV integration, dozens of other apps, and Kinect motion and voice control.  Turns out that at launch most of those features are inconsistent or buggy in execution and that most of the navigation is less frustrating just with the controller.  However, the actual exclusive GAMES launched alongside the system have been getting some glowing reviews (i.e. Forza 5, Dead Rising 3, Ryse, Zoo Tycoon, Killer Instinct).[View Image]

Either way, I think both consoles have a lot to offer gamers, and it might be the same historical categorization of exclusive AAAs that puts one over the top of the other.  I also would not be surprised that if Microsoft irons the bugs out of the UI and TV integration, selling their digital hub approach to the masses, we may see Sony incorporate some additional functionality to keep pace.

Have fun this week folks!