Next Gen Advent Calendar III: Five Years to Go

[Neon Ignition]

With PS5 I've not had the issues some have with the UI. I use and only require the system to simply turn on and start a game and from that perspective it's incredibly straight forward, I'm sure numerous functions are missing but none of them are ones I'd use so it's been a painless transition. It's not been by the margin that you used to be able to revel in but it's been nice as well to pick up a system and have some sense of 'next-gen' about it briefly. A year on the system is too large, I can imagine the eventual Slim model could be very nice, but I still have no issue with the way that it looks and I like that it has a visual identity of its own rather than being a bland box. The controller is excellent, probably the one I'd class as the best which is a strong reflection of how much better it is this revision. Games wise it's been solid but still feels like its spinning its wheels waiting for its own real generational games to come along which increasingly looks like being Year 3 onward.

By comparison, time around the X but much more the S highlights them as very well made machines. The UI is still horrific and by comparison both machines still have a sense of being like the Xbox One X, an extension of what came before which is exactly what the ecosystem MS has made is intended to be but it robs it of a sense of newness or in some ways appeal given how the XBO wasn't exactly overly endearing. Software wise it's been utterly dire. It was nice they got Flight Simulator out to a wider audience but the expenditure of multi-millions has so far managed to draft in some average lower tier filler titles that were intended to be third party releases. A year on and whilst MS's moves are positive I don't feel much more reassured that we won't be approaching the next next-generation before we see Xbox progress beyond the same old software cycle.

[Neon Ignition]

Spit out the tea from your mouth, we're on the verge of each of the systems second anniversaries as the Switch looks on an strokes its grey beard as it basks in the light of being in the middle of its sixth year on market.

Two years in and the PlayStation 5 is host to a whopping six exclusives (one of which will go multiplatform next year) whilst the Xbox Series consoles has one if discounting the XBO's ability to run it via cloud. At this point last generation we were now just one year out from the Pro and X mid-generation hardware refreshes making the situation of how this generation is barely progressing on a software front the biggest change that we've potentially seen by comparison as studios still struggle to move on from the previous generation despite the brisk sales all three formats are commanding as supply issues ease.

On the second anniversary:
Do you feel that the next twelve month window is the right time for Switch 2 or PlayStation 5 Pro/Xbox Series X2 to launch?

What are your thoughts of each system as they stand?

How do you feel about the outlook of the coming year?

[wakka]

It's the obvious answer - but pro machines would be completely unnecessary at this point considering it feels like the capability of the current hardware has not been fully tapped.

My views are pretty unchanged from before. I really like using the PS5. But at no point has it felt like much of a leap forward over PS4.

[phillv85]

In my opinion just maintain it as we are and put some damn games out on the PS and XB machines. Switch is doing just fine, I don't personally feel the need for a replacement. That is of course coming from someone who has bought dozens of PS4 games since I got my PS5 though and practically no PS5 games so may be taken with a pinch of salt.

[Atticus]

The generational leaps might not always deliver instant wow factor, but lots of little things definitely make up a slicker package. Me and my son were both playing Elden Ring earlier this year, him on Xbox One X, me on PS5, and whenever he showed me anything on his set-up it was the load times I couldn't believe ... I was so quickly spoiled by the PS5's.

[phillv85]

The load times are incredible, that's easily the standout feature for me as well.

[Cassius_Smoke]

Ps5 has had 3 AAA games this year.
Xbox has not.

That pretty much sums it up. Sony are pulling ahead in the sales too.
Next year is looking like a bumper crop for both though.

[Tobal]

Ps5 has had 3 AAA games this year.
Xbox has not.

That pretty much sums it up. Sony are pulling ahead in the sales too.
Next year is looking like a bumper crop for both though.

outside of the completely forgotten and dull Horizon game which had it lunch ate by Elden Ring, i can only think of GOW2 coming out in a couple of weeks.

[Cassius_Smoke]

outside of the completely forgotten and dull Horizon game which had it lunch ate by Elden Ring, i can only think of GOW2 coming out in a couple of weeks.

GT7 as well

I'm just hugely disappointed in MS. They've had literally years of planning and development time for the new consoles, they own a lot of studios and game properties, and they've come out of the gate like a wet rag. Sony aren't doing anything particularly great, MS could have absolutely floored them.

[nonny]

Ps5 has had 3 AAA games this year.
Xbox has not.

That pretty much sums it up. Sony are pulling ahead in the sales too.
Next year is looking like a bumper crop for both though.

I thought the latest sales figures after the MS quarter results showed the gap was actually closing?

Agree 2022 wasn't exactly a good year for Xbox game releases. I've had fun with Grounded, Deathloop and As Dusk Falls but the lack of Starfield and Redfall hurt.

It just makes 2023 stacked if it does indeed go as planned.

Sony had the same problem coming into 2022 with the delays to GT7 and HFW... Plus of course they'll be happy Ragnarok is hitting it's release window.

[teddymeow]

PS5 is my preferred console of choice.

I switch on my Xbox to keep up with the Rewards streaks and play the odd GamePass release.

I've done really well and only bought one game a month (until this month when I bought the Resi 2 & 3 Remake double pack for PS5 and LEGO Builder's Journey on Xbox.

I'm hoping for some of these studios that MS have acquired release some of the games they've been talking about for seemingly ages.

Sony have had a decent year and released some exclusives which showed some of what the PS5 can do. I'm hoping that Ragnarok is the last Sony AAA that has a PS5 sibling so their studios can just go nuts with what the PS5 can do.

[Neon Ignition]

I'm in a bit of a reverse situation to last year. I don't have any issue with the PS5 system itself but software wise, whilst it has had games come out for it I haven't been blown away by any of them and every single one of them is - to a tee - a PS4 game, not a PS5 game, nothing that has felt it nudged the system at all which has felt somewhat more strained given we're getting deeper into this generation. It leaves too much of a sense that the hardware never needed to release at all.

Series X, it's become an unlikely bedfellow to my PC but rewards points aside I think it's because it complements my recent approach to gaming more. I get to try various bits out etc without having Sony attempt to bend me over the shop counter and have its way with my wallet.

Sony's change in tact over the last year has gone quite some way to souring me on the company and I somewhat dread to think how I'll view them in another year.

Nintendo... is Nintendo. I still don't feel like the Switch needs to be replaced, not until hardware and software sales really take a hit. The games simply don't require the hardware grunt so they should milk this cow as long as it produces milk. It is, however, increasingly close to just being a Mario Kart DLC machine though. There's too much Pokemon, Fire Emblem etc indulgence and little per year of appeal outside that but I guess Deck has kicked that problem into touch.

So, in terms of the next generation, currently I'm nowhere near needing even a glimpse of it. I want this generation to actually start. It's been a **** year for new games. I'm mostly optimistic for Microsoft, the absolute vacuum of their schedule is beyond excusable at this point and 2023 should and absolutely needs to be the point they deliver hard and fast with content but I expect that will change faster than Sony will.

[nonny]

I actually sold my PS5 as I literally haven't turned it on in 6 months and put that towards the Steam Deck.

I gotta say, the Steam Deck is pretty awesome (though admittedly it's also not something I really need right now).

[Neon Ignition]

Nuzzling deep into the warm embrace of mid-gen, we reach the third year of the current generation machines and compared to last year we now have a more clear timeline of this gen thanks to the leaky ship that is Microsoft. We're also still riding out the Switch which still stands a small chance of being their only machine on the market when the next update rolls around next year.

As of this year the PlayStation 5 has ramped its list of platform exclusives up from the eye watering figure of 6 to the heady heights of 8. Meanwhile the Xbox Series consoles has managed to increase its count from a depressing 1 to an at least better 4-5. We're just about entering recieving refreshes that focus on the physical aesthetics of the system, software still rarely pushing the machines that much.

On the Third Anniversary:
If the second half of this generation is similar to what has been delivered so far, how would this generation stack up for you?

What are your thoughts of each system as they stand?

How do you feel about the outlook of the coming year?

[Neon Ignition]

We're still in the area for me whereby if this gen continues as is then it will be the weakest one. It's just been hugely unremarkable. Whether titles release on PS4/XBO or not they feel like games from prior gens, the current machines feeling fairly unneccessary particularly to the point where projecting forward it feels ambitious to feel new consoles would be at all necessary come 2028

As for each system:

XSX - It's improved a lot over the prior 3-4 years this year. Not running at peak levels but the bell curve is upward and it's been a better year than its rival
PS5 - Whilst SM2 is decent, it's been a poor year. Very poor for a PS console hitting its life peak, I can't recall the last time the year ahead for a Sony system was this barren for first party titles
NS - Considering how it's been through a fairly long run of focusing on IP I don't care for and is pretty much in its end of life phase now, this final year build up has been pretty solid and looks to continue so

For the year ahead, I'm really hoping we get some interesting reveals or past reveals come to fruition at last as currently there's frequent titles inbound on the horizon but nothing I'm jazzed about