Was discussing this with some buddies some who are in the industry a few months ago.
The discussion came up again after the PS4 reveal.
The kicker was the new controller...but it started years ago when Microsoft came up with standard hard drives with every console.
Then Xbox Live Arcade on the first Xbox...Sony had to catch up on the PS3 and offer the same.
Then built in internet connectivity. So we saw those in the PS3.
Then with the 360 we saw Achievements. Sony had to play catchup and come up with Trophies.
The whole downloading while the console is off...Sony had to catch up and add that.
MS made their online store accessible on PCs so you can buy stuff from your computer. Sony then did it too after a few years I think.
MS packed in headsets with every console because they thought it was important for online play. Now PS4 will have built-in mics on the controllers...obviously they agree with MS. Hoping its for voice commands too.
For the past year there were rumors that you could record gameplay on the new Xbox and how you can on the PS4 too. Only 15 minutes of it but Sony saw the value in that idea.
Rumors of playing Xbox games on your tablets and other devices...we're seeing that on the PS4.
MS came up with Kinect and its rumored to come with every nextgen Xbox...now we're seeing something very very similar for the PS4 built into every PS4.
You can control your Xbox with tablets and phones...surprise-surprise you can do it now on the PS4.
Indies could make cheap games and sell them for a dollar on the Xbox. Now you can on the PS4 too.
On the 360 you can talk to people even if they're playing different games and now you can on the PS4.
The analog sticks look ridged like the 360 controller.
Triggers look like actual triggers. MS wasn't the first but Sony should have copied the Sega Saturn as saw it as the way to go when MS did. Sony finally caught up there.
Sony didn't say it but the PS4 will probably have voice control.
MS has done their fair share of copying...their controller is like the Dreamcasts and Avatars are Nintendo Miis. MS from Nintendo. Nintendo from Sony. Happens every which way. The thing is MS have done a lot more leading of Sony than playing catchup. MS needs to play catchup to Sony in some ways too. Built in batteries in controllers anyone? Support for common USB controllers like racing wheels...I can think of a few things.
Point is that Sony obviously sees value in what MS is doing for the most part and is catching up constantly.
Don't get me wrong we all agree that Sony has a history of making hardware that pushes technology and makes gaming better that way. PSX and PS2 were some of the best machines out there and have sold hundreds of millions of units because they let developers create these worlds with their graphics hardware.
Then you have MS who seems to be the one that makes the best software for that hardware. They have really made console online gaming very convenient when compared to PC gaming ten years ago. All of these features I listed are MS initiatives that has changed gaming forever. Hate it myself but "Gamerscore" is something that is relevant because of their vision. Cross game chat is beautiful. Where Sony has the engineers to make great hardware MS has the right vision for all the features.
So the PS4 really just seems to be catching up to the Xbox and the rumored Nextbox features that came out a while ago. Its a good thing...obviously. But at the same time why do we need 2 machines that do pretty much the same thing?
The discussion came up again after the PS4 reveal.
The kicker was the new controller...but it started years ago when Microsoft came up with standard hard drives with every console.
Then Xbox Live Arcade on the first Xbox...Sony had to catch up on the PS3 and offer the same.
Then built in internet connectivity. So we saw those in the PS3.
Then with the 360 we saw Achievements. Sony had to play catchup and come up with Trophies.
The whole downloading while the console is off...Sony had to catch up and add that.
MS made their online store accessible on PCs so you can buy stuff from your computer. Sony then did it too after a few years I think.
MS packed in headsets with every console because they thought it was important for online play. Now PS4 will have built-in mics on the controllers...obviously they agree with MS. Hoping its for voice commands too.
For the past year there were rumors that you could record gameplay on the new Xbox and how you can on the PS4 too. Only 15 minutes of it but Sony saw the value in that idea.
Rumors of playing Xbox games on your tablets and other devices...we're seeing that on the PS4.
MS came up with Kinect and its rumored to come with every nextgen Xbox...now we're seeing something very very similar for the PS4 built into every PS4.
You can control your Xbox with tablets and phones...surprise-surprise you can do it now on the PS4.
Indies could make cheap games and sell them for a dollar on the Xbox. Now you can on the PS4 too.
On the 360 you can talk to people even if they're playing different games and now you can on the PS4.
The analog sticks look ridged like the 360 controller.
Triggers look like actual triggers. MS wasn't the first but Sony should have copied the Sega Saturn as saw it as the way to go when MS did. Sony finally caught up there.
Sony didn't say it but the PS4 will probably have voice control.
MS has done their fair share of copying...their controller is like the Dreamcasts and Avatars are Nintendo Miis. MS from Nintendo. Nintendo from Sony. Happens every which way. The thing is MS have done a lot more leading of Sony than playing catchup. MS needs to play catchup to Sony in some ways too. Built in batteries in controllers anyone? Support for common USB controllers like racing wheels...I can think of a few things.
Point is that Sony obviously sees value in what MS is doing for the most part and is catching up constantly.
Don't get me wrong we all agree that Sony has a history of making hardware that pushes technology and makes gaming better that way. PSX and PS2 were some of the best machines out there and have sold hundreds of millions of units because they let developers create these worlds with their graphics hardware.
Then you have MS who seems to be the one that makes the best software for that hardware. They have really made console online gaming very convenient when compared to PC gaming ten years ago. All of these features I listed are MS initiatives that has changed gaming forever. Hate it myself but "Gamerscore" is something that is relevant because of their vision. Cross game chat is beautiful. Where Sony has the engineers to make great hardware MS has the right vision for all the features.
So the PS4 really just seems to be catching up to the Xbox and the rumored Nextbox features that came out a while ago. Its a good thing...obviously. But at the same time why do we need 2 machines that do pretty much the same thing?
