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[BigLee74]

I'd pick Sony between the two. But PC really shined the most this year. That said, I think everyone had a great year all around and there were so many great games to play across pretty much every platform.

I think Gamepass offered the better value between the big two, but as far as individual releases from each publisher, I'd give the edge pretty handily to Sony. If I could only pick one system to own this year, it'd have probably been the Series X, but if I had both, I'd probably have played only the exclusives on the PS5 and pretty much everything else on the XBox.

More flip-flops than a council estate puting out their bins for collection

I’m an Xbox guy, but bloody hell how could you pick anything other than Xbox? Plenty of 1st party exclusives (Starfield and Forza are great), lots of great 3rd party games day 1 on Game Pass, the activision acquisition, and for those interested, Baldurs Gate 3 still to come.

That’s a win v Batman

 

[ahtlas7]

I’ll step in it.
Bought one PS5 game this year, if memory serves. So trophy goes to PS5.
Winner is Nintendo though
Winners winner is PC

 

[Topher]

I’m an Xbox guy, but bloody hell how could you pick anything other than Xbox?

Because I had just as much fun playing Spider-man 2 as I did Starfield. So....pretty easy choice to pick "draw" for me.

 

[Fart Knight]

Xbox got HiFi Rush at least.

 

[Woopah]

I thoroughly preferred Sony last year, but for my personal taste there wasn't much between them this year.

Now next year will almost certainly go to Nintendo! Just don’t give us a Switch-“U” situation…

I think that will depend on when Switch 2 launches and whether they hold all the good stuff for its launch.

Right now their 2024 lineup looks too reliant on remakes and remasters.

 

[Little Chicken]

On this forum? We're not talking about this forum specifically. The thread is about "who had the better year in gaming: PS or Xbox?"

Something that 67% of Xbox userbase do not even have cannot be touted as the reason why they had a good year.

The same principle applies to PS Plus Premium as well. The overwhelming majority of PS users do not have PS Plus Premium, so a fantastic year for PS+ Premium cannot be the reason why PS had a better year.

So because some people don't have it that it doesn't count towards Xbox' output this year?

I suppose if PSVR had anything good on it I'd say the same, but I don't see you policing those posts.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Both where meh this year. Switch kicked their asses up and down the block.

 

[Little Chicken]

Xbox for me, and it's not even slightly close. Literally one of the best years of gaming I've had, and it was all for zero extra cost. I'm paid up on GP until 2026. Starfield is my GOTY, and Hi-Fi Rush is in my top 4.

1st party:

• Hi-Fi Rush
• Forza Motorsport
• Starfield
• Redfall
• Age of Empires 2
• Age of Empires 4
• Goldeneye
• Ghostwire Tokyo

There's probably 2-3x this list, but these are just the ones I played a bit or all of so far. Exoprimal is my favorite multiplayer game this gen with 150 hours so far, and Cocoon and Jusant are in my top 5 for the year.
Gamepass:

• Atomic Heart
• Lies of P
• Cocoon
• Jusant
• Exoprimal
• Solar Ash
• Ravenlok
• The Last Case of Benedict Fox
• Persona 3
• Persona 4
• Monster Hunter Rise
• Inkulinati
• Wo Long
• Valheim
• Loop Hero
• Everspace 2
• Planet of Lana
• Slayers X
• Amnesia: The Bunker
• Bramble
• Venba
• Sea of Stars
• Yakuza Ishin
• Yakuza LAD: Gaiden
• Wartales

This of course doesn't count all the dozens of games I also bought this year on Xbox that are multiplat and not worth really listing in a competition like this. Robocop, Wanted Dead, dozens more.

Games I purchased / played on PS5 this year:

• Humanity

I love facts

 

[Punished Miku]

I love facts

If someone does want to vote PS, go for it. Maybe they loved Spider Man and FFXVI. I thought they looked pretty boring personally.

But for me at least, it's been hit after hit since January. Had a blast this year.

 

[Little Chicken]

If someone does want to vote PS, go for it. Maybe they loved Spider Man and FFXVI. I thought they looked pretty boring personally.

But for me at least, it's been hit after hit since January. Had a blast this year.

I'm personally disgusted at myself for preordering FFXVI because it's absolutely dreadful.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

The only years that PlayStation didn't have the better year than Xbox during their entire coexistence was like 2006-8.

 

[fart town usa]

When it comes to flat gaming, both platforms are just as exciting/boring to me. I give it to PS because of PSVR2; GT7, Village, Propagation: Paradise Hotel, The Light Brigade, etc. Absolute gems that even non-VR Gaf would love.

 

[SHA]

Xbox easily. Started 2024 with a banger in hi fi rush, Starfield is awesome and forza has great on track racing.

Sony slept at the wheel with just spiderman. An great game I will hold in high regard for years like a hulk ultimate destruction but nothing more when ypu break ot down to its fundamentals. Its a fun comic book romp.

But, the reality is that gaming isn't those two brands and PC, nintendo and even Meta have had a stronger year than both of them.

Swinging left and right, that's lazy work.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Xbox for me, and it's not even slightly close. Literally one of the best years of gaming I've had, and it was all for zero extra cost. I'm paid up on GP until 2026. Starfield is my GOTY, and Hi-Fi Rush is in my top 4.

1st party:

• Hi-Fi Rush
• Forza Motorsport
• Starfield
• Redfall
• Age of Empires 2
• Age of Empires 4
• Goldeneye
• Ghostwire Tokyo

There's probably 2-3x this list, but these are just the ones I played a bit or all of so far. Exoprimal is my favorite multiplayer game this gen with 150 hours so far, and Cocoon and Jusant are in my top 5 for the year.
Gamepass:

• Atomic Heart
• Lies of P
• Cocoon
• Jusant
• Exoprimal
• Solar Ash
• Ravenlok
• The Last Case of Benedict Fox
• Persona 3
• Persona 4
• Monster Hunter Rise
• Inkulinati
• Wo Long
• Valheim
• Loop Hero
• Everspace 2
• Planet of Lana
• Slayers X
• Amnesia: The Bunker
• Bramble
• Venba
• Sea of Stars
• Yakuza Ishin
• Yakuza LAD: Gaiden
• Wartales

This of course doesn't count all the dozens of games I also bought this year on Xbox that are multiplat and not worth really listing in a competition like this. Robocop, Wanted Dead, dozens more.

Games I purchased / played on PS5 this year:

• Humanity

Hell yeah. Great list. Starfield, Planet of Lana, and Forza Motorsport were big ones for me. FFXVI was the only game I bought on PS5 this year, and I regret it. Super Mario Wonder is awesome for Switch but one game isn't enough.

 

[Punished Miku]

Hell yeah. Great list. Starfield, Planet of Lana, and Forza Motorsport were big ones for me. FFXVI was the only game I bought on PS5 this year, and I regret it. Super Mario Wonder is awesome for Switch but one game isn't enough.

I got a ton of Switch games this year.

Mario Wonder, Mario RPG, Zelda TotK, Bayonetta Origins, Fire Emblem Engage, Advance Wars, Pikmin 4 and thats just the 1st party stuff.

 

[SHA]

With all what Nintendo been doing, I just can't live a world without Xbox and Playstation.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Because I had just as much fun playing Spider-man 2 as I did Starfield. So....pretty easy choice to pick "draw" for me.

Just curious if you are still playing Starfield

I know I have stopped and hoping for some more patches/mods and make this game much better down the road.

Then it also begs the question which is the better experience a 30 hour banger you never go back to or a decent enough game you play for a few hundred hours?

 

[poppabk]

I'd call it a draw for me personally.
Playstation:
Last of Us Part I - lots of complaints about this but I didn't have any real problems.
Xbox:
Forza Motorsport - lots of complaints about this but I didn't have any real problems.
Starfield - I dropped it pretty quick but that was because there was just so much to do and see that I just couldn't commit the time.

 

[Snake29]

"Who had the better year" and people just come with Gamepass list again lol. Did these people had the same energy for these games if the weren't day one for Gamepass? Most of these games on the list are multiplatform so it doesn't automatically makes it look better for Xbox.

 

[Punished Miku]

"Who had the better year" and people just come with Gamepass list again lol. Did these people had the same energy for these games if the weren't day one for Gamepass? Most of these games on the list are multiplatform so it doesn't automatically makes it look better for Xbox.

I personally care very little about exclusivity. Its 100x better for me to just get the games cheaper. And add up the cost of that list I posted. Very few can afford that. No one will buy all those day 1 at full price. Instead you just end up skipping games that arent 88+ MC and you end up missing most of the interesting stuff. GP is the killer app for Xbox so of course people will bring it up.

 

[Topher]

Just curious if you are still playing Starfield

I know I have stopped and hoping for some more patches/mods and make this game much better down the road.

Then it also begs the question which is the better experience a 30 hour banger you never go back to or a decent enough game you play for a few hundred hours?

I finished the game and started NG+ and then realized I'd rather go back to my regular game, but also wanted to wait for the updates they said were coming(?) so I stopped playing. Definitely going back as there is still a lot of stuff I want to do. Just waiting on Bethesda.

As to your question, I see value in both, but I've got so many hours in Skyrim and Oblivion and there is a depth there that cannot be found in the 30 hour banger. And even though Starfield's main questline really shit the bed in the end, I don't think other games emphasize the "journey" like Bethesda's games do. That's where those "few hundred hours" get sunk so easily.

 

[R3TRODYCE]

Gotta go with Xbox even though I played them on pc. PlayStation had a awful year content wise.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

They've both been sucky as far as I'm concerned.

Yet people keep perpetuating "2023 is the best year in gaming ever".

Because 2023 has literally been amazing. Remove both Sony releases and everything MS released and there’s still a butt ton of great games.

 

[F0rneus]

PS of these two but real winner is Nintendo.

 

[0neAnd0nly]

Question should have been “who sucked less”

Answer is PlayStation.

 

[Reave]

Voted Xbox. Other than Spider-Man 2, this was too drab of a year for PlayStation’s first-parties.

 

[ByWatterson]

Strangely, my most played game, Age of Empires II on console, is an Xbox 2023 release.

But yeah, Playstation overall. Not close.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

Xbox had HiFi Rush, Redfall, Starfield and Forza as first party exclusives while Sony had Spider-Man 2 and a DLC (Burning Shores). My vote will have to go to MS here although if you add FXVI and Forspoken (lol) in the mix (3rd party timed exclusive), and also the PSVR2 stuff things def get more even.

But like others have said, Nintendo trumps them both this year with the sheer amount of quality games they've put out so far: SMB Wonder, Zelda TotK, Metroid Prime Reamastered, XC3 Future Redeemed, Pikmin 4, Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Advance Wars, Fire Emblem Engage.

Tl:dr Nintendo > Microsoft ≥ Sony.

Sauce on the girl on your profile pic? Anime looking girl, Grey hair, red circular glasses (in case u change the pic before I read this)

 

[K' Dash]

Nintendo curb stomped them as usual.

 

[tatotiburon]

Xbox, tons of great games this year on gamepass, the value is just insane, i don't remember playing so many games in a single plataform during a year

 

[GHound]

Both were pretty damn mid to be honest.

 

[DR3AM]

Revenue = PS
Hardware = PS
1st Party Games = Xbox
3rd Part Games = PS
Indies = Tie
GaaS = both failed (edge to Xbox)
Subscriptions = Xbox
Communication = Xbox
Layoffs = PS
Game Updates = PS
OS level features = PS
Showcases = Xbox

 

[Jibran#one]

The value that gamepass provided this year was pure insanity
Wolong
Lies of p
Aoe 2 and 4
Starfield
Forza Motorsport
Hifi rush
These are the day 1 games on the service.
U can only beat this value for money with ignorance

 

[3liteDragon]

PS easily.

 

[Heisenberg007]

So because some people don't have it that it doesn't count towards Xbox' output this year?

I suppose if PSVR had anything good on it I'd say the same, but I don't see you policing those posts.

Not "some people" - the overwhelming majority doesn't have Game Pass.

You're saying because a small group of people had GP, that is enough to say that everyone at Xbox had a great year.

 

[Phase]

The value that gamepass provided this year was pure insanity
Wolong
Lies of p
Aoe 2 and 4
Starfield
Forza Motorsport
Hifi rush
These are the day 1 games on the service.
U can only beat this value for money with ignorance

lol jesus tone it down a bit. You auditioning for a job at xbox?

These non-avatar bots coming out of nowhere in this thread...

 

[Heisenberg007]

Then it also begs the question which is the better experience a 30 hour banger you never go back to or a decent enough game you play for a few hundred hours?

That goes back to the OG debate of Quality vs. Quantity.

I'll always, always pick Quality > Quantity because:

1. My time is more precious than anything,
2. We play games for enjoyment, not to kill time. What's the point of playing for a few hundred hours if you're not being blown away by it?
3. If playing games for more hours were the only criteria for me, I think the numerous F2P grindy games would have been the best option. One doesn't need to buy any subscription or game if they just want to kill some time and are not particularly interested in premium gaming experiences.

There are too many games to play right now. We hardly play more than 10% of games in a year anyway. So we're already picking (relatively) premium experiences anyway. Why not go all the way in the direction we've already unintentionally picked.

Because of limited gaming time, my belief has more been "If it is not a hell yeah, it is a hell no."

That's my thinking - just my 2 cents.

 

[Topher]

That goes back to the OG debate of Quality vs. Quantity.

I'll always, always pick Quality > Quantity because:

1. My time is more precious than anything,
2. We play games for enjoyment, not to kill time. What's the point of playing for a few hundred hours if you're not being blown away by it?
3. If playing games for more hours were the only criteria for me, I think the numerous F2P grindy games would have been the best option. One doesn't need to buy any subscription or game if they just want to kill some time and are not particularly interested in premium gaming experiences.

There are too many games to play right now. We hardly play more than 10% of games in a year anyway. So we're already picking (relatively) premium experiences anyway. Why not go all the way in the direction we've already unintentionally picked.

Because of limited gaming time, my belief has more been "If it is not a hell yeah, it is a hell no."

That's my thinking - just my 2 cents.

Sure but it isn't always a trade off of "quality vs quantity". Sometimes the quantity is also quality. That's how I've felt about several games that I've spent hundreds of hours playing. That's because we don't have a rule determining quality for each individual like we do quantity. Hundreds of hours is what it is. But if I'm loving Starfield for hundreds of hours then that is both quantity and quality.

Of course, every person is different. Some don't want to spend hundreds of hours playing the same game no matter what it is. No right answer here.

 

[Adam_802]

Well sony had a nothing year with just mediocre spiderman , so Xbox by default especially with Starfield and Forza.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Sure but it isn't always a trade off of "quality vs quantity". Sometimes the quantity is also quality. That's how I've felt about several games that I've spent hundreds of hours playing. That's because we don't have a rule determining quality for each individual like we do quantity. Hundreds of hours is what it is. But if I'm loving Starfield for hundreds of hours then that is both quantity and quality.

Of course, every person is different. Some don't want to spend hundreds of hours playing the same game no matter what it is. No right answer here.

Sure, quality can be subjective, but I think parts of it are also subjective.

For example, story, gameplay elements, art direction etc. can be subjective. Storytelling, character development, gameplay mechanics, animation quality, technical limitations, poor performance, etc. are more objective in nature.

A good example of quality + quantity in my opinion is Red Dead Redemption 2. 100+ hours of high-quality content, for example.

But most of the time, it's either quality or quantity. It's extremely rare for a game to offer both.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Well sony had a nothing year with just mediocre spiderman , so Xbox by default especially with Starfield and Forza.

Please explain to us then how PS5 sales shot through the roof and why Xbox sales decreased by -25% YoY and Game Pass also missed its target for the 3rd consecutive year, oh wise one?

Edit: Yes, just the usual laugh-and-run emoji because you didn't have any logical answer to back-up your driveby bait post

 

[onQ123]

Switch

 

[Topher]

Sure, quality can be subjective, but I think parts of it are also subjective.

For example, story, gameplay elements, art direction etc. can be subjective. Storytelling, character development, gameplay mechanics, animation quality, technical limitations, poor performance, etc. are more objective in nature.

A good example of quality + quantity in my opinion is Red Dead Redemption 2. 100+ hours of high-quality content, for example.

But most of the time, it's either quality or quantity. It's extremely rare for a game to offer both.

Quality usually isn't objective unless it is measurable. I can appreciate the technical achievements of RDR 2, but I found the game completely boring and the gameplay abysmal. So for me, that was plenty of quantity, but very little quantity. That's going to be a subjective discussion just about every time my man.

 

[Topher]

Well sony had a nothing year with just mediocre spiderman , so Xbox by default especially with Starfield and Forza.

You played Spider-man 2 then?

Edit…

 

[Heisenberg007]

Quality usually isn't objective unless it is measurable. I can appreciate the technical achievements of RDR 2, but I found the game completely boring and the gameplay abysmal. So for me, that was plenty of quantity, but very little quantity. That's going to be a subjective discussion just about every time my man.

I think you and I are on the same page on that.

I said gameplay is subjective: you found RDR 2's gameplay boring; I didn't. That's subjective.

But the quality of said gameplay, e.g., combat animation, how NPCs reacted and played, sound design, lack of gameplay jank, etc. are all things that can be objectively measured. And you also acknowledge the technical achievement there.

That's what I was referring to, and I think we both agree on the same point.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Sauce on the girl on your profile pic? Anime looking girl, Grey hair, red circular glasses (in case u change the pic before I read this)

It's a nier automata A2 official artwork from Platinum Games: https://www.platinumgames.com/official-blog/article/10157

 

[CuteFaceJay]

Steam Deck had best year.

 

[Hudo]

PC & Nintendo, tbh.

 

[Bernardougf]

I can tell you who had the best year trying to buy out the industry

 

[Snake29]

I personally care very little about exclusivity. Its 100x better for me to just get the games cheaper. And add up the cost of that list I posted. Very few can afford that. No one will buy all those day 1 at full price. Instead you just end up skipping games that arent 88+ MC and you end up missing most of the interesting stuff. GP is the killer app for Xbox so of course people will bring it up.

So we should make it a PS+ list vs Gamepass list? Otherwise we can drop the PS+ list on top of everything else this year also...