Game Exclusives
Many people will make their final purchase based on the exclusives each console has. It is a short term plus but no one wants to have a game console gathering dust a year after release because the games just haven't been there. This is a problem the Wii U has had and to a smaller degree, the PlayStation 3 suffered from at the start of its cycle. Games are what sell games consoles, and at least at the moment, it is an edge that Microsoft have. At this point, Microsoft just have larger library and, I would argue, more 'sellable' games. Currently Sony's big titles include Knack, The Order 1886, Infamous: Second Son, Killzone: Shadowfall and Drive Club. Infamous: Second Son currently has a fantastic buzz around it, getting rave previews and is on near the top of many's most wanted list. The kicker is that the game won't be available until a few months after the PlayStation 4 drops. I also had time to play Drive Club and Knack at E3. While both were certainly fun, I doubt they are the kinds of games that are going to sell the console. Xbox One on the other hand has a hand full of games that could well sell the console. Dead Rising 3, Ryse, Forza, Quantum Break,Project Overdrive, Killer Instinct and Project Spark are all worthwhile exclusives that will ensure the Xbox One has a dense library in its early months. However, if you count games that are not coming to the PlayStation and their library gets even more interesting. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is coming to the Xbox 360 and PC as well as the Xbox One, and that is the case with the E3 Game Critic Awards winner Titanfall. Out of all of these next gen games, Titanfall is the one that looks like a 'console seller'. The new IP could well become the next big franchise and the fact that it isn't coming to the Sony console could be significant. That coupled with the promise of more Halo, and it is not hard to see how Microsoft have a formidable line up. Although, it is important to state that this isn't the end of the conversation. Sony are backing the indie scene and have a much friendlier infrastructure as an open platform for developers. Smaller indie games are becoming increasingly important to the market and it is hard to guess exactly how important that will be as the generation goes on. On top of that, it is important to highlight that the PlayStation's 3 has become increasingly strong during the generation's cycle. Sony have a myriad of studios like Naughty Dog who produce quality content. While they may not all have games yet, they will and that promise is serious. Most importantly however, is that Sony still have two major events at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show to make major announcements. Microsoft will be following them but generally don't have as big of a presence at these shows. Sony will undoubtedly announce more games before the console hits shelves, so we are perhaps looking at an incomplete picture here. Microsoft certainly have the more impressive library at the moment, and it would take something for Sony to turn that over. However, give it a few months if you want to really see the complete picture before you decide on your console based on the games on show.