As of right now neither Microsoft nor Sony have revealed the release dates of the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. All we know for certain is that by the end of the year gamers will be enjoying next-gen graphics. So which will release first?
During E3 it appeared Sony was farther along in development. In the many booths that had PS4 games playable E3 attendees could see the future of PlayStation behind transparent glass. Meanwhile, the One games in Microsoft’s booth were playable, but were run on demo kits. Pictures have been posted across the internet of monstrous gaming PCs with Nvidia graphics cards powering the games. While some games were shown using the One hardware it was a rare sight, something which was reasonably concerning.
Microsoft recently rescinded its One policies after two months of trying to explain why they were worth it in the long-run. These policies, particularly the intrusive DRM, were the foundation of the console. As expressed by Major Nelson during interviews removing them would be no easy task. Well, Microsoft ended up deciding to remove them after severe backlash from consumers. It’s a safe bet that Microsoft engineers are still working tirelessly to deprogram the system to comply with the new consumer-friendly policies.
Sony also has a tendency to release early into the holiday season, as shown with its PS1 and PS3 release dates of September 9th and November 11th respectively. Microsoft only has had two consoles and both have released in late-November just in-time for the Black Friday rush. History repeats itself, especially with launch dates.
It’s also important to remember that the Xbox 360 released a full year before the PlayStation 3 which proved a major advantage throughout the generation. Sony should be compelled to make it out the gate first this time around.
Sony appears ahead of schedule with the PS4 and that’s everything when it comes to a console launch. Beginning production of millions of complex hardware units is no simple task. It knows that it has a clear advantage at the moment, and would like nothing more than to stick it to Microsoft. As such, expect the PS4 to have its midnight launch at least a week before the One. For consumers who would rather play an Xbox that extra wait will be painful.
