The New Console Wars:
I am an older gamer who can play on whatever I want. I have owned most consoles over the years, PC and handheld gaming. I enjoy gaming and really do not care about what hardware I use. But for years I would push friends who wanted a console more towards the Sony side because of the stellar games they produce for that system. The Sony exclusives are some of the best gaming experiences ever made and have been the pinnacle of excellence for our hobby.
But Microsoft is waging a smart war and with Phil Spencer at the helm, they are aggressively attacking the gaming market with smart, consumer-focused choices that are long goal-focused.
Sony is still strong going into the next few years as they have the track record and studios to produce the great games people are waiting for. These titles are always polished and outstanding but they are becoming the “play it safe” company in a time where they can not afford to not innovate and push new boundaries. If they do not produce new IP and a variety of different gaming experiences they will be where Microsoft was in the last decade of 3 or 4 games and everything else multiplatform and not pushing for the new experience that will hook new gamers and keep the old players happy.
Microsoft’s game pass is a game-changer that is changing how we purchase and consume games. The variety of quality games and first-party titles that are also available day one on launch is a hard value to beat. For a flat rate you are not locked into any game but a whole library. You are not buying titles and having to return the duds or worse, stuck with a digital game that is sub-par. You can try and play anything and you have the freedom to play many however you want or however long without feeling guilty because you dropped 60-70 dollars on a game. With the purchase of Bethesda and Activision/Blizzard Microsoft studios is loaded with some of the best talent the industry has.
Pc gaming also gains a huge library as with Gamepass for PC you have the same benefits and do not have to rely on Steam sales to fill your library with games that may be crappy but cheap. You pick what you want and have so many quality titles to choose from you may not even need Steam or Epic any longer, although Epic also is giving away games to try and stay relevant.
The switch is still in a class by itself. Nintendo follows its own path. Their approach is not killer tech but always focused on fun. I really enjoy my Switch even though it pales on fidelity compared to my consoles and PC. It is the secret of their games but I would like to see a Switch pro come soon as the hardware is starting to show its age.
When all the new studios Microsoft start putting out games it will be interesting to see how these console wars heat up. I am not one who cares about hardware loyalty but as long as there is fierce competition we gamers win! It is going to be an interesting decade for sure!
1-23-22
Gamer for 40 plus years starting with Pong, consoles and pc gaming. It has been a hobby I have enjoyed over the years for my stress relief and continues to be fun even at my older age. This site is for a lite impression of games I enjoy.
Barzenak's Gaming Impressions 
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