Console Wars: Which Console Had the Better Launch?
Which console had the better launch? Now that the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 have been out for a few weeks, we sat down to determine which of the two had the more successful start. The truth is, it’s a pretty nuanced discussion: both consoles have strengths in separate areas. In order to come to a conclusion, we focused on five key areas – including UI, console design, controller design, launch lineups, and performance – and gave each a score from 0-5. While our sample size of games is still relatively small, a wide variety of games have been tested to help make an assessment.
Score key:
0 = Disaster
1 = Bad
2 = Okay
3 = Good
4 = Great
5 = Masterful
Introduction
Ben Vollmer: Before we begin, I wanted to give Marcos and I a second to contextualize our launch experiences a little bit. Even more so post-release, it has become increasingly difficult to order either console. I was really lucky to snag both – but that wasn’t always part of the plan. Originally, I was going to stick with a Playstation 5 (I needed my Souls’ fix) and stick to the Xbox One X to thin out some backlog I’ve had on gamepass. But as the launch approached, I convinced myself that $500 spent now is the same as $500 later.
Somehow, I wound up with both. Just to set the stage a little bit, I’d say my preference going into all of this leaned heavily with the Playstation 5 launch. Marvel’s Spider-Man was a game of the year contender for me in 2018, Demon’s Souls is one of my favorite games of all time, and I was really eager to explore the haptic feedback options available on the DualSense controller. Still, my heart always has a special place for the Xbox brand – given that the original was my first ever console. The lack of a new Halo hurts, but I was still plenty excited to get my hands on a Series X.
Marcos Carmona: Much like Ben, I was lucky to grab both consoles at launch which had been my plan from the start. In regards to what I was anticipating on their arrival the main titles I was very interested in trying out were Demon’s Souls and Devil May Cry V: Special Edition. Being a fairly big fan of most of From Software’s Souls games Demon’s Souls is the only title I’ve yet to try out and Bluepoint Games’ remake looks gorgeous. I also consider myself a pretty big fan of the Devil May Cry series and Devil May Cry V is my favorite game of the series so playing an updated version of the game with Vergil and Legendary Dark Knight mode was a given. I downloaded and booted the game up immediately after unboxing.
Console Design
Ben Vollmer: This feels an appropriate place to start, given that both consoles not only look drastically different from one another, but also their predecessors in the Xbox One and Playstation 4. Right off the bat, the compactness of the Series X stood out to me. It’s surprisingly heavy though, rounding out at an almost even 9.8 pounds. The black-matte finish feels awfully similar to the Xbox One X design, and the heavy weight makes the comparison a lot easier than the original Xbox One. Still, the weight feels good as long as you’re not planning on lugging it around. The console can easily stand vertically or horizontally – something I’ll no longer take for granted after my Playstation 5 setup – and sits firmly in place once placed.
If there’s anything to be disappointed by, it’s that nothing really stands out. Standing vertically, the Xbox Series X feels a lot like a PC tower. At the top of the tower is the console’s vent, with the famous Xbox green painted underneath. It just doesn’t quite pop in a way that makes anything stand out, but the design is extremely efficient. Even when testing some heavy duty titles – like Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War with ray tracing – the console is surprisingly quiet and not nearly as hot as rumors had speculated. All things considered, it runs cooler and quieter than the One X. It would have been nice to have something pop out of the design, like the power button matching the green vent, or perhaps having the vent glow in a similar way to the Playstation’s white/orange/blue lighting when the console is turned on.
Conversely, the Playstation 5 feels anything but boring. It only just outweighs the Series X (9.9 pounds) but it’s much larger and takes up quite a bit more space. The architecture is wavy and futuristic, with the core of the console sitting between two wavy plastic plates. Alongside the console is a stand which needs to be manually attached to the side (horizontal) or bottom (vertical). Finding a place for the console proved to be a lot of work on its own, and the horizontal design felt oddly cheap to me – as the stand is made of plastic and to see this futuristic machine almost hovering on top of it felt off to me. Not only did it not look great, but there’s the smallest bit of wobble even after securing the stand as tightly as possible. Still, the size pays off really well when it comes to temperatures and sound. I never noticed either, even when playing some of the more demanding launch titles.
All things considered, I found myself really appreciating the simplicity of the Series X. It’s not quite as futuristic or fun, but it doesn’t take up nearly as much room and looks much more normal should I want to flip it on its side. The Playstation 5 looks really great when all set up, but there’s something about the plastic stand that just doesn’t work for me. In terms of design, the Series X definitely wins the battle. I appreciate the risks involved in the Playstation 5’s architecture, but sometimes simple is better. And that’s certainly the case for me here.
Xbox Series X: 4/5 (Great)
Playstation 5: 2/5 (Okay)
Marcos Carmona: My initial impression of the Series X was almost confusion at its size. The packaging it comes in is pretty huge compared to the actual size of the console. Exactly as Ben mentioned, it’s about the size of a standard computer tower at your local school’s computer lab. I do enjoy the clean black color with the green highlights on the vents up top. Very simple and nothing outlandish. The Playstation 5 on the other hand is a different beast entirely. Prior to actually having one in person I hadn’t seen the console next to anything else other than the controller for size comparison. It didn’t take long to realize that the Playstation 5 console is a monster in size. Almost comparable to the original Playstation 3, except we’ve traded the shiny plastic top for some odd wavy panels that provide impractical aerodynamics. This bitch can fly. The size also made finding a reliable place to set the console pretty difficult. Side by side it’s obvious to see that, between the two, the Playstation 5 grabs immediate attention, but that is owed to its bizarre design.
Xbox Series X: 4/5 (Great)
Playstation 5: 2/5 (Okay)
User Interface (UI)
Ben Vollmer: I’ve spent a lot more time playing with the Xbox Series X UI than I have the Playstation 5, in part because of Xbox Game Pass making it so intriguing to browse. Though, I think there is a lot to like on both fronts here. The Xbox Series X UI will seem awfully familiar to anyone who has kept up with the Xbox One interface. The panel interface is back, only everything is a lot faster. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the console comes loaded with an NVME SSD, but the effects are still very noticeable. Swapping between browsing for games, checking on friends, and booting up my list of achievements can all be done at lightning fast speeds. Microsoft recently updated the system to allow for dynamic backgrounds, as well.
The same can mostly be said for the PS5, which utilizes insane loading times to jump from one end of the menu to the next. Unfortunately, the horizontal menu feels like more of a burden than ever. Instead of being able to get to whatever app I want in a few clicks like on the Series X, it takes a few extra seconds to get from one end of the menu to the next. Perhaps my least favorite feature of the UI is how long it takes to access trophies. At the very least, the PS5’s UI looks gorgeous and rocks very calming music – a Sony staple.
Xbox Series X: 4/5 (Great)
Playstation 5: 2/5 (Okay)
Marcos Carmona: My take on Playstation 5’s UI is pretty positive on all accounts. The home menu is pretty similar to the previous take on the PS4 except with the app icons being smaller allowing the wallpapers and previews to be more profound in the background when browsing the console. The quick menu also provides many more uses for both the system and various in-game activities in the form of “cards.” I can get notifications when my groups or friends boot up in a party or game and can easily boot up into both voice calls and game parties simply by clicking on the card and hitting join. Everything is much quicker compared to how loads were on the PS4 allowing me to browse around while suspending my game with ease of mind.
The UI on the Series X is again, more of an improvement rather than a drastic change coming from the Xbox One. The menus look clean and navigating around the options are very fast, even when running or jumping between games. The quick access menu is back when pressing the Xbox button and I always appreciate a simple and easy to use fall down menu that lets me find stuff like the most recent game played or friends and voice chats. Not as much as a change like the PS5, but all very welcome improvements.
Xbox Series X: 3/5 (Good)
Playstation 5: 4/5 (Great)
Controller Design
Ben Vollmer: This is where things get really interesting. The sum of it is that I’m honestly not sure how Microsoft expects to get away with having essentially the exact same (however serviceable it may be) controller across generations when the Playstation 5 makes a gigantic leap forward from the Dualshock 4 (also very serviceable!) to the DualSense. In fact, I think this may be the single biggest advantage Sony has over Microsoft at launch – even though, spoiler alert, it also owns a superior lineup of exclusives. The gap here is huge, and it’s almost baffling that Microsoft didn’t anticipate what could absolutely be a system seller in the DualSense.
To rewind a little bit, the Xbox Series X controller is a little different. Most people will talk about the inclusion of the new “share” button right in the middle of the controller, but I found two other changes much more interesting: The first is the new form factor, which gives a slight roughness to the triggers and back of the controller. It might seem like a small change, but it’s infinitely easier to grip the new controller – I found myself especially appreciative of the change during longer sittings with the console. The second change is the new d-pad, which is just close enough to the satellite dish on the Xbox Elite controller – which owns my favorite d-pad of all time. It’s far from perfect, but again, it does the job.
In comparison, the Playstation 5 controller feels like an absolute revelation. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of how impressed I was with the Joy-Con functionality on the Nintendo Switch. Only with the DualSense, it’s actually comfortable to hold and play with, especially if you have larger hands. The most notable addition is the haptic feedback, which provides a dynamic rumbling system in the controller. It’s hard to explain why this feels like more than a gimmick, but the easiest way I can explain it is that when used properly, like in Astro’s Playroom, every little action is more satisfying than it would be otherwise. From scrolling through the menu to stomping on enemies, there’s a little extra punch to everything I do on the controller. Also new to the controller are adaptive triggers and a built-in microphone – both of which work surprisingly well.
The last bit I’ll say on the matter is that I don’t love the way the DualSense controller looks. It pairs with the console pretty well – a domino black and white that curves into the handles of the controller – but I would have much preferred an all white or all black controller with the blue light behind the touchpad helping the controller pop a little. Still, the controller feels too good for me to care.
Xbox Series X: 2/5 (Okay)
Playstation 5: 5/5 (Masterful)
Marcos Carmona: Getting the easy and obvious out the way, the controller provided with the Series X is mostly similar to the Xbox One controller with the biggest difference being the satellite dish D-pad borrowed from the Xbox Elite controller. This D-pad, while not exactly like the one on the Xbox Elite controller is still my favorite take on D-pads and finding it on the controller packaged with the Series X was a pleasant surprise. Nothing incredibly exciting, but perfectly serviceable for launch.
The Playstation 5 on the other hand really went above and beyond when it came from their graduation from the DualShock 4 to the new DualSense controller. There are many features provided by the DualSense, but the first thing I want to address is the absolute boon that the charger needed for the DualSense is now the USB Type-C. No longer do I need to scramble around for a USB Micro-B just to charge my controller. The battery life on the DualSense also feels like a strong improvement from the DualShock 4 after playing Devil May Cry V: Special Edition and Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War for extensive periods and only losing about a bar on the charge.
The biggest features as Ben has mentioned are in the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Simple actions in games like clashing weapons in Demon’s Souls are highlighted and even personalized with the dynamic rumbling causing each weapon to actually become distinguishable through how they feel on the controller. Even drawing an arrow on a bow in Demon’s Souls becomes a treat as the adaptive triggers start to resist against my finger as the bowstring becomes more taught.
It’s actually incredible how much the DualSense controller became a highlight between itself and the console. My only real complaint is that the DualSense is white instead of black. Totally biased, but I know what I’m about and even if the controller matches the console well, I’d have preferred a black controller. Regardless, the DualSense feels great to use and is working on becoming my favorite controller over the Xbox Elite controller.
Xbox Series X: 3/5 (Good)
Playstation 5: 5/5 (Masterful)
Launch Lineup
Ben Vollmer: I’ve done everything I can to touch on as many launch titles as possible. The first thing I noticed – as an Xbox Game Pass member – is how nice it is to have an entire library of games built into the console. I instantly downloaded a mix of new titles, like Tetris: Connected, old titles with Series X updates, like Doom Eternal, and retro titles like Banjo and Kazooie. Still, it’s worth noting that the Series X doesn’t have much in the way of interesting exclusives. Even though I have Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon installed, it’s disappointing to not have my hands on a new Halo or Forza title to push the console. There is no doubt that even with the wondrous Game Pass, the Xbox launch lineup doesn’t look great – especially when it comes to getting the most out of the console. This has been made worse by some performance issues with third party games that I’ll get to a bit later.
Thankfully, the PS5 more than steps up to the plate here. So much so that it might be my favorite launch lineup of all time. Demon’s Souls is predictably amazing, and feels the most “next-gen” to me of any game that I’ve played thus far. The amazing lighting, the incredible scale, and insane particle effects really do a lot to show off what the PS5 is capable of. Still, my favorite launch title is something that takes advantage of everything that makes the PS5 so wonderful: Astro’s Playroom. Astro’s Playroom might be my favorite 3D platformer since Super Mario Odyssey, and it really takes advantage of being loaded into the PS5 console for free. It makes terrific use of the controller (in a lot of ways, it feels purposefully designed to showcase the DualSense), looks gorgeous, and provides a sense of history that Sony has long struggled to find when compared to the likes of Nintendo or Sega. Other titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and The Pathless are just icing on the cake. And when you compare it to what the Series X is touting at launch, there’s a really stark difference.
What I do want to say, however, is that these consoles excel at two very different things. I expect Sony to eventually catch up with Microsoft by adding a game pass feature of their own, and I expect Microsoft to start hurling out first-party titles in a year or two – especially with the incredible amount of developer acquisitions we’ve seen in the last few years. For now, however, it’s really nice to have a console that excels at backwards compatibility and another that feels like the future of video games. I’ve gotten a ton of use out of both consoles already, and I think this launch is drastically better than what we’ve experienced with the last two generations.
Xbox Series X: 3/5 (Good)
Playstation 5: 5/5 (Masterful)
Marcos Carmona: Between the two consoles, I think it’s pretty easy to land on which one offers more exclusivity in regards to a launch lineup. And that is most definitely the Playstation 5. When you have titles like Demon’s Souls and Spider-Man: Miles Morales and the surprise treat that Astro’s Playroom so quickly became, there’s a giant cloud cast above the Series X which I don’t believe had any exclusives coming in.
Although, since the Series X dropped two days prior, it became the place for me to download and play Devil May Cry V: Special Edition which was my most anticipated title for this generation launch. Devil May Cry V: Special Edition has been everything I was hoping for as I play the game with new features like Legendary Dark Knight mode. I’m also playing as Vergil in his own story. The combat is still the best it has ever been in the Devil May Cry series and looks fantastic running on the Series X.
The other game that has taken most of my time is Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War and is honestly one of the best Call of Duty packages I’ve seen offered. The campaign is a surprising amount of fun, especially for fans that have played prior Call of Duty: Black Ops games. It also has good, classic multiplayer and a great take on my favorite mode: zombies.
Like Ben mentioned earlier, the Series X offers a huge library just by subscribing to Xbox Game Pass and certainly makes the lack of exclusives hurt just a little less. The Playstation 5 does offer something similar, but not close to the sheer volume of games in Game Pass which is the PlayStation Plus Collection. This is a quick list of games provided to anyone with a Playstation 5 and a PlayStation Plus membership, including excellent titles like Persona 5, Resident Evil 7, Mortal Kombat X, and The Last of Us Remastered.
As a whole, I think the launch lineup is pretty strong. Between the exclusives and bundled subscriptions, there’s enough for everyone to enjoy the kickstart of this new generation.
Xbox Series X 3/5 (Good)
Playstation 5 5/5 (Masterful)
Performance
Ben Vollmer: This one is a… mixed bag, to say the least. So let’s first talk about the elephant in the room: The Series X was built to be the more powerful of the two consoles, and includes objectively better (on paper!) hardware than the Playstation 5. Presumably, this would drive the third party advantages to Microsoft – where games should see higher framerates and a better resolution. Unfortunately for Series X owners, that hasn’t really been the case at all. A lot of this is covered in much greater depth than we’re capable of at Epilogue over at the likes of Digital Foundry, but I did do some preliminary testing on my own. Games like Borderlands 3 and Dirt 5 perform ever-so-slightly better on the Playstation 5, with better loading times and a smoother framerate. I expect this to get sorted out as developers adjust to the respective developer kits, but I think it’s safe to say that unless you’re an enthusiast, there is not as big of a difference here as expected.
Instead, I want to put the focus on crashing – of which I have experienced a lot of on the PS5. Especially in Demon’s Souls and Call of Duty, I almost never went an entire play session without a crash. Now, I do have experience with Call of Duty on both consoles (less so on PS5, where I was playing with a friend), and a lot of the issues seemed to pop up on Series X as well. Unfortunately, the problems don’t seem limited to specific games on the PS5, where I’ve only managed to go crashless in limited time with The Pathless. The crashes on the Series X often lead to some odd audio and controller issues after a reset, but the PS5 has led to a full console shut down several times. There’s a lot to keep an eye on here, as I’m guessing both consoles will be rushing out patches to fix these issues.
Lastly, it is worth noting that this is a gigantic leap forward for video game hardware. On both fronts, the difference in speeds and lighting are immediately noticeable. Especially in titles like NBA 2K21 that get solid use out of HDR systems. It’s unfortunate that we only have a handful of exclusively next-gen titles to compare, but I’m guessing that within a couple of years we’ll be seeing all sorts of crazy things being done on each console.
Xbox Series X: 3/5 (Good)
Playstation 5: 4/5 (Great)
Marcos Carmona: I’m definitely not the most tech savvy person to talk with, nor do I think I’m at all qualified to talk about the “specs” that these consoles provide, but I can talk about whether or not my consoles are exploding when I play games on them. Personally, I’ve never had a game crash on the Playstation 5, whether I was playing Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War or Spider-Man: Miles Morales. I can use quick menu cards and jump between titles very easily and quickly without hearing the console try to take off as the fans start blasting.
The only crash I’ve had playing a game was on the Series X while running some multiplayer on Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War, although this was before the first patch update – but a crash is still a crash. And to be honest, that’s the only negative experience I have run into. Overall, both consoles are incredible machines and you can’t go wrong picking either if you’re really looking for performance.
Xbox Series X: 3/5 (Good)
Playstation 5: 4/5 (Great)
Verdict: Which Console Had the Better Launch?
Ben Vollmer: The obvious answer here is that there are two very solid consoles on the market, both of which anyone would be lucky to have. As it stands, the Playstation 5 feels like a jump into the future. The DualSense controller is brilliant, the console design is (at its best) futuristic and exciting, and the games are flat out gorgeous and fun. The Series X feels like the consumer-friendly purchase, especially with Game Pass involved. Having so many games accessible right from the get go is a huge plus, and one I certainly don’t want to take for granted.
Though, while I expect Microsoft to eventually start matching (at least in number) Sony’s first party titles, the new games simply aren’t there yet. The lack of a neat controller design leaves the console feeling more like a small evolution of the Xbox One X than a brand new generation. A true evolution is just something the Xbox brand is going to have to prove as the Series X ages. Meanwhile, I feel entirely content recommending the Playstation 5. There’s a nice slate of games to try out and the controller really does feel brand new. Both are terrific in their own ways, but the PS5 feels like having a piece of the future in your hands. And in a year where we need things to look forward to, Sony manages to give us plenty. It’s difficult to say which console had the better launch, but I’m going with the Playstation 5 here.
Xbox Series X: 17/25
Playstation 5: 18/25
Marcos Carmona: I mean… both consoles are incredible. Obviously I’m biased towards the Playstation 5 since I’ve primarily been gaming on Sony consoles since the Playstation 2, but that doesn’t mean I disregard Microsoft’s moves to being the more consumer friendly choice between the two. Both systems offer a great list of titles to play and run each of them effortlessly, so worrying about a library out of the box is not even a problem.
If I were to pick a console to recommend between the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X it would be the Playstation 5 with no question. The DualSense controller is incredible and given that the Series X has no real exclusives at the moment, the Playstation 5 offers the better title lineup as well. And this is no shade on the Series X, the Series X is a fantastic console in its own right, but exclusives do a LOT for a console.
Xbox Series X: 16/25
Playstation 5: 20/25
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