With Microsoft stumbling out of the gate and Nintendo's mediocre marketing strategy for the Wii U, Sony's PlayStation 4 virtually floated to the top by default. Half a decade into the platform's lifespan, the console boasts a respectable lineup of exclusives and unique features, but slim pickings were the name of the game throughout the hardware's infancy. God of War and Persona 5 are fantastic, but never forget that the console launched with Killzone: Shadow Fall and Knack.
Assuming VGchartz's data is accurate, the PlayStation 4 is the sixth top-selling console of all time, more than doubling the Xbox One's sold units. Clearly, customers have taken a liking to Sony's affordable PC. While some gleefully claim the PlayStation 4's dominance spells Microsoft's end as a legitimate competitor, Sony's platform is not beyond reproach. In fact, the console possesses a myriad of flaws meriting attention. Crucially, competition helps an industry grow. The console market is already monopolized by a small number of manufacturers; the last thing any gamer should desire is Microsoft or Sony's resignation. As Nintendo scratches an entirely different itch to its principal competitors, the Xbox One is the PlayStation 4's only true rival.
Along with financing multiple exclusives and allowing developers to do their own thing, Sony deserves credit for living up to the console's original promise. Nevertheless, the company could learn a thing or two from Microsoft!
Here are 15 glaring problems with the PS4 (and 10 that Xbox gamers can’t relate to)!
Game Over: Anti-Consumer Refund Policy
Steam’s refund policy should be embraced as an industry-wide standard. Permitting playtime does not exceed two hours, any game can be refunded with no questions asked. Presently, PlayStation Store purchases have a 14 day cooling down period, although this is immediately vetoed once the game is downloaded. Even if a customer has yet to actually launch the program, a refund would still be refused. Allowances are made for faulty titles.
This statement might come across as naive or overly optimistic, but sellers risk little by extending customers a “get out of jail” free card. Two hours is more than enough time to properly test a game’s mechanics but passes to quickly to achieve anything of real significance. Will certain people take advantage of such a policy? Sure, but these customers are the ones who currently purchase almost nothing.
Xbox Wins: Halo Vs. Killzone
PlayStation 4 exclusives are almost all colorless third-person action-adventure games revolving around a parent and child dynamic. Despite playing nothing like each other, God of War attracted comparisons to The Last of Us, with some even suggesting the console's exclusives are all basically the same. Now, in all fairness, the platform loves its third-person action; however, enough variety exists between the titles to separate them from the pack.
Killzone: Shadow Fall seems to have turned Sony against first-person shooters. Even if the quality was not always consistent, the seventh generation saw Sony publish multiple Killzone and Resistance titles, but the bubble burst after just one mediocre PlayStation 4 shooter. Halo 5: Guardians is no Halo 3, but 343 Industries' shooter is light years ahead of Killzone: Shadow Fall.
Game Over: Console Needs Cleaning? Void That Warranty!
Like any other piece of equipment, consoles are not immune to filth. The PlayStation 4’s fan automatically accumulates dust; after a certain point, any action induces the console to threaten to ascend to the heavens! God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn push the system to its absolute limit, but simply booting up the console should not be comparable to NASA launching a drone into the stratosphere!
At the bare minimum, a console should be cleaned once a year. The only way to open the PlayStation 4 is to access three screws hidden by stickers on the back of the device. Unfortunately, removing the stickers voids the warranty.
Xbox Wins: PS Now Vs. Game Pass
Sony struck first, but Microsoft dealt the triumphant blow! Along with a more enticing monthly fee, Xbox Game Pass is not held back by the PS Now's download limitations. As long as a game forms part of the service's lineup, users are free to install the program without exception.
Combined with Backward Compatibility, the Xbox One is a fantastic system for newcomers to Microsoft's brand. Even though not every Xbox 360 release is supported, most of the biggest names are compatible. A single payment of $9.99 provides access to the entire Gears of War, Halo, and Fable franchises. PS Now cannot compete.
Game Over: The Steam Effect
A common misconception is that home consoles attract more exclusives than the PC market. A quick glance through Steam's catalog instantly disproves this claim; however, quantity does not equate to quality. Sure, Steam boasts an insane amount of indie exclusives, but few rise above the level of asset flips. With the exception of the PC-centric MMORPGs and RTS genres, console exclusives tend to be worth far more than Steam's clutter. Valve Corporation may accept everything, but Sony has standards!
Recently, the PlayStation Store has experienced an influx of terrible ports that should have been left on mobiles or Steam. Tired of playing Insomniac's Spider-Man? Luckily, Sony knows the perfect palate cleansers! Horse Racing 2016 and Orc Slayer put to question the existence of any quality control.
Game Over: Ejected Disc Of Annoyance
Technological faults are inescapable. The Xbox 360's infamous "Red Ring" drew quite a lot of negative publicity, with Microsoft being sued for the hardware's preposterously high failure rate. While Sony managed to avoid a disaster of such an expensive degree, the PlayStation 3 and 4 are hardly impeccable machines beyond reproach.
Early adopters tend to bear the worst of it! The most rigorous of tests cannot compare to millions of people purchasing and utilizing a product daily. Typically, manufacturers address common complaints in a console's updated version. Sadly, those plagued with the problem are left with an inferior product! For example, the PlayStation 4 White has a bad habit of randomly ejecting the CD. Rather than fixing the issue, Sony's recommendations merely try to reduce its occurrence.
Xbox Wins: DualShock Vs. Xbox Controller
Personal preference and hand size dictates whether the DualShock is a serviceable product or ranks as Sony's crowning achievement of hardheadedness. Greatly profiting from a size bump, the PlayStation 4's variant is a stark improved over the controller's previous iterations; meanwhile, Microsoft has fine-tuned an accessory that approached perfection from the very beginning.
Along with various competitors, CronusMAX PLUS permits the Xbox One controller to be connected to the PlayStation 4, and vice-versa. While the DualShock 4 is not the worst device on the market, Sony's refusal to copy the Xbox controller's layout continues to be a knock against the company.
Game Over: A Minuscule HDD
Consoles are sold at a loss. Games are the true moneymakers, consequently, Sony willingly devalues the PlayStation 4 to facilitate for as many sold units as possible. Modern consoles might be glorified PCs, but the latter's sellers gain nothing from discounting their goods.
Compared to a gaming PC, a $400 console is affordable. Along with not costing an arm and a leg, the PlayStation 4 must also boast decent enough specs to run modern games at a solid frame rate. Maintaining an attractive price necessities concessions be done in other areas, with the storage space often drawing the short end of the stick! 500GB is nothing. The PlayStation 5 must launch with 2TB of space.
Game Over: A Store Catering To Nobody
The development of a viable digital market coincided with Sony and Microsoft establishing online stores to cater for gaming's drive away from physical products. Inaugurated in 2006, the PlayStation Network and Store’s unveiling coincided with the launch of the PlayStation 3. More than a decade later, Sony continues to be incapable of manufacturing an online interface that is even remotely acceptable.
If browsed via a computer, the PlayStation Store is serviceable; however, the console version is downright laughable. Along with demanding centuries to prime even the most elementary of pages, an astonishingly poor search function transforms the uncomplicated act of purchasing a product into a frustrating experience seemingly intended to discourage the spending of any actual cash!
Xbox Wins: Backward Compatibility
At best, PS Now is a mediocre substitute for Backward Compatibility; at worst, PS Now drops the ball in the area most likely to incentive users to test the service. Regardless of Microsoft’s many recent failings, the Xbox One’s continuously growing roster of supported games from the previous two generations cannot be criticized. Along with Game Pass, Backward Compatibility stands as a persuasive justification for purchasing the PlayStation 4’s primary competitor.
Right from its inception, the PlayStation 4 was set up to fail. Rather than sticking to a more conventional architecture, Sony opted to insert a Cell processor into the PlayStation 3, a choice that baffled developers seeking to produce multi-platform games. For the sequel, Sony switched to AMD for a more accessible solution; consequently, the PlayStation 4 cannot emulate seventh generation titles.
Game Over: Paying For Online
In hindsight, Sony should have charged for online access since the very beginning. Due to the PlayStation 3 allowing multiplayer features to be accessed without demanding customers reopen their wallets, the PlayStation 4’s decision to monetize the service felt like a slap to the face. At the very least, Microsoft had the decency to not pretend to be anything other than a soulless corporation seeking to squeeze every last cent from its consumer base.
Gating online play behind a paywall has become normalized during the current generation, which is a shame. Now, in all fairness, online service cost money to maintain, but there is just something icky about paying to access something that already belongs to you!
Xbox Wins: Watch Movies In 4K!
At the eighth generation's commencement, Blu-Ray was the definitive storage format for movies. Fitted to house hours of high-definition videos, home cinema attained an unprecedented level of detail. This was it! There was nowhere left for movies (or games) to go. The pinnacle had been reached.
In 2016, Ultra HD 4K Blu-Ray discs became a thing. When compared to a 3840 × 2160 resolution, 1080p quickly lost some of its shine. Apparently, humans are biologically equipped to observe even more pixels! Released during the same year, the PlayStation 4 Pro elected to stick to a normal Blu-Ray player. If it was not for the fact that the Xbox One S supports UHD movies, Sony's omission might have been forgivable.
Game Over: (PS Plus & PS Now) Fusion!
At long last, PlayStation Now subscribers can download PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 2 games directly to their hard drive, erasing the need to stream these titles. The PlayStation 3’s unique infrastructure discounts any chance of emulating seventh generation titles. Along with providing access to first-party titles on launch day, Microsoft’s Game Pass costs 50% less than Sony's equivalent.
For some reason, many assume PlayStation Now is a colossal failure, when that could not be further from the truth! The application’s success has more to do with the console’s popularity than the service’s reputation; nonetheless, PlayStation Now is unlikely to disappear anytime in the near future. Sony should consider combining both of its subscription services into one worthwhile deal. On its own, PlayStation Now struggles to justify a monthly commitment of $19.99.
Xbox Wins: FreeSync
Screen tearing occurs when a frame exceeds the display's refresh rate, causing two images to superimpose upon each other. Games employ counters to minimize this error's impact, with Verticle Sync being the most common. This task is accomplished by adjusting a game's frame rate to match the monitor's limitations. Basically, V-Sync artificially induces lag to reduce screen tearing.
Rather than punishing a game for outperforming its partner, FreeSync asks the latter to accommodate for the former's output. Along with lessening screen tearing, this technology does not impact performance. The Xbox One S and X support FreeSync, permitting they are linked to a compatible display.
Game Over: Underwhelming User Interface
To give credit where credit is due; Sony has significantly enhanced the PlayStation 4’s User Interface since the console’s launch. 2014’s 2.00 upgrade introduced custom themes for the home screen, while the following year’s update expanded upon the system’s limited social features. Approximately three years after the platform’s inauguration, players could belatedly add folders to their home screens to reduce the clutter of owning hundreds of untouched PlayStation Plus games.
Sony was not quite done! The next string of patches enhanced the Quick Menu, annexed the group system for a less intrusive alternative, and revised the parental control options! Five years after arriving on the scene, the PlayStation 4’s interface finally reached the point it should have been at launch!
Xbox Wins: Usernames
Towards the end of 2018, Sony confirmed testing had started on a new feature set to allow customers to alter their online IDs. Users have been asking for this option since the PlayStation 3's early days, and Sony only needed 12 years to convert this dream into reality.
While the first alteration is free of charge, every subsequent change costs $9.99. PlayStation Plus subscribers receive a 50% discount. Apparently, Sony elected to follow in Microsoft's footsteps, as the same restrictions are applied to the Xbox's Gamertags. When it comes to exploring every potential source of revenue, Microsft tends to lead the way.
Game Over: Touch-pad
Describing the touch-pad as useless might seem disingenuous, but the statement carries a degree of truth. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt adopts this feature as a shortcut to access the map, while games like Warframe chart gestures to the DualShock 4’s massive switch. The touch-pad is treated as an afterthought by most studios, which makes sense if dealing with third-party developers. Why waste energy highlighting a feature present on only one controller?
Sony’s first-party studios cannot be extended the same courtesy. Developers love to employ the touch-pad as a makeshift "start" button, undermining the feature's entire reason for being.
Game Over: Embrace The Modders!
Following a notoriously bumpy launch stemming from a less than stellar reveal ceremony that famously derailed the Xbox One’s momentum before the console could even amass a head of steam, Microsoft's recent consumer-friendly practices have helped ease the company back into the public's good graces. Sony caught quite a bit of flak for initially refusing to embrace cross-platform play, and this decision was hardly an isolated incident.
Along with saving Bethesda's bacon on numerous occasions, mods help extend a game's shelf-life. While PC gaming shall always remain the king of community created mods, home consoles have started to test the waters. When it comes to mods, Sony has proven to be considerably more reluctant than Microsoft.
Xbox Wins: EA Access
EA is the worst. That is a proven fact. Lacking in content and originally featuring a progression system centered around micro-transactions, Star Wars Battlefront II was the straw that broke the (greedy) camel's back. If certain recent leaks concerning Anthem's micro-transactions prove to be true, EA might be beyond redemption.
EA deserves every ounce of criticism flung its way; nevertheless, credit should be given when earned. Priced at an enticing $4.99 per month, EA Access is a strong contender for gaming's best subscription service. Along with PC, the service is available on the Xbox One, securing Microsoft's console as the definitive machine for cost-effective gaming.
Game Over: Once You Go SSD, There Is No Going Back!
Stragglers of a bygone era, Hard Disk Drives have served consumers admirably over the years, but it is time to retire this outdated piece of hardware. In 2017, Seagate announced the world's largest and fastest HDD, capable of storing up to 14TB of data and striking a rotation speed of 7200RPM. Costing a whopping $530, Seagate's top-tier product reaches a performance level that is somewhat comparable to your average Solid State Drive. To be fair, a 14TB SSD would cost more than a car.
On consoles, The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt's load times last for days, a minor flaw that stops seeming insignificant once a couple of game overs are encountered in a row. Manually installing the PlayStation 4 with an SSD can be done, but this upgrade needs to be the industry standard.
Game Over: Mobile Apps Extravaganza!
The PS App is a must own extension for PlayStation 4 owners. A superior writer could dedicate a poem to the application's countless benefits, but this one will simply promote the remote download feature. Stuck at work when a sudden craving for Fortnite hits like a ton of bricks? Permitting the console is on rest mode, downloading the software is merely a phone click away.
According to Wikipedia's always accurate data, Google and Apple's mobile stores hold seven and six PlayStation apps respectively. Give or take an application or two, that is approximately four downloads more than should be necessary.
Xbox One: Normal Vs. Fancy Switches
The Xbox One knew better than to mess with the Power or Eject buttons; or, to be more exact, Microsoft realized certain design choices cannot be improved upon no matter how hard they might try. Functionality should never be superseded by aesthetics. The PlayStation 4's front switches add nothing to the overall package; in fact, they primarily succeed in leaving people scratching their heads with confusion.
Why risk ruining something that works? Modern consoles can be switched on using a brand's respective controller, but decades of conditioning inadvertently causes many to reach for the Power button. A prominent circle trounces a slim wedge of plastic!
Game Over: Held Back By Reality
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission marked the point PS VR progressed from an interesting but unnecessary accessory to a worthwhile extension to Sony's main platform. Virtual Reality has taken numerous giant strides forward during the current generation, but the technology is still in its infancy. There is nothing embarrassing about the system's shortcomings, as every young industry hits a roadblock or two.
Slapped with a friendlier price than the Oculus Rift, the PS VR serves as an entry-level system for those wishing to sample gaming's potential future. As games must run on the original model, the PlayStation 4 bottlenecks the PS VR's capabilities. The console is simply too weak to sustain a really extensive campaign.
Xbox Wins: Battery-powered Controller
Disposable or rechargeable batteries, which should be the norm? Fortunately, Microsoft and Sony decided to back opposing horses, providing a decent sample size to determine the superior format. After careful consideration of all the accessible data concerning the DualShock 4 and Xbox One controller, including a thorough analysis of each model's positives and negatives, we have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a correct answer.
Permitting the batteries never stop flowing, the Xbox One controller could realistically last endlessly without requiring a wired connection. For those who prefer to avoid purchasing new batteries, the Play & Charge Kit bypasses this annoyance. The DualShock 4's options are slightly more limited.
Game Over: Complacency Breeds Arrogance
Despite announcing Resident Evil 2's remake and expanding upon a couple of highly anticipated titles, Sony’s 2018 E3 conference was held back by a confusing structure that derailed the segment's pacing. With the Xbox One failing to put up much of a fight, the PlayStation 4 has stood at the top of the charts for the majority of the last decade. Such an overwhelming amount of success often leads to complacency.
Now, in all fairness, fantastic games have continued to land on the PlayStation 4 without missing a beat. Nobody is trying to take that away from Sony, but some of the company's recent choices have been rather anti-consumer.