We're currently well into the opening lap of the renewed console battle between Sony and Microsoft, and with the latter having stepped out and claimed a haul of 3 million Xbox One units pushed before the turn of the new year, its Japanese adversary has well and truly trumped it with the revelation that 4.2 million units were sold as of December 28th.
Keeping up with the latest game technology sure isn't a cheap proposition. You go out, possibly lining up to get your hands on the latest and greatest gaming machine that money can buy - we'll let you argue over which one that is! - and then you're faced with the question of what software to get for that machine. The problem is that you've spent so much on that shiny new box of tricks that you want to be sure, really sure that you're choosing the right games. Especially when they're as expensive as the current generation of games seem to be.
Sony and Microsoft have both attempted to continue the console roller-coaster by issuing separate statements about their hardware. The individual statements both take the opportunity to reflect on the sales and successes of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One during the first calendar month of availability. As you might expect, neither company is initially prepared to accept that they are playing catch-up with the other, and as a result have opted to put their own individual slant on November's sales figures with the intention of claiming an early victory.
Fans of the work of Bungie, the people behind the Halo series of games, has announced that it expects to begin offering its new game for sale soon. Destiny will be available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS4 and looks set to be quite the experience.
Sony was keen to let the world know that the North American debut of the PlayStation 4 ended with record breaking results. With just north of one million units sold in the North American region in the first 24-hours alone, it was evident that Sony's next-gen console had captured the imagination of users. In the time that has followed, the PS4 has become available in a total of thirty-two different countries, with Sony officially announcing that more than 2.1 million consoles shipped during the month of November.
Sony's PlayStation 4 may have launched a week sooner than the Xbox One in the United States, but here in the UK, the opposite was true, with the Sony blockbuster arriving a week behind the Redmond company's effort. While early pre-order figures seemed to swing in Microsoft's favor - particularly after it sorted out those issues with regional locking, the playability of used games, and so on - the PS4 has, in its first 48 hours on sale, emerged as the fastest-selling console of all time in the UK. Considering that Sony has some ground to make up after losing out in the previous-gen console war, this is hugely indicative that the tables - and Sony's fortunes - could finally be turning.
Although the PlayStation 4 might have released a week earlier than its Microsoft-made rival in the United States, the opposite is true in the UK, where tonight, avid gamers will begin queuing for Sony's latest and greatest console. But while Microsoft has indicated that the Xbox One is built to last and should see out the next ten or so years, Sony's UK boss has suggested that the PS4 mightn't even manage the lifespan of its predecessor, the PS3, which released some seven years ago.
If you're lucky enough to be able to pick up both a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One this holiday season then there's one party trick that is sure to have your friends green with envy, and if we're honest you can probably put us in that bracket too.
You may not have ever heard of Seattle based Teague. You may not be familiar with how they do business or even the list of famous clients that they've worked with, but trust us when we say you are more than familiar with the work that they produce. The Teague design consultancy is responsible for the design of the original Xbox console that launched over a decade ago and has acted as the platform for the development of the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One. As we approach the official release of Microsoft's latest gaming system, Teague has used their console design experience to give their professional opinions on the aesthetics of the One's biggest rival - the Sony PlayStation 4.
Sony's PlayStation 4 finally released last Friday, and since, early adopters have been getting to grips with the market's first next-gen console. The Xbox One is incoming, and whilst some remain on the fence regarding which to go out and purchase, one of the key advantages the PS4 has - save being more powerful and already available - is the fact that costs $100 less than its forthcoming adversary. A teardown of the PlayStation 4 suggests, however, that Sony is making very little - if any - money on the new console, with research firm IHS estimating that it costs $381 to build.
