PlayStation 4 Versus Xbox One: This Is What The First Year Of The War Looks Like

PS4 Takes The Early Lead, But Xbox One Has A Few Cards Of Its Own

As consoles become more readily available through January and February, the PlayStation 4’s price advantage will take center stage. The PlayStation 3 fared poorly against the Xbox 360 out of the gate because it was between $100-$200 pricier. Many early adopters justified the expense because it was one of the first Blu-ray players available on the market and far more powerful than any of the standalone devices, but Microsoft’s Kinect doesn’t have quite that pull.

Or does it? Like Wii’s motion controls, word of mouth can be a very powerful thing and being able to talk directly to the Xbox via Kinect and quickly switch between apps with Windows 8-style multitasking might be a leg up. Even if only one fitness game lands this holiday, it might be enough to prove the camera is worth the extra $100 when it’s also far more capable than the original camera.

Further still, Microsoft’s deal to keep DLC locked up as a timed exclusive for Call of Duty: Ghosts – the latest iteration of console gaming’s most popular franchise – may also keep multiplayer gamers on Xbox Live as well, especially since Sony has increased the barrier for entry to PS4 online gaming with a monthly (or annual) fee via PlayStation Plus.

But what about E3?