Xbox One and PlayStation 4 deliver next-generation gaming and more

The next generation of video gaming is here. Nintendo’s Wii U came out last fall, Sony’s PlayStation 4 just became available, and Microsoft’s Xbox One is about to be released.

The sleek new boxes are far more powerful than their predecessors, but in terms of hardware specifications, there is little to distinguish the PS4 from the Xbox One. They both have 500-gigabyte hard drives, eight gigabytes of memory, and similar processors. Both are equipped with Blu-ray drives and come with headsets and HDMI cables. Where they differ is what you’ll do with them.

The PS4, priced at $399.99, comes with a redesigned DualShock 4 controller that has a touchpad. Also included is a $10 voucher for the PlayStation Network and a free month with the Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited streaming-media services. A PlayStation Camera peripheral that enables facial recognition and motion sensing is a $59.99 add-on. Extra controllers cost $59.99 each.

There were at least 23 games ready for the PS4’s launch on November 15, including key exclusives Killzone: Shadow Fall, a first-person shooter, and Knack, a quirky action-platformer. A number of indie games were also on the launch list, such as Warframe, Blacklight: Retribution, and PS4 versions of Flower and Sound Shapes. Contrast and Resogun will be available free to members of Sony’s PS+ service, which has an annual cost of $50.

A new PlayStation app for Android and iOS devices enables second-screen functionality, and gamers can use Remote Play to turn their PS Vita handheld into a portable screen and controller for many PS4 games. Users will also be able to quickly and easily share videos to Facebook and screenshots to Facebook and Twitter.

PlayStation Canada’s Matt Levitan said that Sony has shipped five times as many PS4s as any other console the company has launched. The problem is that as much as 85 percent of those machines were pre-ordered. “There are not a lot of units available if you don’t already have money down,” Levitan told the Georgia Straight at a press event in New York City.

There will be new shipments every month between now and March, Levitan added, but he expects demand will be strong. “Interest levels are much higher than anything we’ve ever seen.” Levitan laughed at the notion that Sony is short-shipping to create an artificial demand for the PS4. “We’re not about to leave money on the table,” he said.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox One, priced at $499.99, becomes available this Friday (November 22). Microsoft Canada spokesperson Craig Flannagan told the Straight that his company has never before produced so many consoles for a launch, and that pre-sales of the Xbox One were double what they were for the Xbox 360.

At a Toronto media event, Flannagan said that while “the momentum of pre-sales has been incredible”, he expects the new hardware to be available in stores right through the holiday buying season.

Xbox One comes with a new controller—available for $59.99 on its own—and an updated version of Kinect, the motion- and voice-sensing peripheral. One of the best games available for Xbox One at launch, Zoo Tycoon, uses the Kinect to turn players into the controller. It’s a kid- and family-friendly game that lets players create their own zoo and interact with virtual creatures such as chimps, elephants, and giraffes.

There are a total of 22 games that are available for the Xbox One this Friday. They include Crimson Dragon, a visual feast in which players fly fire-breathing dragons; Killer Instinct, a head-to-head fighting game that rewards combo attacks; and Forza Motorsport 5, the latest edition of the car-racing sim. But the two key titles for the Xbox One are Ryse, an action-adventure which puts players in the role of a Roman general, and Dead Rising 3, the zombie survival game which for the first time takes place in an open world. Dead Rising 3 was developed at Capcom Vancouver.

In addition to the games, Xbox One wants to become the interface for your home television viewing. The Xbox One is fully voice activated, and it’s also able to recognize different family members, and can instantly switch from the personalized home screens of any member. Some features, such as multiplayer gaming and Skype, are only available to “gold” members of Microsoft’s Xbox Live service, which costs $60 a year.

While they might be similar consoles, the PS4 and Xbox One experiences are quite different. The PS4 was made for gamers first, despite also being a general entertainment device. Microsoft’s Xbox One, on the other hand, is the box parents will be more comfortable using when their kids aren’t looking.