PS5 Slim proti Xbox Series X (Zasluge za sliko: Windows osrednji )
Pravni spopad med Microsoftom in Zvezno komisijo za trgovino glede predlaganega nakupa Activision Blizzard je navdušencem industrije predstavil osupljive informacije, ki sicer ne bi nikoli ugledale luči sveta. Iz ekskluzivne ureditve prihajajoči Indiana Jones igra glede na to, kako Xbox dojema njegov položaj v konzolnih vojnah, so se v zadnjih nekaj tednih na občinstvo vsuli sočni naslovi. Posebno zanimiva trditev Microsoftovega odvetnika celo nakazuje, da bo PlayStation leta 5 izdal PS2023 Slim.
Z govoricami o 'PS5 Pro', ki krožijo več mesecev, in nedavnimi Microsoftovimi komentarji o slimu PS5, se je igralska skupnost prijela za idejo, da bi Sony v naslednjih 12 mesecih poslal iterativno strojno opremo. Medtem ko je običajno videti, da se osvežitve konzol pošiljajo nekaj let po lansiranju modelov, sta Xbox in PlayStation v zgodovinsko nekonvencionalnih potezah začela najnovejšo generacijo konzol z več SKU-ji. Poleg tega so gospodarski izzivi prisilili Xbox in PlayStation, da sta dvignila cene konzol v več regijah.
As it stands, the existence of a PS5 Slim lives somewhere between speculation and predictable probability. It wouldn’t be surprising to see PlayStation launch a digital-only PS5 Slim for $399. However, Microsoft’s answer to this expected methodology is less straightforward. Xbox’s innovative approach of offering two distinct consoles sets the company in a capricious situation. How exactly will Xbox handle ‘Pro’ and ‘Slim’ variants of the Xbox Series X | S? In ali jih sploh zanimajo kratkoročne osvežitve konzole? No, tukaj je veliko za razpakirati.
Bo PS5 Slim predstavljen leta 2023?
Preden se poglobimo v Microsoftov hipotetični odziv na hipotetično konzolno konkurenco, bi morali secirati verjetnost, da bo PlayStation leta 5 izdal PS2023 Slim. Trenutno je najbolj verodostojen vir, ki obkroža obstoj okrnjene konzole PS5, ironično, Microsoft. Kot smo navedli, a Microsoftov odvetnik je orisal da bo Sony poslal PS5 Slim za 400 $ pred koncem leta 2023 v dokumentih, vloženih pri FTC kot del predhodnega zaslišanja o prepovedi. Predvsem Microsoft ne razkriva nobenih posebnih podrobnosti o tem, od kod izvirajo te informacije.
Malo verjetno je, da bi podjetje s sredstvi Microsofta mimogrede predstavilo takšne trditve v uradni pravni dokumentaciji. Kljub temu so lahko ti dogodki za PS5 Slim zgolj strokovne špekulacije, ki temeljijo na notranji komunikaciji, govoricah ali vpogledih v industrijo. PlayStation je že razkril svoje načrte za izdajo dlančnika Project Q nekje leta 2023 in poslal PS VR2 v začetku tega leta. Čeprav ni nemogoče, je zamisel, da kateri koli nosilec platforme lansira tri nove SKU igralne strojne opreme v enem letu, izjemno ambiciozna.
Če ne bi upoštevali logističnih zapletov izvajanja takšne strategije, bi bila PlayStation pripravljena na izjemno donosno praznično sezono s PS5, PS5 Slim, PlayStation Project Q in PS VR2 na policah trgovin. Še vedno je treba videti, ali lahko Sony izpolni te visoke nepredvidene obveznosti in delničarjem ponudi sanjski maloprodajni scenarij, toda PlayStation, ki bo lansiral PS5 Slim v razmeroma bližnji prihodnosti, se ne zdi pretirano.
Kako bodo videti nadgradnje konzole Xbox Series X|S?
Microsoft entered uncharted territory with the release of the Xbox Series X|S. This was the first time in console gaming that a company opted to target and ship two uniquely spec’d machines. Due to this clever and aggressive tactic, Phil Spencer confidently stated, “We won’t be beaten on price or power” at the start of this generation. Despite debates over comparative performance with specific games on Xbox Series X vs. PS5, Microsoft has largely succeeded in this regard. However, when we start factoring in potential releases of a PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro, this messaging from Xbox becomes less guaranteed.
Ko je Xbox razkril Xbox Series X|S in njihovo osveženo poimenovanje, sem takoj potegnil vzporednice s strojno opremo mobilnega telefona. Podobno kot linija Samsung Galaxy, Serija S in Serija X zdelo se je pripravljeno za ponovitev. Združite to z uvedbo Xbox popoln dostop, ki igralcem dobavlja Xbox Series X ali Xbox Series S in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate za nizko mesečno naročnino, razdeljeno na 24 mesecev, in podobnosti so bile boleče očitne.
Initially, I envisioned Xbox mirroring cell phone hardware manufacturers and rolling out X2 and S2 variants of its two console SKUs every few years. Unfortunately for Xbox fans who enjoy regularly shelling out hundreds of dollars on shiny new machines, it doesn’t exactly sound like that’s Microsoft’s current strategy. We are approaching year three of the current hardware generation, and according to recent statements from Phil Spencer to Bloomberg, Xbox is “pretty set on the hardware [they] have.”
Despite the updated comments from Phil Spencer and the ever-growing inflation problem, I can’t imagine Xbox allowing PlayStation to claim the power crown with the PS5 Pro definitively. Yet, PlayStation finds itself in an advantageous position with developers. Xbox already has teams targeting two consoles (or more if we factor in Xbox One, Xbox One X, etc.), while PlayStation focused exclusively on the PS5. Sony is now in a position where the standard PS5 could be presented as the budget console, and the theoretical PS5 Pro could land as the company’s premium gaming device.
When it comes to console mindshare and market share, this isn’t an ideal scenario for Xbox. For Microsoft to successfully iterate on the Xbox Series X|S, the team must ask developers to ship games on even more devices. Considering the complications, delays, and lengthy development times facing the games industry, this will surely cause friction with development partners. Microsoft would need to revolutionize devkit optimization and enable seamless transitions to appease such demands.
From the player’s perspective, Xbox has flexed its power and technical prowess since the launch of the Xbox One X in 2017, which was marketed as “the world’s most powerful console.” The Xbox Series X was also framed as a beastly gaming device with 12 Teraflops of GPU performance, more than double that of the Xbox One X. Passionate Xbox fans want and expect the best possible console output from the premiere Xbox Series X. This amplifies Microsoft’s pressure to deliver hardware that meets or exceeds these expectations consistently.
Given the complexities of designing, developing for, and shipping new console hardware, the prospects of Microsoft simultaneously refreshing the Xbox Series X|S aren’t wildly promising. That being said, there are strategic opportunities for Xbox to introduce enhanced Xbox consoles. A lower-priced digital-only Xbox Series X is an appropriate answer to PlayStation’s rumored PS5 Slim. And if Microsoft could match the suggested $400 price point, this would lower the barrier to entry for would-be Xbox players interested in higher-resolution gaming.
Ultimately, if PlayStation commits to a PS5 Pro, Xbox will be muscled into responding. Technical analysis from outlets like Digital Foundry frequently demonstrates the ‘underpowered’ PS5 outperforming the Xbox Series X. As we witnessed the Xbox One vs. PS4, players often gravitate towards the hardware providing a superior experience. Xbox can maintain the value proposition of the ecosystem with the Xbox Series S and Xbox Game Pass, but if the rumors are to be believed, Xbox might need to battle to preserve power preeminence.
What’s the right call for Xbox?
Konzole niso več edini fokus za Xbox. V zadnjih letih je Microsoft pozicioniral Cloud Gaming, Xbox Game Pass, in računalniške igre kot enako pomembna stebra celotnega igralniškega poslovanja. Pogani konzole, kot sem jaz, so vloženi v možnosti Xboxa za inovacije in izboljšanje tradicionalne strojne opreme. Na žalost, ker se videoigre še naprej širijo izven vsake posamezne škatle, je utemeljitev, da Microsoft vlaga predvsem v igranje konzol, verjetno zapleten pogovor.
Kljub pomanjkanju čipov, dvigom cen konzol in odmevnim zamudam pri video igrah verjamem, da bosta Xbox in PlayStation lansirala posodobljeno strojno opremo konzole v naslednjih 12-24 mesecih. Upajmo, da povečana konkurenca v panogi spodbuja te poslovne tekmece, da se potegujejo za naš denar z izdelavo najbolj vznemirljivih igralnih konzol doslej. Če imate napovedi o tem, kako se bosta Xbox in PlayStation lotila osvežitev konzole srednje generacije, jih ne pozabite zapisati v komentarjih.
