In the 21st century the video game wars are just as cutthroat and brutal as the soda wars of the 1980s and 1990s were. Companies like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are dumping billions of dollars into advertising for their platforms in the hopes of gaining market share in this highly lucrative industry. Each of the platforms offers different benefits to the end user, and not all of them are suitable for every gamer. If you are in the market to purchase one of the new next-gen platforms for Christmas, there are some things that you should consider.
Wii U
Nintendo was once the king of the video game empire and it reigned without question for well over a decade and a half. With the release of the original Playstation, Nintendo took a secondary role in video game development, but they have been on the rise since the release of the first Wii. The Wii U is the next step in Nintendo’s development, and it has been a huge hit with millions of gamers around the world. The ease of use and the cartoonish graphics make the Wii U appealing to casual gamers and people who are not in to the most cutting edge game designs. The friendly faces of Mario, Luigi and company make the Wii U the most sought after console for a huge number of players. If you have younger children, or you want something for the grandkids to play on at your home, the Wii U is a great choice.
Xbox One
Microsoft’s Xbox consoles have been rapidly gaining market share since its inception, and there is no reason to believe the Xbox One will not do as well as its predecessors. The Xbox One has one of the most advanced CPUs and graphics processors ever seen outside of PC gaming, and the realistic look of the characters on the Xbox One make it very appealing to hardcore gamers. A number of Xbox only releases, like Halo and Fable, turn the Xbox One into a must have for people who love shooters or role playing games. The Xbox One will be the most expensive of the new consoles and there are some concerns about the Kinect features that have been included with the system, but Microsoft has been trying to address those issues since the announcement of the new platform. The popularity of the Xbox 360 would indicate that the Xbox One is the frontrunner for the next generation of consoles, and it is a good bet that the children in your family would have a lot of fun with the exclusive content on the Xbox One.
Playstation 4 (PS4)
Once the undisputed champion of the console wars, Sony has fallen on hard times since the release of the Xbox 360. The PS3 was not as popular as expected, but the newer PS4 is projected to break all kinds of sales records. Even more powerful than the Xbox One and without the privacy concerns and worries about DRM preventing the use of used games, the PS4 has a good chance of winning this round of the console wars. Sony is unleashing some new exclusives, like The Order: 1886 and Killzone: Shadowfall, which take full advantage of the updated graphics and processing power of the system. What users will also find appealing is that many of the online features are not gated behind a pay wall, so they can enjoy their games online, unlike Xbox users who must pay for Xbox Live services. The PS4 will be a great choice if you are buying for older children or hardcore gamers.
The video game industry is constantly evolving, and each generations of consoles brings new challenges and better technology. Because of the cost of the newest consoles, getting the right one is essential. Make sure you know what kind of games your kids play and what kind of system they are the most excited about before making a console purchase.
The newest consoles from Sony and Microsoft are being released for Christmas 2013, but their high price tag might make them out of reach without some kind of assistance. A short-term cash loan from a place like http://www.loanrangercash.com.au/ can bridge the gap and help you get the console your family really wants.
