The war of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series consoles is brewing

Kratos versus Master Chief, it's back to the console war with the release of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X / S -

• Next gen consoles are coming out next week, with Microsoft's Xbox Series X / S on November 10, and Sony's Playstation 5 on November 19.

• The two groups have bet on the same hardware strategy, with two versions of consoles for two types of uses and budgets.

• If they race for power, the machines are also distinguished by their design.

Ah “the console war”.

For children of the 1990s, this simple evocation awakens memories of the Sega Megadrive versus Super Nintendo match.

And if the forces involved have changed, with each generation of consoles, this “war” has been replayed for several years between Sony and Microsoft - with Nintendo as arbiter.

New pitched battle from November 10 with the releases of the Xbox Series X / S then the PlayStation 5, and well-thought-out positioning in terms of price, technical characteristics and catalog of exclusive games.

Xbox Series on November 10, then PS5 on November 19

With its new home console and associated range of services, Microsoft hopes to take revenge on Sony, which has sold twice as many PS4s as the US group's Xbox One since their respective launches in 2013. It was the first to unveil the new Xbox Series X / S in early September, and will be the first to release them next Tuesday, November 10.

Sony will put on sale the different versions of its PS5 in two successive waves: November 12 in Australia, North America, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and Mexico;

November 19 in the rest of the world and therefore in France.

The success of pre-orders already augurs a record launch: the Japanese group expects by the end of March 2021 on 7.6 million copies sold, more than the PS4 in its first year.

Two versions for two types of uses and budgets

Microsoft and Sony have chosen the same hardware strategy, with two versions of machines to cover two types of uses and budgets.

Sony will offer a "premium" model which will cost 499 euros while a "Digital Edition", without player and intended for games hosted online, will be sold for 399 euros.

Microsoft positions its “premium” version at the same price as its Japanese competitor but is more aggressive on its digital version, the Xbox Series S, with a price of 299 euros.

“Sony, on the entry level, allows itself to have a price above Microsoft.

He is the market leader, he can afford it, underlines Laurent Michaud, specialist analyst in the video game industry, to AFP.

It would have been interesting for Microsoft to push the pricing strategy so as to be a little below the high end.

"

The spaceship or the black monolith?

On the design, the manufacturers have opted for two different approaches.

With its imposing dimensions (390 mm wide, 260 long, 4.5 kilos), a light blue lighting and a white body with V-shaped curves, the PS5 abandons the solid color of the old models to adopt a new futuristic look .

And imposing.

The controller has seen its historic design greatly modified, for more “DualShock” sensations.

Xbox has remained more sober and more classic with a monolithic black aesthetic, close to a PC, with a very discreet logo, and a controller faithful to the old generation.

"The Xbox is the fastest and most powerful console ever designed", announces Microsoft on its site with in large letters and numbers to support, the impressive technical characteristics of its console.

With a power of 12 teraflops, against 10.3 for the PS5, the Xbox Series X offers greater computing capacity than its competitor, even if in other areas, especially in terms of display quality, the two consoles are playing. equal.

“Is power really the issue?

"

Besides, “is power really the issue?

“Asks Laurent Michaud.

“The more you widen the player base, the less power is a criterion.

Kids don't care about the power when playing Fortnite, what matters is the gaming experience ”.

Nintendo agrees with this message.

In terms of games and line-up, it's a little always the same song, the headlines announced and expected (

for PS5,

for Xbox) will not be available for release.

Still, the games will be able to play

on

or

on XBox Series, not to mention cross-platform games (

).

Also note that the compatibility of games from older consoles will be more limited for Sony than for Xbox.

Only PS4 games will work on PS5, while all games released from the first Xbox console will be compatible with the new console.

You only have a few days left to decide, then team PS5 or team Xbox (or team "I take both, I am a phew").

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