Playstation Network vs. Xbox Live: Is the PS4 or Xbox One Best for Online Gaming?
It was not very long ago when online gaming was a laggy, less enjoyable experience. Nowadays, however, the next generation consoles have made significant improvements for online gamers but the question still remains: Which game console won this war?
At this point it is still far too difficult to pinpoint which online experience is better, but the Playstation Network and Xbox Live now dominates the gaming landscape so much that playing offline is becoming a rare occurrence for most gamers. MTV.com reviewed both entertainment platforms to determine which one presents the superior online gaming experience, but, as expected, neither stood out as being way better than the other.
"The Playstation Network has made great strides in the last couple of years," Clint A. Mize said about Playstation in his review for MTV. "Initially kind of a mess with stability issues, Sony introduced PS Plus, a subscription service that granted extra perks like free and discounted downloadable titles. Unfortunately the PS4 requires Plus for multiplayer, but it's a small price to pay for connectivity; and Sony promises to continue their monthly discounts and freebies moving forward."
Shifting gears, Mize also talked about the evolution of Xbox Live over the years.
"Xbox Live entered its tenth anniversary last year and continues to be a conduit into everything from online fragfests to high speed chases," he said. "Also a paid service, Microsoft is stepping up to offer more with free and discounted DLC to match Sony."
In the end, both Microsoft and Sony anticipated a big change for online gaming and they planned accordingly. Both companies took advantage of the huge opportunity and now neither one has the advantage. Could we expect either console to introduce special add-ons or apps to help get an edge in the future? Most likely. But for now, both are at the top.
"The PS3 used to suffer from spotty service, but has become much better over time. While the Xbox continues to keep online stability, matching Sony's Plus service will be a boon to gamers. Basically, the two services are nearly identical now," Mize concluded.