The other day I was speaking with a rep about our upcoming coverage plans and they informed me how excited they are for and cannot wait for 11/15/2013 to arrive and lunch the Playstation 4.
The anticipation has reached an intense level and many of them like the gaming public just want the system to be released already and get down to the business of gaming.
Months of speculation, rumors, and questions will be answered in just a few short weeks and fans will hopefully be able to put aside much of the animosity and bitterness that has surrounded the pending launch of the Playstation 4 and Xbox One to focus on what really matters, gaming.
Retail outlets around the country have begun to display the packaging for both systems and we recently \ran a series of pictures on both system displays. Oddly the debate for once was not about the abilities of the machines but of who had the more interesting and compelling package as that is what is going to attract the more casual buyer in the opinions of some.
So as the two racers sprint to the finish line, I am reminded of two boxers who have slugged it out for a winner take all prize match.
Sony had the benefit of good p.r. right off the bat and has had a fairly calm and enjoyable journey from announcement to launch. They have touted the price, hardware, and games and had a very positive response from the gaming community.
As such, they are confidant that the heavy lifting is done and need to just hold on until launch and then look toward the next steps based on sales and public reaction.
Microsoft on the other hand endured probably the most brutal and mistake filled launch of any hardware in recent memory and scathing criticism for months. They finally saw the error of their plans and started to remove or fix many of the issues that fans complained bitterly about and have been rewarded with an increase in pre-orders and a much more optimistic response from the gaming community.
They are like the fighter who was fighting a losing and uphill battle who all of a sudden got a second wind and thinks they have a punchers chance to pull it out at the last minute.
Not content to sit this one out, Nintendo has lowered the price of the Wii U system just in time for the holidays and tout their upcoming games and lower price as a reason for people to get their system. In many ways, they are the consolation prize. I say this not to be cruel but they are the alternate fight when you cannot get a title shot with the contenders.
You take the match hoping you really could have had one of the two other options but will do the best you can with it and bide your time while you wait for your chance with one of the big boys.
The gloves are off and Sony has shown from their E3 presentation onward that they are going to be aggressive and not passive with the Playstation 4. This is not going to be a system where they say here it is, enjoy. They have and likely will keep swinging all the way to show why they believe they have the superior system and why you need to buy it.
Microsoft has seemingly gone into a mode of the less we say the better as they do not want to make a blunder at this stage of the game. They have done a remarkable job of changing the waves of public opinion about their system. While I and many others we spoke to are still taking a wait and see approach to the system to see if Microsoft will keep it’s promises and how well the system functions, the increase in pre-orders has to be encouraging.
So the under cards are over and its time for the main event. Que, Michael Buffer, Sony, Microsoft. Lets get Ready to Rumble.
