Different Release Schedules
Perhaps one of the most interesting ways that the console war has recently become obsolete is the different release schedules the ‘big three’ have adopted. With iterative consoles now becoming a thing in the form of the PS4 Pro and Microsoft’s Project Scorpio, players no longer have to choose between two or maybe three great-looking consoles releasing at the same time. With the Nintendo Switch, PS4 Pro, and Scorpio all releasing months apart from one another, some players may even be able to pick up all three.
It also indicates almost a lack of direct competition between the three manufacturers. They each bring their great exclusives and hardware strengths to the table, and hone in on them. Nintendo’s Switch brings console gaming to the portable market and has a bunch of stellar first-party franchises, while Sony continues to be on the brink of new and exciting ways to play with PlayStation VR and its Gaikai streaming in PlayStation Now. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform has brought the Xbox One and PC closer together than ever before with the Play Anywhere initiative, and we can’t wait to see how this foundation is developed upon further in the future.
In short, there’s no need for the three companies to compete with one another because in a way, they’re all following their own visions for the future.