5 Reasons to Buy a PS4 Over an Xbox One

First and Third-Party Exclusives

These days the number one reason to go with a PlayStation system is the exclusives, of which there’s quite an array on the PS4. Sony did a bang up job last year with exclusives like Gravity Rush 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, Crash Bandicoot N’Sane Trilogy, and Gran Turismo Sport. However, it’s not just first-party titles that add value to the system. Tons of third-party developers are bringing big exclusives to the system like Persona 5, NieR: Automata, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, and a bunch more.

There’s a seriously huge backlog of exclusive titles from past years, of all types of genres, from Bloodborne to Uncharted 4. There really is something for everyone, that can only be found on PS4. As if the extensive catalog isn’t enough, Sony has even more on the way in 2018. Starting with Shadow of the Colossus, the year will also see the release of big titles like God of War, Spider-Man, Concrete Genie, and Detroit: Become Human.

PSVR

At the moment, the PS4 is the only home console that supports Virtual Reality, and it’s a surprisingly robust experience. PSVR may not quite have the power of something like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, but as a reduced cost VR experience it certainly isn’t a slouch.

All you need for PSVR is a base PS4, no PS4 Pro required, although you will, of course, need to buy the headset. Many games run surprisingly well on the headset, like Farpoint and Rigs. You can play PSVR with just a DualShock 4, or for a more immersive experience, you can use a couple of Move controllers as well. There’re quite a few good exclusive games on PSVR that cover a wide array of genres, everything from fishing with Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV to physiological horror with The Inpatient. Picking up a PSVR headset may cost you a pretty penny extra, but it certainly adds unique value to your PS4.

PlayStation Plus and Playing With Friends

Just like Xbox Live, PS4 players will need to pay for PlayStation Plus in order to play games online. A big motivator for many people is the ability to play games online with their friends, and since the PS4 is currently the best-selling console it’s highly likely that you’ll know at least a couple people that have one. Because of this there may just be more incentive for you to get a PS4 flat out, if all your friends have one as well.

PS Plus similarly to Xbox Games With Gold provides more value to your system by granting free games every month. In terms of price, the two services are pretty similar, with PS Plus costing $9.99 a month and having deals for three months and a year as well, and Xbox Live coming in also at $9.99 with the same deals.  In terms of the free games offered, if you find yourself gravitating to PlayStation exclusive, then PS Plus might give you even more bang for your buck.

There’s a fair mix of smaller titles and big AAA games, with some Sony exclusive thrown into the mix every few months. Of course, there’s usually nothing on the cusp of being brand new, with the exception being the launch of Rocket League in 2015. For example, February 2018 gives players the PS4 launch exclusive Knack, along with 2017 indie title, Rime. The past few months have also given players Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Batman: The Telltale Series, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition, and much more. Keep in mind too, that once you download any PS Plus games they’re yours to keep as long as you keep your subscription rolling.

Trophies – A Better Achievement System

Xbox certainly started the whole collectible craze with its Achievements, but Sony responded in turn with its own system known as trophies. While the two systems largely function the same, they’re a bit different in execution. Trophies have three different levels of Bronze, Silver, and Gold that all contribute to an overall raking. Players having a trophy level gives a little more definition to the reward than just an overall Gamerscore, and there’s also the aspect of Platinum Trophies.

Reward seekers always loving getting that Platinum Trophy as a badge of honor for really having mastered a game. It provides a neat little incentive for collecting all of a game’s trophies, and can easily extend your playtime for any given title. The same can be said for getting all achievements, of course, but the addition of that Platinum Trophy really does make it all the sweeter. 

PlayStation Vue

PlayStation Vue may not be the number one reason for picking up a PS4, but if you’re looking to pick up a system and cut out your cable bill at the same time, it may be a good option for you. Vue is a monthly subscription service that gives you access to live TV, movies, news, sports, and more in one package. It allows you to stream on up to five devices at any given time, meaning you can share it between your systems, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be a PlayStation system.

The really good news about PlayStation Vue is that it doesn’t require any kind of annual contract. This means that you can cancel your plan or switch to a new one on any given month. This provides a big incentive to at least trying out the service and seeing if it can take the place of your cable bill, making the PS4 an all-around entertainment machine for more than just games.