Peter Crump
Now just days away from the releases of the Xbox One and the PS4, Microsoft and Sony fans are already lining up to defend their respective console of choice tooth and nail. Despite ardent support for each console, the Xbox One and the PS4 both have generally equal capabilities, with the latter having a slight advantage in terms of performance, as we reported in an article a few weeks earlier. However, recent reports suggest that the PS4 may also be easier to develop games on than the Xbox One, perhaps incentivizing companies to develop coveted exclusive titles for the PS4 over the Xbox One. In turn, this may sway consumer support from Microsoft over to Sony.
According to Geek.com, previews for the upcoming and highly anticipated “Call of Duty: Ghosts” have all been demoed on the PS4, not the Xbox One. This is an odd move in itself, especially given the history between Microsoft and the “CoD” franchise; for example, the right for the Xbox 360 to have “exclusive content” of past “CoD” games before any other console, according to IGN. Typically, developers will demo video games using the best version available; allegedly, that’s when “CoD: Ghosts” is running on the PS4, not the Xbox One.
So what’s the difference? Sony has repeatedly touted that “CoD: Ghosts” runs a slick native 1080p resolution on the PS4. However, Microsoft recently confirmed that the game only runs at a native 720p on the Xbox One. It’s still HD, but a stark difference to loyal gamers nonetheless. Microsoft’s response to this has been evasive at best. IGN quoted Microsoft’s Product Planning Director Albert Penello, who tweeted, “I’ve seen COD: Ghosts running on Xbox One. It looks f’n amazing. Wait for real footage, then judge for yourself.” Reassuring words, yes, but still not a direct address to the problem of the games’ resolution. However, IGN also stated that Activision, the publisher of “CoD: Ghosts” is working on making the game run at 1080p on the Xbox One though a patch, though whether or not that will be on launch day or sometime down the line is unknown.
Ironically, Microsoft’s attempts to put itself on par with the PS4 have proven to be more of a hindrance than anything. The PS4 features 8GB of GDDR5 RAM and the Xbox One features a slightly inferior 8GB of DDR3 RAM. In order to compensate, Microsoft added an additional 32 MB of eSRAM, an extra component that may make it more difficult to develop games, according to International Business Times.
Still, “CoD: Ghosts” is just one title, and a launch title at that. Geek.com stated that in the last generation of consoles, PS3 games initially “looked terrible next to the [Xbox] 360 versions,” but over time, Sony caught up with Microsoft. The situation now appears to be similar, except with the roles reversed. Perhaps in time, both consoles will even out in terms of performance, and consumer preference will be determined more by exclusive games and content.