Console Wars

[WarZidane]

I've owned all four PlayStations, and I think they were all the best consoles of their respective eras other than the PS3. The Xbox 360 was the best of that generation and is the only Microsoft console I've owned. I've also had a fair few Nintendo consoles - Gameboy, GBA SP, N64, GC, Switch - but I think they operate in slightly different spheres to the others.

Oh, and no Amiga for gen 3? Get out.

I'm a closet PS3 fan, 360's have only ever died on me.

The PS3 and Xbox 360 have been the only consoles that have ever died on me, and the PS3 went a lot quicker! And brilliantly it went on the VERY LAST SECTION of the Last of Us. I had to YouTube the ending... I was actually minutes away from completing the game. You can tell why I'm a little soured on the console after that! That aside though, I still thought the 360 was better.

The PS2 dominated the Xbox in sales, the PS4 has hammered the Xbox One in sales, but the PS3 and Xbox 360 were neck and neck and there's a reason for that. Despite the notoriously fierce brand loyalty that consoles engender, Microsoft were able to put out a great console with some solid titles that tempted many PlayStation fans, myself included.

I don't know what I'll go with for the next gen. Probably defaulting towards PS5 but will keep an open mind... though if the rumours that they've bought franchises like MGS and Silent Hill off the embarrassing troutshow that is Konami are true, I think my decision has been made.

Well, there was more to it than that. Xbox 360 had a 1-1.5 year headstart (1.5 years in PAL regions, 1 year in the rest of the world) on the PS3, which meant an advantage in the multi-platform multiplayer titles, especially sports games. On top of that, the PS3 launched at that infamous 600 dollar price tag, making anyone hesitant to get it at first. Once Microsoft blew through their short list of exclusives that weren't Forza, Gears or Halo, the landscape quickly shifted to PS3's favor, and it ended out on top despite the initial disadvantages.

As for the technical problems, 360's RROD was definitely far more widespread than the PS3's YLOD but it was also easier to fix, my dad actually made a habit out of buying up dead 360s and fixing them, then re-selling them, though a few rare cases were actually a lost cause. Thanks to that I've seen many, many dead 360s in my life (and amusingly, no dead PS3s, even my brother's day-1 fat PS3 is still alive now )