Why PlayStation Is Ready to Win the Next Gaming War
It’s got one thing the others don’t: Everything
2020 is going to be a transformative year for gaming. Real-time ray tracing will make hyper-realistic graphics on inexpensive hardware possible (and easier on developers). Meanwhile, cloud-based game streaming might finally go mainstream, removing the need for consoles altogether. Both offer compelling options to players and developers alike, but Sony is positioning itself to win no matter what.
For the 2020 holiday season, Microsoft and Sony are preparing to launch their next generation platforms, as they do every few years. But things will be a little different this time around. With Google’s Stadia streaming gaming service launching next month, traditional console makers will face competition from a new and unlikely source. People will be able to stream new games like Doom Eternal without dedicated hardware — so why drop hundreds of dollars on a new PlayStation 5?
High-end graphics may be the clearest reason. Both the upcoming Xbox (currently codenamed Project Scarlett) and the PS5 will support real-time ray tracing natively. While streaming platforms can technically support high-end graphics, video quality tends to get compressed when it’s sent over the internet. Gamers who want the absolute best picture they can pay for…
