Expectations Vs. Reality: How Gamers Feel About Next-Gen Consoles

However the average gamer may view the situation, there always seems to be the concept of a “console war.” Generally seen between Sony and Microsoft, the two gaming giants have historically battled each other for world dominance in the gaming space… while Nintendo hangs out in the foreground. Circa late 2020, the next generation of gaming finally arrived in the form of the Xbox Series X|S and PS5. While still fresh off the market, hundreds of thousands of gamers have received their next-gen consoles despite a shaky sales atmosphere—see how they feel about having the consoles on-hand and what they thought about them going into the initial release.

The following is comprised of data collected through optional polls and viewer responses. What all was collected includes:

• 1,647 respondents through 10 questions.
• Polls running roughly a month prior to the next-gen consoles’ release and about two months afterwards.

Data about how gamers feel about next-gen consoles.

The following is information collected in more detailed form, going over every aspect of the graph listed above. Summarized information and some occasional discussion will also be present. Additional info will be available through the following sections:

• All-Digital or Non-Digital?
• Are the Consoles Worth the Hype?
• Buyer Regrets?
• Console Accessory Influence

Prediction: Will Xbox Series X or PS5 Sell More?

The console players predicted would sell more overall.

If the “console wars” are won through sales, than the PS4 easily obtained victory over the Xbox One. Whether it stemmed from early controversies surrounding decisions by Microsoft to limit accessibility of shareable media or a lack of focus on games to start, people sided with Sony far more frequently in the end. Such history seems to be showing itself once again, as gamers everywhere believe Sony will once again be the console to own for the next generation.

Thus far, it seems that predictions are accurate, but concrete sale numbers have not come to light from either company.

Do the Xbox Series X and PS5 Live Up to the Hype?

How gamers feel about the quality of next-gen consoles.

With any new product from a well-renowned game company, the introduction of next-gen consoles were sure to elicit a strong sense of hype from those around the globe. Playing games in new ways, with stronger graphics, or with more accessibility are among a few things to look forward to in the innovative future.

Despite the shaky launch, those that have obtained their own console seem to be enjoying them quite well. The future is bright for next-gen, and gamers are flourishing more for it.

Are People Having Technical Difficulties?

Whether or not players are having technical difficulties with their next-gen consoles.

The launch of a new console is always a bit of a risk for companies. Unforeseen technical issues could arise, and with multi-millions standing to receive their products, a sizeable portion could experience some hassle with them. The Xbox 360 had the issue with the red ring of death, and PS4’s had a semi-frequent tendency to turn off randomly.

Luckily for both companies, it seems the technical difficulties are at a low point this console generations. Almost twice as many people reported no issues with their consoles than otherwise. Should they match their technical achievements with longevity, this should make for a memorable and magical generation of gaming.

How Much Were Gamers Willing to Spend on Next-Gen?

Price range people were willing to spend on next-gen consoles.

Lots of speculation occurred prior to their reveal about how much each console would cost. When finally unveiled, there were actually two sets each: all-digital and physical editions. The Xbox Series X had an alternative S model, while the PS5 simply had a console without a disc drive. The digital versions were $100-200 cheaper than the physical alternatives, but would that be appealing to the masses?

According to players, the ceiling was indeed $400-500, the standard price for said physical editions. Just behind that was $300-400, the price for the all-digital alternatives, which seems to be appealing enough for convenience and cost-efficiency alone. Some, however, were willing to go even beyond that, upwards of $600 or more. The hype is real, and the splendor of being within the next generation (current generation?) gets people eager to empty their wallets.

Did Gamers Plan to Go All-Digital or Physical?

What gamers intended to purchase.

Even now-a-days, the prospect of everything going digital is something of an oddity to most, especially in the gaming sphere. The days of physical media, such as discs and cartridges, are slowly dying out in favor of codes and clouds. Even so, this cultural shift isn’t quelling consumer interest in ye days of old.

Even with two separate options for “Yes,” the large majority of gamers intended to purchase the physical option, both of which are priced more. What’s even more interesting is that more people are enticed by convenience than price. “So the physical edition is $100-200 more, what of it?” Indeed, the hype is real.

How Many Actually Went All-Digital?

How many actually went all-digital or not.

The results of this poll are almost as if you took the two “Yes” answers from the previous poll, smooshed them together, and placed them next to all the “No” answers. “No” still prevails.

Though when looking at it like this, it doesn’t seem as though the physical edition is too much more popular. The future of gaming seems to be in digital space and high convenience. While not quite there, it may be inevitable that a large majority of consumers switch over to smaller, more data-centric universe. For now, the world is still fond of the physical tradition of opening up the case and placing the disc inside.

Did Those Who Went All-Digital Regret it?

Whether players regretted going all-digital.

With the prospect of an all-digital console, there are thing to like and things to dislike. No hassle for taking up space with game cases and material, but the risk of losing everything due to a technical bug becomes apparent. There are pros and cons, but given most intended to go physical, did those who intended to go digital pay the price (figuratively)?

The data suggests not, as gamers who went digital did not regret doing so. With just this to go off of, it would not seem unwise to characterize these results as people knowing what they’re getting into. Gamers can be very resourceful, researching what the best options are for their preferences and going for it. No surprises here.

Does Console Design Influence One’s Choice?

How gamers feel about console design.

The memes are pretty prevalent with the design of next-gen consoles. Given the current generation and the accessibility of photo editors, people are able to express themselves more frequently through humor than ever before. The next-gen console design proved a very easy target for many, and many memes were born about refrigerators and internet modems. But do these actually have an adverse effect on people’s preferences?

Results point to “Yes.” People do take stock in how a console looks in whether or not they should buy it. Some may say that it’s the games that matter, but I suppose some measure of pride would be broken if your console ended up shaped rather oddly, showcased for everyone to see. An interesting aspect for tech giants to take note of for future reference.

Does a Game Launch Line-Up Influence One’s Choice?

How much does a launch line-up effect one’s choice?

So much for “Xbox has no games.” The general argument for many is that a great launch line-up of games makes or breaks a console’s success. However, according to the polls conducted here, more than half don’t care all that much about the line-up. Even if the PS5 has games such as Demon’s Souls or Spider-Man: Miles Morales, that doesn’t always entice people to not buy an Xbox Series X.

Still, the results were rather close. Even if more people don’t care than do, there’s definitely an interest in having a spectacular launch line-up for debuting consoles. But with these statistics alone, it becomes harder to criticize a console for “having no games,” at least in terms of financial success.

Did Gamers Wish They Chose the Other Console?

How gamers felt about their choice of console.

Much like the results with regrets in all-digital, this is another example of people knowing exactly what they want. If they acquired a PS5, it’s because they believed that was the better option; why would they regret it? An overwhelming majority of people bought their console and had no reason to wish otherwise.

Then again, who’s to say that there is anything to wish for in other consoles? Would people know if the console they chose was better without having known what the other was like? There is the prospect of people “choosing a side,” sticking to it, and only having expectations towards what they already know. Whether that is the case here is up for debate, but the overall results imply that there was little regret in whatever console gamers chose.

[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”6nbu1lw59c” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”0″]Do you have an Xbox Series X or PS5? How do you feel about them? Were the results provided by our study surprising to you? Let us know in the comments below![/wpdiscuz-feedback]