It’s the PS4 vs Nintendo Switch vs Xbox One: which console came out looking the best? Which console had the best games in 2018? What hardware updates caught our eye? Let’s take a look.
Sony and Microsoft’s current-gen consoles are clearly reaching the end of their life cycles, with both the PS4 and Xbox One likely set to receive successors within the next couple of years. While the companies may be wrapping up production on the systems in the relatively near future, 2018 has still seen some strong reasons to buy both systems. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch hoped to one-up its stellar launch year with some more magic. But how successful was it in doing so?
We’ve assessed the past year of games, hardware updates, new features, software support, and announcements in order to assess which console had the best 2018. It’s the PS4 vs Nintendo Switch vs Xbox One: which console came out looking better than its competitors this year?
A console is nothing without its games.
The PS4 had an impressive year for software, with God of War being one of the greatest console exclusives ever and topping GameRevolution’s Game of the Year list. Though 2017 had more consistent multi-platform efforts, most of which were primarily played on the PS4, the likes of Spider-Man really tipped the balance in Sony’s favor this year. This was also a big year for the Yakuza series, with both Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2 finding substantial audiences in the west, and both releasing exclusively on Sony’s console.
The Nintendo Switch’s 2017 was phenomenal, and it was always going to be difficult to compete with a launch year that boasted Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild. Pokemon Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee was a tad disappointing, though proved to be a big hit in terms of its sales, though Super Smash Bros Ultimate was the definitive Smash game. Octopath Traveler gave traditional JRPG fans something to shout about, while Mario Tennis Aces was a unique sports title that brightened up the summer.
As always seems to be the case, the Xbox One had a rocky year in terms of new releases. Forza Horizon 4 was expectedly fantastic, though Sea of Thieves failed to live up to both the hype and Rare’s illustrious history, despite garnering itself a small but dedicated player base. PUBG also released out of the Game Preview program in September, though by this point Fortnite had completely overtaken the former battle royale leader. The Xbox One X ensured that multi-platform games looked and performed better on Xbox, but the lack of exclusives really harmed the console this year.
Though the Switch had some great games this year, God of War is a bonafide classic and bolsters the PS4’s already heaving line-up of exclusives.
Hardware upgrades, new accessories, and controllers give players new ways to experience their games.
The PS4 Pro continues to be a reasonable step-up for PlayStation owners, but it’s still overshadowed by the decidedly more impressive Xbox One X. While the Pro certainly makes your PS4 games look prettier, it’s not as big of a leap as the “true 4K” X, and the outdated hardware of the original PS4 is only really noticeable in poorly optimized games such as Fallout 76. Sony quietly tweaked the Pro with the release of the PS4 Pro CUH-7200, a quieter version of the system, though it wasn’t a dramatic improvement.
The PSVR has had a surprising amount of support considering Sony’s penchant for giving up on peripherals, with Astro Bet Rescue Mission providing the virtual reality headset with its first critically acclaimed release.
