The Next Generation of Consoles Hit the Shelves for the Holiday Season

Evan Xiong, Editor in Chief

It’s been years since the PS4 and the Xbox One were released, and now Sony and Microsoft have finally announced their latest next generation consoles: the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. Gamers around the world have been waiting for the two companies to release their new consoles, and soon people will be able to get their hands on them.

With the technology in these next gen consoles upgrading every time, the price to get one is always going to increase, with both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X coming in around $500. Many think that this is a very steep price so some gamers are going to get the cheaper digital option instead. “I’m only going to pay $400 for the digital version of the PS5. This version doesn’t have a disc drive so you have to download all of your games, which I already do on the PS4. I hope that my parents chip in to help me buy the PS5, but if not I’ll have to buy it myself,” senior Connor Kramp said.

One of the new features that come with the Xbox Series X are the exclusive games. These games are limited to Xbox players only and are a nice add-on to the new console. Some of these games are Halo, Forza, and Sea Of Thieves In addition to this, the Xbox Series X is backwards compatible with any game from previous Microsoft consoles. “There are a lot of games that I am looking forward to. Some of these games are the old Halo games, Rocket League, Overwatch 2, and Rouge Company,” sophomore Oliver Kaminski said.

When a new console releases to the public, there is a lot of hype and excitement towards the new console which means that a lot of people are going to try to get their hands on one.  Some people pre-order the console so that they don’t have to worry about waiting in line to get one, but for those that missed the pre-order dates, they have to get the console the day it comes out. This might mean that they have to camp outside of the store to get one first. “I’m planning to order it online from any retail store that I can find. I know that it’s going to be difficult since so many people are gunning for it, but I hope that I can order one the day it comes out,” senior Keegan Kapocious said.

When a new console comes out, there are many things that make it worth its price. Some of these things may be the games, features, and hardware, but out of all of those new features within the new consoles, the hardware is the main reason why the new consoles are so popular. With the ability to run video games in 4K resolution, and have crystal clear gameplay, it’s no wonder the new consoles sell out so fast. “The new processing power that is going to be in the new Xbox will be nearly equivalent to those that are in high end PC’s,” senior Alex Tellez said. “That means more storage and just the feeling of getting something new like getting a new phone. I haven’t done enough research on why I’m more inclined to buy the Xbox Series X, but I’m just more used to having Microsoft products, and I have more friends on Xbox.”