Don’t Be Shocked If The PS4 Is Less Powerful Than The Next Xbox

There’s a good chance that a new Xbox will be unveiled next year, and a new PlayStation will follow shortly after. This is leading some people to assume that the PS4 will automatically be more powerful than the next Xbox, since it’ll be released later. This could be true, but there’s a chance it might not be. Here are a few reasons why the PS4 could be less powerful than the next Xbox.

The PlayStation wasn’t the most powerful console on the block. The PS2 also wasn’t the most powerful system in it’s generation. Yet—none of this mattered, both systems outsold the competition. This showed us that games are more important than raw power, but for their third generation, Sony was clearly aiming for both.

Sony set out to make the best console they could with the PS3, and it almost ruined them. The PS3 is a great console, but it was ahead of it’s time. The price tag at launch didn’t exactly help; Sony aimed for the stars and was punished and mocked. What do they have to gain from being the specs leader again?

Nothing, getting the PS4 out around the same time as the next Xbox and at an affordable price is more important than power. Actually, the only people who really care about which system is more powerful are the fans that love to argue online. To the average person they’re only concerned about which one is the most affordable and has the coolest games (the Wii is a great example).

Expect Sony to learn from all their mistakes with the PS3, sometimes it doesn’t pay to live on the bleeding edge. While it’s great for bragging rights, it also has the potential to do more bad than good.

I wouldn’t be shocked if Sony doesn’t go nuts on the specs next generation. Of course it should be within range of the next Xbox, like the 360 is within range of the PS3 (so they can play the same games). They should focus on games instead of making the most powerful console; if it happens great—but it’s something they shouldn’t aim for. Sony’s biggest weapon is their first party support, not their specs. Some gamers have lost sight of that this generation.