Xbox Claps Back At PS5, Have The ‘Console Wars’ Begun Again?

There are few terms I hate more than “console wars,” and yet it’s the cusp of a new generation of gaming and we’re back to seeing the term regularly, denoting the apparent battle for superiority between Xbox and PlayStation.

Although I don’t particularly subscribe to the notion of “console wars,” I do notice when companies like Microsoft and Sony use the idea of such a battle to help market their products, because honestly, it’s very clever.

Just such a thing happened earlier this week when Sony revealed new details on the PlayStation 5 and its peripherals, announcing that the DualShock 4 won’t be compatible with PlayStation 5 games but can be used while playing PS4 titles on a PS5.

Sony: DualShock 4 works with PS5 but not with PS5 games

Microsoft: Uh, you can play all our studio games for $15 a month

on your Xbox
or PC
or tablet
or phone

with old controllers or new ones, we dont care just have fun.

— Brad Sams (@bdsams) August 3, 2020

The reveal was met with disappointment from a lot of gamers, especially those with disabilities and different accessibility needs, who fear the DualSense may be difficult – if not impossible – for many to use.

There are a few things that can make it less accessible. For motor disabilities the Dualsense is heavier & the haptic triggers offering resistance can be very difficult. The lack of color on the face buttons can be hard for cognitive disabilities if they are not familiar with PS

— Steve Saylor (@stevesaylor) August 3, 2020

Not too long after Sony’s announcement, Xbox UK used the opportunity to throw some shade at the PS5, taking to Twitter to re-confirm that the upcoming Xbox Series X is “backwards compatible with ALL Xbox One controllers across ALL games,” including the Xbox Adaptive Controller.

ICYMI: Xbox Series X is backwards compatible with ALL Xbox One controllers across ALL games
? Official Xbox Controllers
✨ Xbox Adaptive Controller
? Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers
⚡️ SCUF Controllers pic.twitter.com/f8URC3iJXr

— Xbox UK (@xboxuk) August 3, 2020

Naturally gamers jumped on the tweet, calling out the companies and kicking off their own “console wars” in the various threads that begun being spun across social media.

While come people praised the DualSense for its innovation and try-anything attitude, others complained of its size and deemed it to be nothing more than a cash grab. On the flip side, some Xbox gamers welcomed Xbox UK’s tweet as it means they can still play the games they love, while others criticised the company for refusing to move with the times and innovate.

One might draw the conclusion that…y’know…the internet can never be fully in agreement on any one thing because we’re all individual people with our own thoughts, opinions and feelings.

Have the “console wars” begun once again? Sadly, it appears so.

The Xbox Series X the PS5 will both launch sometime in Holiday 2020.

Featured Image Credit: Microsoft/Sony