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Has Xbox taken the spot as the defacto casual console recommendation?
- Thread starter Guerrilla
- Start date
This is what happens when people are genuinely excited and engaged with a product or service.. Word of mouth is priceless.
To be fair, the evangelising is not without merit, but also because its a turnaround rather than the maintenance of previously high standards, which is always more notable. Its also worth mentioning that this forum has been extremely pro Sony over the last gen.. Again due to performance of that company relative to the competition. So the tonal shift is merely a reflection of relative performance in terms of product. Not sales, but the drastic improvement of product/eco system offered by one company.
I don't think there exists an archetypical casual player and thus I think all 3 are solid recommendations depending on what you like. The term casual player is primarily something invented by in group enthusiasts.
Yeah, it's really bizzare. Every other day there's at least one thread about how a user's long-lost friend had their life changed with the power of Game Pass! But that's as far as I'm going to talk about it, though.
ultimately, it all depends on who the "casual gamer" is and what they want
my sister, for example, is a "casual gamer" who doesn't have especially much time to play things because of her job. she got a ps4 last year because she wanted to play kingdom hearts and ff7r. she's basically managed to play kh 1/2/3 and 7r in the past year, and that's it. for that kind of person, gamepass just... isn't worth it. she doesn't have the time or the desire to "get value", she wants a console that allows her to play the specific games she wants to play.
my other sister is a mom of 3 young kids, and got a switch because her kids are just about at the age where they can play mario games and mario kart. you might be able to find somewhat similar games on gamepass (I don't know if this is true, but it seems possible), but there's really nothing quite like mario kart. her family would also be considered "casual gamers", but I think the switch was absolutely the right choice
could I find a scenario where the xbox was the right choice? absolutely, I just don't happen to have an example in my family. the point is that "de facto" recommendations are just a bad idea in general. talk to the person, see what they want and what they value, don't force your own console war bullshit onto them, and help them make a choice that'll be the best for them.
my sister, for example, is a "casual gamer" who doesn't have especially much time to play things because of her job. she got a ps4 last year because she wanted to play kingdom hearts and ff7r. she's basically managed to play kh 1/2/3 and 7r in the past year, and that's it. for that kind of person, gamepass just... isn't worth it. she doesn't have the time or the desire to "get value", she wants a console that allows her to play the specific games she wants to play.
my other sister is a mom of 3 young kids, and got a switch because her kids are just about at the age where they can play mario games and mario kart. you might be able to find somewhat similar games on gamepass (I don't know if this is true, but it seems possible), but there's really nothing quite like mario kart. her family would also be considered "casual gamers", but I think the switch was absolutely the right choice
could I find a scenario where the xbox was the right choice? absolutely, I just don't happen to have an example in my family. the point is that "de facto" recommendations are just a bad idea in general. talk to the person, see what they want and what they value, don't force your own console war bullshit onto them, and help them make a choice that'll be the best for them.
To me Xbox was always the more hardcore of the two, because shooters, WRPG or strategy games are harder to master as a player in my book. I'd say Nintendo draws in the casuals a lot more, and honestly the phone/mobile are way beyond that level. PlayStation would be what I call the mainstream manufacturer.
If I had a friend who considers themselves to be a casual gamer i.e. sport and call of duty every year, I would unequivocally recommend them a Series S and a Gamepass sub. They would get every sports games' latest release and Call of Duty. That would cost them $300 + 180 (a year of GPU).
A PS5 alone costs more than that. I'm not counting digital of course, but even if I were a digital and one game is about the same price.
This is not a matter of hot takes or console warring. MSFT just provides a stronger value proposition than the competition right now.
I teach freshmen in high school and it's about even, maybe even slightly leaning Xbox.
A PS5 alone costs more than that. I'm not counting digital of course, but even if I were a digital and one game is about the same price.
This is not a matter of hot takes or console warring. MSFT just provides a stronger value proposition than the competition right now.
I teach freshmen in high school and it's about even, maybe even slightly leaning Xbox.
Nahhh... Even if we're talking casual, supra-culture type people who aren't gonna be playing every big AAA release. Sony or Nintendo would be the better choice because they've got the better games as of right now. Unless they're a big racing fan who wants Forza Horizon, they'll be better served by games like TLOU and Spiderman, or Mario and Zelda.
Gamepass is cool, but I can imagine a lot of people not being up for it if they aren't playing a lot of games and don't want to sort through the service. And this is from someone who does have a Gamepass sub on PC.
Gamepass is cool, but I can imagine a lot of people not being up for it if they aren't playing a lot of games and don't want to sort through the service. And this is from someone who does have a Gamepass sub on PC.
I have a strong aversion for these subscription services for games because I am doubtful that it in the longer run will be a good thing for gaming. Also I do not see any value in them where you in the end do not own anything when you unsubscribe.
I hope the choice of platform for casuals will not be something like gamepass, but the differences between the platform in quality of exclusive games from their first part studios (and not "money hatted" "timed" exclusives) coupled with the capabilities of the hardware bringing innovative next generation features improving and pushing competition between each platform where in the end the costumer from each platform wins.
At the moment to me based on the above, PS is by far my choice of platform. It boggles my mind how terrible the past generation was for MS, in comparison to the competition, that MS is even considered as defacto choice for anyone.
I hope the choice of platform for casuals will not be something like gamepass, but the differences between the platform in quality of exclusive games from their first part studios (and not "money hatted" "timed" exclusives) coupled with the capabilities of the hardware bringing innovative next generation features improving and pushing competition between each platform where in the end the costumer from each platform wins.
At the moment to me based on the above, PS is by far my choice of platform. It boggles my mind how terrible the past generation was for MS, in comparison to the competition, that MS is even considered as defacto choice for anyone.
One poster alone has made over 45 threads relating to Game Pass. Clearly some are extremely passionate about it...
Probably a lot of crossover with people who casually watch movies/tv and still have Netflix/HboMax/Hulu/Disney+/ect subscriptions. In this sense, casual means "largest selection of choice for the value" when it comes to services like this. They simply don't care enough to research the latest hotness every other month. They want quantity, variety, value, and new stuff. They simply want to fire up and play video games, not necessarily a particular video game.
Im a life long PS owner and used to be a console warrior (cringe), but right now if someone were to ask me what console to get to get the best value for their money, hands down its Xbox. Im more than happy with my PS5 purchase, but for someone who isnt interested in paying for games all the time, Game Pass is a real good solution. It even has day 1 releases so you can still play new games without having to shell out the full price. As a PS owner its made me jealous to the point of now actively looking for a XSX and I also got a gaming PC last week just for Game Pass. Props to Microsoft for making such a damn good service.
User Banned (1 day): Accusations of astroturfing, threadwhining
The gamepass astroturfer vibes ive been getting lately is off the charts
For a generic recommendation for sure. But with closer friends and family I'd definitely ask what types of games they like. If they love story driven single player stuff, Sony's exclusives may be the best fit for them. If they want family friendly games for their kids and family local MP, then Nintendo is probably best.
Failing that, with Gamepass the Xbox Series is a great value for casuals who in my circle tend to play a lot of sports games and other things that are on Gamepass/EA Play, play lots of online shooters of which the multiplats are everywhere and MS also has Halo and Gears they'd probably enjoy and so on.
Gamepass, along with prefering the controller (especially my Elite V1) and the UI to the PS5s (along with a bit more storage space and a current expansion option if needed) even has me maining XSX despite spending most of my time on PS4 last gen.
Failing that, with Gamepass the Xbox Series is a great value for casuals who in my circle tend to play a lot of sports games and other things that are on Gamepass/EA Play, play lots of online shooters of which the multiplats are everywhere and MS also has Halo and Gears they'd probably enjoy and so on.
Gamepass, along with prefering the controller (especially my Elite V1) and the UI to the PS5s (along with a bit more storage space and a current expansion option if needed) even has me maining XSX despite spending most of my time on PS4 last gen.
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My definition of casual are the people I know who just play sports games and COD every year. All major sports games are on Game Pass and it would be cheaper to go that route than to buy all those games at this point. Only game they'd have to buy is COD.
Or maybe they're doing a good job and people just want to talk positively about it?
This; granted that each console has its causal gamers but how can Xbox be the defacto leader in the causal gamers when it never lead in market share in any of the generations it has been in? The closest they got was with the 360. MS always face a tougher battle because it has the weakest name brand amongst them, Nintendo and Sony.
It will usually always be a battle between Sony and Nintendo, with me leaning towards Nintendo as its 1st party titles are well known amongst all gamers. However they're in a really good spot right now; game pass seems like an excellent choice for anyone coming into game right now, it might pay dividends for MS in the future.
I own all consoles and have been heavy PlayStation leaning since like 2009. While all of my friends use PlayStation and console sales back up the argument that it is the most popular console (Switch data is weird since it crosses generations), I find myself recommending Xbox and GamePass to casuals.
I think it's worth defining what a casual is and it seems we all have a different notion of that. To me a casual is someone who has little experience with gaming, is drawn to stuff like FIFA or Madden or the occasional Nintendo IP like Mario Kart. I break it down this way:
- If you like sports games, go with Xbox and GamePass. The EA sports titles are included with GamePass. Yeah it might not be this year's game but a casual shouldn't give a damn about engine tweaks and new features.
- if you have kids and they're drawn to Nintendo IPs or like the idea of portable gaming, go get a Switch and never look back
- If you want to play the latest hoopla in gaming to get a sense for what the medium can do get a PS5 to experience literally any multiplatform game plus Sony's stellar lineup. Casuals are rarely thinking this way about gaming though.
Given that, it's no surprise I keep recommending GamePass to true casuals. It's value proposition is insane and it's barrier to entry (Series S) is lower than the competition. Once MS can actually materialize their goals of creating a compelling and large exclusive lineup with Bethesda and other acquisitions- Xbox might be my go to recommendation for that next tier up from casual gamer (but not quite ERA-level hardcore gamer).
I think it's worth defining what a casual is and it seems we all have a different notion of that. To me a casual is someone who has little experience with gaming, is drawn to stuff like FIFA or Madden or the occasional Nintendo IP like Mario Kart. I break it down this way:
- If you like sports games, go with Xbox and GamePass. The EA sports titles are included with GamePass. Yeah it might not be this year's game but a casual shouldn't give a damn about engine tweaks and new features.
- if you have kids and they're drawn to Nintendo IPs or like the idea of portable gaming, go get a Switch and never look back
- If you want to play the latest hoopla in gaming to get a sense for what the medium can do get a PS5 to experience literally any multiplatform game plus Sony's stellar lineup. Casuals are rarely thinking this way about gaming though.
Given that, it's no surprise I keep recommending GamePass to true casuals. It's value proposition is insane and it's barrier to entry (Series S) is lower than the competition. Once MS can actually materialize their goals of creating a compelling and large exclusive lineup with Bethesda and other acquisitions- Xbox might be my go to recommendation for that next tier up from casual gamer (but not quite ERA-level hardcore gamer).
OP
OP
The number of people not reading the op is too damn high ;) this is about what you would recommend to a casual gamer, not who is leading in sales.
I bought a PS5 and i spend 100€ on games, none of which would have been on Gamepass anywas. Most of time I played games that are in the PS Collection or PS-Plus.
You can perfectly play through a lot of Stuff witout spending a penny even on PlayStation.
Xbox has done a lot of great things the last few years.
but no, you really only have to look at console sales to see it's not close to being what the OP says.
it was being outsold 2:1 by PS4 before pandemic hit and everything sold out, and we don't have hard numbers on PS5/XSX yet, and since they are both selling out, it's hard to say.
Nothing indicates it is that no
but no, you really only have to look at console sales to see it's not close to being what the OP says.
it was being outsold 2:1 by PS4 before pandemic hit and everything sold out, and we don't have hard numbers on PS5/XSX yet, and since they are both selling out, it's hard to say.
Nothing indicates it is that no
But do these people exist outside of forums. If they just love videogames in general I wouldn't consider them a casual gamer. The person you described sounds like a message board poster. Most people want Animal crossing then buy a switch; wants spiderman then buy a PS; wants Halo buys an Xbox.
They absolutely do. Especially when it is a clueless parent buying something for their kids.
I already played everything in the collection when it was on PS4.
That did nothing for me.
There are 40 threads on the front page and 5 mention Xbox and one is about Game Pass. You're hardly being smacked in the face with Xbox threads. It's a popular service so obviously you'll be seeing 2 or 3 threads on it because there is always stuff to talk about.
Right now PS hasn't had much good stuff to talk about but when there is big news from Sony you can bet there will be multiple threads talking about it. Right now Xbox has just had a very busy news cycle with lots to discuss.
Being a 38 year old man, I would recommend Xbox over either PS5 or Switch to my cohort casual friends. They aren't out here trying to play Animal Crossing or Mario, so that is non-factor. They aren't trying to play handheld at all. When I think of 'casual gamer' I'm defining it as these friends. The ones who play CoD or Battlefield, their favorite sports games, maybe a racing game, and a few others if I can trick them into trying them. So Xbox is definitely the choice for them. Especially with MLB The Show news. I can't tell you how many times my group of friends has told me the reason they were Playstation was because of The Show. So, where before I would hesitate. Now? Every single current year sports game is on Game Pass.
I'd tell them to pick up an Xbox and sub to GP in a heartbeat.
I'd tell them to pick up an Xbox and sub to GP in a heartbeat.
Just to respond to this (I make sports games), this is way off the mark.
Gamers care a great deal about playing current versions that reflect the real world sport with updated rosters, kits, and so forth. A lot of features also stop being properly supported once the new season starts. The very fact that EA Sports is able to sell games in such high quantities year after year despite the changes usually being fairly subtle is a huge contradiction of what you are saying.
Not that I disagree with your post but with Sports games I believe it has more to do with updated rosters, graphics and kits before it really has much to do with added features and tweaks to the system. What good is it playing Fifa 20 if I can't play online with the current tactics and squad of the team I support?
edit: see that I was beaten here haha
Well they're definitely set to move the needle this gen a lot. Some people in here really think sony can do no wrong I swear lol.
Yep. I have a couple aquaintances I recommended Xbox and Gamepass to for that reason. They play little other than EA sports games, CoD, GTA etc. so Gamepass is very cost effective for them and they have the option to check out other games for no added cost. They weren't really playing Sony exclusives on PS4 last gen anyway as they don't like single player games much other than playing through the campaigns in CoD, GTA etc. Maybe an occasional Assassin's Creed For one of them.
Granted, the cost effectiveness part is largely having them do the buy three years of live cheap and convert deal. But even if paying the $15 a month ($180 a year) I'd imagine there would be more than 3 games on there they'd other wise have bought at $60-70 to still end up being cheaper for them, just less so than with the upgrade Live deal.
I would recommend a Switch for a casual gamer. Whether it be Fortnite or Mario Kart, the Switch has them. Nothing more casual at this point than Fortnite, Mario Kart, Mario Party, even Smash. Xbox is cheap entry point but outside of CoD, it doesn't have nearly as much to offer the casual gamer as the Switch does.
It's absolutely Xbox.
No other system matches up. Xbox has the best online experience, it plays all of the big name shooters people play, top tier racing games, all of the sports games - and it plays your old shit.
Its a no contest, unless you just want to pick your favorite company.
No other system matches up. Xbox has the best online experience, it plays all of the big name shooters people play, top tier racing games, all of the sports games - and it plays your old shit.
Its a no contest, unless you just want to pick your favorite company.
Casual person: "yeah I've been wanting to play like Mario Kart, Smash, and maybe that Zelda Breath of the Wild game"
People in this thread: okay but have you heard of game pass tho?
People in this thread: okay but have you heard of game pass tho?
A Series S at 25$ per month on an all access deal is prob the easiest sell. They do not need to buy any games or pay a large sum of money up front. It has everything you need and a small form factor for people to move around their house.
I also think in a few years the defacto casual console might not be a console and will just be streaming. The potential is there.
I also think in a few years the defacto casual console might not be a console and will just be streaming. The potential is there.
