Xbox Series X marketing boss shares "proof that the console wars are over", but is it really?

Xbox's General Manager of Games Marketing, Aaron Greenberg, has shared an article from Input on Twitter, focusing on the idea that "the Razer Kishi is proof the console wars are over."

This comes as Xbox continues to focus on its Game Pass and xCloud services, with many industry experts suggesting this product is the real priority for the company rather than its consoles.

As we fast approach the start of the next-gen of gaming with the launch of both the Series X and PS5, let's explore whether xCloud will put an end to the console wars, once and for all.

READ MORE: Latest Xbox Series X news

PlayStation vs Xbox - a history

When Sony launched the PlayStation 2 console in 2000, Microsoft became concerned about the tech-giants potential to dominate the living room setup. Complete with a built-in DVD-player, the console saw massive success, selling 155 million units during its lifespan.

Just over a year after the PS2 launched, Microsoft released the Xbox. It significantly outperformed the PlayStation 2 in terms of raw power, but failed to sell as many units, shipping just 24 million before it was discontinued.

However, with the revolutionary Xbox Live service first created for the original Xbox, Microsoft's Xbox 360 would significantly improve on its predecessor. Combined with successful shooters such as Gears of Warand Halo 3, the console quickly became the place to play the latest games, selling 84 million units in total.

The PS3 fared poorly compared to the 360. With Sony struggling to create an affordable competitor to Microsoft's console, the PS3 failed to be profitable during its launch window as Sony had to sell the console at a loss. Each console, according to estimates, cost over $800 dollars to make at launch, before gradually dropping to $240 by 2009.

That brings us to the current-gen of consoles - the Xbox One and PS4. While the Xbox One had a successful launch period, by the end of the decade it has become clear that the console significantly underperformed compared to the PS4. Estimates put the sales of the Xbox One family at around 50 million units, compared to the PS4's sales of over 100 million consoles, aided by a plethora of award-winning exclusives.

READ MORE: Latest PS5 news

PS5 vs Xbox Series X - is it a 'war'?

As we approach the start of the ninth generation of consoles, the 'console war' appears to be ending, with Xbox and PlayStation carrying out fairly different strategies towards the end of 2020.

Promising no gamers will be left behind, utilising forwards compatibility to bring next-gen games to the Xbox One, Xbox's Phil Spencer has adopted the stance that laments the console war.

"If we’re going to spend energy, let’s go spend it on those things, not 'my piece of plastic is better than your piece of plastic.' I don’t think that’s a productive conversation" Spencer told The Washington Post, moving away from the tribal mentality that has dominated the console sphere for years.

With the creation of Xbox Game Pass and xCloud streaming moving Xbox's model closer to the likes of Netflix than a traditional games company, Xbox is targeting gamers on all device, rather than forcing them to play on their own, next-gen console.

This is where Greenberg's comments come in. Mobile gaming, with its touch screen controls, has long been seen as an inferior method for gaming by players. As mobile devices can now utilise both the Xbox One and DualShock 4 controllers, as well as the likes of the Razer Kishi, this stigma is slowly going away.

READ MORE: Xbox Series X vs PS5 comparisons

Is the war really over?

While Xbox may want to move away from a console war, all it takes is a quick browse of replies to an Xbox or PlayStation thread on Twitter to see this war is still ongoing, at least among 'fans'.

After years of building up sports-like brands and rivalries, this tribalism has not just disappeared with Xbox's changing philosophy. No matter the comments from Xbox executives or journalist op-eds, if PlayStation and Xbox 'fans' still exist and continue to argue over which is the superior product, the console war is far from over in the minds of consumers.

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