The year is 2020, and we aren't far away from the launch of both the Xbox Series X and the PS5. In terms of hype, though, which combatant in the console war is winning at the moment?
When it comes solely to building hype, you could argue that Microsoft is way ahead of Sony - the PlayStation 5 needs an injection of hype soon if wants to keep up.
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We could compare the PS5 and Xbox Series X specs all day, going over cool new tech like the SSD and epic features like Smart Delivery, but you could argue that hype, awareness and marketing are more important when it comes to engaging the average consumer.
For example, if a put-upon parent is pushed into buying a new console, which one have they heard the most about? Which one has entered the public consciousness in a bigger way? Read on for our thoughts on the matter...
The Xbox Series X team has revealed a lot
We've seen the Xbox Series X console design and the Xbox Series X controller. Microsoft has also promised "four generations" of backwards compatibility, whilst hyping up a Smart Delivery service that will let you take your old games with you into the next generation.
On the day we're writing this article, Microsoft is also about to go live with an Inside Xbox event called Xbox 20/20. This online live-stream will be aimed directly at fans, and it will hype up the upcoming slate of Xbox Series X games.
It feels like the Xbox Series X hype train is chugging away at a decent pace, and even the average consumer who isn't a massive gamer may well already know what this console looks like and when to expect it.
READ MORE:Xbox Series X vs PS5 - latest console war news
The PS5 team could be falling behind
Sony, on the other hand, has been pretty quiet. Although the reveal of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller went well, Sony has not yet unveiled the actual design of the PS5 console.
This has left even the most hardened of gamers with more questions than answers. For example: will the PS5 console be white and black like the revealed controller, or will there be other PS5 controller colours to choose from? We simply don't know.
Sony's promises around PS5 backwards compatibility also sounded a lot less appealing than Microsoft's, and Sony hasn't said anything about PS5 Smart Delivery and whether that will be a thing.
The last PS5 live-stream that Sony hosted turned out to be a boring tech-focused 'deep dive' that was aimed at developers rather than fans. It's hard to imagine an ordinary punter feeling anything other than alienation if they tuned into that.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is talking directly to fans and gearing up for Xbox 20/20, a huge game-focused reveal with lots of hype-building trailers. If Sony wants to keep up in this console war battle of hype trains, a similarly consumer-focused PS5 event could be a great place to start... it's your move, Sony.
READ MORE:Xbox 20/20 LIVE BLOG - Watch all the trailers here!