When we talk about console gaming, we often think about two main consoles. The PlayStation from Sony and the Switch from Nintendo. There’s also the Xbox but we shall conveniently not cover that company in today’s topic due to internal bias. Sony and Nintendo have long been running side by side, each trying their best to overtake the other when it comes to their player base and the quality and quantity of their games.

The result is a colorful history of video games, consoles, and occasional lawsuits all designed to help one company gain an edge over the other. Let’s delve into just how beefed up this rivalry is and what makes it pulse even now.

Competitive Strategies

Sony and Nintendo may have their own success stories to boast about but it’s quite interesting and funny at the same time when one checks out how the two plan their strategies to overtake the other. Sony opts for the more premium route. They come up with hardware that feels premium, looks premium, and gives off futuristic sounds. And it sells! For those of you who are gamers, you’d remember that the original (fat) PS3 had blistering fast sales because of its aesthetic design. It was no snooze fest in the software aspect too. Sony has always made software and hardware that emanates an ultra-modern aura designed to enrapture its audience.

The Japanese juggernaut has a long history of promoting competitive gaming by serving the likes of Call of Duty, Battlefront, and Destiny, to name a few. All users need to make a name for themselves in these games is the console itself and good quality internet. Impressive services such as CenturyLink stand at the ready to provide a capable anchor for such activities and the player fan base does not shy away from taking full advantage of it.  

On the other hand, Nintendo takes the less-beaten path. It’s taken longer for the Switch and Wii giant to figure out how they want to go about it but it seems that the folks over at Nintendo have found their niche too. To put it simply, Nintendo targets a younger audience. They make use of colors that pop, evident by the color scheme on their Switch, and simpler functionality to bring customers to their door.

Additionally, Nintendo has cleverly used the impact of nostalgia to create a slipstream for themselves with remakes of critically acclaimed, retro games like The Legend of Zelda, Mario, and Mega Man. By using the revived fan base generated from the massive success of the remakes, Nintendo then catapulted itself forward with ease. The question now is though if they will be able to maintain their hot lead.

Nintendo is quick to Adapt

Nintendo may have taken the lead by breathing new life into a plethora of their classical games but they deserve all the commendation for keeping their heads on a swivel. Nintendo Entertainment System or NES has people on the inside who want to keep their audience hungry and satisfied at the same time. And they’re not afraid to experiment with this.

When all the other console bosses were displaying their machismo with monotone, executive colors, and on-screen capability, Nintendo spewed forth the Switch which did all that and stayed portable. This became a ginormous hit with many as the Switch actually encouraged you to stay mobile and play at the same time. What’s more, is that you could go multiplayer too with two detachable joy-con controllers that had all the functionality necessary when they were used individually or you could click them together to make one big, ergonomically pleasing controller. In a way, Nintendo officially went modular with its electronics and dared anyone else to follow suit if they could. And nobody could or would.

Sony Keeps on Keeping On

The PlayStation boys don’t think too much about revamping their strategy or their consoles. They know they’re doing a good job with their consoles and their games so they keep on stoking their fire. And to quite an extent this keeps working for them. The PS2 helped set up the perfect foundation for the gaming maestros and it’s remembered to this day as being a definition of what console gaming is.

The ps3 was only built on it by upgrading the hardware and making the software look extra pretty and snappy. Then, the PS4 brought in a completely different ball game that relied heavily on graphics. Basically, the 4^th iteration of the PlayStation defined just how realistic gaming could be. With exclusive Sony games like Uncharted, Sony cemented itself as an absolute beast that could not be crushed anytime soon. Sony’s massive steam engine hasn’t stopped ever since and the company is now looking to take over virtual gaming as well.

Conclusion

Sony and Nintendo are impressive in their own right. Both companies have proven their mettle over the years as being highly innovative and loyal to their own niches. We can’t complain about either one falling short in their own games. However, does one overtake the other anytime soon? That’s an answer best suited for the years to come because either company is currently running neck to neck with the other. And we’re having a blast witnessing the competition.