Video game consoles have changed a lot since the early days of the industry. As games moved from the arcade to the living room, systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System or the Atari 2600 were boxy creations that largely mimicked the television sets and VHS players of their time. It didn't take long, however, for game consoles to develop their own sense of personality. Now, the aesthetics of a console are almost as important as its technical specs, and the big three companies of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo have displayed a remarkable sense of creativity when making some of their most recent pieces of hardware.
The newest generation of consoles from PlayStation and Xbox have inspired a particularly eccentric level of creativity through their base designs. While the PS5 demands the attention of the player with its two-tone coloring and massive size, the Xbox Series X provides an understated, but equally attention-grabbing profile with its rectangular, monolithic design. Where these consoles really differ, however, is in their specialty hardware offerings. And while "console wars" are hardly decided by how much more colorful a system is, there is one company that seems more devoted towards developing a true sense of character early on.
Xbox's Themed Series X Consoles And PlayStation's Lack Of PS5 Ambition
PlayStation and Xbox have always seemed to have a decent blend of themed consoles in past generations, but Xbox has really pulled ahead with the Xbox Series X. Before the system has reached its first full year on the market, Xbox has already revealed a handful of special variations. To celebrate the impending release of Halo Infinite, Xbox has been offering a limited edition Series X with a custom design inspired by Zeta Halo and Cortana. And, to the surprise of many, Xbox recently announced a sweepstakes to win a custom SpongeBob or TMNT Series X in conjunction with Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.
This range of colorful consoles has been exciting for many Xbox fans, but it's also indicative of a shortcoming on the part of PlayStation. While Xbox is putting out these special systems, PlayStation is still only offering the white and black PS5 with no definite sign of when any variations may be coming. This is particularly confounding given the PS5's removable faceplates, which open up a suite of opportunities for customization. Unfortunately, fans that want such customization have had to rely on third parties for more colorful faceplates. And with how other PS5 hardware has received new colors, it's a wonder why the console itself hasn't.
How PlayStation Can Give The PS5 More Color
If PlayStation is going to catch more eyes with specialty PS5s, it really only has to look back to the PS4 for guidance. Many of the PS4's first-party exclusives inspired gorgeous limited edition consoles, such as the red and white PS4 Pro that was paired with Marvel's Spider-Man. PlayStation could release a similarly colored PS5 for the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, as well as make limited edition systems for God of War: Ragnarok or Horizon: Forbidden West. This would give the PS5 a much greater sense of variety, and serve to build hype for some of its biggest upcoming exclusives.
The newest generation of gaming is still very young, so there's still a lot of time for both Xbox and PlayStation to introduce new themed consoles. Xbox may have pulled ahead early, but it's completely possible that PlayStation releases a wave of colorful consoles and controllers like it did with the PS4. Hopefully, as console chip shortages improve, PlayStation fans will get many more choices when it comes to how their console looks.