Next Gen gaming has arrived! And our Performance Thumbsticks® are along for the ride.

• All PS4 Performance Thumbsticks are compatible with PS5 controllers.

• All Xbox One Performance Thumbsticks are compatible with Xbox Series X|S controllers.

• For a full list of the compatibility on all of our Performance Gaming Gear with Next Gen click here

After much anticipation, it finally happened. The new console generation for PlayStation and Xbox have been revealed, and it has us hyped! With the Holiday Season soon approaching, more and more people are eager to be the first to get their hands on one of these powerful next-gen consoles. We are here to provide you with all the juicy details on what to expect from the upcoming generation. Let’s talk about what we know today...

Release Dates & Pricing

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition

Price: $399.99 USD

Date: November 12th : U.S., Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea

November 19th: for the rest of the world

PlayStation 5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray Disc Drive

Price: $499.99 USD

Date: November 12th: U.S., Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea

November 19th: for the rest of the world

Xbox Series X

Price: $499 USD

Release Date: November 10th globally

Xbox Series S

Price: $299 USD

Release Date: November 10th globally

Design

After both of the consoles were revealed, it became evident that the two systems have very contrasting styles. Microsoft took a more conservative approach with their polished black design and geometrical shape.The Xbox Series X resembles a mini PC tower that can be positioned both horizontally and vertically, making it easier to fit in with your entertainment setup. On the other hand, Sony took a more experimental approach as the sleek playful curves of the console design give it a more futuristic feel. The PS5 will also offer two different variants, one with a 4k Blu-Ray drive and one without it.

Now let's talk about controllers. Looking at PlayStation we can see that the PS5 DualSense is now rounded in shape, making it more comfortable to handle and play with. The controller also features a built in microphone, adaptive triggers for resistance personalization, and haptic feedback that will provide a more immersion-enhancing vibration. The Series X controller also has improvements of its own. The controller now features a share button, hybrid d-pad for comfort, and improved latency to boost performance experience. A major difference between the two is that the PS5 Dualsense comes with built-in batteries; whereas, the Xbox Series X controller supports external batteries. It really comes down to player preference for which controller style fits your gaming needs best.

Graphics

Comparison Chart:

When comparing side by side, it looks like both consoles have similarities on a technical measure. Both Sony and Microsoft have made it a point to include high speed SSD with the intention to eliminate loading screens. The next-gen consoles also include Ray tracing, which will create a more realistic lighting effect in games. Although it is hard to tell which console has the all around upper hand, what’s certain is that game visuals and performance will undergo a major upgrade.

Game Exclusives

A far as exclusives go, Sony and Microsoft have taken two different approaches. Although both consoles have games that are compatible on PC too, Sony went down the route of having more PS5 exclusive games; whereas, Microsoft has not confirmed any Xbox Series X only games.

Sony’s reveal back in June was quite impressive as they unveiled not only the console design, but also showed us first-look gaming footage for various PS5 exclusives. Some PlayStation exclusives to look forward to include: Spider-Man:Miles Morales, Horizon: Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, Demon Souls, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. These games will not be available for PC download.

Microsoft wanted to make their new game releases easily accessible, so every Xbox Series X exclusive game will also be made available on the PC. A few big game Xbox titles coming out are: Fable, Hellblade II, and Scorn. The release date for Halo Infinite on Xbox Series X and PC has been delayed to 2021.

Games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Fortnite, FIFA 21, Rainbow Six Siege, Destiny 2, and GTA 5 will be coming to both consoles with new visual upgrades and enhanced controller play style.

Backwards compatibility

Backwards compatibility is a very important element to gamers who wish to still play the games released on their former consoles. The PS5 will be compatible with a majority of big titles, like Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted 4. However not every PlayStation title is guaranteed to work on the next-gen console. Microsoft has stated that both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be compatible with 4 generations of gaming. This means that their next-gen console will support all games playable on the Xbox One, as well as Xbox and Xbox 360 titles that were supported through backwards compatibility on the Xbox One. When played on the new consoles, these compatible games will look and perform better than before.

In regards to Virtual Reality, the PS5 will be fully compatible with the PlayStation VR Headset. Sony said that for the PS5 they will be improving VR experience, perhaps this means there might be a new headset in the works? As of right now, Microsoft has no released plans for an Xbox Series X headset.

Ultimately two very powerful performing consoles will be released this year by Microsoft and Sony. There are still many details about both consoles that are unknown, but with time we can hope for more released information. Regardless, PS5 and Xbox Series X will revolutionize how immersive and realistic gaming can look and feel on a home console.

We're also pumped about next gen, but our official announcement regarding compatibility will be released closer to the new system launch dates. If you want to be the first to know, however, make sure you sign up for our emails here: https://www.kontrolfreek.com/pages/register.