Gabe Newell is a figurehead in gaming. As a co-founder and president of Valve, Newell’s foresight on the future of gaming helped launch great titles and the platform Steam. He’s relatively behind-the-scenes nowadays, but headlines pulled an interview he gave in New Zealand. During the interview, Newell talks about living in New Zealand during the duration of COVID-19. He also touches on the next-gen console wars and gave a very definitive answer. Without missing a beat, his answer was clear: Gabe Newell prefers Xbox over PlayStation for the next console cycle. Here’s what he had to say about the new consoles, despite focusing primarily on PC gaming in his career.
Why Gabe Newell Prefers Xbox Over PlayStation
Image Credit: Microsoft
In the interview, the panel of talking heads asks Newell about his opinions on the new consoles. While I’m sure they know Newell’s work is primarily on PC, most non-gamers don’t really get the difference. To the mainstream, console gaming seems like the most popular thing to do. So, the question was a bit off from the start, but Gabe Newell prefers Xbox nonetheless. Despite adding that he “doesn’t have a stake in that race,” Newell expressed that the Xbox is just better as a console and piece of hardware. Newell added, “Obviously, we do most of our development on personal computers, but of the two I would definitely go with an Xbox.”
This isn’t the first time Newell shaded a PlayStation console. Back in 2007, Newell said the PS3 was “a waste of time,” given its underpowered specs. While Newell’s comments and beliefs seem only based on performance, this viewpoint adds to the difficult nature of the next console cycle.
Are the Console Wars Just Ramping Up?
Image Credit: Sony
Overall, most experts agree the Xbox Series X will be more powerful than the PlayStation 5. From the capabilities of the hardware to the graphical output, Xbox seems to have the power. Players don’t only want power, however. They want games, and the Sony games lineup seems much stronger right now than what Xbox showed us at their games showcase. Plus, the Xbox Series X is designed much like a PC. Even the tower shape looks like a PC tower. So, maybe that’s an additional element to Newell’s preference. Either way, gamers often choose their consoles based on what they can play, not what they can do.
Newell’s comments point to a divide developing in gaming. Many industry leaders like what the Xbox Series X offers in terms of developer tools. Many gamers like the lineup Sony offers. Other than Xbox Game Pass, the momentum still seems behind Sony heading into the Holiday 2020 launch of both consoles. Still, with better games and a stronger showing from its newly acquired development studios, Microsoft’s power could really give the PS5 a run for its money. Check out the full interview with Gabe Newell below.
Do Gabe Newell’s comments influence you at all on your opinion of the consoles? If so, then let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture.
Featured Image Credit: Newshub