As if the endless Xbox vs. PlayStation debate wasn’t rough enough, the discourse has reached a fever pitch with the recent release of Sea of Thieves on the PS5.
Formerly an exclusive title for Microsoft platforms, the game’s arrival on Sony’s console has ignited a fresh wave of debate over which console reigns supreme, and both sides seem to have a lot to say about it.
The Xbox Series X vs. PS5 Debates Escalate Quickly
Initial impressions of Sea of Thieves on the PS5 have been overwhelmingly positive. The game has a Metacritic score of 85 (based on four critic reviews) and there are first-hand reports from players suggesting it runs smoother compared to its Series X counterpart.
7 Pirate Games to Sink Your Sword Into if You Missed out on PlayStation’s Sea of Thieves Closed Beta
With the discussions around the pirate adventure game at an all-time high, social media platforms like X/Twitter are now a battleground for fans to compare the two versions of the game.
Xbox are beta testers lol 😂
— SEEEEEEEEENPAI_uwu (@senpaiuwu_rigz) April 29, 2024
One user compared Xbox players to beta testers, insinuating that people on Sony’s console get to enjoy a better experience with bug fixes and performance enhancements straight out of the gate.
People who played on Microsoft’s console faced a ton of issues at the start, and the game launched with a sub-average score of 69.
🚨Yet another Microsoft Studios game running better on PS5 than Xbox Series X
Sea of Thieves on PlayStation 5
🔷Better Shadows
🔷Better Draw Distance
🔷Better FPS
🔶Same 4k ResolutionFanboys might need new narratives other than "optimization" & "lazy devs"😂#Sony #PS5 #Xbox pic.twitter.com/6z3G5kROiH
— Dream Walker (@Dream_WaIker) April 20, 2024
A comparison video showcasing the apparent advantages of the PS5 version, including better draw distance, shadows, and FPS compared to the Series X.
Under a similar post, a Series X fan fired back, alleging that Microsoft’s first-party titles like Pentiment and Grounded tend to perform better on the company’s own consoles than the PS5.
Pentiment now runs better on Series X, Grounded is better on Series X, and Sea of Thieves was severely crashing to 0 FPS, so is that a win? In fact, the game is still in beta on PS5. https://t.co/KKO3AbkoRp pic.twitter.com/tezBZp9GIK
— Pônei Sincero (@SinceroPonei) April 21, 2024
They also claimed that Sea of Thieves suffers from severe performance issues on the PS5, uploading a video showcasing the game dropping to 0 FPS and crashing.
What Does This Mean for Microsoft?
Microsoft’s strategy in the gaming market seems to be undergoing a drastic shift. Earlier this year, two of its exclusive titles, Grounded and Pentiment, made their debut on the Nintendo Switch and were the first of its kind to do so.
The company is actively trying to expand its footprint across multiple platforms, not just Sony’s consoles. It’s not far-fetched to assume that more Microsoft exclusives will make their way to Sony and Nintendo consoles.
After all, during a recent public address, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, sort of hinted at the company’s era of exclusives coming to an end.
This also means we might see titles like Starfield, Bethesda’s space RPG, or the much-awaited Halo series making their way to the PS5 or future iterations of Sony consoles.
Perhaps Microsoft’s focus on its console line is dwindling, and it’s honing sights on expanding its gaming subscription service, Game Pass, as well as game development.
What exclusives do you hope to see make their way to the PS5? Let us know in the comments below!
