Console War

Sony's PS5 launch lineup could outdo the Xbox Series X

After the PS5 and Xbox Series X reveal presentations, we've got a better sense of what these launch day lineups look like.

After Sony's June 11 PlayStation 5 reveal event, we have a better idea of the launch title lineups for the PS5 and Xbox Series X will look like. While there are still several months of reveals ahead before both consoles launch, here's a quick look at all of the games currently confirmed for the launch of these next-gen consoles. Thus far, when it comes to PS5 versus Xbox Series X, Sony seemingly has Microsoft beat. But that could all change.

While more games and more specific release dates will be shared as we approach the release of both next-gen platforms, developers and publishers have directly confirmed that the following games will be released during the launch windows of PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Every confirmed PS5 launch title:

  1. Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales
  2. Godfall
  3. Astro's Playroom
  4. Dirt 5
  5. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
  6. Outriders
  7. Observer System Redux
  8. Destiny 2: Beyond Light
  9. Jett: The Far Shore
  10. Buggsnax
  11. Deathloop
  12. Madden NFL 21
  13. NBA 2K21
  14. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
  15. Rainbow Six Siege

Every confirmed Xbox Series X launch title:

  1. Halo Infinite
  2. Destiny 2: Beyond Light
  3. Rainbow Six Seige
  4. Dirt 5
  5. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
  6. Outriders
  7. Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  8. The Ascent
  9. The Medium
  10. Madden NFL 21
  11. NBA 2K21
  12. Call of the Sea
  13. Scorn
  14. Rainbow Six Siege
  15. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
  16. Destiny 2: Beyond Light

Exclusives — On the exclusives front, the PS5's launch window boasts Astro's Playroom as a pack-in title, a Marvel's Spider-Man remaster with the Miles Morales expansion, Godfall, Jett: The Far Shore, Buggsnax, and Deathloop. While the Xbox Series X will be sharing some of its exclusives with the Xbox One, the titles that will only be on a Microsoft console at launch are Halo Infinite, Scorn, The Ascent, The Medium, and Call of the Sea.

Backward Compatibility — When it comes to backward compatibility, Xbox comes out in front. According to Sony, only select PS4 games will be backward compatible with PS5 after work is done to make them run well on the new hardware, according to PlayStation Blog. It's appreciated considering that the PS5 has no backward compatibility support at launch, but it's not as wholistic as expected.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is ensuring that Xbox Series X is backward compatible with every Xbox One game as well as several legacy titles for the original Xbox and Xbox 360. Smart Delivery also means you'll get the Xbox Series X versions of games you own on Xbox One for free as soon as the console launches. Backward compatibility is a critical aspect of many console launches, and Microsoft currently has the upper hand there.

Who has the better launch lineup? While Game Pass and full backward compatibility will give Xbox Series X players more things to play at launch, as of right now, Sony and the PS5 have a much stronger launch lineup in terms of first-party titles.

Look at the sheer number of strong launch window exclusives: Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Godfall, Astro's Playroom, Jett: The Far Shore, Bugsnax, and Deathloop are all exclusive to the PS5.

Meanwhile, Xbox currently only has Halo Infinite, The Ascent, The Medium, Scorn, and Call of the Sea to its name. Still, we shouldn't downplay Microsoft's next-gen launch just yet as it hasn't revealed many first-party games outside of Halo Infinite.

After the Inside Xbox presentation in July that will go over first-party games, we should be able to more definitely say which console has the best-looking first-party launch lineup, but for the time being Sony is the clear winner here.

The Xbox Series X and PS5 will be released during the 2020 holiday season.

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