On Nov. 15, Sony will be releasing their newest gaming console: the Playstation 4. One week later, on Nov. 22, Microsoft will also be releasing the newest Xbox: the Xbox One.

Since last year’s release of the Playstation 3, Sony is promoting this new console with a focus on the gamer. Its new DualShock 4 wireless controller contains  a simple press and share button, so the gamer is able to review the last few minutes of game play, tag it, and return back to the game. The video uploads as you play so the gamer is able to access their gameplay video at any time.

Currently, Microsoft’s last release was the Kinect, which was a big success with gamers of all ages, but this year, microsoft is bringing out a new console with a new, sleek design. This new console is created “by gamers for gamers” according to Xbox’s official website. So what’s the real difference between the Playstation consoles and the Xbox consoles?

In order to play on Xbox live, gamers need to purchase an Xbox live membership. “[On] Playstation, it’s free to play whenever you want, for how long you want,” said junior Martin Lien. Xbox game consoles start at $200, and come with one controller and a free month of Xbox Live. Xbox Live subscriptions go from 1- 12 months starting at 13 dollars for one month and ending at 60 dollars for 12 months, but, for many gamers, it seems to be worth the cost. Xbox live’s main attraction is its social gaming, which gathers millions and millions of subscribers.

Playstation, on the other hand, comes with one controller and free access to the Playstation Network.  The cost begins at  $100 and reaches close to $400, depending on the console you choose. So, it would seem that Playstation and Xbox are similar in almost every way, but the real decision concerns the player’s need for social gaming.