Unpopular Opinion is a series in which the GR staff and their readers share their unpopular opinions — positive or negative — on a particular topic. This week, we’re discussing our unpopular opinions about Sony’s PS4 console. Leave your opinions in the comments section below.
The PS4. The most successful console of this generation and the hardware that thrust Sony back into the spotlight after its struggles with the PS3, we can only hope that the PS5 continues the path laid down by its predecessor. While many of us share the same beliefs regarding the console, we also have a few thoughts that definitely go against the grain of popular opinion.
In this week’s Unpopular Opinion: PS4 Edition, we discussed our opinions on Sony’s console that may not be shared by the majority. Leave your own unpopular opinions in the comments or tweet at us!
🗣 Unpopular opinion: PS4 edition
We'll go first: The #PS4 has the best all-around controller.
Now share yours!
⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/6I64PZietD— GameRevolution.com (@Game_Revolution) April 17, 2019
Paul Tamburro, executive editor: “Sony doesn’t focus enough on multiplayer games. We’ve all been bowled over by the many incredible first-party single-player games that have made their way to the PS4, though in terms of multiplayer games, there’s nothing that I can pick up on the console that isn’t also available on PC. Considering these multiplayer games are usually played best on PC, this means that I don’t play my PS4 as often as I would like. Sony is reportedly looking to push hard on multiplayer games for the PS5, and I think this is the right move.”
Jason Faulkner, senior editor: “The PS4 has completely lost to the Xbox One when it comes to feature set this generation. The only reason Sony is ahead is because of Microsoft’s marketing failure during the launch of the Xbox One and that fact the Xbox was $100 more. The PS4 Pro lacking a 4K Blu-ray drive was one of the dumbest decisions ever, especially when it was a console designed to cater to power users. The Xbox One X is everything the PS4 Pro should have aspired to be and is my preferred console this gen. I’ve always been a Sony fan, but on the hardware and OS side this gen I have been pretty disappointed in its efforts. Also, the Xbox One Elite controller is the best first-party controller of all-time.”
Mack Ashworth, lead editor: “I’m a big fan of the PS4, but there’s one major flaw: the controller. The PS4 DualShock pad is terrible when compared to the Xbox One controller. Sony could have at least put some effort in to innovate the pad over the last 5+ years. When the Xbox Elite controller came out, Sony did nothing, forcing players to resort to third-parties for a decent experience. I shudder at the thought of using a naked DualShock 4.”
Bradley Russell, news editor: “The PS4 is the best console ever. Fact. Sure, its lack of backward compatibility is a black mark against its legacy, but it’s made up for that with PS Now’s extensive library. Then there are the exclusives. Uncharted 4; The Last of Us 2 and Death Stranding (yes, I’m counting them. Go away); God of War, Horizon, Spider-Man, Bloodborne. Don’t discount games and genuinely groundbreaking indie titles like The Witness and What Remains of Edith Finch, all married into a system that’s so sleek and accessible, that it should be the foundation for consoles for the next 20-30 years.”
Michael Leri, features editor: “The PS4 has the best all-around controller. It’s a competent shooter pad, but it’s incredible for just about every genre mostly thanks to its fantastic D-pad, thin but squishy triggers, and R1 and L1 buttons that thankfully aren’t bad, clicky bumpers. I reviewed the C40 TR pro controller which was decent but I keep finding myself going back to the sublime DualShock 4.”
