Consoles, along with PCs, are one of the main devices people all around the world are using for gaming. There are three major types of consoles ruling the world of gaming that are PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Both offer great features and amazing online and offline games that millions of people play.
However, the popularity of online games is different for each console. Despite offering great features and mechanics, one title might not succeed as planned. Similarly, one game can bloom in popularity despite having average features.
Why is that? In this article, I will look at some basic reasons why online games vary in popularity depending on the console. Let’s start.
How Does Consoles Deal with Online Games?
Each console has a different way of dealing with online games, depending on their ecosystem. They have different types of user bases and the developers the consoles work with.
In a general scenario, a console such as Xbox either makes a game within its own studio (Microsoft) or deals with a third-party developer (such as Activision). These games are both free and paid, and users get access to them accordingly. After the access, they can play online with other people worldwide. They can even play some selected slot games on their favorite consoles. Access to casino games via console is a great way for gamers to broaden their horizons and enjoy a wider range of games. Whether it’s slot games or blackjack, you can try your hand at multiple online games using your chosen console today.
Although each platform follows a similar procedure, the popularity factor among the global players still varies. Despite the factor of “personal preference”, where one player likes or dislikes the console, affecting the fame, there are other reasons as well. That’s what I am going to analyze next.
How Does Online Games Vary in Popularity Depending on the Console?
The following reasons explain this phenomenon well:
Exclusive titles:
Exclusive titles are an important factor affecting a game’s popularity. Exclusive titles are those games that are specifically released by a console. Their examples are PlayStation’s Gran Turismo and Nintendo’s Splatoon 3. These titles become the main feature of a platform and are the primary choice of its user base.
Being able to play exclusive titles that are not available on any other platforms attracts a lot of users. For example, Xbox’s Halo Infinite sold 81 million copies, making it one of the most popular names. Creating famous exclusive titles motivates other consoles to do the same. They also work on creating special editions to improve their user experience while making money over it. As a result, the popularity keeps on varying each year.
Cross-platform feature:
The primary purpose of online games is to be able to play against a large user base from around the world. The cross-platform feature helps improve this facility. It allows people to play on their console with others who might be using another type of console. To benefit from this facility, the companies have provided these features for many titles, including Rocket League.
For example, a person using Xbox can play Rocket League with another player using PlayStation. This feature is either included at the time of release or added later. In any scenario, people just jump all over the title to have a diverse experience, which directly affects its popularity.
Pricing:
Just like anything else in the world, pricing affects the popularity of video games as well. Most games need to be purchased before you can enjoy playing them (except for certain scenarios). These prices have a huge impact on whether the title will get popular or not. If the user base thinks a title’s price is high, they’re not going to buy it.
People, in general, usually go for something that’s in their budget no matter how attractive is it. Sometimes, the console isn’t even responsible for the surge in price and the decline in popularity. For example, if Activision decides to sell a game for $100, players might not buy it even though the console company doesn’t have anything to do with the price.
Hardware specifications:
Another reason for the varying popularity of online games on consoles is the hardware specifications. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch are all different in their hardware specifications.
They handle each game differently. For example, PlayStation is capable of handling performance-demanding names, making it the first choice of many pro players. In a similar way, Nintendo is useful for having a more handheld approach for online players and cannot handle names like Apex Legends well. As a result, a game fails to reach the audience of different console types, which affects its popularity.
So, What’s the Solution?
Console and game-developing companies spend millions to create titles. They have high-quality research teams to analyze market trends. Still, the complications of the platform’s compatibility are going to be here for a long time. The solution here is to keep a balance while designing games. To make it popular, companies need to offer features like cross-platform more often. Optimizing pricing is also a great solution.
Conclusion
There are a lot of different reasons why online games vary in popularity depending on the console. Big companies work on making exclusive titles for each platform, helping the user base enjoy exclusive content. It sometimes backfires, decreasing its fame. The same goes for its pricing and hardware capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does an online game underperform in popularity based on the liking of console players?
Of course. The liking factor plays a great role in the game’s low popularity.
Does every game go through such factors?
No. Many titles perform very well in the market offering good experiences and features to players.
Do subscription plans have anything to do with it?
Yes. Game passes and exclusive subscriptions can affect both positively and negatively.
