This Thanksgiving, PlayStation LifeStyle and its sister site GameRevolution are saying “thanks” to their favorite games, consoles, and developers.
In the hell year of 2022, we face increased uncertainty. The cost of living is disastrously high, we’re staring directly at a looming global recession, and crypto bros have discovered that purchasing JPEGs of monkeys didn’t make them rich overnight. However, there is one certainty in this world — Sony will continue to put out banger exclusive games on the PS5.
Each console manufacturer of the “Big Three” have settled into their groove in terms of what they want to provide their audience. Nintendo has successfully courted families with its Switch, Microsoft has made its Xbox Series X and S a Game Pass machine, and Sony uses the PS5 to deliver premium exclusive experiences you aren’t going to get elsewhere. This means that while you probably aren’t going to get through as many games on your PS5 as you would with your Xbox Series X, there’s still a real of quality over quantity on Sony’s console.
And it’s not just us who believe Sony’s exclusives edge out its competitors. As part of the ongoing legal battle surrounding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, the Xbox manufacturer conceded that Sony’s library of exclusives is of “better quality.” Sure, this is part of Microsoft’s goal to undermine its own deal with Activision so it doesn’t get blocked, but still… they aren’t wrong.
This year alone has seen the launch of four top-tier PS5 exclusives, with Horizon Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, The Last of Us Part 1, and the recently released God of War Ragnarok all achieving critical and commercial acclaim. Last year the console had Returnal and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and its launch year boasted Demon’s Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Astro’s Playroom, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure. That isn’t even taking into account PS4 exclusives that received PS5 upgrades such as Ghost of Tsushima.
These exclusives span multiple genres and appeal to different audiences, yet maintain a consistently high level of quality that first-party games from Xbox and even Nintendo struggle to achieve. We all remember the Nintendo Seal of Quality, but these days a PlayStation Seal of Quality would likely carry more weight.
In 2022, if you buy a PS5 you know exactly what you’re getting — a console that will deliver a steady stream of games that will no doubt wind up in multiple Game of the Year lists by December 31st. Next year we have the likes of Final Fantasy XVI and Forspoken confirmed, with other major games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Wolverine also on their way. Needless to say, PS5 owners have a lot to be thankful for.