For context, we’re not referring to the SEGA vs. Nintendo console war of the early and late 90s. This entry isn’t even about the battle between Sony and Microsoft. No.

We’re referring to the internet battle: the fight between Sony and Xbox fans. With that said, this has been going on since the PS3 era, and it is almost always dominating gaming discussions in internet forums and social media. To be frank, this “war” is ridiculous and contributes to the gaming community’s divisions. It’s something that has to stop, although there’s absolutely no way it will happen in the near future.

So, why does this “my billion-dollar company is better than your billion-dollar company” argument need to end? Let’s take a look at a few reasons why:

Competition breeds innovation

Sony and Microsoft are currently directly competing via their flagship consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Meanwhile, Nintendo is on an island and focuses entirely on providing a different experience with the Switch, steering clear from the discussions although it’s also part of the competition.

With that said, huge businesses competing with each other breeds innovation, and this has been evident with the hardware and the quality of games we’re treated to in the past couple of years. Since releasing the Switch, the Nintendo churned out many power-packed exclusives like Breath of the Wild and Fire Emblem. The same can be said about Sony with The Last of Us 2 and God of War. Although Microsoft lacks in this department, it has Sea of Thieves, Halo, and Forza.

Exclusive games are one of the primary reasons why people buy these consoles. With that said, the better the titles, the more reason gamers will continue to patronize a specific device. In any case, since more is coming, we, the consumers, will stand to benefit.

There are bigger battles to fight

You might say that complaining on the internet is useless, but no, it’s a service, especially in the gaming industry. In a way, this helps deter gamers from purchasing unfinished and buggy titles and pushes developers to do more (and better). The recent Cyperpunk 2077 fiasco is a prime example. CD Projekt Red, a renowned company, released an unfinished experience full of bugs and glitches and is even unplayable on last-gen devices. Gamers complained, and the CDPR is doing everything it can to rectify its mistake, especially with the threat of lawsuits looming on the horizon.

With this situation in mind, the gaming community should face forward than each other. It is now a norm to release somewhat unfinished games and fix what it lacks later through patches for some inexplicable reason. Moreover, there’s the ever-growing trend of full-priced games using microtransactions to squeeze more money out of players. If we as a community would tackle these issues head-on together instead of fighting which consoles are better, then the industry would be a better place.

Different machines, different niches

It may not be evident, but each console has a specific niche and target audience in mind.

For example, Nintendo is the system for Pokemon fans, Smash players, Animal Crossing enthusiasts, and JRPG players. Meanwhile, PlayStation caters to those invested in its exclusives like God of War, Spider-Man, and Ratchet & Clank. Like Nintendo, it’s also a JRPG powerhouse. Meanwhile, Xbox players are for FPS gamers, as well as Halo and Forza fans.

As they say, different strokes for different folks. It’s merely immature to criticize others depending on their preferred entertainment source, right?

Accessibility and crossplay

Thanks to increasing consumer complaints and Epic Games, Sony bent over and finally allowed crossplay in several games, including PUBG, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Rocket League. Thanks to this, you no longer have to buy the same console or platform as your friends to play with them. Also, some exclusives are even making their way to others, with Horizon Zero Dawn and Cuphead being the most notable. We may see barriers continue to fall soon, giving us more to look forward to in the future.

We can own several consoles

In this day and age, brand loyalty is all right. We have preferred items and continue to patronize a particular business because, hey, we like what they deliver. However, this doesn’t mean you should limit yourself to a single product. This applies in the case of consoles and games.

Ignorance breeds prejudice, and we’re sure people who are still making console wars a thing haven’t tried out other platforms. For example, we’ve seen both Xbox and PlayStation players throwing insults at each other without any clue what the other provides to the table. Opening up your horizons (or wallet, in this case) to other consoles will undoubtedly make you see new franchises, paving the way for new obsessions. After all, games give you access to worlds at your fingertips and having other platforms will expose you to more.

I think the console wars should be a thing of the past. As a community, we have more significant battles to fight. With the rise of crossplay and individual franchises opening up to other platforms, there’s honestly no reason to continue this madness. If the companies are competing, then good for us, but it doesn’t mean we need to fight with them. Instead, let’s just sit back and enjoy the games they deliver.

So, what is your side in all of this?