TOW #18: Two Gaming Consoles Battle for a Dubious Prize by Molly Wood

The time has come yet again for gamers, and maybe others as well, to make a decision between the Xbox and the PlayStation, and Molly Wood offers her stance in her article, “Two Consoles Battle for a Dubious Prize”. Last year (though not too long ago), Sony and Microsoft unveiled their latest consoles in an attempt to beat out the other. While the Xbox One is primarily marketed as a universal system that allows users to not only play games, but also surf the internet, stream TV, and play music, the Sony’s model is more traditional, focusing mainly on the gaming aspect, and offering some non-gaming features like Netflix. Wood determines through an brief summary and analysis of both systems that the PS4 is the best choice, given its simple interface, easy setup, and cheaper price.

It seems her purpose in writing this is to offer an unbiased view of both consoles. She strengthens her credibility by mentioning the fact that she tried out both for a significant period, and supports her conclusions using her own experiences with each console.

Though this article was published on The New York Times’ website, a news source whose most prominent articles seem to deal with political, economical, and social conflicts in all parts of the world, and cater towards a more mature audience, this article appears to be written with potential consumers of gaming consoles, which would therefore entail a generally younger audience.

By offering a sufficient amount of information about each console, Wood leaves the final choice up to the reader. She even broadens the focus towards the end, making a brief argument about the cheaper and more portable mobile gaming industry, an alternative that, in her eyes, likens the Xbox and PS4 to two sparring dinosaurs. This conclusion allows the reader to consider the gaming industry as a whole, and therefore make a more informed choice. This strategy makes it clear that Wood achieved her purpose.

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/technology/personaltech/review-the-xbox-one-versus-the-playstation-4.html?action=click&contentCollection=Technology&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=Blogs