Introduction
Choosing a console is without doubt one of the hardest choices you can make, especially since most consoles have unique ecosystems tied to them meaning you’re pretty much committed for the long run once you’ve started playing on them and earning achievements.
To tempt you, console companies offer unique services that can only be utilized by playing through their dedicated system which can complicate matters further.
As a casual gamer, though, it’s important to understand what you really need and what may or may not be worth splashing the cash on — luckily, you’ve come to the right place as we’re going to assess which console is the best for casual gamers and outline some things you may want to consider.
**Scroll Down for Winner**
XBOX Overview:
Key Services Offered
- TV Service & Apps (Disney+, Apple TV, Netflix, etc)
- XBOX Game Pass (Access to hundreds of games for a subscription fee)
- XBOX App (Chat, achievement access, and remote play)
First of all, XBOX pits itself as an all-in-one entertainment and media station meaning you’ll get access to lots of apps including all the most popular TV apps such as Netflix and Disney+.
As a casual gamer, it’s nice to know that the money you’re spending can be used for other means of entertainment rather than always just for gaming on — basically, you’re getting more for your money with this kind of compatibility.
As well as that, one of the key services that team XBOX is offering is the XBOX Game Pass that’ll give you access to hundreds of games for just a subscription fee.
This is especially convenient for casual gamers because it means you can try lots of different games without needing to commit to anything or pay in full for something that you may only play for a few hours.
We also think that XBOX offers some of the greatest flexibility when it comes to cross-compatibility on your devices; you can remote stream and play games to any device that can utilize the XBOX app such as your home PC and even your mobile phone.
Overall, XBOX is one of the most open ecosystems meaning it’ll give you some of the greatest flexibility to try out different things without needing to hard-commit to anything.
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PlayStation Overview:
Key Services Offered
- PlayStation Plus (Online Access, Monthly Games, Exclusive Discounts)
- PS Now (Access to PS4, PS3, PS2 games catalogue)
- PlayStation VR Access
- Media App Compatibility
As far as gaming goes on the PlayStation, you’ll probably want to have a PS Plus subscription as it’ll give you access to online play and a good range of monthly game downloads that can be retained as long as you maintain the membership.
This does mean you’ll need to be committed somewhat as you’ll lose access to them as soon as you stop paying which could be a hindrance if you’re extremely casual.
PlayStation also offers PS Now which is similar in a way to PS plus in that it gives you access to a range of games, however, these games seem to be from older titles and the price they charge is a little on the high side, especially if you factor in that you’ll probably be paying for a PS Plus subscription too.
They also offer access to a media station and service where you can download TV apps, though, this doesn’t feel as robust or as dedicated as the XBOX experience so it’s worth bearing that in mind if you want a cleaner experience.
The main boon and where the PlayStation excels, however, is in the fact that they offer one of the best VR experiences that exist through their PS VR headset.
It does come at a separate cost but this can be a great way to break up the usual monotony of gameplay with something slightly different.
In fact, most VR experiences can be enjoyed on a casual basis so this could be great if you’re wanting something more unique to try.
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Nintendo Overview:
Key Services Offered
- Nintendo Switch Online
As far as casual gaming goes, Nintendo Switch can offer one of the most flexible and fluid experiences we know of, mainly because it’s built with transportability in mind.
This ability to hot-swap between TV and mobile gaming means in theory, you’ll always have a console to take with you wherever you go and, irrespective of what you’re doing, should always be able to play some games.
However, where the Nintendo experience falls flat is when it comes to services offered and the ability to access modern media apps such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime — it really isn’t easy accessing them on the Switch, and in some cases, is pretty much impossible right now.
Arguably, Nintendo offers less in the way of membership perks too, though, this can mean it’s more of a straightforward process than some of the more convoluted options that its counterparts offer.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that Nintendo typically stands out from the crowd in the fact that it doesn’t always offer access to the latest mainstream games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield, so if you typically gravitate towards these types of games then bear that in mind.
Overall, though, we think this is one of the best consoles for casual gamers if you don’t have access to a mobile phone where you can play games on the go.
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Best Casual Console Winner?
With the overviews complete, this brings us to our winner!
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Congratulations team XBOX, you’ve offered enough flexibility and robust features for us to crown you king of the casual consoles.
XBOX stands out as being an innovative and flexible ecosystem in that they offer remote streaming to other devices and also offer some exciting membership features.
We also love that the system is streamlined to offer an intuitive media streaming experience meaning you can watch all of the latest shows and movies without much fuss.
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