As revolutionary as a new console may be, it is only as good as the games in its library. As such, convincing gamers to part with their hard-earned cash and pick up a new system at launch can often be a difficult task. Over the years, both Microsoft and Sony have tried a few different approaches in an attempt to get sales off to a strong start.
Sometimes they have focused on securing high-quality exclusives, whereas other times they have instead aimed for a wide variety. This generation however seems to be all about quantity, with the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series S & X all having at least 25 games available at launch. It's certainly a big number, but how exactly does it stack up when compared with previous PlayStation and Xbox consoles?
As the focus is on home consoles, the PSP and PS Vita will not be included.
9 PlayStation (12)
Sony entered the console market during what was perhaps its most competitive period. The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo was at its fiercest and there were several other big companies fighting over the scraps. Sony's system really needed something special to stand a chance of disrupting the status quo. In the end, it ended up being its pricing rather than its launch lineup.
Ridge Racer and Rayman were the best that the system had to offer at launch, neither of which was particularly impressive. As the Saturn was more expensive and had fewer games and the SNES was on its last legs, the PlayStation still managed a successful launch. Games like Wipeout and Tekken arrived within the next month.
8 PlayStation 3 (14)
After knocking the ball out of the park with its previous console, Sony took a big step backward with the launch of the PlayStation 3. The system was already playing catchup right out of the gates due to the Xbox 360 launching a full year earlier, and the PlayStation 3's limited selection of launch titles really didn't help it to make up the ground.
While the variety may have been a little lackluster, the quality of what little was on offer was at least fairly high. Resistance: Fall of Man and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas both hold 86 ratings on Metacritic while Ridge Racer 7 scored a fairly respectable 78. It was also the third and final time that a Ridge Racer game featured as a launch title for a Sony console.
7 Xbox 360 (18)
The Xbox 360 arrived just four years after the release of the original Xbox. It may have seemed a strange decision to some, but the quick turnaround allowed Microsoft to ride the momentum of the original machine's success right into the next generation. More importantly, it gave the 360 a big head start over the PlayStation 3, which wouldn't arrive for another year.
When it came to launch titles, Microsoft once again focused on high-quality exclusives. Both Project Gotham Racing 3 and Perfect Dark Zero performed well, both critically and commercially. Cross-platform titles like Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Call of Duty 2 helped to bolster the lineup, as did a decent selection of sports sim games.
6 Xbox (19)
A few eyebrows were raised when Microsoft announced its intentions to enter the console market. However, given the resources at Microsoft's disposal and its past experience working with Sega during the Dreamcast's development, it actually made a lot of sense. If anybody had what it took to fill the void left by Sega's absence, it was Microsoft. Thanks to a powerful machine and a strong launch lineup that was bolstered by some big exclusives, the company did exactly that.
Some would argue that Halo: Combat Evolved is not just the best ever launch title on a Microsoft system, but the best ever launch title on any system, period. The game could have singlehandedly sold the system had it needed to, but it was supported by a few other great exclusive titles. Dead or Alive 3 and Project Gotham Racing were both fantastic games and, together with Halo, ensured a very successful console launch.
5 Xbox One (23)
The impending war between the Xbox One and PS4 felt to many like a changing of the guard. Two decades prior, it had been Sega and Nintendo duking it out for the "best console manufacturer" crown. Now, with Sega out of the race and Nintendo seemingly unable or unwilling to entertain a battle of raw power, it was all about Sony and Microsoft.
Given the latter had a strong track record when it came to launch lineups, the Xbox One was something of a disappointment. There were plenty of games on offer, but nothing that really stood out. Microsoft pinned its hopes on Dead Rising 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome selling consoles, but neither made much of an impression. In terms of critical success, cross-platform title likes NBA 2K14 and FIFA 14 ended up leading the way.
4 Xbox Series S & X (25)
Had 343 Industries been able to deliver Halo Infinite on time, things might have been a lot more cut and dry. Without it, the Xbox Series S & X come up wanting when it comes to true system selling launch titles. The only saving grace is that, for now at least, Sony's PS5 is in the very same boat. There's plenty on offer, but nothing really worth breaking the bank for.
Of the 25 titles available for the new machines at launch, many are old games with little more than a fresh coat of paint. Even Yakuza: Like a Dragon, a game for which Microsoft did well to secure next-gen exclusivity for a few months, has been available in Japan on PS4 for almost a year. According to Metacritic, the best of the 25 titles on offer is Tetris Effect: Connected, followed by Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
3 PlayStation 4 (26)
The PlayStation 4 got a one week head start on the Xbox One and also managed to squeeze in a few extra launch titles for good measure. With Microsoft's first console having released one year later than the PS2 and the Xbox 360 releasing one year prior to the PS3, this was the first time that the two giants would go head to head. The PS4 came out on top, but it was no thanks to its launch titles.
If the PS4's launch lineup teaches anything, it's that quantity doesn't always equate to quality. That the system's two best-performing launch titles on Metacritic (FIFA 14 and Battlefield 4) were both multiplatform games says a lot about the general standard of titles on offer. There was certainly a decent variety there, but nothing strong enough to tip the scales in Sony's favor – especially not Knack.
2 PlayStation 5 (28)
As with the Xbox Series S & X, several of the titles available for the PlayStation 5 at launch are touched up versions of older releases and more still are multiplatform games. Thankfully, the Demon's Souls remake at least provides a compelling reason to pick up the system, although right now it stands very much alone.
At the time of writing, two of the three highest-rated PS5 titles on Metacritic are DMC5: Special Edition and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Although the latter features some new material, it feels more like a DLC expansion pack than a new game. Likewise, while DMC5: Special Edition is undoubtedly the definitive version of the game, it is still, at its core, an 18-month-old title.
1 PlayStation 2 (29)
Sony clearly learned its lesson from the underwhelming launch lineup of the original PlayStation. Not only was the PlayStation 2's launch lineup much bigger, but it also contained an incredibly diverse range of titles. Not every game was a hit, but with so many on offer, they really didn't need to be. Every genre was covered in some capacity, with fighting games being particularly well represented.
SSX, Madden NFL 2001, and DOA2: Hardcore were arguably the pick of the bunch, all managing ratings of 90 or higher on Metacritic. Tekken Tag Tournament also performed well, as did games like Dynasty Warriors 2, TimeSplitters, and Ridge Racer V. As far as launch lineups go, they really don't come much better than this.