Black Friday is nearly upon us, and the time has arrived for Xbox One and PS4. The market still isn't flooded with must-have games that you can't play on last-gen, and Sony's last firmware update was sort of a mess, but we're finally at the point where both Sony and Microsoft's machines have enough titles to make an upgrade to the current-gen worth it, or at the very least, probably a better bet than buying an older machine. Microsoft has already been slashing the Xbox One price for months, but this Black Friday and ensuing deals still bring with it the best opportunity to walk away with a new console. Here are the best deals for anyone looking to make the upgrade:
PS4: The PS4 deals aren't quite as dramatic as those for Xbox One, but Sony's outstanding year affords the company a little bit more leeway when it comes to charging full price. By and large, prospective PS4 owners will get the best value with a bundle containing a console The Last of Us Remastered and GTA 5 for $399.99, available at Walmart, Toys R' Us, Gamestop and Best Buy. Those less inclined towards zombie horror and open world crime can also opt for a Lego Batman 3 and Littlebigplanet bundle for the same price at Toys R' Us.
Walmart.com also offers a PS4 bundle with the choice of two games for $449, for anyone willing to spend an extra $50 for a slightly broader selection of titles.
Xbox One: Microsoft already slashed the price of the Xbox One base console down to $349 for the holiday season, and Black Friday brings with it some more impressive savings. For my money, the best comes from Target, which is offering the Assassin's Creed: Unity Bundle for $329 with an additional $50 Target Gift Card in as an extra. Assassin's Creed: Unity is, of course, riddled with bugs, but the bundle also comes with Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, which is great. That extra $50 means you can walk away with the console and three games for $329, which is about as good as you're going to do.
The Microsoft store itself, also has a solid deal, offering $70 off the console with or without Kinect, with either Forza Motorsport 5, Titanfall or Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare in for free. Those aren't really the cream of the crop, but that $70 allows for a little flexibility when it comes to outfitting your new console with software.
Walmart's offer of the Halo Master Chief Collection (with working multiplayer, eventually, probably), with a 12-month Xbox Live subscription and a game of your choice from Walmart.com isn't chump change either. There are plenty of other bundles discounted, but I'd recommend going with one of those.
Judging by the deals above, I'd say you're better off with an Xbox One than a PS4 this Black Friday. While the two consoles aren't identical, they're similar enough that the savings on Xbox One could be enough to sway your decision, unless you're a gigantic Naughty Dog fan. But you'll do well with either at this point, and I think I'm finally ready to recommend the leap.
