It can be said that Mike Ybarra is an Xbox fanboy. For two decades, he was part of the team that built the series of consoles that Microsoft has provided to gamers. So when confronted with the task of choosing between the upcoming Series X and the PlayStation 5, it has to be an easy pick.
Indeed it was, but Ybarra, who quit his Xbox job in October last year, dropped a huge surprise by favoring the competition. He chose the PS5, and he has reasons for doing so.
Both the PS5 and the new Xbox are expected to debut with premium hardware, and this has been confirmed by Sony and Microsoft, but it is believed that as a gaming console, the former will enjoy a bit of an advantage. It would seem that the PS5 will be packing more power, but that is not to say that the Xbox Series X will be an inferior rival.
Hardware-wise, many believe that the PS5 will over the Xbox, and apparently, the same goes for Ybarra, who, for 20 years, has seen how the Xbox has evolved. It's just that for the 2020 release, Sony will have an edge, and the PS5 has the vote of confidence coming from a former top Xbox executive.
According to Comic Book, when Ybarra was asked what console he would get this year, his quick reply was the PS5.
However, Ybarra was quick to add he's not abandoning the Xbox at all. In fact, he explained that most of his gaming hours would be spent on the gaming platform.
"Will play Xbox exclusives on PC. Wish they were all on PC... Economic wise, for my profile it's better for Xbox if I'm a Game Pass subscriber (which I will be for PC) vs. buying their console. I know that sounds weird, but it's accurate. The Game Pass strategy is very smart. Who cares where you play, as long as you play in Xbox's world," Ybarra was reported as saying.
Reading between the lines, it would appear that the former Xbox exec has been impressed with what the PS5 will unpack when it touches down. As the report said, if the PS5 ecosystem will only include PC, then it's a go for him on the rival platform.
Whatever gaming rig that Ybarra digs now, it's quite clear he will remain in the lucrative industry. According to WCCFTech, the executive is now with Blizzard where he holds a senior position, which explains his excitement when he announced his recent exit from Microsoft's gaming division.
Apparently, with Blizzard, Ybarra had found a form of freedom that was lacking when he was working with Xbox, the report added.
