Sony's equivalent subscription service, PlayStation Plus, is required only for multiplayer gaming and online saves. You'll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription, listed at $60/year, to use most online extras, from Netflix to gameplay video sharing. The Xbox will run you $100 more up front, and likely even more over time. It will launch on November 22 in most countries worldwide.

It launched on November 15 in the US, followed by November 29 in Europe and Australia, December for much of Asia, and February 22 for Japan. We're in the process of updating this story to reflect what we've learned about both consoles in the meantime, read PS4 vs. Ladies and gentlemen: Let's get ready to rumblllle!!! Update November 21, 2013: CNET has now reviewed both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. In this corner, in the blue, black, and white shorts, weighing in at a svelte 9 pounds and hailing from Minato City, Tokyo, in Japan, the Sony PlayStation 4! In this corner, in the green and white shorts, weighing in at a massive 15.2 pounds and hailing from Redmond, Wash., in the USA, the Microsoft Xbox One! Now, in a bout eight years in the making, two titans will fight for the heavyweight game console championship of the world!

Ps4 s xbox one specs