With the release of the Sony PS3 and the Nintendo Wii right around the corner and the pre-orders far and few between to obtain, the gamer world is wiggling in their seats over the prospect of possibly getting one of these wonderful new machines.
Not me though. I couldn’t care less if I had one of these next gen consoles in my home for at least another 6 months to a year from now. Why exactly would I not care to own one of these puppies? Well, because if the past consoles have taught us nothing else, it is that there will always be reasons to wait for at least a year to buy new consoles because no new system is perfect and there will be problems.
However if you need some convincing on this, then here are my five reasons not to buy a new console in the first year.
1. First year games are usually last generation quality. When new systems come out, most developers don’t take advantage of the full capabilities of the machine. Graphics are usually last gen and the games could have easily been played on the previous system, but if you wait about a year and then suddenly the games seem to get better. Plus usually by the first year, one game comes out that suddenly makes you want the system so bad you’d step over your mother to get one. That’s usual a good sign that the system is starting to be used for its full potential.
2. Lack of gaming choices Not only do the first year games usually look last generation, but you never seem to get much of a choice in genres. When Xbox 360 was released, I think I saw one RPG for it and one platform game. To fully enjoy a system you need to be able to pick the game types you want and when a system only has 10 games available on the launch day, the selection is slim at best.
3. Glitches Every system is released so fast that usually little glitches will get pass the company and you are left buying a less than perfect machine or a paper weight. Xbox 360 had systems that didn’t turn on, or have video feed to the TV, Nintendo DS had hinges that broke with little or no effort, Xbox had a power cord that could catch on fire and now the PS3 had problems with overheating just before launch. Honestly I get scared to buy a new system for fear it may morph into an evil robot with a mind of its own and kill my family while they sleep. Oops, didn’t see that during testing, did you Sony? Worst of all, you then have to wait for a new system to replace the broken one or you have to send it away to be fixed which means another 30 days to wait for your new system, but at least, you don’t have to do it in a lawn chair outside a Best Buy.
4. Exclusives Okay, you have three choices in gaming consoles and you can only get one new next gen system. You choose one and then find out 6 months down the road that your system won’t be receiving your favorite game series this time. Nintendo 64 owners know what I mean – Final Fantasy jumped ship to Playstation and left Nintendo fans crying into their cartridge slots. I know you can’t always get all the games you want on one system, but when purchasing your first of three systems, you want to know that it will have the most games titles you want to play, at least until you can afford to buy another system.
5. Lack of Units Supply and demand, supply and demand. Supply very few units for a new system and we’ll demand it more. What an amazing marketing idea. I wanna spit on the person who came up with it. Every new system not starting with the name Nintendo loves to screw with us gamers by hyping their systems and then not producing enough units for the public to buy, which means gamers either wait in line at Best Buy in a sleeping bag overnight or pay double or even triple the price on Ebay to get the system right away. My question is why put yourself through this torture now when a few months down the road, you’ll walk by a wall of systems just screaming, “Please buy me!” along with 20 or so new game titles.
So to answer all those people who keep asking me if I will be in line to buy a Nintendo Wii or PS3 next month? “No way in Hell!” I’ll be the one walking out of the store with an Xbox 360 and a big smile on my face, because I didn’t have to wait in line for mine.
Now I'm not saying that each rule will apply to both the Nintendo Wii and the PS3.
They could stand above the rest and not follow in the footsteps of previous systems when it comes to the problems I just mentioned, but more than likely they will have 2 or 3 of these problems and they will be a pain in the butt to own right away.
However just to make the masses happy before the hate mail starts, I will give three reasons on why you should buy next gen right away.
1. You work in the industry It’s pretty silly not to have the latest systems if you need to preview and review the latest in gaming for your job. I mean hopefully you’ll be given a system by the companies to be able to review their stuff,
but sometimes it doesn’t work out that well.
2. You wanna be the coolest kid on your block. If you wanna have all your friends worshipping the ground you walk on, because you have the newest system available, then by all means buy away. Nothing wrong with buying friends and dates by letting them play your new PS3. I just hope you have the type of games they like and the system doesn't kill them in some strange accident.
3. You have way too much money. If you’re a millionaire that can afford to pay three times the normal amount for a pre-ordered system or can pay someone to stand in line at EB games for you, then by all means, buy one. You can afford too and you certainly afford to not care if anything is wrong with it as well.
7 comments:
Without sounding too much like a fanboi, the only console right now I'm getting is the Wii. Mainly for the backwards compabitility, but also because I think my lovely wife (MLW) and kids will enjoy the controller.
MLW is actually kind of interested in the Wii. I showed her Wii sports, and how she could run around the house in a little tennis outfit while she plays. But it's an idea she gets; when I showed her Mario Kart, she got "left/right/a to accelerate/b to brake". But then the idea of "X to launch missile/shoulder buttons to slide/z to swap" was just too much - she just wanted to drive and race about.
Maybe I can even get her to play Zelda - instead of "X to lock and A to hit and blah, blah, blah", it's "Swing the sword to hit it."
We'll have to see. Sadly, I missed out on the pre-order (lots of people in line!), but I'm sure I can get one on launch day.
I'm with you 100%. I got my own little list.
11 reasons xbox 1 is as good or better than xbox 360 right now:
1. xbox live multiplayer with a friends list, VOIP, matchmaking in certain XBL games, clan support in certain games.
2. xbox live arcade including geometry wars (PGR2), marble blast, smash tv, zuma, pac man, doom 1 and 2 (doom 3 collectors), etc.
3. games are as cheap as $1 in the bargain bin, and those games are sometimes rated 9/10 on gamespot.com.
4. xbox 1 is 100% compatible with xbox 1 games!
5. a headset that doesn't suck as much.
6. you don't have to replace batteries on the controller mid-game.
7. xbox 1 is a hell of a lot cheaper.
8. xbox 1 has better games.
9. xbox 1 has some of the same games with a little less graphical pizazz for cheaper. you forget about the pizazz in a little while anyway. (e.g. NFS Most Wanted, Battlefield 2:MC, Fight Night Round 3, Far Cry Instincts Predator)
10. Xbox 1 doesn't crash, overheat, get red lights nearly as often as xbox 360 does.
11. Xbox 1 can play DVDs with the kit, has a wireless remote, can store and play music, and can even get a media center via a new dash mod.
I can understand why some people are not picking up a PS3 or Wii on launch day, but your post screams of trying too hard to justify that position. In fact, it comes off as an attempt to convince yourself that you shouldn't get one on launch day. I'm not a fanboy of any one system, but I do consider myself to be an avid gamer. And as an avid gamer, I just don't see how other avid gamers aren't just dying to get a new system. I mean, this is what we do. This is our thing. We love video games. How can you sit there and say that you have no interest in playing the latest gaming hardware? That's bullshit. You're a devoted gamer right? Seriously, I can't believe you have *no* interest in getting your little hands on a Wii or PS3 on launch day.
In my opinion, it's all about he money and dedication. If they were extremely affordable and available, you'd be all about picking them up. But the truth is that you don't need to be a millionaire to get them all. If gaming truly as big a part of your life, you'd make sacrifices or simply just *find* a way to get them all. I was standing in line to get a PS3 preorder and some 16 yr old kid camped alongside with us. He wasn't rich. He worked part-time at a golf shop all summer long and saved his money for a PS3. And you're gonna sit there and tell him it's not worth it? It *is* worth it to him. And camping out with 10 to 40 other hardcore gamers for one of the most exciting days in gaming (a new hardware launch day) shouldn't be 'work' or 'aggrivating.' It's actually really fun. Think about it. How often do you get to hang out with total strangers, all into games, and play DS wireless games, PSP games, board games, and talk about games all night long? It's fun. I look forward to it at every launch.
So stop trying to justify how getting a Wii or PS3 isn't the thing to do. If you love video games as much as my friends and I do, you'll be there in line on November the 16th and November the 18th with bells on. Sell some old crap on eBay, do some odd jobs, beg or borrow from friends or parents. Don't try to convince yourself that it's not worth it.
Don't get me wrong though. Your points about how new consoles tend to suck in the their first months are generall spot on. However, that doesn't change the fact that as a gamer, you have to feel the need to pay the newest stuff. It's just natural. I mean, not wanting to is like a sports car nut not wanting to get the newest sports car because it's too expensive, the price will come down when they're used or they'll wait a few years for them to iron on the kinks on the new models. C'mon it's about the money or the dedication to get one.
What the fuck, Faith? The only reasons someone will get a next gen right away is because they want to be cool, or has to much money? That's retarded.
It can't be about games we want to play can it? Nope, not possible at all. I'm totally a rich fanboy trying to impress my friends.
The Wii already has three excluives that are going to rock PLUS the best version of Zelda. The vitural console lets me play games I grew up on, and backwords compatabilty ensures that I won't have any lack of games to play on it.
Your claim that buying a console rather then six months from now is only viable if you're in a surpluss of money. I don't see how waiting six months from now then buying is going to be fincially easier, considering the consoles aren't going to have a price drop until about two years from now.
Also,$250 isn't a horribly overpriced amount to pay.
You say that 'You don't want to be a cool kid' but what I hear is that "I'm going to say the opposite of what's popular so that I seem cool, and anyone else that disagrees with me is a rich prep"
Bite me, Faith
Sometimes being a late buyer has its advantages... like you end up missing a lot of the dud titles that pop up and you probably end up saving a lot of money when you go to buy the quality titles.
If i had the $$$ then i'd have the system.
I absolutely agree with you Faith on all the points.
Also, I would like to add, what happened in the world to make downloading software and firmware updates for consoles a standard thing?
I don't ever having to download a software patch or upgrade firmware on my old consoles. It reeks of poor quality and rushing to the market before you are ready.
Despite Microsoft and Sony's intention to turn game consoles into some sort of hub for the living room. I just want to be able to play games. That's all. I don't want a computer sitting in my living room that needs to be updated because of buggy software/hardware.
Enough of my rant...I'm going to sulk off and play my NES.
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