Yes, I know some of the hardcore gamers out there buy every new system the instant it comes out. It’s their primary hobby and they’re collectors.
I’ve often bought a new console right on launch day. It’s sort of exciting, you know? There’s nothing like bringing home that shiny new piece of technology, with the hopes that the new generation of interactive entertainment will be even more amazing than the last.
I get it. You want to have the best of the best at your fingertips. I understand the mentality and I’ve been guilty of the “I want it now!” mindset numerous times, especially when it comes to new game consoles.
But you know, it’s not necessary.
I was pretty convinced the PS4 and Xbox One were legit day-one purchases
I was going to get the PlayStation 4 on launch day because I got the PS2 and PS3 on launch day, so why break the trend? Besides, I’d really liked everything I’d heard from Sony during 2013 leading up to the launch. It was clear to me that they had acknowledged their mistakes concerning the disastrous PS3 launch, and they had worked to fix things. They’d utilized lots of developer and gamer feedback, and the result was a vastly more accessible (and cheaper) machine.
I wasn’t going to get the Xbox One because a). I didnt feel like spending a full grand on one day, and b). I never buy Xbox’s out of the gate. They usually freakin’ break in a month, anyway, and there are almost never any exclusives I really want in the first six to twelve months. Remarkably, the Xbox One appears to be pretty reliable this generation, but I’m still not seeing the must-play titles in the first year.
Wait a year and good things can happen
If you look at that games that are currently available for the PS4 and Xbox One, and the games on tap for the holiday season, what would you really be missing if you didn’t own either console? I guess the top contenders would be Titanfall, Forza Horizon 2 and Sunset Overdrive for the Xbox One and inFamous: Second Son, Driveclub and LittleBigPlanet 3 for the PlayStation 4. Of course, in both cases, the latter two titles are available at the end of the year, meaning there was all of one exclusive up until the holiday season that wasn’t available on previous-gen consoles.
See? Wait a year. If I had waited until October or November, I think it would’ve made more sense. More next-gen games are immediately available, and a lot of promising titles are on the immediate horizon (Bloodborne, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Halo 5: Guardians, The Order: 1886, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, etc.) Was there really any need to have the PS4 (or Xbox One) throughout 2014? I’m not so sure.
And of course, as reliable as both systems have proved to be, manufacturers can always use a bit more time to work out the kinks. There are always a few.
Patience is a virtue
It really is. Had I missed inFamous: Second Son (and Titanfall, if I owned an Xbox One) during the first year of the new generation, I wouldn’t have been all that upset. As for the Wii U, I haven’t been interested in that system since it was announced, although I’d be more likely to consider it because of Mario Kart 8 and Hyrule Warriors. But again, were those games available in the first year? Nope.
The bottom line is that I’ve been quick to pull the trigger many times and in retrospect, it was never essential. I wouldn’t have missed out on much. Well, the PS2 may have been the lone exception, as that system’s first year was amazing. But you’ll never see a console like that again, that’s for sure.
Published: Jun 24, 2014 05:41 pm