7/08/2013

7 Reasons to not move on to next gen just yet...

So the dust of E3 and Xbox 180 has somewhat settled, and while there may be some surprises at an event like the Tokyo Game Show or Gamescom, we pretty much know what the launch will be like. And frankly it's not that positive. There's a laundry list of issues that you can easily avoid by just waiting til next year or even longer. Here's 7 perfectly good reasons to spend that $600+ (when you add in games/peripherals) on all the good current gen stuff.


For every console ever...
7. You will still be able get the biggest hits on current consoles: Granted, most games that are focused on next-gen and being farmed out to some other team to be put out on other consoles might give you a reason to upgrade, but that's pretty much just Titanfall and Destiny at this point, which are a long ways off. Call of Duty probably won't be much different. Assassins Creed IV & Watch Dogs will be similar.


6. You aren't ready to give up your library: This is the first gen of consoles that have lasted this long and have a fair amount of gamers with some or possibly a lot of digital content. Granted, you could keep it, but a majority trade-in/sell/give away their consoles when they are ready to move on the next gen because shelf/entertainment center space gets pretty premium when you are talking about multiple platforms and multiple generations. I have 3 home consoles right now and it barely seems like there is room for 4, something will probably have to go and I doubt I'm alone on that.



5. There are still plenty of games coming out for current consoles: Aside from cross-gen titles, most of the more exciting titles this year are strictly currrent gen. Tomb Raider, Bioshock Infinite and Last of Us are out now and all early GOTY contenders. Arkham Origins, GTA V and Stick of Truth are probably the most exciting games for the rest of this year and they won't be on the new platforms.



4. The launch line-up is laughable: I had a PS4 pre-ordered, and I know some are getting it to "support" Sony, but I took a long hard look at the launch line-up, there was nothing that good. Knack is probably the most interesting exclusive title and sure as hell not worth $400. What about the Xbox One launch is exciting? Maybe Dead Rising 3? Ryse is apparently better than it looked, but that's not saying a lot. As much as post-launch support for the Wii U was terrible, the actual launch line-up was really strong with several unique titles. The PS4 and Xbox One both seem to be lacking anything that would make someone really want to pony up the money at launch. Leading into my next point:



3. Next-Gen is expensive: Granted, the Wii U suffered at $350 because the Wii was so cheap, but the last few launches (3DS, Vita, Wii U) have all been blasted for not really providing value equivalent to their launch price. I'm straining to see anything on either console that screams this is worth this huge investment that would basically be most of my Xmas budget or a good chunk of my tax return when there will probably be either a price drop or some good giftcard/bundle deals offered next year (especially with the hardware supposedly being much cheaper to make as compared to last gen). The graphics don't look that much better, the features just aren't that interesting (live TV! That's so great!). Most of the more interesting features and games aren't coming to fruition until at least next year (i.e. Gakai), and this bring up my number two reason:

Maybe in 2015. If we're very lucky...
2. The best games are a long ways off: Lots of great games were shown at E3. You know who has the most exclusive games coming out this holiday season? Nintendo. Sony & MS showed at lot of very early in development games that might come out next year with nothing solid in terms of gameplay. I doubt it will be as bad as the Wii U because Nintendo just wasn't on the ball but don't be surprised if December through March is pretty dry because there's just nothing planned for those consoles in that period. If PS4 gamers are lucky they might get Infamous in that time period. And I don't see anything on Microsoft's end that really looks like it'll be out in that period.



 1. The bugs won't be worked out: I hope we won't have anything as serious as the red ring, but Wii U needed a day one update. Xbox One needs a day one update. The PSN was a goddamn mass up until a few years ago. Both the 360 & PS3 have evolved to be very different beasts then they were at launch. I think they Xbox One and PS4 will be a lot closer to their vision (for better or worse) in a year or two, and anybody buying in now gets the privilege of paying a premium while dealing with all those headaches.

That's the list. I'm sure both consoles will sell and be hard to find this holiday season (yet another reason, fuck lines and scouring stores for units) but I'll pretty happily play my current consoles and my Wii U and be very busy and satisfied.

No comments: