Are you worried about the longevity of your newer consoles?

[mr.soul]

I know that my systems like the NES and Genesis are going to work until the day I die, because they've been around for god knows how long already, but when I look at the future of my PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii, I don't know if they have the potential to last that long. This leaves me to worry that I'm going to have to deal with them breaking once they aren't being made anymore. I know the PS2 has the DRE problem, and the Xbox 360 has the red rings of death problem, neither of which I would be fully equipped to handle. And I'm damn sure not buying a slim PS2. Does this worry anyone else?

[Lady Jaye]

I've had my PS2 slim for a few years and it's still working perfectly fine...

[carlcarlson]

Not really. By the time mine end up dying I expect the systems to be in the $30 range. I mean I've come across plenty of broken NES, SNES, and Genesis systems too, but it's never a big deal because they're so cheap to replace.

[heybtbm]

This has always been a concern of mine, so I planned accordingly. I bought extra consoles when they were affordable (IMO) to do so. Besides my original units (that all still work thankfully), I have an extra Genesis, Dreamcast, Gamecube (w/component jacks), PS1, and PS2 waiting to take over if my original units ever die. These were all bought brand new and have never been used.

This is also in addition to my extra 360 that patiently waits for the inevitable RRoD from my original unit. I've had the RRoD the past two Augusts...so I'm about due.

It all depends on how much money your willing to spend (or waste depending on your perspective). I've spent, who knows, 30-40 grand on software over the last 26 years. I'll be damned if I can't play a particular game because of hardware issues.

[modest9797]

I already have sent my 360 in for repair once, but I can tell now that my gamecube can last the next 100 years.

[mailman187666]

the only system I'm worried about not lasting is my 360. They are terribly made pieces of hardware. Other than that, I don't see my wii or ps3 shitting the bed anytime in the near future. I know I will not be collecting for 360 because of the system failures.

[PapaStu]

The more moveable parts a system has, the greater likelyhood it has of failing. It's just the nature of electronics.

I was incredibly worried about the lifespan of my newer systems and I have purchased backups for most all of them (PS2, Cube, Xbox, DS, GBA sp, 360) over time. I've only lost 2 so far, a launch XBox (drive was dying), which was replaced with a new system and a 360 that had its drive die on me and that was replaced under warranty so I didn't have to open my backup system.


PSTwos are pretty stable now-a-days. The early ones were a little prone to nuking themselves, but I don't hear about those problems now, so I don't know why you'd be worried about getting one.

[otoko]

I already have sent my 360 in for repair once, but I can tell now that my gamecube can last the next 100 years.

Let's not get started on how reliable gamecubes are. Holy, Mine fell off a shelf 6 foot above a concrete floor and bounced twice.

We kept right on going with playing smash bros. No damage.

That leads me to believe that my Wii will last me a long time. Although, I'm not willing to test that to the extreme.

I also see my phatstation 2 lasting me a extremely long time due to the fact that I've played it a grand total of 23 hours during the four years I've owned it. Also so far I had a roommate also break it and it (after minor fiddling) still works like the day I bought it. I figure it'll last me awhile

As for my Xbox (not 360)? I have two and I don't give a shit about them.

I might get a 360 later, and I have a friend who repairs them.

Summary: Not too worried.

[Brian Deuel]

I've got six Dreamcasts, and all work just fine :)

[megasdkirby]

I will admit that I've thought about this, but not too deeply.

Part of my quest to study electronics is to maintain and repair consoles that will eventually go bad.

The PS2 does have a DRE problem which I've seen going to my local console repair shop (hundreds of DRE PS2's on the wall), but from what I've seen, this is easily replaceable or at least can be repaired with relative ease. I've repaired at least 5 PS2 Phats and one slim in less than 15 minutes (it's usually or a good cleaning or the potentiometer needs tweaking).

But ultimately, I am a tad afraid of what the future can bring. That is why I embrade backward compatibility.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Yeah, the more consoles are like computers, the more problems they will have. I really want a 360, but I don't feel like fucking with sending it in when it breaks. I may get one later down the road. As far as the old solid state consoles like the NES, Genesis, ETC... most from that era are built like tanks. If I see a SNES or Genesis loose anywhere it's almost guaranteed to work, even if it looks like shit. I'll second the GC for lasting 100 years, as I hear little to none about hardware failures. I have a 2nd hand 1st gen PS2, and although I don't play it a lot, it always works fine.

I forsee a future where game consoles are solid state again, and operate on little to no power- much like the old consoles. Flash memory is coming down in price, so in the future we won't have traditional hard drives. I also think, that while we may never go back to cartridges, I think computers in the future will have a read and write media that doesn't have to spin or be read by moving lasers. I see this happening in the next 10 or 20 years.

[Cryomancer]

Yeah, the more consoles are like computers, the more problems they will have.

The upside to that is that computers are getting easier to fix as time go on, so consoles based on simpler modern PC hardware will also be easier to fix than say, 486-era PCs are.

[OMF2097]

As I see it, if my newer systems decide to go the way of Jim Fixx I don't think I'd buy another one. I've had a 360 RROD and I don't play it much often after having it replaced. The overall selection of games available is very poor compared to the previous gen's library. Both my cabs, the Dreamcast, PS2 and Xbox get more play than anything. On the road, I do use my handhelds.

So I'm not worried about the longevity of the newer systems. They're build like crap and the companies know it. I've heard coutless of stories ranging from porridge/oatmeal spills to 5+ ft dropped NES systems that keep on running. With these newer systems, it seems like if the room temperature rises a few degrees higher and the system will fry iteself.

It's like that hidden room in Portal. Anyone catch the Xbox 360 like system heating up a pot of coffee with it's own GPU?

Check it out when you get a chance. While you're there check the walls.

[Retsudo]

Im not too worried about my PS2 because they dont cost much to replace. I had my current one for almost 4 years now.

As for the current systems. I didnt bother to buy one just yet. If they died on me, I would feel bad spending all that money on something that didnt last.

Not too worried about my PS1. It's 11 years old and still kicking.

[mr.soul]

My PS1 has to be turned on its side or upside down to read a disc... That's kind of why I started worrying.

And as far as the slim PS2's I've heard they don't have an internal fan, right? Don't they get way hot?

[8bitCaged]

I don't care if my ps3 dies in 20 years because you know the ps432 will still support my ps1 collection. My DS on the other hand, if Nintendo dose not support two screens mic etc... if it breaks and Nintendo next hand held dose not support DS carts and I cant find a DS well my games are useless

[Fuyukaze]

No. I worry about finding a real job. Game systems? Aside from the Wii and DS, I'm sitting this generation out. I'd say I cant wait till the next generation but I'm in no hurry to spend money I dont have.

[SpaceHarrier]

Mostly my PS2 and JPS2. I have 2 dreamcasts and hardly play my Xbox and Gamecube. My PS2 sees heavy use, and it's the Gran Turismo 3 package tray-loader, but it still works great. My JPS2 on the other hand, has hardly seen ANY use in the last 3 years and only reads a disc about 25% of the time (its a white slimline). So yeah, I will probably pick up an extra of each. I'm sure my PS2's will eventually see closet-storage time as much as any other consoles have. So as long as they don't just break down from non-use, it's all good.

[Leo_A]

It concerns me a little bit I suppose, its much of the reason why I have a SuperNes and a GameCube among others sitting in their boxes brand new waiting for the day I hope never comes when they're needed.

But some consoles don't get very economical anymore. I'd love to have a brand new Xbox for example sitting here in reserve, but they never got any cheaper than $150.

I'll probably get a spare PS2 someday, I'm sure that one will hit the magic price of $100 and be cheap enough for me to consider it. Especially since I've yet to buy a PS3, and by the time I do hopefully fairly soon, I'm sure I'll have to settle for a new 80gig system with no PS2 compatibility.


I don't care if my ps3 dies in 20 years because you know the ps432 will still support my ps1 collection.

Bet the PS3 is the final PSOne compatible system, and I don't see PS2 compatibility being reintroduced anytime soon unless Sony decides a version of MS's Xbox Original's is a good way to earn a lot of money.

[ErmangelnSeelen]

My PS1 has to be turned on its side or upside down to read a disc... That's kind of why I started worrying.

You know, there's a fix for that!

You just have to open the ps1 and re-calibrate the optical thingy (it's as simple as turning a screw)

As for me, I was actually giving this topic a lot of thought the other day. I was thinking to myself, "There's no WAY I can buy a PS3 and play it 20 years from now." Now, I don't know if it's true, but it's still a sad thing to have to contemplate =(

In my experience, PS2s are kind to non-smokers, and most of the ones that broke have done so already...All the ps2s I know of that lasted longer than a couple of years are still running great. Even my piece of shit one that I bought for $20 is still running fairly well (when I cleaned the inside, there was a thick layer of drywall-ish dust!). Only problem I ever get with it is, sometimes it will skip during a music cd.

[heybtbm]

Bet the PS3 is the final PSOne compatible system, and I don't see PS2 compatibility being reintroduced anytime soon unless Sony decides a version of MS's Xbox Original's is a good way to earn a lot of money.

Not at all. PS1 emulation costs absolutely nothing to Sony. They'll include it with every console that can read the discs. The same will go for PS2 discs. Sony is working on improving their PS2 emulator as we speak. They want to start making money just like MS is (with the downloadable "Xbox Originals"). PS1 and PS2 games will always work on future consoles through improved emulation. No "hardware" required.

[Leo_A]

There is no evidence or confirmation that Sony is attempting to fully emulate via software the Playstation 2.

Until that day comes, its safe to assume Sony would not want their Playstation 4 to be compatible with their console from three generations previous, and nothing else between. They're not going to be gaining anything letting a PS4 owner play twenty year old software, they'd only include it if its easy and available via software already, and somehow they managed to include PS3 compatibility which would be what's important.

And the level of cost to include the necessary hardware for a PS4 to have PS3 compatibility is just going to be extremely expensive now that console manufactuers sell consoles so expensive to produce that they lose a large amount of money for each sale and never reach things like $50 price points.

And software emulation will be just getting more complex, expensive, and inpractical. If MS and Sony can't or aren't willing to do it now, what makes you think they'd do it next generation with even more complex systems to emulate, and emulators for systems they're not willing right now to even perfectly emulate when those systems are still going concerns since they're just 1 generation old with software still actively being sold, and still important to gamers.

I think we're seeing the end of backwards compatibility as these console manufacturers decide that the cost versus the reward just isn't there.

And at this point, I think most agree that the days of physical media are in it's final days, so I find it doubtful there will even be a disc drive in whatever Playstation product there is in twenty years to even let you play Playstation cd's on. I don't think the disc drive will be disappearing by the time the PS3's successor comes around, but I do see it happening.

Anyways, lets get back on topic. I just wanted to express my doubts, not shift the topic to something new.

[Flack]

I worry about the media as much as I worry about the consoles themselves. I've picked up Genesis consoles that look like they had been buried in the dirt that worked just fine, but with all these new-fangled drives with moving parts, I wonder just how much long-term abuse they will put up with. Likewise, most carts can be cleaned up with a little alcohol and a q-tip. I handle my CD/DVD discs very carefully and many of them already have scratches. I wonder what they will look like in 10 years?

[SegaAges]

I worry about the media as much as I worry about the consoles themselves. I've picked up Genesis consoles that look like they had been buried in the dirt that worked just fine, but with all these new-fangled drives with moving parts, I wonder just how much long-term abuse they will put up with. Likewise, most carts can be cleaned up with a little alcohol and a q-tip. I handle my CD/DVD discs very carefully and many of them already have scratches. I wonder what they will look like in 10 years?

I agree with Flack on this one.

I care for my 360 discs alot. I take good care of them, and I also keep good care of my 360. The games go from their case to the 360 and then back to their case and that is it.

My copy of Rock Band still got laser burn :(

I even keep my system horizontal at all times. What happens if in, even 10 years, an obscure game I like, like Project Sylpheed, gets laser burn? Yeah, that would suck bad.

[Steve W]

My nephew tried playing my 360 last week, and it gave him the red ring of death. I hadn't played the thing in a while, since I was expecting it to die on me, considering my luck. But when I tried it out, I got green lights.

I have four Dreamcasts, only one (my original) works. The people who owned the others before me seriously abused them or something. In two of them, the controller ports are dead, and the third can't load anything.

[heybtbm]

I have four Dreamcasts, only one (my original) works. The people who owned the others before me seriously abused them or something. In two of them, the controller ports are dead, and the third can't load anything.

Exchange the working controller ports (from the non-loading DC) for the bad ones and you'll have another working unit.

[Slate]

Yesterday I would have responded "No."

But today, I am concerned. My 360 Elite's DVD Drive just blew it and my Pro 360 doesn't connect to Xbox live at the moment. (My internet is fine, The Xbox won't connect to the Xbox Live servers)