How will a cheap bastard (me) pay full price for PS4 and Xbox Infinity games ? It's against my nature

[WCP]

Ok, first off, I'll totally admit that this is a "swimming in a Lake Me" type post. I freely admit it. I'm just throwing this post out there, for the F it, so if it comes off as really pretentious, my bad. This is just something that I've been thinking about lately, and I'm just thinking out loud with this.



Here is my dilema: Since the days of the TG-16, Genesis and Super Nintendo, I've been a hardcore early adopter. I'm talking really hardcore. Like, buy almost every single system you can imagine on day 1 type hardcore. There is only a small handful of systems that I didn't buy on day one, and on those ones, I got the system within months of the launch. I'm always jumping on the bandwagon of the "latest and greatest". The PS4 is going to be coming to stores near you this November. I've bought the first 3 playstations on launch day. I'm not about to break my streak. As long as the PS4 is $499 or less I plan on jumping on the bandwagon. Like I always do.

Microsoft is going to drop their bomb in April. I've been calling it the Xbox Infinity, but I honestly have no freaking idea what they are going to call it. I got the first two Xboxes on launch day, and again, have no plans of stopping any time soon. I fully expect to buy a Xbox 3 on day one, barring some dramatic revelation that makes me change my mind. You know that both Sony and Microsoft are going to have some more huge game reveals between now and launch that are going to make both of those systems extremely tempting. I've already seen some stuff on PS4 that I'd love to play, and I'm sure MS will have a few exclusives that will blow me away as well.


Here's the problem... I'm going to buy both of these systems, no question about it (again, barring some shocking revelation), but the thing is, I've recently turned into Mr. Cheap ass Gamer. There is this guy that posts on the cheapassgamer forums. His name is iamthecheapestgamer or something like that. I feel like in the last 3 or 4 years, I've turned into this guy. The guy that hasn't paid $59.99 for a game since like 2009 or maybe even 2008. Seriously, it's been a long, long time since I've paid full pop. It's almost like a foreign concept right now. I built a gaming PC two years ago and have been buying most of my stuff via Steam and such for only 5 bucks each. Once in awhile I'll splurge a little bit and pay $7.50 for something.

I've got a Vita, and have been playing that, but I'm using PS+ and not buying any actual games. If I do buy a Vita game, I get it used for $15 or less. (Usually $12 or less if possible). My kids have Playstation plus on their Vitas, so we also get free games on the PS3. I also got a couple PS3 games for free when they had that hacking situation, and they offered people free games.


Anyways.... when new systems arise, you ain't getting any discounts. That shit isn't going to happen. Sure, there are some Wii U games that are selling for $29.99, but Wii U has been selling so horribly that it's hard to draw any conclusions about some of the Wii U game sales. Retailers are forced to do something to try to clear a bit of inventory. Also, while there are some Wii U discounts right now, we are in the month of March. So it's been about 4 months since launch, with a system that isn't selling well, and only now are we seeing some discounts. If the next Xbox and PS4 are much more successful in their launches, then you can bet that discounts on PS4 and Xbox games are going to be a long time in coming...

Also, what about the possibility of no used games on the Xbox ? Sony has said they will allow used games, but they haven't said how they are going to allow it. There is definitely some questions about whether there will be a re-activation fee on the PS4, or maybe on the new Xbox if they do even allow used games. If these situations come to pass, then you don't have much of a secondary market. There really isn't any incentive for retailers to go into a panic and drop prices.

I'm not sure how my early adopter self, is going to co-exist with my cheap ass gamer mentality. They are totally incompatible. I have no idea what the heck I'm going to do. I guess I'll just buy a single game for each system, and play the living crap out of that one game, and then see what I can do from that point... It's going to be so weird to have to pay the full $59.99, but I'm not going to have any other choice.

[Ed Oscuro]

A lot of people will point towards the feeling of the traditional contract between the content maker and the buyer being broken, but there also are many more options competing for your time than before - including old games.

Personally I have written off consoles until I know I can get what I want for them with little fuss or money. It doesn't always work, but my disappointments in the PSP library are much more slight than if I had bought everything at full retail.

[Zthun]

Maybe you should think about changing your mentality towards getting new systems on day one. Nowadays, there's almost no reason to do this unless you're trying to flip on eBay. First rev systems are filled with bugs, problems, and small libraries.

Is there a reason you MUST have the system on day one? Judging from this generation, you will probably get almost everything you want on Steam minus some exclusives.

[Tokimemofan]

I had a DS 2 weeks after release and a psp on launch day, I only play RPGs. Half a year later still didn't have a game worth playing on either of them, Couldn't play the GBA ones I had either as the sound on many of them was scratchy. The only reason to get a system on launch day is if buying a Sony system due to the way that later versions usually have dropped features. If you bought either of the current gen systems on day 1 you could have only come out on top with a Wii. I pray to god that you didn't early adopt the Nokia N-Gage.

Usually on launch day there are one or two games worth playing IF they are in the genres you like, a few remakes of last gen stuff, and mostly rushed crap. I doubt we'll see another blowout launch like the Dreamcast ever again, if for no other reason than the fact that the Dreamcast would be on life support within a year.

[SOL BADGUY]

I think judging from last generation you shouldnt buy a console the first year its released, because of all the break downs and such. Nothing saying this generation will be better on that.

[The 1 2 P]

Anyways.... when new systems arise, you ain't getting any discounts. That shit isn't going to happen.

Thats not actually true. The Wii U had a few promotions thru Target and Toys R Us during the holidays for a B2 get 1 free deal. And that was in the first month of release. And if you've been paying attention this generation(and I know you have been) you'll notice that the majority of new release games drop in price anywhere from $5-$20 within the first few weeks/months of release, with the exception of certain AAA titles like Call of Duty. So you can be sure that several retailers will be running sales for PS4 and Next Box games this holiday(if both launch). Why? Because retailers know that people will be buying games for each system and the only way to ensure people buy the games from "their" stores is to price their stock lower than their competition.

As for buying systems on launch day, I will agree with whats already been said. Generally it's not a good idea unless you are just planning to resell it. But if you are planning to keep it you need to be aware of all the issues these newer systems tend to have. I definitely wanted a PS3 and 360 when they launched but I am forever grateful that I waited a few years before taking the plunge. I haven't had a system failure since my original Nes died and I definitely wouldn't want to go thru that again.

[ProjectCamaro]

Remain cheap, like everyone else has said the launch consoles always have problems. Don't be a paying guinea pig for these companies, wait for the bugs to be ironed out.

Plus remember, if you wait not only will the console be cheaper but so will the games. So for the same amount of money you can buy a bug free (or close to it) console, with several great games and it still be cheaper than what everyone else paid on launch day.

Personally I never feel the need to buy a console or game right out of the gate. I will wait a year and then buy them for these reasons, plus at that point you can search CraigsList and other areas and you might even get one used for an excellent price.


There are so many great games out there already you have more than enough to keep you busy until the prices aren't so overly inflated.

[WCP]

So the general consensus seems to be that I should suppress my early adopter inclinations, and remain being the cheap bastard gamer that I've come to be over the last several years. I can understand the reasoning, but I think you guys are underestimating the allure of a brand new console, on launch day. There is something special about being "there" when the ball first drops, so to speak.

I have very fond memories of launch days over the last 20 something years. The first system I bought on launch day was the Super Nintendo. The SNES might have been an outlier in the grand scheme of things, but buying that puppy at launch wasn't a bad idea at all. First off, the price of $199.99 was very acceptable at that time. You got TWO controllers in the box, plus Super Mario World. I remember playing Super Mario World for about 5 or 6 months straight. (seriously). I got my full value out of that thing.

The next system I got on launch day was the Sega CD. It cost a whopping $299.99, and considering you still needed to already have a Genesis for the thing to work, it was pretty pricey for that time frame. Still, it was a magical experience opening up that Sega CD box, and getting everything hooked up, and playing Sherlock Holmes and Sol-Deace, etc, etc. I also got Night Trap and Sewer Shark, and despite how FMV has gone down in the history books as an abject failure, I actually enjoyed those experiences when I first had them. They provided an extremely "next-level" type experience, that I don't think would have been the same if I waited a year or two to get a Sega CD. Sure, the Sega CD will go down as being somewhat of a failure as an add-on, and many will say that it was too expensive, and didn't provide anything close to what it was promising, but I had some marvelous experiences with that thing early on.

I've also had some really horrible launch day experiences. The Sega 32X is probably the worst of all of them. I got this system the day it dropped, and if memory serves me, it was $169.99, and I think you had to buy all the games separately. I think it came with a couple of coupons that would give you $10 off a couple of the games. I think I also ended up buying the Star Wars game and the Virtua Racing game that day. At first I was "kinda" happy with the 32X, but I quickly came to realize that the system really wasn't providing the kind of experiences that it was advertising. To me, it just seemed like it was normal Genesis games, with a layer of special effects added on top. Sega was boasting about how the thing was capable of 32,000 colors or something like that, but the games seem about as colorful as your average Genesis game. I felt like I kinda got ripped off in regards to my 32X purchase.

Surprisingly, that's really the only system where I felt like buying it right away was the wrong decision. I also bought a Jaguar on launch day, and most will say that the Jag was a huge disappointment, but I was having a lot of fun playing Cybermorph (criminally underrated btw), Raiden and Trevor McFurr. Sure, I had to wait months and months and months in between software releases, but it was exciting to experience everything right as it was happening.


That's the thing that needs to be remembered. Sure, our brains might tell us that buying a system right away is a fool's errand. Hardware can be glitchy, the price is going to be the highest it will ever be, and the initial software wave is going to be mostly rushed, and uninspired. If you wait, you can usually get the system cheaper, the software catalog is more filled in, and after the system has been out awhile, you'll see more discounts on that first wave of software, so you can try more games out with less damage to your wallet. All of this makes perfect sense.

Still, you have to also consider the other side of the equation. How valuable is the experience of being there day 1 ? There is a value there, that is hard to measure. There is something about being in the moment, with the launch of an exciting new platform, and all the possibilities that come along with that new hardware. It's kinda like the first day of the Baseball season. Every team starts off with the same record, and they all have the same chance of making it to the World Series. Everybody has that optimism. The same thing is there with a console launch. There is tons of optimism, and hope for the future of what the console might bring. Sure, there are some issues in regards to that initial wave of software. We only have to look back to the Wii U launch four months ago, or the PS3 launch in 2006 to see that initial launch lineups can be extremely shaky. I remember the PS3. Realistically, that system only had one decent game for launch. (Resistance: Fall of Man) I imported the Japanese version of Motorstorm, so that gave me a second key game, but for the average person in the USA, all they had was Resistance. Everything else was a port, and usually a crappy port at that.

We can also look back to the Wii U. Remember how I have this epic streak of buying systems on launch day that dates back to the arrival of the Super Nintendo ? Well, I've purchased every Nintendo home console on launch day except for two. The original NES ( I was too young to have the money for it) and the Wii U. I would have been interested in the Wii U, if there was just a couple of games that really caught my fancy. Unfortunately, the Wii U really only had one game that I was interested in (NSMB U), and even with that game, my interest was mild. Also, the price of the system seemed about $100 too high for me.

It's entirely possible that I could feel the same way about the PS4 and the next Xbox. So far, the PS4 hasn't really shown me anything that has totally blown my socks off. Killzone looks pretty good graphically, but I've never been a huge Killzone guy. Knack looks pretty cool, but is it enough to get me to shell out 500 bucks ? Infamous is the one that really has me interested, but will the thing be available at launch ? The jury is still out if I'm going to be totally "sold" on the PS4. I think I will, but I'm not entirely sure.

The Next Xbox is in even more of a sketchy situation. Seems like every little rumor about the thing is very negative. Kinect mandatory, has to always be online, no used games, etc, etc. I haven't seen any games for the thing yet, and I don't know how powerful it's going to be. I also don't know if all these negative rumors are actually going to be legit or not. So, I'm going to have to wait and see with the Xbox. Still, you'd have to imagine that Microsoft would have a handful of games that will get the juices pumping. For me, all it would take is an amazing Crackdown game, and I'd be all over it.


Anyways, sorry to kind of get off topic here, but I'm just trying to illustrate that there is a real value to being there on launch day. It's not a tangible value that can be calculated scientifically. It's more nebulous than that. Being there at launch doesn't always pan out (32X, PS3 and Wii U), but there are other times when being there at launch is a truly amazing experience (SNES, PS1, N64, Dreamcast & Xbox 1).

[ProjectCamaro]

I will say my post was simply my opinion and where I stand. I have never purchased a console on launch day and you're absolutely right, there's something about buying a console when it's still so new and you really don't know what you're getting into. Those of us that wait a year or so don't have that but only you can decide if that feeling and joy you derive is worth the extra money. In the end it's your money and you can do whatever you want with it and if buying consoles on launch day means that much to you by all means do it.

[WCP]

I have never purchased a console on launch day and you're absolutely right, there's something about buying a console when it's still so new and you really don't know what you're getting into. Those of us that wait a year or so don't have that but only you can decide if that feeling and joy you derive is worth the extra money.

Well, the joy is worth it, as long as there is at least two really legit games for launch. Just give me two really, really solid games, with the promise of many more games in the future.


Still, my dilemma isn't really about whether or not I should buy the consoles, it's more about my new found penny pinching attitude when it comes to buying games. I've been ridiculously spoiled over the last 3 or 4 years, with tons and tons of great games available for 5 bucks. Sure, the games aren't brand new, they've been around awhile, but when you're this late into the generation, how new it is doesn't really matter that much. You've already got a really good idea of what the PS3 and Xbox 360 are capable of, so no real need to run out and buy the newest 2013 release, when a game from 2010 can be just as amazing.

When you get new consoles however, then there is that possibility that the experiences can be new and exciting. At least for the first couple of years, before you end up seeing what can, and can't, be done on the hardware. The last time I felt that excitement, was like 2007 or maybe 2008. It's been years, and years, since I've really felt a need to run out and see the latest, greatest, game. At a certain point in the console generation, a game from two years ago is the same as a game coming out right now. What's the incentive to run out and buy the newest game?

With the PS4 and Infinity however, maybe there will be a certain game that will really capture the imagination, and it will be a must play experience.

Basically, I think the way that I'm going to play it, is that I'll buy each system (most likely), and just get one game for each system. Some type of action/adventure type game with at least a 12 hour single player campaign. I rarely finish games anyways, so I can just play the living hell out of one key game, and finish the game completely, and then move on to the next, and just start out slowly but surely, so to speak....

[duffmanth]

I've never bought consoles at launch because there's usually nothing compelling enough for me to play at launch. If you have to have the PS4 at launch, I hope there's at least 1 or 2 AAA titles worth buying, or it's gonna be a waste of money.

[WCP]

I've never bought consoles at launch because there's usually nothing compelling enough for me to play at launch. If you have to have the PS4 at launch, I hope there's at least 1 or 2 AAA titles worth buying, or it's gonna be a waste of money.

Yeah, I need at least two games launched with the thing that i'm interested in, or forget it.



For PS4, I will expect that it will be Infamous: Second Son, and a next-gen sports game. For Xbox, I'm really hoping it's Crackdown 3 and something else unexpected.


Here is the last batch of consoles I've bought on day 1, and the two games that I feel best represented the launch:

PS3 - Resistance: Fall of Man, Motorstorm (JPN)

Wii - Wii Sports, Excite Truck

360 - Condemned: Criminal Origins, NBA 2K6

GameCube - Luigi's Mansion,
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

Xbox - Halo, Project Gotham Racing

PS2 - SSX, Smugglers Run

Dreamcast - Soul Caliber, NFL 2K

Nintendo 64 - Super Mario 64, Wave Race 64

PS1 - Rayman, Ridge Racer

Saturn - Panzer Dragoon, Daytona USA

Atari Jaguar - Cybermorph, Raiden

Sega CD - Sol-Feace, Sewer Shark

Super Nintendo - Super Mario World, F-Zero





Consoles I didn't get at launch

Panasonic 3DO - Crash N Burn, Total Eclipse - Got a used one about 6 months after launch

TurboGrafx-16 - Dungeon Explorer, Legendary Axe - Got one in December 1989, a couple of months after the launch

Sega Genesis - Thunder Force II, Altered Beast - Got this in August of 1990, about a year after launch

[recorderdude]

If you bought either of the current gen systems on day 1 you could have only come out on top with a Wii.

While the limited production run did massively bloat wiis for a while, the hardware itself did have issues, namely the inability to play brawl when it came out on all launch wiis due to the Disc readers being derpy with DVD9. A LOT of people had to send their systems in to be repaired and able to play quite possibly the most anticipated game for the system.

[SOL BADGUY]

Im gonna post this here, just so I can post it somewhere.
http://www.screwattack.com/shows/par...-playstation-4

Im gonna sweep in on Black Friday and get a ps3 then, maybe a 360 too and a ton of games. Right now, Im thinking Ill stay a generation behind due to the lower prices and deals. Maybe Ill get a WIi U though, I really want it so I can have a new Nintendo system.

[otaku]

I've got enough old games I need to buy from the current gen that I won't have these new consoles on my radar for some time. I've been out of the loop the last few years with the economy like it is. More important things to spend my $ on and I keep moving like this week and new work after only a year and a half at the current place

[duffmanth]

Yeah, I need at least two games launched with the thing that i'm interested in, or forget it.



For PS4, I will expect that it will be Infamous: Second Son, and a next-gen sports game. For Xbox, I'm really hoping it's Crackdown 3 and something else unexpected.


Here is the last batch of consoles I've bought on day 1, and the two games that I feel best represented the launch:

PS3 - Resistance: Fall of Man, Motorstorm (JPN)

Wii - Wii Sports, Excite Truck

360 - Condemned: Criminal Origins, NBA 2K6

GameCube - Luigi's Mansion,
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

Xbox - Halo, Project Gotham Racing

PS2 - SSX, Smugglers Run

Dreamcast - Soul Caliber, NFL 2K

Nintendo 64 - Super Mario 64, Wave Race 64

PS1 - Rayman, Ridge Racer

Saturn - Panzer Dragoon, Daytona USA

Atari Jaguar - Cybermorph, Raiden

Sega CD - Sol-Feace, Sewer Shark

Super Nintendo - Super Mario World, F-Zero





Consoles I didn't get at launch

Panasonic 3DO - Crash N Burn, Total Eclipse - Got a used one about 6 months after launch

TurboGrafx-16 - Dungeon Explorer, Legendary Axe - Got one in December 1989, a couple of months after the launch

Sega Genesis - Thunder Force II, Altered Beast - Got this in August of 1990, about a year after launch

Honestly, there's so many great games coming for PS3 this year, and some great ones that have already been released, that I don't know how anyone could be compelled to buy the PS4 at launch, unless like you mentioned there's at least 2 flagship games ready for launch day. I remember back to the PS2 launch and SSX was the only game worth buying, and at the PS3 launch Resistance was the only game worth picking up. It took me 2 years after launch and the release of the first Gran Turismo game to get a PSone. It's always risky buying consoles at launch as far as bugs and glitches.

[Trebuken]

Yes, I must buy at launch. There is something intangible about having a new console and some questionable launch titles.

Nintendo 64 - Super Mario 64. It was the only game I played and wanted for my 64 for months.
TG-16 - I loved Keith Courage in Alpha Zones at the time. Dungeon Explorer. Legendary Axe - awesome. R-type.
SNES - Super Mario World. Almost as good as Super Mario 64. Gradius III.
Wii-U - Zombi-U. Not an awesome game, but enjoyable launch title. Was a fun experience.
Dreamcast - Expendable. I loved this game.
Sega Genesis - Altered Beast was awesome briefly.
Xbox - Halo!!!
Xbox 360 - Condemned Criminal Origins was fantastic and unexpected. Kameo was great.
Playstation 3 - Resistance was fantastic. I really like Untold Legends also.
Playstation Vita - Uncharted!!
3DO - Crash n' Burn is one of the few racing games I ever enjoyed.
Wii - Wii Sports was all we played. The rest was fodder.


I have had a few other systems/handhelds at launch that really did not have anything memorable.
Some of the older systems -- Atari(s), Colecovision, I did not get at launch but when I did get them it had the same sense of excitement.

I try to save for the launches well in advance now and treat them as "Christmas' and splurge. I spend too much credit if I have to and I do not feel bad about it...it's what I like to do.

The one down side I have seen id these collector's edition systems that are everywhere these days. They seem to hold value much better than the launch systems - except the backwards compatible PS3.

I'll see you at midnight a couple times this fall. Maybe in June, I have a Ouya preordered at Gamestop.

[Tanooki]

If you still must have a system the day it comes out, then you need to re-tool your cheap ass gamer mentality to, as cheap as possible not out of pocket. If you have between now and then some old games, hardware, accessories, books, movies, cds, collectables, or other crap sitting around that could be turned into money there's your out. You can still be cheap as all get out just ditching useless stuff and using the money from that to buy what you want, and since it's not actually out of pocket you still succeed at being a cheapass as it's not budget money.

[SOL BADGUY]

Honestly, there's so many great games coming for PS3 this year, and some great ones that have already been released, that I don't know how anyone could be compelled to buy the PS4 at launch, unless like you mentioned there's at least 2 flagship games ready for launch day. I remember back to the PS2 launch and SSX was the only game worth buying, and at the PS3 launch Resistance was the only game worth picking up. It took me 2 years after launch and the release of the first Gran Turismo game to get a PSone. It's always risky buying consoles at launch as far as bugs and glitches.

Im betting MGS 5 and Watch Dogs will be the AAA launch titles for the PS4, and Knack and maybe even a Final Fantasy game. Them not making it PS3 backwards compatible is a very bad decision, well actually its borderline insane. People would buy the great games coming out for the PS3 this year when they get a PS4 on launch day.

[JSoup]

I'd do in this upcoming generation what I did in the current one: Wait until I can get a PS4 for cheap online, get a 720 from a close friend who was sick of having it and get whatever Nintendo is limping to the barn with for a pittance at a convention.