In just a few weeks' time, Sony and Microsoft will be unleashing their next-gen consoles on the world, laying waste to the wallets of millions of gamers who simply can't resist new hardware. Believe it or not, I'm not one of them, as I have yet to pre-order either console and have no intention of getting either this year. Fortunately, my role here at GameRevolution affords me the luxury of waiting—the same of which can't be said for our Reviews Editor, Daniel Bischoff, or our Senior Editor, Nick Tan—so I'm not jumping on the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One bandwagon just yet.
Like me, I'm guessing most of you don't need either console this holiday season, and yet many of you are planning on purchasing one anyway. Now I know a lot of you are simply suckers for new technology—much like our own Anthony Severino—so I don't blame you for wanting to be an early adopter; however, I don't see all that much appealing about the software lineups of either console, and a few minutes of perusing through a dashboard isn't enough to merit a four- or five-hundred dollar purchase.
While yes, I'm sure I will probably get one (if not both) consoles eventually… so why not take the plunge right away? After all, being part of the conversation and that early excitement is totally worth it, right? Wrong. We're reaching a point of diminishing returns within the console space, and the leap from PS3 and Xbox 360 to PS4 and Xbox One isn't significant enough to have me giddy for new hardware like I have been in the past. Maybe it has to do with weak launch lineups; maybe it has to do with the fact that most of the games are coming to current-gen and PC as well; or maybe there just isn't enough new being done on the hardware front that has me screaming: "I have to have this!"
Now I don't mean to damper your excitement for these new consoles, but I would like to make a case for why you should wait. After all, won't the likes of Grand Theft Auto V, Batman: Arkham Origins, and South Park: The Stick of Truth—all of which are not available on PS4 or Xbox One, mind you—be enough to keep you busy well throughout the holiday season? Let's also not forget that the far more affordable Wii U and its 3DS counterpart are both getting some tantalizing exclusives next month. On November 22nd, do you really want to be busy tooling around on the Xbox One when you could be playing Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, which, believe it or not, are all launching on the same day?
Why not enjoy what little time you have left with your PS3 and/or Xbox 360 before you inevitably kick it to the curb? Assassin's Creed IV, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, and a slew of other third-party games will be coming to current-gen hardware as well. Sure, you'll have to put up with slightly less impressive visuals, but I highly doubt the disparity will be that much of an issue. Besides, many of those games will be out before the next-gen consoles even arrive. Do you really want to spend all that money just so you can wait around to play slightly enhanced versions of games that have already been out for other hardware?
Save your dollars and time for next year, when far more interesting titles like Destiny, Titanfall, Watch Dogs, inFamous: Second Son, The Order: 1886, The Last Guardian, Halo 5, and many other games—which were clearly designed with next-gen hardware in mind—launch. By that time you will have had the time to properly lay your PS3 and/or Xbox 360 to rest. Then again, with games like Dark Souls II, Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD, and several other noteworthy titles in the cooker for current-gen, there's an argument for keeping those bad boys plugged in a little while longer, too.
I know, I'm a cynical wet blanket who likes to ruin your good time and shatter any excitement you may have for Xbox One and PS4. In the end, it's your decision so do what you like; however, I'm convinced that there's going to be more than enough to keep you busy well into next year without having to buy a new system. Am I crazy? Let me know in the comments below.
