Question Of The Month Reader Responses: Issue #246

by Jeff Marchiafava on Sep 10, 2013 at 09:06 AM

A few months ago we asked readers what the most important factor is when choosing a next-gen system. While some pointed to feature sets and price tags, most players were interested in a sole and unsurprising concern: the games. Here are some of their responses.

It's About The Games, Stupid:

There is a saying that I always refer to when I am choosing a gaming system: Nobody wants to buy a drill; they want a hole in the wall. No matter what bells and whistles a system has, the only reason to buy a system is the games it offers. Everything else is just gravy.

Ervin Hughes
The deciding factor for me in choosing the next system I will buy is obviously the video games themselves!

Frankie Gongora
I factor in how many RPGs , mostly JRPGs, will be present on a console. Last generation I chose an Xbox 360, since back then I had Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia, Eternal Sonata, etc. But after a few years, Xbox only had shooters and RPGs started to disappear. This new generation I will not make the same mistake.

Jeniffer Pabon
For me this question is easy: exclusives. The unique characters and experiences a console can offer ultimately dictate its legacy. There is no question that most next-gen consoles will have specs and hardware that won't disappoint. I went with Sony this generation, and with titles like Heavy Rain, the Uncharted series, God of War, Little Big Planet, Infamous, Killzone, and the legacy maker that is The Last of Us, I feel like these names alone were enough to validate my decision. While we can't predict what the exclusive landscape will look like for the upcoming generation, one should consider what these entertainment titans have offered us in the past.

Jeremy B. Frazer
When I'm buying a next-gen system, I guess the most important factor would have to be the games that will be released for it. Features are nice, but I wouldn't buy a system just because it goes on the Internet or something like that; I would buy it depending on what games are coming out for it, like Persona 4 Golden.

Elisa Kurber
I've been a lifelong PC gamer and after many years of arrogant scoffing at consoles, I bought a PS3 console for one reason: The Last of Us. Saying that, I think the games and gameplay experiences offered by the consoles are the most important factor when choosing. People like to compare things like system specs and prices, but I think the choice should be made based on what games you enjoy. Elitism and brand support make for fun forum warfare topics but where the money goes will always boil down to just how fun the games are to play.

Brian Kang
That's easy. What games are available on the system? Every dollar the company spends on making their console should be solely dedicated to making the gaming options available on the system as awesome as humanly possible.

Larissa French
Simple, the games. Who offers the best games. That's what I'm talking about.

Mike Campbell-Whooper

Flipping Over Features:

Feature set was the biggest factor for me. I chose PS4 for its remote play, background downloads, and Gaikai game-streaming capabilities.

Pete Perez
I think the most important factor in choosing a new gaming system is which system has evolved the most. I like graphics, but just having a console with better graphics doesn't cut it anymore. I like the fact that the Xbox One is providing all-new features to add different experiences to a gaming console, and making it more entertainment-like. Just playing games at my age (31) doesn't cut it. I like movies, television, music, etc. I like the fact that the Xbox One makes it easy and more convenient to switch between entertainment forms, making it an all-in-one box.

Gary Holmes
A very important factor in a choosing next-gen system is its difference from previous consoles. The Wii U is bounds different from the Wii. Though it isn't very powerful, it is more powerful than the Wii, and it isn't just the same thing with better processing.

Darrius Trusty
Does it do more than play video games? Does it stream music and movies? Does it have downloadable content? Is it able to play media such as Blu-Ray? In other words, it's not a question of what my console can do for me but what I can do with my console.

Jonathon Carter

Coughing Up The Cash:

The most important factor I consider when I ultimately purchase a next-gen console is the cost. Yes. I am a cheap b------.

Tom Bartoszek
Price is without a doubt the most important aspect of the upcoming consoles. Refined controllers and new IPs are merely toppings on the gaming cake.

Jacob Smith
The single most important factor is price. Most if not all the other factors are subjective. I know a lot of people will say games, but a lot of games will be crossovers between the platforms and only the most hardcore fans will swallow a higher price point for a certain IP. Both systems will undoubtedly have great games, but the price point is what virtually all gamers (doubly so for those whose parents are purchasing the system) must consider when buying a console.

Patrick Neal

The Friend Zone:

It all has to do with friends. Finding out what all my friends are going to is the key to buying a system. Since all my friends want to play Titanfall, it looks like Xbox one is for me.

Joe Finelli
For me it's the number of friends I'll be able to play with on that system. The biggest reason behind my decision to buy an Xbox 360 was how many more people I knew who played it. I mean I love adventuring alone offline, but what is the point in getting a multiplayer game for a platform that none of your buddies own? My loyalties lie with the winning console.

Edgar

Eye Candy:

When it come to next gen-gaming, the graphics have to be better than the previous console. Otherwise, what's the point of upgrading systems?

Brian Robles

The Undying Dream Of Backwards Compatibility:

Backward compatibility. I have bought a lot of PS3 games that I still play. But then Sony says, "Oh, we have a digital version of it." I wish that you could port your physical game onto the PS4 with a code or something. Until then, I'll kick back and rock my PS3.

William Gonzalez
The most important factor for me and my little brother is going to be the ability to bring my downloaded movies and games to the new console. I have a lot of good movies like The Avengers and Jurassic Park saved on my Xbox 360, and Minecraft too. I have a bountiful amount of games for my Xbox 360, and I want to keep them for the next console; I may have to sell my current console to afford the next-gen console.

Conor Klus

Who Do You Trust?:

The most important factor for me when going in to buy a next-generation console is the trust I have in the company. If you look back to the early Xbox 360 days, it had more exclusives than the PS3. Looking at the last three years, PlayStation has been killing it with their first-party titles. Things like the number of quality exclusives or the price of the console can both change within a year (I'm looking at you, 3DS) after its launch, but what's left is the company's long-term plan. I have more faith in Sony and its first-party studios. That's why I'm choosing PS4.

Coleman Branum