It’s strange.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a multi-console owner. It started in the 16-bit generation, when I had both the Super Nintendo and the Genesis. It continued when I added PC to the mix (and yes, I know it isn’t a console but it’s certainly a gaming platform). I haven’t owned a Nintendo console since the SNES but I’ve owned many others.
I’ve had the Dreamcast, all the PlayStation consoles, including PSP and Vita, and both previous Xbox consoles. I’ve owned all these platforms simply because I always wanted to play the best of the best and to do that, you had to be a multi-console/multi-platform owner. I’ve always held that opinion.
But looking at the current situation, this could be the very first gaming generation where I only game on one platform.
I’m older now, and it’s time to simplify
One explanation is simple: I’ve got more responsibilities and as such, less time for games. I can’t hope to play every last great game that comes down the pike, so I have to prioritize. I’ve got the PS4 and considering my PS3 backlog, that’s more than enough for the time being. As for other platforms, I’ve been out of PC gaming for years (and don’t have the motivation or extra cash to dive back in), the Wii U isn’t even remotely appealing, and the Xbox One…well…
Between work and general life duties, it’s increasingly difficult to justify owning two expensive next-gen consoles, especially when there really aren’t any games out right now that I have to play. I’ve got inFamous: Second Son and a few others for the PS4, but Titanfall doesn’t appeal to me as much (a glorified shooter, from what I’ve seen of it) and that $500 price tag is troublesome. If I was still in college and had the money to burn, fine. Even then, though, I wouldn’t have felt right about it.
Xbox One: You’re not doing a good enough job selling yourself
If I may refer to the system as an animate object for a brief moment:
Why should I buy you? You cost $500 because your manufacturer is forcing me to buy something I don’t care about (Kinect). You’ve got a bunch of nifty TV-related features, I suppose, but that’s not really doing it for me. Games? I’m a Gran Turismo fan so Forza, as good as it is, doesn’t register on my priority list and I already mentioned Titanfall. Beyond that, what else can you offer?
Your predecessor offered a better experience for third-party multiplatform games at the start of the last generation. That’s a big reason I owned it. I also was a pretty big Halo fan and there were a few other gems I really loved (Lost Odyssey and Alan Wake, for instance). But you, Xbox One, aren’t offering superior performance with multiplatform titles. Based on all the headlines, it seems most high-profile third-party multiplatform games perform better on the PS4.
So… what else ya got?
It’ll all come down to an exclusive or two that I simply must have
Considering the price, lack of multiplatform performance, and features I couldn’t possibly care less about, the only thing that’ll finally convince me to purchase an Xbox One is an exclusive title I really need. Let’s put it this way: If Lost Odyssey 2 came out exclusively on Xbox One, I’d probably buy the system for that game. Otherwise, it’ll have to impress me with a new IP that boasts a fantastic concept and a ton of promise.
Thing is, it’s PlayStation that usually pushes the envelope on exclusive new IPs. Heavy Rain, Journey, and yes, even the Uncharted franchise (while not exactly innovative, still broke ground in terms of technical achievement); they all make owning PlayStation consoles worthwhile. I need to see that from the Xbox side this time around, or I think I’m out.
Sorry, Microsoft. Xbox was new and it had Halo (and Deathrow!). Xbox 360 made sense to me. Xbox One? Nope.
