We’re at the dawn of the next console war, with Sony having released the PS4 last week, and Microsoft set to release the Xbox One this Friday. It’s an exciting time if you’re a gamer, but it’s also bittersweet. Our PS3s and Xbox 360s are now officially obsolete, and we’re presented with the dilemma of what to do with our old machines if we’re upgrading to the next generation.
To this I say, HOLD FAST dear reader, for the PS3 and Xbox 360 are not dead yet. There are compelling arguments to be made for resisting the temptation to jump ship immediately to the new consoles, and staying in the past just a little longer.
The best games are still on current-gen
Bioshock Infinite, Grand Theft Auto 5, The Last of Us: titles such as these are among the best released in 2013. What do they have in common? They’re only available on current gen consoles (okay, Bioshock Infinite is also on PC, but I digress).
Right now, there is nothing available on either PS4 or Xbox One that can touch any of these games in overall quality. If you want to play the best games of the year, you’ll have to hang on to your old machines. Especially because…
Neither PS4 or Xbox One are backwards compatible
Take a look at your gaming shelf. If it looks anything like mine, it’s filled with dozens of PS3 and 360 titles. Well guess what? Not a single one of those games can be played on the new systems. Due to rather questionable decision-making on both console makers’ parts, the PS4 and Xbox One don’t support backwards compatibility.
Sony and Microsoft have offered up the excuse that their systems’ architectures are so different from their old machines that it would have been extremely difficult to program this functionality in. Both companies have made promises of cloud streaming being an eventual solution to this problem, but for now, most of your game library is useless if you get rid of your old consoles. And you’re going to want to play some of those old games because…
The must-have games aren’t here yet
The reviews are pretty much all in for the launch lineups of both the PS4 and Xbox One, and they both have something in common: there are no “killer apps”; no “must-haves”. Sure, Killzone: Shadow Fall looks impressive, and Forza 5 is one heck of a driving game by all accounts, but there’s nothing that is game of the year material. Next year looks promising, with titles such as Infamous: Second Son, and Titanfall bringing the next-gen wow factor. Unfortunately, it’s going to be a bit of a wait, and there isn’t too much in the intervening months to hold gamers’ attentions.
If you simply must jump into the next-gen now, then I would recommend holding onto your old consoles. Given that all the best games are still only available on old hardware, and the lackluster launch lineups of both the PS4 and Xbox One, it’s really not all that bad holding off on making a new console purchase. Of course, by all accounts both systems are great machines, and I don’t think you would regret your purchase of either. However, for those of us without the means to purchase one, or who simply want to hold out for a few better games, it is comforting to know that we can postpone the next generation just a little bit longer.
