With the current generation of console gaming slowly coming to an end, expectations and enthusiasm is high for the highly anticipated arrival of next generation consoles such as Sony's PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from Microsoft. That enthusiasm has been perfectly portrayed with retailers running out of pre-orders for the consoles.
However, there are still a large number of people waiting for their chance to pre-order the preferred console, although with every passing day, that possibility is slowly coming to an end.
Still, if you are losing out on your chance to pre-order a unit, there's no real reason to get sad and depressed about it. If your agenda is to get a new console before any of your friends do, then you should probably go ahead and pre-order a console by all means. However, if you belong to the more patient majority, you might as well let go of that intense urge and play the waiting game to find out how everything actually turns out, and if it's worth spending all that hard earned money on one of the consoles.
Here we have put forth three reasons why it might just be a good idea to not buy any of the next generation consoles right out of the gate when they release later this year, and wait until both of their powers are completely understood and scrutinized.
1. You just don't know what's coming: When dealing with next generation consoles and deciding whether to spend money on them or not, it has to be understood that no matter what Sony and Microsoft have been saying about their consoles on their official reveal, we, as humans, are more comfortable handling the product ourselves before jumping to a conclusion, and Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are no different.
And since all of us (I'm guessing) work pretty hard to earn, and since money is never a matter of joke, the best option here is wait and watch how the consoles actually turn out to be. It's better to study them for a while, maybe read a review or two, before taking that giant leap into the unknown.
As an example, I got my first generation Xbox, a decision I regret, because I was never told about the infamous red ring of death. I was young and rash in my decision, and lost my birthday money on something that used to stop mid-way. As a result, my next Xbox Slim was subjected to a lot of studying and scrutinizing before I finally invested.
What I'm trying to say here is don't jump into conclusions like that - take your time, assess the situation and then decide.
2. Opening day jitters: With both the next generation consoles finally being unveiled, the next issue comes down to choice. Will you pick the PS4 or the Xbox One, or perhaps even both? Regardless of which you choose, remember that in recent history there has been no such thing as a perfectly smooth launch, and opening day problems are expected from both consoles.
To be entirely frank, most of the issues related to the consoles will only be known a few days after their official release. With so many units being shipped at a single time, there is every reason to believe that not all of them will be personally hand-checked by either Microsoft or Sony. I still believe it's better to wait a few months or weeks before finally investing.
Also, don't worry if there are reports of units running out. As long as a structured business module is in place, there will always be units coming in. The more people buy, the more chances of showing a profitable (or decent) sales figure. Economics 101 people - supply and demand.
3. The money involved: This one is basically a no-brainer. With new technology, new features, and add-ons comes a new price tag, and it isn't cheap. Although you might have already read that the PS4 will be released at a lower price than Sony's previous console, but not by much. And if you think that Sony's PlayStation 4 is pricey, then the Xbox One is clearly out of the question, as it's more expensive by $100.
While we all like gaming, all of us have different priorities in life and think at least twice before investing in a project just like that. What is so wrong with the current generation you already have? It's still good enough to play a number of titles that are meant to arrive for both the current and the next generation, and will still be supported for years to come. Maybe you won't be able to play all the big name exclusives for the consoles, but if you really like gaming, then playing it now or playing later won't make a difference.
Keep one thing in mind. The price of the consoles are bound to come down in a year or so, and it will actually be wise to save some more cash so that when you actually go for the console, you have enough in your pocket to spend on some extra add-ons alongside the console - maybe an extra controller.