The next generation of console gaming officially kicks off next week…and there’s not exactly a lot of hype is there? It’s understandable why though. The consoles are great by the launch line-up is relatively week in comparison, relying on current-gen games to draw new audiences in to the likes of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. At the same time, holy crap there’s a pandemic raging and if people could have avoided turning the wearing of masks into a political statement then we’d likely be on the road to recovery right now. But here we are.
Anyway, next week won’t see hardcore fans camping outside of their local game shops to get their hands on a new console. There’s no massive launch party planned, midnight gatherings are a no-go, and you’ll be waiting for the courier to rock up instead. Or you’ll be sending angry tweets to Takealot lol. We’ve had some glorious moments in the transition between consoles though, and nothing beats that excitement of waiting in a line and geeking out with some random people you just met five minutes ago.
This time six years ago? I was standing in a decently long line at CNA, ready to pick up my PS4 console. I’d done a down-payment, I put the rest on my Edgars club card which had a six-month interest free repayment option (YOU SHALL BE MISSED) and my name was on a list. PS4’s were being handed out from the counter, cards were being swiped and everyone had a massive grin on their face. I’ll never forget that days, because the excitement and pure joy had pretty much permeated the air around me.
I wasn’t around for the previous console launches, but I do remember some solid hype around them. You couldn’t go ten steps without spotting an Xbox 360 stand at a shopping mall, while the PlayStation 2 was a purchase reserved for only the most bastard of children with rich parents back then. How about you though? Any good console launch memories that you’d like to share? Where were you when your favourite gaming device launched?
And did it involve going down to the Kyalami race track to grab one of those machines? Gavin did. He got to see vroom vroom. Lucky bastard. Anyway, sound off below.
Last Updated: November 6, 2020
cloudzn
November 6, 2020 at 10:55
The Ouya……..
Mandalorian Jim
November 6, 2020 at 17:36
#giggles Stadia
cloudzn
November 6, 2020 at 18:09
I wanted to Stadia initially but it’s too recent
Mandalorian Jim
November 6, 2020 at 18:45
Ouya know, I decided to stadia as far from it as possible!
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 6, 2020 at 10:51
The Xbox One launch, it really flipped my switches.
Yozzie
November 6, 2020 at 10:55
https://i.imgflip.com/2wgxip.png
RinceThis
November 6, 2020 at 11:20
https://media.giphy.com/media/agwRgmVDJceZO/giphy.gif
Yozzie
November 6, 2020 at 11:02
NeoGeo WonderSwan
Insomnia is fun
November 6, 2020 at 11:20
Xbox 360, it ran red rings around PlayStation
Krabby Paddy
November 6, 2020 at 11:20
Magnavox Odyssey
Insomnia is fun
November 6, 2020 at 12:03
https://media3.giphy.com/media/ZJW9hjrmhFvGg/giphy.gif
justlikemo
November 6, 2020 at 11:42
Have not been much of a console launch freak. More game launch fan. Prefer individual titles, with a few favourites
For the Emperor!
November 6, 2020 at 12:03
Never been one to care for launches, but will have to say XBone. Why? Because we went in the side entrance at Rage on the Friday, 2nd and 3rd in queue, and went straight to the XBone stand and were first ones there.
For the Emperor!
November 6, 2020 at 12:03
Oh wait, launch. None. My experience was getting hands on before launch…
Mandalorian Jim
November 6, 2020 at 17:36
I have to agree with you, I’ve never been a fan of it. I also don’t see the point of standing in a line on launch day. I can’t see the appeal. But, different strokes for different folks.
For the Emperor!
November 6, 2020 at 17:36
I think my last line-standing for a game was Starcraft 2. What a disappointment. Got home only to need a massive patch, and with my internet at the time it was only ready to play when I needed to go to work. And the whole always online to play a very lackluster SP campaign…nope, delivery is the way to go
Francois Knoetze
November 6, 2020 at 12:03
The PS3 I got midnight at Look and Listen Menlyn.The vibe was awesome. Had wads of cash saved up for the thing, payed in wads of cash too, and the first thing we plugged in was Resistance fall of man(really miss those games)
MechMachine
November 6, 2020 at 12:28
Speaking of console launches, Don’t know if anyone else has noticed, but MS is successfully doing now what it failed to do 7 years ago.They are essentially selling their vision, somewhat evolved, of an online ecosystem. It’s actually amazing how much the audience has evolved.
I’ve noticed how we as consumers are so willing to give up on the idea of personal ownership, essentially buy into and support a monopoly that will ultimately end up destroying peoples livelihoods. I suppose it’s par for the course, yet here we are celebrating it like it’s a great thing.
I wonder where this is all going ? BT games will be gone in a few years. Just like video shops. Yet I`m sure I`ll get a reply in retort over this statement. We’re all are eager just to buy the next shiny new thing, but we ignore the consequence of marketing strategies of people half a world away and how they impact our lives and those in our community, I suppose we are helpless or we could say our hands are tied.
But I could easily say that when I look at the bigger picture, and the consequences of where technology is going, this is certainly my least favorite console launch for the reasons mentioned, And I freely admit that with the very advent of better technology, I rarely venture into a retail environment to buy a physical copy of a game, And I slowly realize that my own livelihood is tied into this same phenomenon yet I am helpless to the allure of it.
geel slang
November 6, 2020 at 12:41
So we must buy pysical copies to save the livelihoods of a few people. Maybe we should go back to horses to save the jobs of the stable hands. No.
MechMachine
November 6, 2020 at 13:35
Not what I`m saying, I`m just making an observation about our innate human nature and my realization that no matter what, we’re bound to evolve in ways that can be destructive and ruthless. And we do so willingly.
Original Heretic
November 6, 2020 at 14:51
Save the stable hands!
Especially in PE where the bastards were killing and injuring thoroughbred horses…
Gavin Mannion
November 6, 2020 at 13:17
The problem was never that we were giving up physical ownership. That’s not been a thing for over a decade really. The problem back 7 years ago is the world wasn’t ready for a digital only console. People had datacaps and no stable internet etc. The worlds moved on, Microsoft were just ahead of the game
Gavin Mannion
November 6, 2020 at 13:58
Oh and I actually wrote about this 7 years ago.. I was overly negative but not far off to be honest
https://www.criticalhit.net/gaming/will-digital-kill-mainstream-gaming-locally/
I was pretty accurate on local distributors dying though… they are all on life support right now
MechMachine
November 6, 2020 at 14:35
So, where am I going to get my PS5 ?
Gavin Mannion
November 6, 2020 at 15:31
I meant game distributors, the people who distribute Unisoft, Activision, EA etc in the country.
Back in 2013 most of them had dedicated people locally… now they are all outsourced
MechMachine
November 6, 2020 at 15:42
And I was consulting your sage side..