The next generation of consoles is upon us – and for we early adopters in South Africa, the choice of which to get right now is pretty easy. Only one of them is going to be available in our sunny clime this year. for those who plan on purchasing later once both systems are available, the choice is a bit tougher. What’s the most important factor in making that decision?
According to a survey conducted at this year’s Eurogamer Expo, the single biggest factor in peoples’ purchasing decisions isn’t DRM, controller, resolution or frame-rates. Nope, shockingly, it’s the actual games – and exclusive ones at that.
Of the 2450 core gamers surveyed, 34 per cent said that exclusive games were the key factor in making purchasing decisions followed by the price of the new hardware at 29 per cent. While that’s hardly a significant slice of any population, it is a decent enough section of the sort of people who rush out and buy new consoles.
Surprisingly, just 11 per cent would get a system out of blind brand loyalty; probably the same vocal 11 per cent f the internet who will tell you what a terrible and stupid person you are for your own, contrary decisions. Also surprising was that just 2 per cent of respondents said they even cared about consoles’ functionality as a media hub, which won;t make Microsoft’s too happy, as that’s the central tenet of the Xbox One.
What’s the core influencer for your own console purchasing decisions? Right now, I really have to go with “availability” once again. The lack of a South African release date for the Xbox One isn’t doing the Xbox brand any favours at all.
Last Updated: November 19, 2013
Danny Baromen
November 19, 2013 at 13:03
The lack of backwards compatibility kills the PS4 for me…
Anon A Mouse
November 19, 2013 at 13:08
I don’t get the backwards compatibility issue to be honest. If you have a PS3 / 360 game then surely you have the console as well. It’s not as if the console is going to go up in a puff of smoke as soon as you bring your next gen console into the room.
TiMsTeR1033
November 19, 2013 at 13:10
No but people, have this urge to forget about old consoles and only worry and care about the new one.. So if they had backwards compatibility then they could have best of both worlds, without feeling bad for putting old console to rest.
Anon A Mouse
November 19, 2013 at 13:13
Oh ok. So I guess I’m the only one that still has my PS1 – PS3 connected to TV and sound system then. It’s as easy as putting the disk in and play for me. Maybe that’s why I don’t get it.
And I’m really not flippant about it I really don’t see the issue but I do get what you are saying.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:15
See I have bought a couple of older secondhand PS3 games before but there are so many games that comes out each month. I can’t keep up as it is. I almost cant be bothered with replaying older games.
Anon A Mouse
November 19, 2013 at 13:18
I’m sitting with the same problem, but sometimes I do take nostalgia to the knee and then I just pop in the disc and jam it for a few hours.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:19
Yeah it’s fun. I still have my DOOM 3 BFG edition and still play Doom and Doom 2 a bit. Not so much Doom 3 though…
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 15:57
The good ol’ days when we had a few hours to spare… Sigh
Umar Moe Moe
November 19, 2013 at 13:28
A man who has overcome Backlogocytus …. respect
TiMsTeR1033
November 19, 2013 at 13:40
There is no cure… 99% fatal.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:57
Sleep is for when your dead or feel like dying. Me? I’m the latter at this moment 😛
Mossel
November 19, 2013 at 13:37
But if you are a “born again gamer” like me you will be pretty bumbed if you find out that BioShock doesn’t work on XBox One. And maybe you dont have this gens consoles, so what then?
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:56
I get your point and maybe you are fortunate to have time on your hands but don’t even have time to play all the Borderlands 2 DLC and plenty of people will be getting rid of their current consoles come next gen. I might even sell my PS3 if there are nothing new or exclusvie coming to it in the next six months.
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 13:32
In all honesty, that must look pretty damn cool to have the consoles lined up like that.
Anon A Mouse
November 19, 2013 at 13:44
In all honesty it happened by accident. I had a TV stand custom made and somewhere messed up some of the measurements. I was left with way too much space and decided to pop the PS1 and PS2 in there. Worked out well in the end though.
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 13:31
I must agree. Backwards incompatibility would really grind my gears.
Danny Baromen
November 19, 2013 at 13:46
It’s not that the console goes up in smoke, it’s that I have forked out thousands for my ps3 games and now I can’t play them on the new hawtness… and yes I still have my ps3, but there’s only so much space for consoles, dvd players, blu-ray players, sound systems, etc… and also, only so many hdmi/rca inputs…
El Capitan del Blade
November 19, 2013 at 13:08
There is a very good rea$on that neither con$ole $upport$ backward$ compatibility, if you catch my drift.
CypherGate
November 19, 2013 at 14:26
PS3 and 360 are cheap enough and going to get a bit cheaper once the next gen launches. Also its not like backwards compatibility is a make or break for buying a console. I mean did PS2 have backward compatibility? Xbox 360 have for the Xbox? PS3 for the PS2? Its really no biggie. Maybe you feel for convenience of having one machine to play them all yes, but then again if you have a pc and you into FPS’s then you would play FPS’s on a pc simply cause its better than playing on a console.
InsanityFlea
November 19, 2013 at 13:07
Don’t need either.
That Dark Twit
November 19, 2013 at 13:08
For me, price is No. 1 & exclusives are No.2.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:13
Agreed, hence PS4!
TiMsTeR1033
November 19, 2013 at 13:24
Ps4 isn’t having a great track record atm..
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:57
Yeah I’m a bit concerned to be honest. Will I be buying a console or a brick?
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 15:54
Where you getting it from?
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 16:03
BT Games, but it seems like the faulty console thing is a global problem
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 16:14
BT Games doesn’t even know what price they going to sell it at. Do they offer guarantees?
I’d go with Phoenix-Tech.net. Two-year guarantee and the best prices
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 16:21
Yeah,my preorder is confirmed and everything. Buying the console for R6300, plus I will probably get a discount. Also I am going to trade in a couple of games. Bringing the price down to an even 6000 hopefully
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 16:34
Cool man.. From Phoenix?
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 16:46
No Bt Games. I’m a loyoal customer of theirs and have supported them since they opened. Really is a nice place to pick up second hand games too.
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 16:54
Strange, when I asked them what price they would be selling at, they didn’t know.. But yea they good, I use them alot too, otherwise.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 16:23
Their pricing looks pretty neat. I see they have a price for the XBOX as well.
FoxOneZA
November 19, 2013 at 13:21
Cheap isn’t always good.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 19, 2013 at 13:09
If I was looking to purchase one the games is what would decide it for me.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:17
The same really for me. PS+ though also tips the scale heavily
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 19, 2013 at 13:19
Yes that’s good value for money that.
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 15:53
Agreed. My Xbox is only used because of Forza and the PS3 broke.
Gears fell flat.
Anon A Mouse
November 19, 2013 at 13:10
I don’t need either consoles. IF (and it is a big if) I decide to but a new console I’ll base it on what games are out where I can immerse myself in the story line. Also not having to be online will help since I don’t do MP.
Umar Moe Moe
November 19, 2013 at 13:13
That is about the same for me. Exclusives is where it’s at
El Capitan del Blade
November 19, 2013 at 13:13
I’ll pick up a PS4 late in 2014, after enough games have released, AND i can pick up a sweet bundled deal.
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 13:16
December 13th…
http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/aQqowO8_460sa.gif
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
November 19, 2013 at 15:50
Took me about a minute to get it but LOL!
Hammersteyn
November 19, 2013 at 16:03
Hehehe
DarthofZA
November 19, 2013 at 13:18
For me I would say 50% exclusives, 25% price and 25% extra media. My current consoles are used not only for all my TV watching, but the music playing as well. I don’t have any other platform in my house, besides the consoles, for my media. So it does carry some weight with me.
oVg
November 19, 2013 at 14:32
100% Naughty Dog game.
or… maybe Microsoft will pull their fingers out of their Kinect budget and start producing games like Alan Wake again.
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 14:36
I’m not too bothered with the extra media. My tv can play more video and audio formats than my PS can (and it was a cheap tv), so plugging in a portable HDD works for me.
Brady miaau
November 19, 2013 at 14:42
My tv can as well, but then I must move around, cannot stream data off the network.
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 14:46
Ah. Fair enough.
Brady miaau
November 19, 2013 at 17:04
I saw the nice and expensive tv’s have Wifi. Wonder what we can do with that?
Sounds pretty awesome.
FoxOneZA
November 19, 2013 at 13:22
For me it’s these…YLOD, BLOD, RLOD, PLOD, OLOD GLOD.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 19, 2013 at 13:24
Are you trying to summon Cthulhu?
Umar Moe Moe
November 19, 2013 at 13:26
ROFL…..oh dude, seriously you crack me big time
Lord Chaos
November 19, 2013 at 13:24
Probably end up getting both down the line, but exclusives are the important factor. Controller second.
Currently only game that’ll make me get PS4 is The Order, rest of the games on X1 looks more appealing currently.
Care naught for the media part as I have a media server next to the TV.
Mossel
November 19, 2013 at 13:31
Goddamn that game looks awesome! I’m actually pondering getting a console just for that!
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 13:33
Agreed
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 13:30
I can believe that exclusives pay such a big role. I’m not a console gamer, but I have to say that there are a few exclusives that could definitely sway my vote should I be looking at the new consoles.
TiMsTeR1033
November 19, 2013 at 13:39
you forget about your poor Ps3…. shame on YOU!
John's (JJ's) Annihilation
November 19, 2013 at 13:48
Hahaha. Oops.
Hesperus Phosphorus
November 19, 2013 at 16:22
I couldn’t care less right now. Happy between Xbox 360 and PC. I’ll see how everything’s matching up later next year.