Your "next gen" plans -- pre E3 2013 assessment
 

The Wii U is on shelves, and we know some groundwork details about the PS4 and XBox One.

Before heading into E3 and the system launches later this year, where do you currently stand on your next gen plans? What systems do you feel you are likely to be supporting with your wallet?

My current lineup plan:
PC + PS4 + Wii U + 3DS + Vita

Basically, everything but the Xbone. Not hating, just don't feel I need one when I can get all the multiplats on PC/PS4 as well as the exclusive games on all of those platforms. Historically, the exclusive games on the XBox platform have appealed to me far less than Sony and Nintendo's.

I could buy an xbox one... I can afford it. But it's not about that. I only have so much time to devote to gaming. I don't need everything.

Where do you stand, Pre-E3, assuming you have formed much of an opinion at this point. Now, after E3, who knows... I'm confident that my plans won't change, but the right killer game(s) could always convince me.

PC, WiiU, then a 3DS XL. But recently became interested in acquiring more Game Boy Advance games when I found out how much the Minnish Cap is going for. Not really a fps player, so Nintendo serves me fine (and if they ever make psychonauts 2, I'm hoping they have it for PC).

Assuming Double Fine develops it, and I can't see them not being involved if it actually happened since it is their property, it will definitely be on PC!

I'll get the Wii-U once there are some more flagship character titles out. The upcoming Yoshi game, Wind Waker remake, Smash brothers, etc.

Kinda dumb to actually make plans when little to nothing is known abou the game lineups for the Xbox and PS4.

But I guess going on reputation and history I would go with the XONE. I'm more inclined to play another Halo, Gears or (God willing) Viva Pinata over crap like Killzone and InFamous. But who the hell knows.

And nobody plays nintendo consoles for anything other than their 1st party stuff so that's all I'm doing.

I'll end up with everything, so it's just a matter of what I get first. This time around that depends entirely on the launch line-up and very little else.

I'm not very impressed with anything so far. I have to see games before I make a decision. But really, I've been upgrading my computer and I may just stick with that. Any console exclusives I'll just play them later when their consoles drop in price.

I'm gonna stick with PlayStation, as I have since PS1. I was thoroughly unimpressed by the Xbox reveal, but it doesn't really matter. I'm sure, at E3, Microsoft will show more games, and Sony will show more entertainment features, and they'll come out pretty much the same, like last time.

PS2 and Xbox had tons of exclusives. And if you were a fighting game fan, like me, you'd be missing out without a PS2. So that was an easy choice. But judging by that last generation, where there were 0 exclusives I really cared about, on either side. I'm sure I'll end up sticking with PlayStation, and all the games I want will be available.

But seriously, Saints Row IV, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and Pokemon X/Y will probably be the only games I buy this year.

Yeah, like Peanut, I'm gonna end up with everything, it's only a question of what comes first.

As of now, I have no real plan. I'll probably end up with it all, but the real question comes down to what I'll want.

I could buy both at launch, but if there's no real reason to--I'll just stick to the one that has the best lineup. Probably going to be the XONE.

ditto pretty much. but then again i've no real plans to get any next gen systems at all. although i've been thinking of getting a friend's Wii U

There won't probably be any good reason for me to buy XONE ever, and if there won't be at least a few really must have exclusives for PS4, I'm not buying that either for some time. I'm still wanting a 3DS and maybe Vita some day, but so far there's pretty much nothing for it that I'd want to play. Except for PSone and PSP games :I

Oh yeah and I'm probably gonna buy WiiU someday, because.

Man. Never having any reason to buy an XONE, but someday wanting to have a Vita is insane.

Sounds kind of like me. I don't have the finances to blow on a new video game every two weeks or so, so it's all good.

I don't think I can afford a new console. Bills have to be paid. Maybe in 15 years again. If had to go for a console I go for a xbox one. (shouldn't it be like xbox 3? weird?)

What happen with nividia handheld console thing?

The Shield? It's set to come out pretty soon. Probably gonna be a huge disaster.

I'm happy with my Nintendo console.

Yes, sir, the SNES is a great system....What?

Xbox One sounds horrible.

The PS4 is going to get all the major third party games Sony gets every gen plus their exclusives. The PS3's library is now almost exactly the same as the 360's with the exception of all of Sony's added exclusives which are better than Microsoft's.

And obviously the Nintendo fan in me will get Wii-U eventually, I'll probably get it around this holiday.

I'd really like to hear a good lists of Sony's amazing exclusives. A list that doesn't include absolute sh*t like Killzone or dead horse franchises like Ratchet & Clank and God of War. Microsoft has almost no exclusives period, but the Sony exclusive stuff isn't exactly lighting the world on fire.

I honestly think the only platform with exclusives with a single damn is Nintendo.

Not to say they aren't quality titles, but Nintendo's "exclusives" also have decades of nostalgia behind them.

That's true, but they didn't become nostalgic by being forgettable. It's because they're incredibly well made games, created by people that care and polished to perfection.

Also, look at a series like Mario. I'd like to hear one other example of ANYTHING, whether it be a movie series, a TV show, a series of books etc., that has somehow managed to not only stay relevant, but been able to change, adapt, innovate and reinvent itself time and time again over the course of decades and not only continue to garner critical and commercial success, but to be lauded as some of the greatest games ever created over multiple generations.

I don't know that anyone will ever be able to match Nintendo's quality output. Now or ever.

Well said. I know if I had to have a next gen console, I'd most definitely buy the Wii-U, because I love a good Mario game (among other originals), and Nintendo hasn't disappointed (so far as I can remember. Most crap Mario games were 3rd party games.)

Yeah, it's definitely not nostalgia. Going back to play 64 after playing Galaxies feels rooooooooough.

I don't care for the majority of Sony's exclusives, but I'll take the Uncharted series, The Last of Us, God of War, Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, etc. over Halo and Gears of War. And PS3 had Metal Gear Solid 4 which remains exclusive to this day.

And while some of those franchises have gone stale, both Halo and Gears have literally been run into the ground with the same tired sequels.

There really is no real reason to own an Xbox outside of a few obscure titles here and there.

Last of Us isn't out yet! Don't be dumb! You're also not using "literally" correctly.

So, same tired list then? I was hoping for something worth discussing. I've always tried to talk sustainable franchises, which I really don't think Sony has much of. The ones that could have lasted (God of War and Uncharted) were driven into the ground this gen.

If we're talking one off exclusives I honestly think the 360 was worth it for the XBLA exclusive stuff alone.

For at least the next 2 years I'm sticking with my PC/Wii U for console quality stuff. Maybe by then I'll be more inclined towards the XONE, but not if I can still play most of the same stuff on my PC.

It's not a bad choice, considering some of the coolest stuff from this generation was typically third-party. My issue with that is my complete apathy towards keeping a PC up-to-date. I did it through the mid 00's, but dropped off over the last few years. I just can't be bothered to do it. Also, not being able to actually own games I pay for doesn't sit well with me.

I'm not even a big gamer but I think I'm done with console gaming, I'm building a gaming PC this generation since it will most of the time get the best version of the 'core' titles the PS4/XBone get. PS4 just doesn't interest me and the only exclusives that matters to me is the ICO franchise but I can live without it. Xbox has no franchises I care for, well they have rare but if they haven't done anything with them for the past 10+ years I don't see them doing it now, not to mention all the talent is long gone. And of course I have a Wii U for Nintendo titles.

I don't think wanting a Vita is insane, it depends all on your game preferences and play style. Wanting one over a 3DS or a PS4 may be, but it all depends on you. I have to ride a train to work and back each day, so my 3DS and Vita have a lot of value. I would not want to miss out on Soul Sacrifice, Persona 4 Golden or upcoming games like Dragon's Crown (giggle, giggle), Ys, Tearaway, FFX HD (yeah, more interested in replaying it on Vita than PS3), Valhalla Nights... the lineup is sparse but it has a steam of good stuff. I've also been a lot more impressed with the indie titles on the Vita than on the 3DS overall.

If you plan on getting a PS4 and/or have a PS+ membership, having a Vita makes great sense, and if you like JRPGs it's hard to justify not owning one if you have the money for it.

Anyone interested in the Vita should get one, as long as you've done your research and know what it has to offer and what it doesn't. I've had so many conversations with strangers over my Vita too... great convo starter :p

I honestly can't think of any franchise this gen that hasn't been run into the ground. Assassin's Creed, Dead Space, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Call of Duty, Ninja Gaiden, God of War, Ratchet, Halo, Gears, etc.

Even Bioshock had the totally pointless "Bioshock 2" which was nothing more than a filler game between the first and Ininite. Even Mass Effect 3 wasn't as good gameplay wise as Mass Effect 2.

Virtually every major franchise this gen had one sequel too many.

Well, that goes for games, movies, music albums - everything. They always keep dipping until the well runs dry. They have to pull up an empty bucket before they'll stop. When we stop buying them, they'll cut it out. But not until then.

That's what I meant. Saying one of these consoles has "better exclusives" when those exclusives amount to a game or two before they're viciously driven into the pavement isn't saying much. Even Uncharted, which was a decent game followed up by an absolute masterpiece with Uncharted 2, had an awful handheld game sh*t out and a less than stellar 3rd entry almost immediately.

I own one, don't get me wrong. Persona 4 is easily my favourite game ever and P4G is now officially my favourite game of all-time, but the thing is a wasteland. Say what you will about a game here and there, the thing is a f*cking mess.

Uncharted 3 wasn't great, but I still enjoyed it. I just hope if they continue the franchise on PS4 the next one is similar to the first two.

This gen was really missing a lot of those cartoony 3D mascot platformers that all previous gens had. Every developer tried to push realism this generation, that the whole cartoony animal mascot platformer has been abandoned.

Probably the only reason Rayman Origins was such a surprise hit.

It still drives me insane that Rare had a beautiful looking, beautiful controlling 3D Banjo engine and used it to muck around with vehicle building physics sh*t. Not that Nuts and Bolts wasn't good, but they should have just taken that and shoved a normal Banjo game in there. I would have loved that.

I'm hoping we get back to more colourful mascot stuff this generation. I really miss weird character designs and bright, strange worlds. Stuff like Earthworm Jim and Conker. Also, the adventurous and unique feel of the weird kinds of PS1 games like Incredible Crisis or even sh*t like Croc. That Knack game for PS4 seems like it's built with that mindset, so that's exciting.

I think what's bothered me about this gen is everything is too realistic. With the exception of Nintendo games we don't have huge colorful worlds anymore to explore. I look at my older game collection and that's what I used to love most.

Sadly looking at what we know from next-gen games so far, its probably going to be similar to this generation. Way too many shooters and generic sports games.

I think Nintendo could really steal a lot of us this generation, just by being them. If this next-gen continues down the path started with 360/PS3 it could be a bleak f*cking future for most of us.

So far any Xbox exclusive haven't been for me, I don't think this will change. But I'm still monitoring the situation, this is just how I feel atm.

Yes. I play with PSP quite a lot, and I wouldn't mind getting trophies for playing good games while traveling or on breaks at work. It's also so much easier to play with a handheld just for a little while and later continue from the same point.

edit: An Eternal Darkness sequel would be a major reason for me to buy a Wii U.

I'll do what I did with the 360. Wait until there are some actual titles and reasons to get the system. Being the first adopters never really made sense to me since most of the time the system needed to work out some kinks.

They're already crowdsourcing an episodic sequel to ED for Wii U and PC.