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A single console philosophy
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In the past, I've always owned every console on the market. There have always been platform exclusive titles like Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, and Metal Gear Solid, to name only a few, and the thought of not being able to play each platform's gems was enough to make me own every machine. Even if they did sit, barely used, waiting for that next great title to come along.
In the last six months, since the birth of my son, I've had precious little time or desire to play anything on any of my consoles. At one point, prior to his birth, I owned everything: Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, DS, PSP, and PC. I had numerous MMORPG subscriptions, and enough time to justify them.
The DS was the first to go. The PSP was so shiny, so versatile, and so much more powerful than the DS that it seemed silly to keep two portable gaming systems. So I waved goodbye to the DS, despite a desire to play Metroid, Nintendogs, and other platform exclusives.
Next, the Xbox was traded-in ready to make way for its second generation evolution, the 360. I could cope with not playing any Xbox releases for a few months because I could pick them up for the 360 and play them in backwards compatibility mode.
Then my online subscriptions got cancelled. Everquest 2, Star Wars Galaxies, World of Warcraft, The Matrix Online (yeah, like that was a hard one to give up) all got axed due to lack of time or inclination to play. I still retain a City of Villains sub (more on that in a future post) because it's sufficiently undemanding to make it worth continuing.
Having given up my Xbox, and my DS, and having not powered up my PS2 for an age, I started to wonder whether my multiple console way of life was feasible, or, indeed, worthwhile. "Is it really that important to play everything, on every platform?" I thought, and with that set out on the road to a single console philosophy.
Soon after I decided to sell my PS2. Then, inevitably, I embraced the idea of only owning one console completely and made the decision to sell the PSP. Yes it does lots of things really well (none of which I ever use). But the games are, frankly and with the exception of Lumines, crap. That's probably not fair on Hot Shots, or Ridge Racer, and it's certainly not fair on Wipeout, but every recent release for the PSP has been a disappointment in some way, and I have no desire to play the initial batch of games any longer. I bought the PSP to play wireless multiplayer over the Internet; the idea of sitting in my comfy chair unrestricted by wires, playing a variety of games with my friends, while my wife watched TV next to me, appealed to me. As is usually the case with Sony, they managed to (so far) piss all over any online potential that the device has. They should take a note out of Nintendo's book but, being Sony, they know best, and it will hopefully cost them dearly. I'd sell the Gamecube too, but it's worth approximately two pounds fifty and a slice of buttered toast, so I'll keep it for Resident Evil.
The thought of missing out on God of War, Shadow of Colossus, future Fatal Frame/Project Zero sequels (even though I never removed the shrink wrap from the first game in the series), and potential future MGS sequels (even though I found 2 and 3 to be nowhere near as good as they could've been) pained me at first, but I've since come to terms with the fact that there aren't enough minutes in the day. I love spending time with my wife and son. I also love playing games. Something has to give. I figured that dedicating my game time to one console platform made far more sense than attempting to spread myself thinly across every platform in existence.
So, with the 360 launch just days away, I'm embracing my single console philosophy. Maybe this time I won't neglect PGR3 like I did its predecessor. Maybe I'll actually play Perfect Dark Zero to its conclusion, rather than abandoning it after the first level (*cough* Halo 2 *cough*). Maybe I'll play Condemned to it's disturbing end, rather than being distracted by the next shiny thing that comes along, as was the case with Manhunt. I'm still going to keep my PC, for web access, email, and the odd MMORPG that takes my fancy (although it will be a while before I wade back into anything with the depth of Everquest 2), and I might buy myself a DS the next time I go on a long trip. I may even buy a Revolution for my son when he's old enough to enjoy using it, but I doubt that will be for a few years yet.
The PS3 doesn't interest me. I think I'm purged of any desire to own every console simply because I might miss out on something worth playing. The Revolution doesn't actually interest me as a console, but I think the concept is accessible enough for it to be an entertaining experience for non-gamers, and thus worth keeping an eye on. I've found myself spending far too much time looking forward to future releases, and nowhere near enough time enjoying what's available today. It would be liking ignoring my son until he's 18 months old and walking, rather than playing with him today and appreciating the new things he's doing now.
So, the way forward for me, at least, is 360. It's social enough to allow me to play with my friends and family, powerful enough to last me for several years, and has enough developer support to provide me with plenty to be playing in the future. I look forward to Friday…
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