USA Today suggests waiting on next-gen

by Blake Snow { Nov 10th 2006 at 2:55PM }

Non-hardcores only: USA Today, the nation's most circulated newspaper, weighs next-generation gaming options for the masses. They cite four selections: (A) Wait in line maybe for days for a PlayStation 3, and probably end up empty-handed; (B) Wait in a shorter line for a Wii, pocket the change and maybe be disappointed; (C) With a swipe of a credit card, go home with a well-stocked Xbox 360; and (D) Resist the temptation and do nothing.

The article's overall tone suggests (D), encouraging most to stick with current-gen systems for a bit longer, especially PS2 owners. But the paper also believes every console will do well: "You can't really make a bad choice. All three of the systems are going to have pretty solid lineups of games and they are going to be pretty fun systems to play."

[Thanks, Don Jose]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

rowd149 @ Nov 10th 2006 3:02PM

It took a giant, soulless news corporation to finally say it: They all rock, stop bitching.

cheese @ Nov 10th 2006 3:02PM

bah, sticking w/ current gen is a waste of time and money unless you are playing "greatest hits" or other price reduced games that you never had the chance to play. The only thing that would make me want to wait and not go next gen (if I didn't already have a 360) would be the somewhat slow trickle of games. It's really too bad Forza 2 and Crackdown are getting delayed ;(

dredub @ Nov 10th 2006 3:06PM

"You can't really make a bad choice. All three of the systems are going to have pretty solid lineups of games and they are going to be pretty fun systems to play."

Look out USA Today here comes the Internet.

Unimental @ Nov 10th 2006 3:07PM

I think waiting out this holiday season and sticking with your PS2 or XBox is a great move for a really casual gamer. Gamecube owners might want to consider making a move, however.

Good conservative advice from the paper, I suppose.

Now... what do the kids want? I've got two teacher friends (one 6th grade and the other 9th) that are somewhat regular gamers. They've both been hearing buzz about games in this order:

1) PS3
2) Gears of War
3) Wii

They both teach for some upper middle-class districts, so I wonder what happens when Johnny Teen doesn't get his PS3 due to low release numbers? According to my oh-so-unstatistical research... perhaps a 360?

32_Footsteps @ Nov 10th 2006 3:07PM

I don't think I've ever seen anyone advocate it would be a waste to just wait and play really great games before cheese's comment.

I also find it odd that they only list disappointment as a possible result of the Wii purchase. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that based on launch titles, there's just as much chance that a Wii owner will be disappointed with the purchase as a PS3 owner - unless said PS3 owner is about to make twice that money back on eBay.

Ethan @ Nov 10th 2006 3:09PM

I choose E. pick up the ps3 you preordered when the eb games opened at 10:00 a few weeks ago and you got 3rd in line because you live in a rural area.

Although if I didnt have a preorder, and I wasnt totally psyched for the ps3, I might've traded in my launch of 2000 fat ps2, and gotten a slim silver ps2 with an ethernet in port to play some games online. Cause damn that thing looks good.

charlie @ Nov 10th 2006 3:13PM

I tend to agree with USA Today and I'm a pretty avid gamer. You simply will not be able to get a PS3 without a ridiculous time commitment, so thats ruled out. The xbox 360 really isnt a great deal at $400, and its been out a year and all it really has is Oblivion and Gears of War as killer apps. You shouldnt have too much of a problem waiting a little longer for a price break, possibly larger hard drive to accommodate the video downloading service, and Halo 3. I was really looking forward to Wii but impressions from journalists have been more mixed then I thought they would be, some starting to think that the motion control just doesnt work too well- and then their only killer app at launch is Zelda- I'm sure a great game, btu single player only. Plus, their launch list of downloadable classic titles isnt big enough yet to buy it just for that.

I'm waiting, both to see how Wii fleshes out, and then for price break on 360 or for availability on the PS3.

I will say that I think the $500 PS3, if you can find one and have an HDTV and surround sound system for taking advantage of the blu-ray drive, is the best deal.

The Intangible Fact @ Nov 10th 2006 3:14PM

@ Ethan

E goes more like this: pick up the ps3 you preordered when the eb games opened at 10:00 a few weeks ago and you got 3rd in line because you live in a rural area---Then wait a year for some high quality titles.

Alfarif @ Nov 10th 2006 3:15PM

Remember, the reason you will be disappointed with the Wii is because the graphics are not rock your socks photo realistic!!!!!!!! But P3s? Even if the gameplay isn't there, the graphics will ROCK YOUR SOCKS! Graphics MAKE THE GAME ... **sarcasm off**

Nate @ Nov 10th 2006 3:21PM

@ charlie,

A system usually only has about 5-6 "killer apps" throughout it's lifetime. 360 has had two in one year and Wii is going to have one at launch and that's bad?

How is the $500 PS3 the best deal? I think the $600 PS3 (although pricey) is even a better deal than the $500 one....not to mention a 360 is probably a better deal (at this point) than both. And the Wii at $250 could be a steal.

Je2037 @ Nov 10th 2006 3:25PM

Yea, if I had the dough - id have em all.

SPIN magazine had a similar lineup of the systems: This is what they said:

Whos it for:
PS3 - Hardcore tech heads who love variety or want a system to show off their HDTV and surround sound setups. The added bonus of Blu-Ray makes the price tag slightly more palatable.

Wii - Players on a budget who love Nintendo's early series or who want an unusual gaming experience that relies on a quirky but intuitive new controller system.

Although dumbed down - they're right. Basically hardcore fans and people with cash to burn will be the vast majority of people willing to pay PS3 prices for video games. More Casual fans and people buying consoles as gifts will go with Nintendo.

The Intangible Fact @ Nov 10th 2006 3:29PM

Heres one for you guys to answer.

If you bought all the consoles at once, which one would you open and play first? Then second?

Personally I would play the 360 first. Then PS3.

Javi @ Nov 10th 2006 3:31PM

What about (F) buy a PS3 or Wii from a dumbass auction site for 5 times the original price and make it worst for every system launch in the future.

For me I'll wait until I can walk in a swipe the card like the 360.

trujillo @ Nov 10th 2006 3:44PM

because when I think video games, I think USA today.

mooo @ Nov 10th 2006 3:34PM

#12, I would play Zelda first.

I got it @ Nov 10th 2006 3:37PM

Im sorry to say this but 360 FTW this holiday they've release so many games im interested in that my pockets cant keep up.
1. Gears of war(purchaseD)
2. splinter cell(purchased)
3. FEAR(purchased)
4. NFS:carbon (already beat it It SUX)
5. Marvel alliance(just won on ebay didnt recieve)
6. Call of duty 3(ditto)

And with rainbow six coming ill be too busy to care about wii or Ps3 this xmas. Not bashing the other 2 and i still want a Ps3 but with a lineup like the above mentioned under my TV Im good for the next 3-5 months. And not to mention what i bought late and am still playing NBA2k7 Test drive Unlimited and Saints row......Like i said Im good for a long time.

Gerwurztraminer @ Nov 10th 2006 3:35PM

I've been excited about Wii for months now, but in the end I think it'll be D for me. There are DS, Gamecube, PS2, and even PSone games that I still have yet to pick up that I've been waiting to have the time to play, so getting a system at launch isn't really required for that.

Nevertheless, I think Smash Bros Brawl is what will tip the scale for me.

Digi Smalls @ Nov 10th 2006 3:38PM

aw hell. they actually quoted me in this article. not a good look for me.

.

Tom @ Nov 10th 2006 3:36PM

I'm a pretty hardcore gamer and I'm definitely waiting for next-gen.

Here are my reasons:
1. I want to see the war before I choose a side. I'm not a fanboy of any system. I will buy the system that proves to be the best. Same goes for HD movie formats.

2. I don't want a broken system. Any severe problems will probably be ironed out by the 2nd or 3rd generation. Plus, I still believe the 360 will eventually have built in HD-DVD.

3. I still haven't seen a killer app. Dead Rising is probably the most tempting game for me. However, I still haven't seen a game that makes me say "I must have this game"

4. There's still plenty of life in my PS2. FF12, Bully, Guitar Hero 2, God of War 2. Not to mention I have quite a large pile of XBox games I still haven't beaten.

5. I still don't have an HDTV. That purchase will be right before my next-gen console purchase. I figure 1080p will be a little more common and maybe even cheaper by next year.

BlindsideDork @ Nov 10th 2006 3:47PM

Seems to me they favor 360....or is it just me?

4orty2wo @ Nov 10th 2006 3:44PM

#16 - Tom

You must be psychic, that is exactly how I would have put it. Plus there are lots of really cheap games I never played that I am hunting down. If only there was time to play them all.

I am most excited for the Wii. But I want to play it myself before I get one.

rsp1976 @ Nov 10th 2006 3:52PM

I'm still fine with my loaded 250 gig xbox full of present gen gems!

Iscariote @ Nov 10th 2006 3:54PM

Why wouldn't they favor 360? It actually has a game library right now.

Pince @ Nov 11th 2006 4:59PM

The single anti-Wii comment they have. The graphics.
*yawn*
Reason #1 that video games will not yet be considered art: obsession with photorealism over creativity.

I really wish people would find something better to obsess over.

Personally, I prefer big blocky pixels.
*Goes back to playing Doom...*

kelekod @ Nov 10th 2006 4:35PM

@12
Wii, PS3, 360

Still don't see a reason to buy PS3 or Xbox 360. These past few weeks I've been tempted to get my first PS2. Guitar hero is almost at that "I must buy this game" stage. I'm not sure if its a Nintendo biased or "fanboy" that I am, but I just haven't seen anything to make me want a PS2 or Xbox, let alone want a PS3/360. Well I now am tempted for the PS2, but I'll see how that turns out these next couple of weeks. I should have a Wii a week from Sunday, but I'll see how that goes.

I don't try to be a Nintendo fanboy or Nintendo biased, but I guess each new Mario game relives my childhood. I still play mario on NES, SNES, N64, GBC/GBA/DS. Same with Zelda, Metriod, DK.. I still own a good chunk of those games. To be those games are fun, they may be repetive, annoying, easy or whatever, but they still manage to be fun to play.

The only games really for Xbox that got me interested was the Halo series, and Ninja Gaiden sounded good and perfect dark, but none of those really pushed me to get an Xbox. Guitar hero is really fun to play and like I said I'm considering a PS2..

some person @ Nov 10th 2006 8:16PM

research before opinion, PS3 can play PS2 games, right? there you go, PS3 is an exception

charlie @ Nov 10th 2006 5:39PM

"A system usually only has about 5-6 "killer apps" throughout it's lifetime. 360 has had two in one year and Wii is going to have one at launch and that's bad?"

You're absolutely right about that. Having 2 killer apps, 1 of which has good mutiplayer is a great start. The Wii still lacks a multiplayer killer app. Then again, nothing for PS3launch really stands out so far.

The reasoning for saying that the $500 PS3 being the best deal went like this:

First I decided which was a better deal for each the X360 and PS3 in terms of the SKUs you can buy.

I decided that the $400 Xbox 360 SKU is without a doubt the only option- you absolutely need a hard drive to fully enjoy the xbox 360 (backwards compatibility, video downloads, and even game saves/updates are SO much easier). Since the hard drive is proprietary you have to buy MS's, and you just cant get it for much less than $100. So considering the $400 SKU includes the hard drive, and upgrade to a wireless controller, an upgrade to component video cables, a proprietary XBL headset, and an ethernet cable, there really isnt a decision to make- only buy the $400 unit.

For the PS3 the decision was closer- for $100 extra you get an upgrade to a 60GB HDD (standard 2.5" laptop drive), built in SD, CF, and Memory Stick flash readers, and built in 802.11b/g. I valued the extra hard drive space, depending on how much you'll utilize it, at about $60, since you wouldnt have a problem picking up a 60GB 2.5" hard drive for that much online and you could buy one and slide it in. The memory card reader I know I would never ever use, but it has a maximum value of a few dollars because you can pick up a multiformat USB memory card reader for that much online. The wifi also depends on how much you use it- I have an ethernet cord behind my TV for my xbox, and I always prefer to hardwire when possible. However, it has a maximum value of $30 since you won't have a problem picking up a wireless adapter for that much online.

So I got down to comparing the $250 Wii, $400 X360, and $500 PS3. The X360 and PS3 are much easier to compare- they have similar hardware capabilities, they both come with wireless controllers, 20GB hard drives, and ethernet cables. The X360 comes with the live headset and component (as opposed to composite) AV cables, but the PS3 makes up for it by offering standardized support for bluetooth headsets (so people should have more freedom in choosing their headset), standardized support for 2.5" HDDs, a USB cable, and an HDMI output. The PS3's controller comes with rechargable batteries built in (a $20 option for the Xbox 360 wireless controller) but it kind of evens out since when your rechargable pack for the 360 controller starts to die, you can just buy a new one, whereas the PS3 controller's battery is internal and non-removable.

So from there I decided that for the $100 difference, what you mainly get is a blu-ray drive. I decided that a blu-ray drive is, as long as you have a decent home theater setup, worth more than $100.

I also decided that the fate of the Wii is still too uncertain.

That was my procedure :P

lothar @ Nov 10th 2006 5:46PM

If your on the fence for a 360 and are waiting for a price drop, its going to be a while thank Sony for that. The PS3's price will be up for quite some time before they drop and the 360 will not have the new procs till the Spring, which may or may not bring the prices down. There just might be a bundled game vs a price drop, if there is a price drop its not going to be more than the price of a game so why wait.

The library is there for the 360, GRAW, GoW, CoD2/3, DeadRising, Oblivion, Spinter Cell, etc.

9mmPreacher @ Nov 10th 2006 9:35PM

http://reviewsblog.sonsofgodclan.net/2006/11/10/sony-gives-japan-the-shaft.aspx

Be smart if you don't want to get the shaft like Japan.

rv65 @ Nov 11th 2006 5:48PM

I'll just have to wait it out with my Modchipped ps2. Well ps3 wise. At least there are some japanese only ps2 games that I havent played yet. Of course I will hopefully ask for a psp this Xmas. Maybe we will get a wii this Xmas.

michael black @ Nov 11th 2006 6:19PM

It's obvious that the writer never played video game in his freaking life! PS3 is an powerful machine. But it lacks blockbusters games. The Xbox 360 overheats & u have to buy an cooler fan. When there should have been a fan inside the Xbox 360 in the first place.