Not a Console War Discussion (Please Help Me Decide)

I currently have a gaming pc but none of my friends/family other than my brother play on PC. I had both PS3 and Xbox 360 but I played 75% of the time on the 360 because several friends and family members had that system. The PS3 was purchased mainly for exclusives like God of War, Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted, The Last of Us, Infamous, and LittleBigPlanet for my wife. Currently several of the same people that I played with on the 360 own a XB1. I’m having a hard time deciding on which console to purchase or just stay with pc.

PC
Best Graphics
Cheaper Games
Hardly anyone to play with
Some Exclusives

Xbox One
Decent Exclusives
Several people to play with
Have enough point cards to purchase 1 game

PlayStation 4
Best Exclusives (IMO)
No one currently to play with
Already Own 2 Years of PS+

No WiiU option?

How can we decide how much you value multiplayer vs resolution vs specific exclusives? There's just not enough information here. Do you multiplayer once a month or every night? Do you LOVE Last of us and hate Halo or is it more like LoU is a 9 and Halo is an 8.5?

@eder: If I bought a WiiU it would have to be for Mario Kart. It's hard to justify buying a system for one game.

Do you play a lot of multiplayer games?

• PC has far more Free to Play games (good ones)
• You can use any controller you want with a PC, even a DualShock 4 or Xbox One controller, even both at the same time.
• PC has a huge array of accessories available including joysticks, headsets, Oculus Rift, and more.
• PC has better backwards compatibility with older games, and you can buy a lot of them easily and inexpensively on places like Steam, GOG, or get them in Humble Bundles for next to nothing.
• PC is upgradeable
• PC has free multiplayer with no services locked behind a paywall.
• PC has an extensive and developer supported mod scene, console games are typically locked down.
• The competitive "E-sports" scene is far more active and developed on PC if you're into that sort of thing
• Easier to record, share, and stream your own games if you want to on PC
• You can use PC for far more than just playing games.
• PC gives you choices on how to run your games. In a few years if your machine can't handle the latest games, simply turn down the resolution to keep your frame rate stable, or increase your settings and lower the frame rate if you want to. You also have the option to overclock and keep your system current for longer if you want to.
• Run games at far higher resolutions at vastly better frame rates than any console.
• PC allows you to use multiple monitors at the same time for fun or productivity.

Yeah, these questions really seem to hinge on how much you want to play with your friends. Got a lot of buddies who play games? Go with what they play on. Prefer single player? Stick with the PC, dude.

@s0mewh4td4m4ged: Sure you can't just buy a system for one game but honestly what games would you buy today with an Xbox One or a PS4?

Nothing against those systems I will end up with all of them, but I think since they are the new fancy consoles in town we all want them.

Maybe it's just me but when I got my WiiU I got it because of 3D World and the promise of games to come. Same with the new consoles. Are you seriously gonna go out and buy one and walk out with a ton of games?

It's always the one game that makes us buy a new console. Eventually you end up with more games.

I could be wrong and thats just me, but waiting is always a good idea because you end up with better deals and more games.

Edit: Having said all that I think getting an Xbox One wouldn't be so bad. You might miss out on some exclusives but playing with friends is also great. Right now both systems don't have any must have games. The game that will end that will be Destiny I think and thats multiplatform so theres that. You will also want to play that with friends.

@bigsocrates: Sorry for not including enough info. I enjoy playing mulitplayer with friends and family but most exclusives are for single player that I enjoy thoroughly. I play BF4 once a week and Titanfall once a month simply because there is no one else to play with and nothing else to play currently. Everything else I play is 3-4 days a week. I have been playing Splinter Cell Blacklist, Metro Last Light, and just finished Wolfenstein.

I'm looking forward to Destiny, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, The Division, Uncharted 4, Far Cry 4, and possibly the Order 1886.

Since this can't be anything but subjective, and you already state you think the PS4 has the best exclusives, maybe you should go for a PS4? Makes sense to go with the system with the most games you want to play.

In my opinion neither of the system have enough games to warrant a purchase at this point, with the possible exception of the Wii U. I'd wait another year.

If you like playing with your friends more than any other factor (exclusives, console power, etc) then get the console your friends have. Its all about weighing your options. You seem to have a clear grasp of the pros and con's of each option, so why do you need us to tell you what to do?

I disagree - see my post above for some objective reasons on why the PC is the best gaming platform.

@mb: Well, I disagree with his point that the PC only has a some exclusives (when likely more than 99% of all PC games will never make it to a console), but if he truly thinks the PS4 is the system with the most interesting exclusives, I don't see why he shouldn't go with that one.

Kinda hard to say the PC even competes with the consoles, considering just how different it's library and usage is, but I guess he listed it among his alternatives (I kinda glossed over that), so, then I guess those are fair points.

Upgrading your PC is the only option in my book.

I enjoy my Xbox One because of the entertainment it brings. I use it for WWE Network, Netflix, Blu-Ray, TV, and who knows what else. It's great to be able to quickly and easily bounce between a favorite TV show to a movie to a live pay-per-view. It isn't all great however, some of the controls (including but not limited to the Kinect) are wonky and the whole system feels slow and sluggish at times.

PS4 offers a lot of the same options but some of the layout, and controls, fun into the same problems the Xbox does and I feel I can't transition between option to option as easily as I can with the Xbox.

The PC is the more versatile option but in my case would require more investment to truly bring it up to par with the options I have with my consoles.

Personally I get the most use from the Xbox but could easily see how the other options could fill that void. So really I'd say make more of your choice based on games, especially upcoming ones, friends, and price. Also whatever you think feels and looks the best is important.

That much I can agree with, and it's about the only circumstance in which I would ever advocate someone gets a console over a PC. The system with the "best" exclusives is truly the most subjective measure of the whole debate, and if someone has their heart set on playing the next Last of Us or Infamous or whatever exclusives it is that the Xbone has, then no amount of objective comparisons will change that.

@s0mewh4td4m4ged: Given your options and reasons, I would stick with the PC. But if you were to buy a console now or later, I would go with the Xbox One solely because of being able to play with friends. That is my situation. I built a new PC a few months before the Xbox One launch and got the Xbox at launch because none of my friends want to go PC. PS4 is nice and all but exclusives and playing alone are not worth it. Maybe when it is $200 years down the line. Playing games with friends trumps exclusives that are not here yet.

@mb said:

My "argument" against that is that the word "exclusive" means games held off for ransom. So you're basically caving in on a 400-500 buck console, plus Live and/or Plus just to experience a handful of games that basically would've looked and preformed better if put on PC. With the same amount of money to buy a console, you can upgrade your PC and experience better looking and preforming games with great digital distribution services. These consoles can only go down in price after all. I regret spending $500 on my Xbox One only for them to release a cheaper version without a shitty little camera thing. It's money I could've spent on PC games during the Steam or GoG summer sale for one thing and another is that I feel I could've waited 2-3 years and gotten a cheaper used console with more games to play on it.

Let's also not forget that the PC has exclusives too, with more variety.

I am having a similar debate with myself right now. Only I can rule out PC for me. I just don't have the time to keep a gaming rig up to snuff. For multiplayer it seems like there is more cheating going on? Otherwise, if you are ready to invest the time, it seems like the way to go.

For me, between the XB1 and the PS4? It's pretty much neither. There just isn't anything on them that interests me or isn't on PS3 too. (graphic differences aside, can't bring myself to care)

So, it is down to keeping the PS3, which is a given I guess. And getting a WiiU, which has some games I am interested in and cannot play elsewhere (Wonderful 101, Bayonetta, DKC TF, Xenoblade, Devil's Third, ...). But, WiiU is region locked. Which I HATE. IN CAPS. HATE.

So, I dunno. Guess I'm not much help.

Just go where your friends are man, unfortunately my group is completely split down the middle so no matter what choice i made (i bought a ps4 in the end) i would have only had half the people to play with. If all of your friends have a X1 then go for that, it wasnt my choice but if all my friends had been there i probably would have too, just makes it easier co-op gaming etc.

If you are interested in smaller Japanese made games, the PS4 is the way to go. They just won't make a XB1 port for most of the smaller games.

Otherwise, if you want to play with you friends get the XB1.

EDIT:Oh, and if you are looking to buy right now(and in the U.S,), Target is offering a $50 gift card with a XB1 purchase this week.

@s0mewh4td4m4ged: If you want to play with others then get an XBO, if you want to play by yourself then get a better PC.

I would just stick to PC and X1 for now. I don't think Sony has announced any great PS4 exclusive yet besides Uncharted 4, which is a while away. At least X1 has Titanfall, Sunset, and the Halo Collection coming if you're into Halo. I have no interest in Knack, Killzone, or LBP, but that's obviously subjective. I would lean towards the platform that my friends are on too, since playing Evolve, Destiny, AC Unity, etc with randoms wouldn't be nearly as fun. That's the downside to games being co-op focused.

I have switched over from XBOX to PS this generation, so far, as my primary console. I have found that most people who were into XBOX last generation have switched over this one and even some people who never had a console are jumping in on the PS4 side. The PS4 generally (so far) comes in with higher resolution and framerate, better interface, PS+ deals, better digital store system, more indies, a potential system to acquire older games from previous generations, a better Netflix interface, and better recording/streaming options.

However, XBOX does have a couple of exclusives (San Andreas.. San... Whatever the fuck that game is where you slide around on your bare feet riding stair rails while shooting soda zombies and Titanfall, for example). And they're still generally the place to pick up Call of Duty, unless you want to wait an extra month or more to access the DLC. The XBOX controller also isn't a piece of shit, like the PS4 is. You're going to have to spend an extra $60 on a second controller for the PS4 -- so you can always be charging one while playing with the other. I generally have to switch out controllers every play session. On XBOX, I can put in a pair of Eneloops and play four to six hours every single day for an entire week before they die.

In general, I think a new purchase of only one of the two would have to come down to where your friends will be playing (fortunately, I don't have any friends who play video games, so it is irrelevant -- I'll be playing with the same random assholes that ruin a game everywhere) and what exclusives you care more about. (Though, if you care about politics, then you might shun XBOX just base don the whole year of bullshit and lies they threw at customers while walking back every single one of them -- from requiring DRM and always on and a kinect to it being a multi-media center focused on bringing you exclusive content, blah blah blah).

Oh - one other thing - if you want to use your console to *watch* streaming (like twitch), then I'd probably go with the XBOX. On the PS4, you can watch PS4 twitch streams. On XBOX, you can watch any twitch stream. Oh yeah, and the web browser is actually pretty good on XBOX. Still sucks on PS4. Navigation and sorting and accessing your library of digital content is bullshit on both, though.

I have a question regarding the new consoles. 80% of what I use my PS3 for is watching stuff off my hard-drive using usb. As I understand it NEITHER of the new consoles let you do this do they? Is this a case of "we'll put the feature in later" like PSNow or is it a case of "we will never add this feature"?

Without home media functionality like this it seems like a long long time until I unplug my PS3.

@hayt: I haven't tried that myself, but what I usually do is stream from my PC occasionally. The Xbox One let's you stream over the same wireless connection. It doesn't support every file type (usually .mp4 and not .mkv) but it works.

I think PS4 doesn't allow any network sharing like it did on the PS3. Or if it does I haven't found it.

@hayt: Unfortunately it doesn't. I doubt they'll add it given how it's viewed as being counter to the netflix/playstation video service. I would still be using my ps3 anyway (I still have my original xbox, ps2, saturn and dreamcast plugged in..just not my megadrive..not enough plugs) but it's certainly a major bummer.