Mid-Week Poll: Are You Still Buying Last-Generation Videogames?

Our Videogame Releases post this week got me to wondering about something. With both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 launching imminently, are you still buying videogames for the PS3 and Xbox 360? Or have you decided to wait for the new consoles? Let us know in our new poll.

I feel the need to preface any comments I ever make about videogames with the caveat that I’m not much of a gamer myself. That said, I own a PS3 and have at least a passive interest in buying a PS4 sometime next year. At this point in time, if a new game title interested me, I think I’d wait until it’s available on the best console. I’m patient and in no hurry to play, and online gaming with other people doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. Admittedly, that puts me outside the target audience that most of these games are marketed toward.

Our gaming guru Brian educated me as to the reasons hardcore gamers may wish to buy the 360 or PS3 versions of new games now, even if the same titles are slated to appear on the next generation as well. For example, if someone wishes to participate in online matches, the last-gen community will be much larger for quite a while. If you’re the first of your friends to get an Xbox One, it may benefit you to get Xbox 360 copies of certain games anyway.

Also, some titles, including this week’s hot new release of ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’, are designed with an upgrade path so that you can buy a PS3 version now and get a PS4 version for a small fee later. That strikes me as a very smart move.

How do the real gamers among our readers feel about this?

Are You Still Buying Current-Generation Videogames?

View Results

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17 comments

  1. I have a handful of PS3 games but I rarely play them. On the occasion I feel like playing a game I’m much more likely to dust off the NES. My PS3 is pretty much just for blu ray, so I see no need to buy a PS4.

  2. William Henley

    I chose “I’m a PC gamer”. I rarely play games on the console anymore, so I don’t plan to upgrade. spent the past several days playing SimCity on my PC

    • William Henley

      I picked up a few PS3 discount titles about two months ago and have yet to play them, and I picked up Fable 3 for the XBox 360 about a year ago and have yet to play it (I actually got Fable 2 new, and have yet to put in more then 2 hours in it. I may dig out my XBox controller tonight and play some – Fable sounds fun right about now).

  3. I still have a play station 1. Obviously I’m not much of a gamer, but when I use to play, it was for unhealthy amounts of hours. I’m married with a daughter now and between all my husbandly and fatherly duties, plus all of my movie watching, I don’t see where to fit in all that gaming. My daughter loves to watch me play tomb raider and resident evil and my wife and I have talked about maybe getting a ps3, but now I might hold off and get the ps4…maybe. Before any of that I want another 3d tv, so it won’t be for a while.

  4. Marc

    A PS3 is my current machine, but as it has been for me since the days of the N64, I wait for sales or clearance before I spend money on a game. $10-20 is the sweet spot for me. These days, the PS3 functions more as my Netflix viewer and home media hub than for games.

  5. malakai

    I chose the ‘snes’ option not because it best describes myself as a gamer but because it’s the closest option to describe my point of view listed. I’ve had just about every video game console since the atari 2600, intellivision, odyssey 2, ti-99/4a, and vic-20 days, excluding the neo geo home cartridge (although I had the cd system) system, the commodore amiga cd32, and the wii u.

    My favorite systems would be the turbo grafx 16/duo, sega saturn, and sega cd, with notable mention toward the NES, Intellivision, Colecovision, and Commodore 64.

    Most of the games I enjoy are old-skool sim/strategy/rpg, with the occasional platformer, space shooter, puzzle (ala columns), and arcade (cps1, cps2, neo geo)fighters. Very rarely do I play FPS or action RPGs, which are probably 90% of all of the current and next gen (can we even call it next gen, since these new systems are coming out within weeks?) systems have to offer.

    One of the most surprising games I found I actually liked was Outlaw Volleyball for the original XBOX system. It’s marketed as a sleazy volleyball game, but it’s got great controls and is one of the most fun sports games I’ve ever played, except maybe Baseball Stars.

    So, back to the question – Do I still buy current gen games? I occasionally buy them at flea markets and yard sales for really cheap. Unlike the 16-bit days, I don’t generally wait for months or years for new games and don’t buy all of the video game magazines and pay $50+ for a new game. I’ll pick up ps3 and 360 games in a few years when they’re a buck or two apiece used.

  6. Les

    I am pretty much a computer gamer and continue to play Rift: Storm Legion, the online MMO. Been playing that one for 2.5 yrs. Before, that (2) Accounts on WOW for like 6.5 to 7 yrs. Quit WOW, went to Rift. That keeps me busy and happy. I do own a PS3 and Xbox 360 as well. My son plays those systems more than me.

    I am looking at the new MacPro’s which are due shortly from Apple in December and it costs like $3K to $4K so budget wise it doesn’t look good for buying a PS4 or Xbox One for quite a while. I usually Bootcamp PC games that I want to play. Works great!!

    I do buy a number of games on STEAM usually when they are having those sales. Funny, I still don’t play them a lot. I always go back to Rift. I did play the newest Tomb Raider on PC when it came out.

  7. Daniel Rowen

    I play PC games and have maybe given up on caring about Xbone or PS4 and am VERY happy with my WiiU, so I buy games for that now.

  8. I’m one of those that is holding off buying current gen for next gen versions. After seeing 60 fps BF4 footage I couldn’t get myself to play the sub 720p 30 fps versions on current consoles.

  9. JM

    Killzone, Black Flag, Resogun, Contrast. I pre-ordered my PS4 right after Sony’s E3 keynote. But I should be set until Thief and Infamous come out.

    PS3, I still need to pick the The Last Of Us, South Park, and Persona 5.

    I’ll wait on the XB1 until 2017. Probably skip Nintendo this gen too.

    Since I’m living with a 2006 iMac, I might get a Steambox in 2015.

    I couldn’t vote, as who knows what Japan will do the next three years.

  10. Pedram

    I got into the current gen late and there are still plenty of great games I can get used for this generation, so I’m not in a hurry to upgrade any time soon (especially considering the little time I have for gaming).

    I think the new generation will really start to shine next holiday season. As it is now, there aren’t any must have exclusives for the next gen systems. The better games are available for current gen systems, so you’re basically just getting a graphics update on a few games. I’ll probably wait on those games until there’s a price drop on the new consoles and satisfy myself on the 8 years of older games I can pick up dirt cheap.

  11. Joel

    I’ve decided to go back to PC gaming and am loving it. Tired of the 12yr olds over running the current consoles and the PC offers much cheaper games as well as selection. Not to mention graphic resolution is superior on a PC monitor.

  12. Kyle

    I have a large enough backlog of games for current gen to last me quite a while, so I won’t be getting either new console anytime soon. It also helps I can’t afford it at the moment, plus wanting to wait it out either way as initial launches tend to have bugs etc to be worked out.

  13. Why is there not a simple Yes or No option? For example I intend to buy next gen versions of CoD and NBA 2k14, however, I bough GTA5 and Last of Us on PS3 because they are not yet slated for next gen.

  14. Pedram

    I miss the days when there was a killer exclusive (usually first party) title on the new system that just made you want it SO BAD! Something like Super Mario World/Mario 64, or Virtua Fighter/Daytona USA. The games on the new systems are either kind of meh, or available on the current gen systems also.

    Now, if there was an Uncharted 4, Gears of War 4, Alan Wake 2, Heavy Rain 2 or some other must have exclusive launch title then I’d be much more excited.

  15. ron

    no no no no. Not backwards compatible and that’s total nonsense . So noooooooope Besides, I love my computer games. Way better graphics and usually cheaper.

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