When in the generation do you buy your consoles?

[Words Of Wisdom]

Game_boy said:

So, at what point in the generation do you buy your consoles, and why?

Usually within a year of launch I've already received one or two as gifts/presents.

If not, I usually wait until a console has enough games I want to play on it before it warrants a buy.  Friends who own them are helpful that way.  If there are just two or three games I really want to play, I'll just play them at a friend's house and pass on buying the whole thing.