| zero129 said: Its a double standed simple as. Console fans excuse against PC's is that they need to be upgraded every so often. Well geez i guess when it comes to PS4 now Console fans suddenly dont mind having to keep upgrading every few years to have the best looking games? Dont give me the excuse about exclusives as that was never the issue when Sony fans was using "Upgrading" as a reason for not wanting a PC. Plus 4k wasnt such a big deal to the sony fans same as 1080P wasnt lastgen but as soon as it comes to a sony console its ok?. Anyway I hope this does happen since no longer will Sony fans be able to say "well at least we dont have to buy new hardware every 2-3 years" and before someone says "no one is forcing a user to upgrade" yes the same way as no one forces a PC gamer to upgrade. Also upgrading your gpu drivers is no harder then upgrading your console so thats a mute point... |
All aboard the long post train. Choochoo.
I don't think it's really a double standard. Firstly, let's remember that the average console fan has nothing inherently against upgrading. That this thread is about a console called the PlayStation 4 should make that pretty obviously. The primary difference between console and PC fans (at least as far as hardware goes) is simply the why and when.
If you build a great PC in 2015/16, by 2018/2019 it will likely have been demoted to good or just decent. You aren't obligated to upgrade, but if you want to continue to get that 'great' experience from new releases (which you likely do if you invested in a great PC in the first place), then you will have to upgrade ever few years. To a PC gamer, this isn't seen as a much of an issue most of the time. To those that aren't interested in perpetual progression though, it might seem rather silly.
With consoles, you're investing in a static standard. You're rarely going to experience top tier graphics or performance (and never at the same time), but you can be safe in the assumption that those initial standards will at minimum continue to be met for several years, since developers will make tailored versions of their new games for you. It's for that same reason that console gamers tend to be slower to start caring about stuff like higher resolutions or frame-rate, and why generation transitions can be so slow. Yes there are hypocrites, but for the most part it has more to do with the way consoles progress. PC gamers are similar (e.g. i never cared much for 1440p, and instead have been waiting for 4k), the 'generations' are just more personalized, and tend to happen more like every 2 - 4 years rather than every 4 - 8.
Given how slow even generation transitions can be, i can't see .5 versions of consoles dramatically changing the buying habits of console gamers. There will certainly be those that upgrade, but the average console gamer will likely be content with their present system, just as many still are with the PS3/360. If the 'New 3DS' is anything to go by, the primary purpose of such 'upgrades' would be to extend the life of the system by keeping it relevant with new customers, more than trying to get pre-existing ones to buy the system for a 2nd time. On that note, i actually don't think there's much point in such upgrades. I think they'll be better served by simply having 5~ year generations, and now that they've moved to x86, ensuring each system is backwards compatible. That way each generation is functionally the same as the 'upgrade', but while better maintaining that comfy console feeling. I suppose it could work well if done properly though.
While i do prefer PC gaming overall, i personally think some of the above is why consoles are still so popular. Regardless to arguments of complexity, the long-term consistency of consoles often just makes them feel comfortable. They'll never be a gourmet meal, but you almost always get what's on the tin. They're the instant ramen of gaming, and honestly, there isn't anything wrong with that.
Anyway, that's my rant done. Sorry if this comes across as a bit aggressive (or littered with typos, i'm about to go to bed so i'm not going to bother proof reading :p), that's not my intention. I know it can be frustrating sometimes to debate with people from an 'opposing' fandom, but at the end of the day both sides are just gamers with different perspectives, and while it's easy to focus on those that are hypocritical, It's important to remember that those people don't define a fandom, they're just a unfortunate by-product.
