I'm not really sure how one could have only one console this generation, there are so many excellent games to be missed out on.

Sure, last gen a PS2 was enough, maybe a GameCube if you liked Nintendo games a lot...or an Xbox if you REALLY liked FPS games...but this gen there are so many great games.

I only OWN a Wii, but my cousin has a PS3 and a 360 for me to play with and enjoy.

I really can't imagine having only one console this generation...

I don't have time to play all the Wii games I want, why would I buy another console?

agree with DKII. Since I got a full time job it's been a case of too many games, not enough time. No need to waste $500 on another console.

It's the money/time factor for most gamers. Work more, earn more, but have less time to play. Work less, play more, but have less money to buy all the games worth playing, much less multiple pieces of hardware. If you find yourself scrutinizing every game purchase, you're probably not in the work more, earn more, less free time category, unless it's to scrutinize which games are worth your time rather than worrying about the cost.

If you have enough disposable income, and you are really into gaming, you'll probably have every piece of hardware that had a game (yes, even if it was just one game) you wanted to play or try out. And you'll probably end up picking up the other buzzworthy titles once you have the hardware as well.

There comes a certain point when you have enough money for the relatively inexpensive hobby of gaming that getting the maximum amount of entertainment for the dollar is not even an issue anymore.

Unfortunately for most people in this category, more important things like having a wife and kids start to demand most of your free time. Of course if you happen to find yourself with a gaming spouse or girlfriend, score one for you.

Typically at that point, it's simply a matter of having the time to play the games you inevitably start accumulating (including unopened, unplayed games). You play less to the point that your gaming habits are more in tune with the casual (in this case meaning occasional player) gamer even if you still buy games like a hardcore fanatic.

If you're a gamer with a lot of disposable income, there's no reason why you'd limit yourself to releases on one platform, especially not to save on entertainment costs if games are your favorite thing.

I don't mind people owning multiple consoles or a single console. The only thing I don't like are others who try to accost others for deciding to just stick with one console.

This doesn't seem so comon at the moment but I do have a possible theory as to why such hostility could exist.

This backlash seems to be the result of a number of people who sided with just one console at the beginning of this generation expecting another PS2 to emerge and when they reluctantly realized such would not occur, they had to reluctantly settle on a second console (or all three). To make peace with this compromise of principle, many most likely forced the rationalization into their head that it only makes sense to own multiple consoles and felt the need to uphold this standard of reason. Naturally, those who chose to stick with just one console, threaten this and any speak of one console dominating the others became an issue of bitterness for them.

Mind you, this is only a theory and dangerously borderline victimization complex fodder, so I won't claim there is any great merrit to it. Though you will notice the sheer number of people who sided with just one console at the beginning of this generation has shrunk to barely any.

Money. Not enough of it.

"Though you will notice the sheer number of people who sided with just one console at the beginning of this generation has shrunk to barely any."

That's because every console this generation has plenty going for it. The stand out games of the current generation are essentially split among the three consoles. For a hard core gamer to say they only need one console borders on rationalizing so they don't have to make adjustments to budget everything in.

I can understand this for a college student, or a high school kid buying games with money from an after school job, but for most in the working world who manage their finances well enough to have a decent amount of disposable income?

Gaming is a relatively inexpensive hobby for anyone with a job paying the national average salary, assuming all other living expenses are well within those means. $1000 will buy a PS3, 360 and Wii. That's not a lot of money if your primary form of home entertainment is video games.

I think the only people who might be "bitter" about having to buy multiple consoles to play all the releases they're interested in are those who don't have their finances under control and are essentially living beyond their means. Debt leaves a pretty bitter aftertaste.

If you're gaming on a budget or games aren't your obsession, a PS2 is only $129 and has the largest library of games ever seen on any platform, a huge number of which are $20 or less. If that's not enough to cover your game needs on a budget, then maybe, just maybe, you've succumbed to the mindset of keeping up with Joneses.

Yeah, I can't say that theory has much validity because I think it's clear that no console will dominate this generation. I know a lot of people still think that will happen, though... I do find it hard to play everything I want, but missing out on so many great games from all 3 consoles is hard to do as a videogame fan.

I need more time!!!!

I only have a PS3 at the moment, and I still do not have enough time to play all my games, though the summer should help alieviate that problem. I also want to replay FF X, but there is no time.

However, I am very likely to get a 360 this summer, mostly for Ace Combat 6 (I have played X to the death) and Lost Odyssey, but that would take up all of my summer (maybe Mass Effect too)

I thought the only people who bought a 360 for Ace Combat were in Japan.

I'd say Mass Effect is worth buying a 360, except by Summer, it will be available for PC, which will undoubtedly look and play better (thank you MS for the non HDD 360s), even on a modestly configured computer.

If it is an overall better experience than the 360 version, I'm going to be a bit peeved since I was in no rush to play Mass Effect, but bought it anyway. And yes, it's worth having a 360 for if you don't have a PC that meets the requirements to play it.