Arriving at the party late

Copyright (c) Noelle Adams. All Rights Reserved.

I admit it. I’m like one of those people who have only just discovered Chuck Norris jokes. Or, still insist on using Austin Powers lingo. Months before the launch of the PS3, I couldn’t resist the special offers any longer and finally bought myself a PS2.

In making the purchase I was forced to consider the arguments in ye olde PC versus console debate. Fortunately I have no antagonism against consoles, having starting my gaming on a wood-panelled Atari 2600.

This said, I’m certainly got abandoning my allegiance to PC now. It will remain my primary gaming platform. The cheaper price of PC games, their high resolution prettiness and the platform’s suitability for strategy and shooter titles has ensured that.

In consoles’ favour, they’re perfect for anyone unwilling to spend an average of R1000 a year on upgrades. After a single cash outlay, you’re set for at least 4 upgrade-free years. There’s no frustrating fiddling with settings either. Simply insert a disc and play, while you’re sprawled out on a comfy sofa.

You don’t have to own everything you play either. Consoles encourage hiring and trying. A visit to the neighbourhood video store is a perfect option for racing game intolerants, like myself, who can see the appeal of Burnout at gaming get-togethers, but would never own a copy.

Consoles’ biggest selling point is probably that they present gaming at its most accessible and social. For whatever reason, console games captivate and involve non-gamers in a way that PC games cannot. Perhaps it’s because console games are typically played in a busy living area, on a TV screen. They draw attention to themselves.

Although gimmicky extremes of PS2 offerings, the SingStar, Buzz! and Eyetoy series are undeniable party favourites. Like Crash Bandicoot, Ratchet and Clank, and other console-friendly platformers, they’re a great, simplified introduction to gaming as a hobby.

You may still argue that buying a console at the end of its lifespan is a waste of money. I’m not so sure. There’s the possibility that the PS3 will be priced in the gag-reflex region of R4000-R5000. If you consider that the price of games is also likely to jump by a few hundred rand, the next-generation bandwagon starts to look a lot more rickety.

Besides, who is to say that support for the wildly successful PS2 will stop immediately? According to American McGee, the cost of developing next-generation games can be as much as $20 million a title. Continuing to make some games with older, cheaper technology seems a money-saving option, particularly for smaller, budget-conscious development houses.

Sony only just ended the PS1’s 11 year production run in March 2006. Unless they’re greedy death bringers, it’ll be a while before they unplug the PS2’s life support.

In the end, people gravitate to a gaming platform that most fulfils their needs. Normally, for financial reasons, a single platform becomes the focus. In defence of consoles, they can and do make for a more well-rounded, gratifying gaming experience. Consoles are groovy, baby, yeah…