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Are Consoles Still Plug and Play?
Ergload
Member UncommonPosts: 433
I haven't owned a console since the PS2, so I was just wondering, is it still pretty much plug and play or is starting up a console now pretty much the same as with a PC? I was thinking of buying a PS4 or an Xbox One for my parent's home so they (well, mainly we when we visit) have something to play with.
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They will also update games with patches if you don't have the latest version, etc.
Broadband isn't very common in my region of the U.S., so tons of people were returning Xbox Ones when they launched due to the internet requirements.
Other than that, they are largely the same as old consoles. The main difference is that you load into a homepage with various menus when you power on a console. Menus being things like: Store to buy DLC, games, movies, or whatever else.
I haven't touched the Xbox One(at all) or the PS4(much), but last I knew, games would auto-start when you put a game disc in. If not, you simply go to the menu that's associated with your games and tell it to run from there.
I think you should also consider that both Sony and Microsoft are releasing new versions of their consoles in the next year. Look up Morpheus and Scorpio if you are interested. Point being, I wouldn't rush and buy one of the current versions unless you just want to get them cheap.
Personally, I wouldn't let any of this stop me from buying a console but that might be because I'm primarily a PC gamer.
My last console was a PS2 before I purchased an Xbox One this past December. The interface is very different from the old consoles, but you'll get used to it. The thing is, you will have to install and update games before playing, update your console and controller periodically, patch games periodically, buy DLC if you want, and pay for Xbox Live if you want to play online (which I think is worth it since you are also given the option to download some pretty good free games with the Gold membership). But to me, everything just seems so much easier on the Xbox One than the PC. The Xbox One just knows what to do, so it really just handles things for you once you plug it in, or put in a new game disc, or download an app. You just pretty much just sit back and let it do it's thing. I mainly play games on my PC still, but I am also enjoying my console quite a bit.
It also depends on the individual game, most you can just put the disc in and start playing (on PS4 there is usually an install in the background), but some, and online games especially, have a few hoops to jump through / skip over before you can get into the actual game. Welcome to progress
Some points to make, you don't need XBL (xbox live) for certain games and certain services. They now allow Netflix without XBL and Hulu too I believe.
You still get updates to the console regardless of if you subscribe or not.
Generally the free games given out per month are more than worth the monthly cost... they aren't trash games at all.
Consoles are substantially more plug and play than PC's.. when you download a game.. it will just work.. you don't need to update your drivers, you don't need to check your system requirements, you don't need to toy with configurations. For better or worse when you download a game and start it, it will play.
I agree with not buying an XB1 right now, but I would go further and say do not buy a PS4 either. Wait for the updated console releases if you decide to buy one as they will be more powerful. Current consoles are already more powerful than most PC's, and they are just increasing that power for better gameplay, better resolution and so on.
It's also true they're doing XBL as a service for PC so you can play XB games on PC... but again, this kind of pushes more towards the purpose of UWP and soon PC games will also be compatible with XBOX so you're really looking at a more game focused PC when you buy and Xbox. the PS4 will stick with being more proprietary and closed off to just that platform, I haven't played any exclusives on it that I felt were "musts" like I felt with Nintendo and their Zelda, Metroid, etc. series.
Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.
Please do not respond to me
Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.
Please do not respond to me
Agreed. Same as with me. But I won't be the one using it most of the time, so I can't say the same for my parents. They're in their 60s, so the easier something is to use, the less they'll be bugging me about something not working right.
On the other side, neither PS4 or XB1 is a better choice when if comes down to the games you REALLY want to play. Both consoles have their own exclusives, where PS goes more into (j)RPG games (Tales series) and XB more into shooters (Halo series).
Consoles are still more convenient than PCs. You fire them up and you're set to go. About the requirement to make an account with the producer of the console, I can only comment on PS, where that's totally optional. Not registering your console will certainly not allow you to buy games from the online store and use online features (including MMORPGs who have their content linked to your console's account). But if you're only into single player games, there's nothing holding you back NOT to register the console...
The subscription for XB gives you discounts on games, and some of the deals can be pretty good in comparison to physical copies. New games can generally drop by about 30% within a month if XBL puts them on special. Older games and retro games always go on sale on XBL
PS4 has some similar stuff, they also have certain "shows" that you can watch from their PS4 store, and they are free as long as you subscribe. Generally I found that games on XBL that they gave away for free were better than games on the PS4, but it's all dependent on what kind of games you like to play and what's available every month.
As I have both XB1 and PS4 I don't really have to choose, but I don't waste my time checking every month for free games... but those that are looking for some free games to play, you can't go wrong.
Right now you can get a year of XBL and PS+ for 40.00.. thats roughly 3 - 4 dollars a month if you buy the year in advance... and you'd roughly get 3 free games a month, so if you never bought anything other than the subscription, you'd still come out way ahead, regardless of the service you chose.