For the first time in my life, I've upgraded my social status to Multiple Console Owner. My television stand proudly displays the latest techno marvels that the gaming industry has blessed our ever hungry consumer appetites with. I no longer bitterly read console-specific game reviews for a franchise I'll never get to play, for as of last December I now have the next-gen triple console crown.
As I write this, I'm coming off a weekend that saw me 91% through Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, halfway through Mario Galaxy, starting the second island on Grand Theft Auto IV, fighting through New York on the third level of Ninja Gaiden II, racing through the circuits of Mario Kart Wii, downloading the latest map pack for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, starting the Bringing Down the Sky expansion to Mass Effect, contemplating between finally putting in Heavenly Sword or unwrapping Metal Gear Solid 4, all the while buying Golden Axe and Ikaruga on Xbox Live to feed my retro kick.
Six months have passed since the supposed completion of my being. Six months to flex my techno muscle every time a guest comes over and sees my gaming room. Six months through which I reveled in every major release without fail. I've been to more midnight releases than I care to admit. I know every employee by name at my local Gamestop -hell, they've even granted me a nickname there.
Six months in which I was finally able to discuss every single great release and never had to endure the shame of "I haven't played that, I have an Xbox only... but have you ever played Halo?"
For these past six months, I've been a walking, talking encyclopedia of godlike proportions on gaming for my co-workers. I'm consulted before any purchase is made, and I've loved every minute of it.
So what have I learned during these six months?
How about Becoming A Gaming A.D.D. Basketcase 101 for starters. I've never had a period in my gaming life where I've felt as rushed to get through a game in my life. Keep in mind, I'm only buying the top rated, most anticipated or most talked about titles that get released for each console. Even so, I barely finish a game before I'm opening the next one. I'll admit, sometimes I don't even wait to finish before I'm hitting eject on the Playstation 3 and switching on the Wii to cram a title in, all the while an Xbox 360 game is still in its cellophane wrap in front of me like the next pack of cigarettes lying in wait for me to stamp out my current smoke (I'm a strict non-smoker, by the way).
Frankly, I've become a little worried.
Worried about my wallet, for one thing. It's not cheap to buy titles for three consoles, even when you're only buying quality games.
Worried that I'm not getting the intended experience the developers wanted me to have for of each of the triple-A titles I've burned through at break-neck speed.
Worried about what's going to happen once the massive influx of recent blockbuster games runs out, and I've played the well dry. What will I do once these games are done? Twiddle my thumbs until Gears of War 2 comes out? GO OUTSIDE??
The gaming tree's branches that've been so ripe for the picking lately are starting to thin out, and I haven't stashed anything away for the next crop. I'm watching all of my summer safety games (such as God of War 3) get pushed into next spring, and suddenly this little Emperor is starting to notice his lack of clothes. What am I going to do for the next 5 months?
I've come to terms with my big mistake. Besides allowing myself to believe I had to have each release on launch day, I tried to have the last game finished before the next one hit. If I wasn't doing this, I was leaving a game a quarter or half done before moving on.
I should have been stockpiling the latest releases until I was done thoroughly enjoying and exploring each game. After all, this is a hobby, not a job, and my mid-year resolution is to finish -really finish each title I spend my time and money on before moving on to another.
I'm serious about this. I'm going to stick to my guns.
I will finish Uncharted before that pesky little Halo 3 critter decides it wants to finally put that Legendary Map pack to good use. Or before I download another Rock Band track, no matter how much Avenged Sevenfold they release on it.
I will. I swears.
(Are you a multiple console owner? Do you have any pro's or con's to share? Let's hear them! Remember there are no cons to playing on every single console when you don't have to own them and pay for the games, that's what Versus: Entertainment Evolved has your back for!)
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3 comments:
The only console I own is the Xbox 360, mainly since I had no free time to play games (just got bachelor of science in management). I am like you, which I only buy the best games. But the game's I do buy, I play for completion (i.e. I beat Mass Effect on every difficulty and on multiple characters). I thought about getting another console, but I just don't have the time and money to buy every good game. That's why VersusEE is awesome, since I can play all I want on the PS3 console's without having to purchase one...and who knows, if I like it sooo much, maybe i'll end up buying one. Versus will be good for trying out different consoles instead of buying one off the bat and being stuck with something you realize you didn't want.
I remember back when all I had was a PS1, and a nintendo 64, I couldnt keep up with just games for mainly the playstation. Even if you take advantage of something like trading in all of your newer used games for credit towards brand new games you still end up with nothing to show for it. I mean sure you saved money along the process, but when its all said and done you spent a ton of cash... and have nothing to show for it.
One of our primary focus's will be catering to people who deffinatly feel the way you do, and at a fraction of that thrown away money... Hell with some of our membership programs you can possibly even end up with more to show for it in the end.
That's all really cool.
I can't wait to NOT have to buy a game I want to play, and let Versus pick up the tab for it while I pay a nominal fee to sit down and play it.
I try not to pick up games that aren't projected blockbusters, but sometimes you hear about that sleeper hit that got by.
I then wonder wether I should believe everyone and spend the $60 on the game, or spend that money to preorder the next big thing.
It'll be nice to be able to order up a copy of that game at Versus, check it out for a couple of hours and then decide for myself.
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