Are the New Video Game Consoles Worth it?

I remember when the DS, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 came out. Everyone was dying to get one. I was cool for being one of the few people that got a Wii right away. A new era of video gaming arrived and it felt like it. Now we have the next era of video gaming arriving, but no one seems to really care. The 3DS and Wii U have sold poorly, PS4 while it has been publicly received the best still does not have that real excitement as past consoles, and everyone is hating on the Xbox One.

At first I thought it was because I was older that I did not care. I do not play video games as much as I used too. I only really play on weekends. The main reason is because I am busy with school work, but also because I web surf a lot. Since I'm going to be in college next year I do not feel like it is worth buying a new console. Especially since developers will still be making games for Xbox 360 before I leave to college. It is a good thing Microsoft realizes that people will not automatically buy their new system, so they still making games for the 360. Unlike Nintendo, who completely abandoned the Wii the minute the Wii U hit the market.

So the people around me and I have grown up since the Wii's release. We have put video games low on the list of our priorities, but I do not think it is just my community. Lots of people on the internet do not seem super interested either. There defiantly people who are super excited (mostly fan boys), but the majority of people are not.

One reason is because the new consoles are not revolutionary in terms of game play. The Wii U is different from the Wii, but it does not introduce a new concept. It is like playing a console game with an iPad or a DS with the screens separated. Even the commercials do not make it look like a big deal. The Xbox One and PS4 are just upgrades to what they currently have now. Also the Wii U and Xbox One have pretty stupid names. At least the PS4  has a name that makes sense and is consistent. More people have been using PCs lately. A computer is more convenient than a console, especially for those who live alone and do not want to pay for a TV. You can do anything on a computer.

Game developers, Microsoft in particular are forgetting the main reason people buy consoles is to play games. Internet, movies, Netflix, and all that other junk does not matter. They are nice bonus features, but not the main point of owning a gaming console. All that stuff like paying for internet fees just makes gaming less enjoyable and overcomplicated.

I suspect that it will not be until a year or two from now when the consoles actually become popular. People usually wait for the prices to go down anyway. However, their still will not be as much enthusiasm as before.