This could apply to pretty much any technological advancement, upgrade, etc. but the conversation started as a result of video games, so i'll just focus on that here (although some buddies noted that this philosophy is even more relevant with phone and computer technology). I'm a rambly, incoherent kind of person, so I understand if you can't stick with me here. It's me, not you!
*So I am an intentionally late adopter when it comes to video games. I'm sure there will be much disagreement, but in my view, video games have evolved very little in the past decade or so. It seems foolish to me, for instance, to insist on buying each new (and slowly declining) version of FIFA or Madden when I already own the last good version of the game they made. You're literally paying $60 or more for some "updated" rosters or uniforms.... aaaand a bevy of new glitches and declining gameplay. Womp Womp. I'm not saying that games don't sometimes improve (I think GTA proves you can continue to make a game better and better with each version), but if you're all being honest with yourself...you'd admit that's not the rule. That's the exception.
*Piggybacking off of that, developers these days don't sell you a completed game anymore. You pay your $60 or more for a portion of the game. There are still several (if not dozens) of things that need patched, microtransactions you need to make in order to complete the game (or compete at any reasonable level online), and various other "glitches" that won't ultimately be fully corrected until they've started developing the next game. To purchase a new game on a new console the day it comes out is basically saying "I will pay you a premium to do your QC work for you." If you buy the game after the new version comes out, you get not only a great price on the old game (I've never seen one for less than half off except NCAA Football 14), but you also get the most complete version of that game. Win-freaking-win!
*Nearly all of the "advancements" made from PS3 to PS4 and XBox to XBox One are nominal, and have almost no effect whatsoever on your enjoyment of a video game. This is something I think a lot of Apple disciples fall victim to. You have to convince yourself that an "upgrade" is a massive step forward. Like "1080p is soooooo much clearer and amazing than 720p! Like...two different worlds!" I LOL so hard every time. I used to work for a company that did QC work during the Blu-ray/HD-DVD wars and beyond. Trust me. If I put up two screens in front of you and one was 1080 and the other was 720 - you wouldn't know the difference if I said they were both 1080. I know because nobody EVER did. Not once. It's placebo effect at best, self-delusion at worst. I will, however, concede that there were improvements in processing speed, which definitely CAN effect gameplay enjoyment. But the older games were also made with the older speeds in mind, so again, these effects are nominal.
*If I walk into Game Stop with a hundred dollars, I walk out with five games I've never played before and I still have lunch money for the rest of the week. I actually did that math after this conversation, and discovered that my entire system and all 15 games I currently own cost less altogether than it would for me to purchase just one PS4 system (on sale already!) today. And that's JUST the system. No controllers, no games, no nothing. And given that games made even a whole decade ago are still extremely enjoyable and relevant (again, I do not believe video games have evolved much at all over the past decade), you would have to make a really compelling argument to convince me that it even makes sense to buy any video game or system new. Surely a new video game hasn't just become a status symbol? Because it makes no logical sense.
*In conclusion: If you love video games, or technology, but you're also savvy and logical, your best approach is to be a late adopter (typically 3-6 months after the "new version" of something comes out). You will get to enjoy the product at its peak of operation, avoid all of the many glitches at the beginning, and save TONS of money.
THE ONLY LOGICAL REBUTTAL I HAVE YET TO HEAR: "but what if i want to play online? most games shut off online capabilities of old versions once a new one comes out." and to that I say....damn. I'm sorry. That does suck. I don't participate in online gaming for that very reason. They take advantage of your addiction and I personally find microtransactions and pay-to-win to be morally reprehensible. So I don't participate. But if you absolutely MUST play online....how much you want for that old version? I can still get a lot of fun of it!
Submitted by bv82bigdawgpartybro | #Specialdealer Special Offer Online Shopping Store 2016
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