That’s right, an Xbox One! I’m as surprised as you are. At the end of the last console generation, I was pretty sure I’d be a PC-only gamer for a good long while. I definitely have enough games in my Steam library to keep me busy until the heat death of the universe.
When I sold it for about $50, I hadn’t powered on my Xbox 360 for at least a year. My PS3 had transitioned to being a box for Netflix and blu-rays. I’d resolved to hold out for as long as possible before maybe picking up a PS4. After all, I’m obsessed with the Souls games and I knew Bloodborne would be irresistible. Sure enough, when Anthony had an extra PS4 thanks to a prize giveaway, I decided to buy it, thinking that would be it for me and the current generation.
So, what changed? What made me decide to drop several hundred dollars on an Xbox One less than a year later? The short answer is that I’m a sucker for a deal and I’m ready to cut the cable cord (again).
Although it helped that Rise of the Tomb Raider was an Xbox One exclusive for a few short months, the biggest draw for me was the potential of the Xbox One as a media center and DVR. My TiVo is getting a bit long in the tooth, and I seriously considered upgrading to a Bolt when they were first announced.
I spend a lot of money on TV these days, and the One has the potential to save me a decent amount because it doesn’t require a monthly fee to use. That could be a killer feature if it actually arrives this year. Even when I was using a Mac Mini and a TV tuner as my DVR, I was paying for TV listings.
So, when Microsoft started offering Xbox One bundles that included a second game of your choice for free, that tipped the scales for me. I picked up Fallout 4 and Rise of the Tomb Raider and figured I’d be fine waiting a few months for the DVR to arrive.
Funny thing is, it turns out that the One is already a fantastic media center, and it easily took a place of honor at the center of my TV setup. Switching from live TV to an app is almost instantaneous. The video does occasionally stutter if I leave a game running in the background, but it isn’t a huge hassle to exit games after I’m done playing. That also feels like the sort of thing they might improve over time.
The great thing is that the One has a huge selection of entertainment apps available, and I think some of them actually have better interfaces than their PS3 versions. Amazon and Netflix both feel like they have a bit more polish.
I’ve also really enjoyed what I’ve played of Fallout 4 so far. I haven’t experienced any of the widely reported frame drops. I’ve also spent so much more time with Xbox controllers because of the 360 and the PC that they feel more natural in my hands. I’ve barely scratched the surface of Tomb Raider because Fallout keeps dragging me back in, but I look forward to playing more soon.
Ultimately, I think I’ll buy AAA games on one of my consoles and indie games on the PC. I’m not sure which system I’ll favor for cross-platform releases, however. Only time can tell.
Am I the only one who made an unexpected console purchase, or are there others of us out there? Sound off in the comments and tell us your sorry tale!
I traded in my PS3 to pick up a Wii U early last year, anticipating that I would jump on the PS4 bandwagon within a few months, and was surprised how competent it was in the streaming video department. So instead, I got a good deal on a couple upgrades for my PC and found little reason to return to the major consoles just yet. I think 2016 will push the issue though, with Uncharted certain and the possibilities of The Last Guardian and whatever this Final Fantasy VII business is dangling out there. That and I miss being able to play through Journey every few months.
I grabbed an Xbox One back in November (mainly to play Rise of the Tomb Raider) and I’m really enjoying the system. The UI is a mess, which is crazy considering it’s recently improved, but I dig it overall. Played some Halo 5 recently and am now looking forward to Gears of War Ultimate Edition.
I think I’m the lone GamerSushi holdout on picking up an Xbox One. The other guys have been raving about it, but as long as the games I’m interested in continue to come out on PC (Crackdown 3 please) then I’ll hold off picking one up for the time being.
Kind of odd that I’m not motivated by a Halo game, which is what inspired me to be an Xbox die-hard throughout the OG and the 360.
@Mitch, you’re not the only holdout. I too, have yet to pick up an Xbox One. Nothing has really, REALLY, gotten me to go, “Oh damn, I’ve gotta get an Xbox One for that.” yet. It’s nothing against the system, as I’m not really biased towards any one system. I just love having platforms to play games on. I just haven’t really seen something yet that’s really got sold it for me yet.