A reader laments the fact that he can’t afford a PS5 or its games and wonders whether a gaming PC is his only other option.
If I’m to judge by the majority of people that have one (those that didn’t have them stolen by delivery drivers), the PlayStation 5 is a really great console, with a ground-breaking controller, and some surprisingly good launch games. Unfortunately though I’ll never know. Certainly not at launch and maybe not ever, considering the huge cost of the machine and its games.
We’ve all heard the arguments by now, but I wonder whether some people, especially those in charge of Sony, really appreciate what a monumental cost is involved in not only buying a new console but committing yourself to its ecosystem and the amount it charges for games. I’m not on the breadline or anything but £450 is a significant purchase in the middle of the worst recession for centuries and when you have four kids. It’s even worse when you realise buying even just one top game is going to cost £70.
10 years ago, I would’ve said to hell with it and pre-ordered one anyway, but I’ve got responsibilities now and worries that everything could come crashing down with almost no warning. There’s just no way I can pretend to be a responsible father and get a PlayStation 5. Not unless it’s just going to be a monolith that I only buy one game for every year.
The obvious alternative is to buy an Xbox Series X or a Switch but… I don’t want to. I’m sure they’re good in their own way but Nintendo games have never appealed to me and while Game Pass is good value for money, and seems to solve my issue, it just hasn’t got anything much I want to play. The reason I like PlayStation is in large part because of its exclusives and right away the PlayStation 5 seems to have some great ones, but £70 each? Even £60 seems extreme for something like Sackboy.
Some people will presumably be reading this and saying that it isn’t that much more than we’re used to, but at what point does it become too much? £80? £90? £100? Those aren’t even ridiculous numbers as there’s already plenty of ‘ultimate editions’ and the like that already cost that – even digital ones without a statute or whatever – so think how much they’re going to cost in the next generation!
I genuinely feel like I’m being priced out of being a gamer. I can’t afford a PlayStation 5 and I don’t particularly want an Xbox Series X or Nintendo Switch. The only alternative is a PC but that is even more expensive, at least as an initial outlay. I am looking into the possibility though, as I realise that it starts to pay for itself as time goes on, given the cheaper nature of the games and the fact that you don’t have to upgrade every five years.
But it’s not what I’d prefer to do. I’d prefer to just buy the PlayStation and enjoy its new games like I always have. Maybe if Sony did announce they were bringing all their games to PC that would sway me more quickly, but I can’t see that happening any time soon. If it turned out they were arriving just a couple of years late though that might, as at least that would be a fair compromise.
I’m not happy though, this isn’t what I wanted. I know companies have got to make money, same as anyone else, but I really wish Sony had found some way to do it other than just hiking up the price to where I just can’t afford it anymore.
By reader Crease
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
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