Topic: Early Adopter or Latecomer?

I've been thinking quite a bit about this console generation lately. Specifically how much longer it's going to last. It's pretty much a given that we're going to see the PS5 pretty soon, me personally thinking we'll see something on it next year. I could make all sorts of speculations, but if you can read your titles, you'll see that's not what I'm going for in this thread.

I've mostly thought about my own history with console generations. I'm generally not-so-fashionably late to a console generation, usually popping in about a year or two at the end of the cycle. If we're strictly talking PlayStation consoles, I first got a PS1 in 2000, essentially it's final year. While I did have a PS3 near the start of it's generation, it broke down quickly and I wouldn't get a replacement until 2012, a year away from the PS4's announcement. And then I wouldn't get a PS4 until June last year, and as I've already stated above, I don't think this gen will last much longer. The only consoles I've ever had early on and stuck with are the PS2 and Nintendo Wii. Even then, I was a kid in the PS2 era, ignorant of the game industry. For the latter, I barely enjoyed any game time due to the need for batteries for my sensor bar and Wiimotes, and being unable to replace them because of my financial situation tanking at the time.

While being a latecomer has it's benefits (Not having to wait for more games, early gen games having reduced prices, more console options such as PS4 Pro if it tickles your fancy, avoiding getting burned because you picked the system you didn't like, etc.), I'll openly admit that I hate the feeling of seeing the generation go by without actually taking part in it. I've gotten hyped for plenty of games this gen, such as Uncharted 4, Persona 5, and Horizon, all of which released before I had a PS4. You could essentially see me being part of pre-release discussion, but then take me out once the game released. After all, I don't think my opinion is worth much if I've never played the game in question. And it really sucks because the PS4 gen has been pretty killer so far. Yeah, I've followed this gen since the PS4 hit shelves, and it's been great, but it also hurts not being a part of it, you know?

That said, my financials made it very unrealistic to get a PS4 at launch (I was very lucky to get a second PS3 when I did), so ultimately, being so late ends up turning out better for me, even if I miss playing games when they're topical.

But that's just me. I'm curious about you guys. Are you an early adopter, or do you show up late too? Which do you prefer? Which is best for you? Got a story like mine above? I've had this on my mind for a few days, so I want to know what Push Square thinks.

i normally get a new system 6-12 months after it's initial release, that way i have enough time to save and by that time any defects should have been found and IF there are some major ones i'll wait for the second wave

personally, i used to get a lot of consoles at launch. however, lifestyle changes and a drastic fall in our monthly income stopped all that. the upside is i was recently bought a ps3, and have been able to get games like yakuza 4, GTA V, far cry 4, minecraft and a lot of others for only £1. ps4 games look great, graphically and gameplay wise, but i am more than happy paying such a tiny amount for what are still great games. like you say latecomers get choice and bargains!

I usually wait a year or so. All my recent consoles had pretty bad first years. The only thing that made the Switch worthwhile was Mario Odyssey. So I don't think I'll get the PS5 at launch, or any console for that matter.

I don't think we'll see it next year though. I expect a reveal and release in the same year, and I cannot see them releasing a PS5 this soon if the PS4 is still performing this well.

I all.depends on my financial situation really. The NES I got on launch day or rather my dad did. Consoles like the SNES, Sega Genesis, Gameboy, Virtual Boy, and Sega CD I had to wait for either birthdays or Christmas as I was a kid when those came out and didn't have my own money at least not enough for a video game system.

The PlayStation was the first console that I bought with my own money and I got it fairly earlier in it's life span I'd say withing the first year. The PS2 I wanted to get at launch at the time but my girlfriend at the time didn't allow me as I got it for Christmas that year from her. The GameCube I got fairly late in it's life span I remember it was when they dropped the price of the system to $99 and came with the Zelda Collection. The Wii, Wii U, and PS4 I got at launch and really the only I regret getting at launch is the Wii U. And the Switch I got when Mario Odyssey launched.

So going by the last few systems I bought I would say I am an early adopter. However the way things are going the the Switch might be the last console I buy so earlier as I have a huge backlog of games In want to finish before getting a new system.

Really it depends on my financial circumstances and whether or not there is compelling software I especially want to play. The only systems I've bought at launch with my own money were the GameCube (for my 17th birthday) and the Original Phat DS. Both were relatively cheap for launch consoles. If they'd been more expensive then I don't think I would have bothered, although I was in love with the DS after trying a demo unit in GAME. I've also been really lucky over the years to receive various consoles as gifts. My Mum got me a GameBoy Color and Advance not long after they launched and my Dad got me an N64 for Christmas '97, which was only 9 months after its European launch. I didn't honestly know much about the system so didn't have any preconceptions, but he said it was a very good, powerful system. I've also had a Vita and a Wii U as gifts.

For Sony consoles I've typically been a very late adopter - I bought my PS2 in 2006 and my PS3 in 2013. Likewise I bought a PSP in 2011. I just didn't feel the need to get them any sooner, but funnily enough it was always one specific game that finally convinced me to get them. I simply HAD to have Kingdom Hearts for the PS2, but of course the library at that point was absolutely magnificent. I also got Dragon Quest 8, Final Fantasy X and Ape Escape 3 with it (all awesome) and very quickly built up my PS2 collection after that. It was owning the PS2 that delayed me moving to the 7th Generation because I just had so much incredible stuff to play. I did preorder an Xbox 360 for launch but cancelled because I didn't have the money - and I'm glad I did because of the infamous launch unit problems. I did get one in 2007 for BioShock though and also got a Wii around the same time for the upcoming Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3.

As for the PS4, that was summer 2015 because there was a very good offer on Amazon and I was massively hyped for Fallout 4. Will I be an early adopter of the PS5? I doubt it as the software takes a while to heat up. It certainly did for the PS4. I'm hoping the gen will last a few more years though. So much awesome stuff left to play and the PS4 doesn't feel like it's spent quite yet!

@KratosMD I know what you mean about people moving on. I often play games a long time after they come out and the player base has long moved over to the next thing, as if older games cease to exist. Kinda nice to play games detached from the launch hype though. I'm really enjoying Breath of the Wild at the moment.

Im made up you didnt wait any longer for the ps4 @DerMeister I was gonna start a fund raising effort!

As for myself, Ive been stung on the Gamecube and 32x so I wait a touch before jumping in. I always wait for the first wave of discounted hardware plus a game. So this gen if memory serves me correct I picked up the ps4 and watchdogs for £329 when the unit was £350. With the Pro it was a similar deal, First round of discounted hardware plus a game and bumph I was there.

Hats off to the early early adopters though.

Early adopter is the best. We didn't have that many games release for PS4 during its 1st and 2nd year. As a result I played literally every decent release and enjoyed some gems like Fez, Towerfall, Valiant Hearts, The Swapper that I'd not have bothered with if I'd come late.

Aside from the Switch and 3DS, I've bought all of my consoles at least a year after they were introduced on the market. Most systems take a couple of years to even begin developing a decent exclusive library. Moreover, launch systems are often plagued with technical issues that are gradually weeded out in the production process.

@kyleforrester87 Yep. Smaller releases can get more attention and flourish when a system is new. It's probably the reason indies all seem to be doing so well on the Switch at the moment!

I tend to be an 'early' adopter as in within the first 6-12months but it does depend on finances at the time. As someone who has always had at least 2 systems, its often not just 1 upgrade for me. This gen was difficult to decide which to upgrade to first and in the end, I went with the 'cheapest' and the one that had the biggest library of exclusives I wanted - which in this case happened to be the Xbox. I know some will say the PS4 was cheaper but if you factor in the fact I had a year of Gold left, never subscribed to PS+ (was unnecessary on the PS3) and had a season pass that transferred up, the cost to get what I had with the XB1 was over £150 more. Also the PS4 was very slow to get Exclusives out that I wanted - Only Killzone and Infamous in the first 18-24months appealed. That isn't to bash PS4 at all but explaining why I chose Xbox first but I was always going to get a PS4.

I can see Sony bringing out the PS5 before MS brings out a new generation and I wouldn't be surprised if that happens in Nov 2019. Its NOT because the PS4 isn't selling but because Sony don't have a console for the 4k generation. I have said this before and know it upsets Sony fanboys who state the Pro is a 4k console but its a half way step at best. Its still just a PS4 and like the Slim, it doesn't reset the life span of the generation. The fact is that games are increasing in complexity and require more compromise to run - even at full HD on a base PS4. Its not like the PS3 era where devs took years to get used to the Complex CPU and then start to hit their stride and then push the technology. The PS4 was far more simplistic and more familiar to devs so they didn't have such a learning curve. The fact that Sony Devs have a lot of interesting games in the pipeline is not indicative of the console hitting its stride - more that the Devs have some good games too bring BUT will still need to compromise and that's games built for limited hardware - 3rd Party Devs are having to make bigger compromises - more and more games releasing with dynamic scaling and unstable frame rates.

As I said, I see Sony bringing out a PS5 before MS bring out a new console. I know the XB1 is in a worse shape than the PS4 - that's evident in the fact that games are struggling to even hit 900p now but I can see MS adopting a different structure to Sony. Their XB1X could become the new 'base' console and they phase out the XB1 and the 'new' console becoming the 'premium' or High-end model. The fact that they are looking at keeping Backwards Compatibility and bringing your library with you also fits this model. Its like PC's to a degree - if your PC has a 6-7yr old GPU (equivalent to the base XB1), its not going to run every game releasing but you can upgrade to a 2-3yr old GPU (the XB1X) and play all your games as well as the new releases that won't run on your old GPU or buy the latest GPU (the nextbox) and play all the latest games at their best. This is the format I see MS going for so its not very 'generational'. That does play into this question because the need to upgrade is significantly reduced - especially if you own an X. You could skip the next box and wait for the nextbox 2 and still play every game releasing - just not necessarily at the best visual or performance. Much like not bothering to to but the GTX10 because your GTX9 is still able to run every game.

Sony though will no doubt have games that are only releasing on the PS5 to sell that console. They are certainly going to follow the more traditional console generational format - at least for their next console - whether they continue to do that for the PS'6', who knows but I do expect them to do so for the 5th generation Playstation. I fully intend to purchase close to, if not at launch. The only thing that may stop me is if Sony don't release by Nov 2019 and end up releasing around the same time that MS bring out their next box. Not saying I will rather upgrade to that console - having an X with pretty much 'next gen' features may mean I can hold off on the next box - especially if the PS5 is more powerful - but it could also offer all my Xbox library at even better performance (like the X did to the XB1) but the PS5, being more traditional, may have to have its own software. If that happens, I may wait until the PS5 has a reasonable library and the next box will come with a massive library (my entire Xbox games collection). Its ifs and buts I know but the crux of it is, IF PS5 launches without competition, it will certainly be bought close to, if not at launch. If however it does launch at the same time as MS's next console, I doubt I can afford both straight away so I will have to weigh up which will offer me the 'best' option to upgrade to first - the same as I had to do in 2013.

I do prefer to be an early adopter. Its not like I get rid of my old consoles anyway but I would rather buy the next gen versions of games than buy the old gen version knowing that I will be upgrading in the near future....

Usually I'm a late adopter, largely because I was gifted most of my consoles (2-3 years into the lifecycle) & couldn't just go out and buy them myself.
The PS3 was the first console I actually bought myself. I couldn't afford one until 2009 & even then it was second hand and cost me £280.

Didn't get a PS4 until May 10th, 2016- aka Uncharted 4 Day .
However, by that point I already had ~30 PS4 games- most of which I picked up over Black Friday/Holiday 2015. I held back so long, because I was still at Uni at the time & didn't want a console to distract me from my studies. Also I REALLY wanted that limited edition UC4 PS4.

Now that I have been in full time employment for some time now I'm more flexible with how I spend my money. PSVR was the first piece of hardware I bought at launch. The early adopter rush/excitement was pretty incredible (+it's freaking VR!!). I also really wanted to support the tech whether it failed or succeeded if it interests me then I've got to at least give it a shot, right?

I guess the Switch would be a more traditional example, which I bought during the launch year.
I bought into the hype and was somewhat disappointed.
Zelda was a let down. Mario was great & Sonic Mania- the only other game I bought for the longest time, wasn't meaty enough. Since Bayonetta 1+2 released I've been playing my Switch non-stop, but I'm vary that once I'm done with it, there's not much coming that interests me.

As for the PS5...
I'll get it once I finish my PS4 backlog- unless it's BC then it becomes a Day 1 purchase.

Great thread btw @DerMeister.

I usually wait a while, and get them once they're a bit cheaper and have a much bigger library of games.

Through my whole life I have pretty much been a late adopter pretty much because my family, and by extension, me were poor. I hand a hand me down BBC Microcomputer from my cousin when he got a better Sinclair. I got my NES when a rich friend of mine got the SNES at launch. I got a SNES when the prices really dropped and it was available cheap in a store that was closing down. I bought a PS1 and N64 second hand when I was a student but that was when they still had newer iterations. My gf (now wife) bought me a Gamecube for my birthday but it was still a year or two into its life and when it was cheap. I got a second hand PS2 as the PS3 and 360 launched from a friend that was going through a divorce! I got a DS as a leaving present from work when I moved to another country for a year.

My wife did buy me a 360 as a surprise but it was three years into its life. The PS4 was bought in early 2015. However, since then I have been more fortunate. I am earning a bit more then I did and since I have had kids, I don't spend as much on going out or other hobbies so I can save and buy things. For the first time in my life, I bought something at launch (PSVR) and I was incredibly lucky in that I got a Switch from work as a year end bonus (my boss is a gamer!). At heart, I am still the poor kid who had rich friends and I must say that buying things at launch feels like such a luxury to me.

For a PS5, I probably won't buy at launch but possibly at the very first price drop or cheapest bundle. We know we'll see a mid-life upgrade probably so that will factor in. I feel that software for launch consoles takes at least 18 months to be really essential from a gaming perspective (though the Switch has bucked that trend in my mind). That said, backwards compatibility will be a big factor for me. That might persuade me to buy closer to launch.

I've generally picked up consoles about a year after they've released. I normally get really hyped for a new console release but then back out of buying it at launch and typically wait til there's a few games I really want. Right now I'd love to get a PS5 on day one whenever it comes out but when that comes around we'll see.

In terms of PlayStation consoles:

I was late to PS1 because I had an N64 first. I remember getting a PS2 for Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex and the first PES game when that came out in 2002-ish. Had a 360 before a PS3 and got the PS4 about 6 months after it came out.

I wonder if those that are more 'late' adopters - as in wait until a year primarily because of library size and wanting to finish games on the older generation - would be much more tempted to be an 'early' adopter if the new generation had Backwards Compatibility? Would they be more tempted if those backwards compatible games were 'enhanced' or even just improved by playing on the newer console?

By 'improved' I mean that with so many games now releasing with dynamic scaling and/or unlocked frame rates, by playing these on a next gen system, the games run at their max capped limit. For example, if the games are 'capped' at 1080/60 (like Doom) but often drop below that, they run at a 'locked 1080/60' on the next gen. With PS4 Pro or 'X' enhanced games, if they were capped at 4k but run much lower, on the next gen, these run at 4k without any visual drops. Enhanced would entail more - like changing the visual settings (improving Shadow/reflection quality, improving the Anti-Aliasing, ambient occlusion etc), maybe increasing the output resolution or frame rate caps - so a game capped at 1080/30 could be enhanced to 4k/60. This is essentially the premise of the 'iterative' consoles with enhanced and boost mode.

If the next gen consoles had total Backwards Compatibility with the current gen and could offer 'some' improvements to the majority of your game library - obviously not much with games that run at a locked resolution/frame rate unless they are 'enhanced' for the new gen - would you be more tempted to be an early adopter? The library of games at release is massive as you have the 1000's from the previous gen and maybe 1 or 2 'new' games as well. It would save buying the new releases for the 'old' gen and then rebuying them a year later for the 'new' gen. I do have a few games that released on the old gen and were then released on day 1 of the new gen - Look at games like Fifa, CoD, Battlefield, AC4 etc - all released in the weeks before the new console came out and then released again when these consoles released. Be interesting to see how they handle that with BC - will the 'next gen' version have 'different' caps? Will these MP games have different lobbies? I know XB360 games are all in one lobby whether you play on the 360 or XB1 but CoD:Ghosts for example had split generation lobbies.

Anyway, Would BC change your decision or would it purely be based on financial decision - wait for the inevitable price drop?

I can only go on the ones I recall. Turns out that's all of them.

PS1 - 1998
PS2 - 2002
PSP - 2005
PS3 - Xmas 2010 exactly 1 month after my sister
PS4 - October 2015

With PS I move them further out as fewer games interest me in the early years, though PS3 was more price than games as it had R&C fairly early on.

GBA - 2004
DS - 2006
Wii - 2007
3DS - January 2012
3DS XL - 2015
Wii U - Launch Day 2012
Switch - Launch Day 2017

Nintendo has gone in reverse to PS I notice. Dunno why.

Mega Drive - 1999
Game Gear - 1999
Saturn - 1999

This Ship Sailed In The Morning (PC-i7-6700 3.4/4 GHz, GTX970 4GB, 16GB DDR4) - September 2016

Price is definitely a factor, PS3 highlights that, but I get it when a lineup is there that I want. Hence why I held off on PS4, as R&C kept being delayed.

I won't count consoles I didn't buy myself.

GCN (Late adopter) - Picked it up with birthday money in early 2007. Didn't have it long before I got a Wii (which I was gifted for Christmas later that year), but that short time was filled with Melee & Twilight Princess, so it was time well spent.

DS (Mid-Late adopter) - Picked up a Light in summer 2009 with my graduation money.

3DS (Early adopter) - Picked this up on launch day, and it'd become my go to gaming device for the next 6 years as I hit some personal issues that would prevent me from spending much on games for a good long while (my collection is actually sort of frontloaded & backloaded because of this. Not a lot of titles from the middle of it's life).

Switch (Early adopter) - Didn't get it at launch, but still picked it up before it's first year was out. Got it in November & haven't been disappointed. Between Odyssey, Xenoverse 2, Xenoblade 2, BotW, and now Fire Emblem Warriors, I haven't ran out of things to play yet, and have enjoyed each title to varying degrees (not sure what my favorite is).

Probably will pick up a PS4 sometime this year. Went looking for a Dualshock 3 today because I burnt out my dad's with a static shock (somehow), which lead me to GameStop which had slim PS4 models for $250, so I'll probably grab one eventually. As for the Dualshock 3? I ended up ordering one on Amazon.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. It's great to read all your thoughts!

To answer @BAMozzy's question, to me personally, BC wouldn't influence my decision, since I keep all my systems, but I think others would bite early if it were an option. It's a feature that a good enough amount of gamers demand, it would give something to play on the new system while you wait for those new titles to come out, and enhanced titles could satisfy the tech heads out there. It seems like a good possibility.

@DerMeister Just Backwards Compatibility - as in playing the games exactly as they were on the old system - doesn't really impact on my decision to buy as I too keep my old consoles. It would have no impact either way whether it had BC or not. After a while, my old consoles get relegated to the bedroom once a decent library has accumulated but with normal Backwards Compatibility, they would get relegated as soon as the new console arrives. That would be the only difference that BC would have for me.

With Backwards Compatibility that offers improvements and in some cases even enhancements, I am much more inclined to buy Day1 rather than within the first 6months. The fact that I wouldn't necessarily have to buy any 'new' games and yet still get a 'better' gaming experience is great. Of course I would still probably buy 1 or 2 games but the fact that my current playlist would still work and at an improved or even enhanced level would be very appealing and make me much more inclined to buy as soon as possible - especially if the games I am playing are using dynamic scaling and/or unlocked frame rates. Any games that are 'enhanced' (patched to run above the capped limits) would be just welcome 'bonuses'.

The fact that a lot of games are released with dynamic scaling, unlocked frame rates etc would mean that if they were to be backwards compatible, the chances are they would look and play better on the newer console. It seems they are set up to be ready for BC. The iterative consoles have given us a window into the potential for Backwards Compatibility that actually plays these games significantly better than before.

Growing up as a child I don't recall ever having a console early in its life. I had consoles before but the first console I bought was a N64 then a PS1 both a couple years after they had launched. I got a PS3 quite early as I discovered the wonders of having a credit card. Remember getting the console with Zone of the Enders (which came with a demo for MGS2) and some motorbike racing game. I think I had that console the longest as I didn't get a a 360 until a couple of years into its life. I got a PS4 the February after it launched as I quickly got bored so MS banging on about the holy trinity of Halo, Gears and Forza all the time and the bad press the XBO was getting at the time. Bought a Switch last October as a 40th birthday present to myself.
Although I have more disposable income than I've ever had I can't see myself ever getting a console a launch as I like to wait a few months to survey what console suits me best.