Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

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Sinclair Gregstrum
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Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Sinclair Gregstrum »

Now that we’re just a month or so away from release, who is genuinely excited for the next generation of consoles?

I ask this as to me there seems to be a fair amount of apathy floating around, not just on these forums specifically, but in the online ether in general. In the past most new consoles seem to have been greeted with far more enthusiasm, optimism, and just pure excitement and anticipation than this, and there’s just something not quite right this time around, from what I’m seeing at least.

There are of course plenty of reasons for people to not be feeling like getting excited right now. The pandemic and all the health, societal, economic and personal challenges that has brought this year is enough to leave anyone feeling anywhere from flat to being in complete despair. But at the same time we’ve actually been seeing hardware and software spend growing while people find joy and solace in video games, so why am I feeling like people aren’t actually that excited about the imminent new consoles?

Is this next gen apathy something other people are seeing or feeling? What are your personal levels of anticipation like right now? Whatever your level, what is driving that? Has anyone pre-ordered anything, and if so, what?

For me I’d say while I have pre-ordered, and am very much looking forward to, both Series X and PS5, I’m not exactly at fever pitch for either when I think about how it has felt getting a console day one in generations past. I’ve got a lot going on in life myself right now (baby number 3 is due any day!), so maybe that explains it, but I am a little sad that the child-like spark of excitement seems to be missing right now.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Alex79 »

Personally, I'm excited to be getting an Xbox with Gamepass, which is a first for me since the early days of the 360, but in general? Not really. It's not like I can't wait to play it or get stuck in to new games, because there don't really seem to be any I'm particularly interested in. I'm getting it mainly to play a load of older games I missed. I've also decided to finish the games I've still got on my PS4 before getting the Xbox. I'd considered getting it day one, but it's so pointless when I've got a library full of games I've not even touched to get through. I just don't really see any reason why anyone NEEDS one of these consoles at the moment. Sony has Demon's Souls which looks great, but what else is there, for both consoles? I'm not trying to be negative about it, there's just nothing to really get me fired up. I'd go so far as to say I think these new consoles are about as exciting as the PS4 Pro and One X were at this point.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Simonsloth »

I’d agree with you that for the first time ever I’m not that bothered about a new console launch. I’d equate it to the feeling I have when I’m due an upgrade on my mobile phone contract. I’m looking forward to it but not counting down the days. My current kit works just fine and I’ve got plenty on all 3 main consoles to keep me occupied for the next decade.

I’ve got a series S preordered which is going to be a big leap from my launch model Xbox one but my backlog is small on my Microsoft console so it’s really gamepass and the fact it’s only a tenner a month on top of gamepass as I’ve gone with the Xbox all access deal.

I have a standard Ps5 (with disc drive) preordered too and this is primarily to play my backlog with shorter loading times rather than for any new release (aside from Demons Souls).

For me I have always queued up outside a flagship store in London or wherever the launch party was. Braving the cold surrounded by people with similar commitment (and stupidity) to get a console at midnight then lug it home hoping to not get mugged before collapsing in a heap without playing a single minute. All part of it. Hang on....maybe getting it at 9 the next day would be better🤩

I think this year has been terrible for so many reasons. World events plus work-life balance have sent my stress levels to fever pitch so it’s hard to get excited about something which will change my life so little. Yet I’m inexplicably still buying both.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Simonsloth »

Ive also told myself those 10-20 seconds of loading screens all add up so I get to play more games if I upgrade haha
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chase210
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by chase210 »

Very much so. New hardware always excites me, and it’s a light in this otherwise dismal year for me.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by shadowless_kick »

I don't plan on getting either, but I do enjoy reading up on them both as release dates near. from where I'm standing, I think the reasons people may be less excited than in times past are:

1. less of an obvious graphical leap. I haven't seen anything that really screams next gen. it seems the major innovation this time around is in load times and other behind-the-scenes stuff that doesn't jump out at you from a screen shot.

2. the launch libraries are kinda ...pathetic, actually. Microsoft's big title has been delayed and Sony has an expanded Spider-Man (also playable on PS4) and a remake.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Sinclair Gregstrum
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Sinclair Gregstrum »

You both make really fair points I think.

Alex I wish I had your pragmatism! I think you'll be impressed with the Xbox ecosystem nowadays when you do jump onboard eventually.

Simon interesting that you've gone for a Series S with All Access + a full-fat PS5. Really sensible "best of both worlds" choice that's exactly the sort of scenario I think Microsoft was probably aiming for with that console and the payment plan options. When Game Pass really starts kicking off with the big first party day one games I'd wager that could be a pretty typical dual console set-up for a lot of people.

I hadn't really thought too much about how the mid-gen upgraded consoles have effected people's readiness for the next gen, and I definitely think that plays into people's mindset at the moment. I have a One X and a PS4 Pro, and I definitely think I'd be craving a new machine more if I'd been using launch models for 7 years at this point. The One X in particular is such an impressive thing that feels like it should have plenty of life left, so I'll be sad to see it go in some ways. Not so much the PS4 Pro which in retrospect actually ended up being too much of a half-step and not really worth the upgrade I don't think.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Angry_Kurt »

I have the Series X pre ordered and I'm looking forward to it, but as said above I'm not counting down the days. Much of my excitement comes from the fact that I'll be getting a really good spec 4K TV too. I have one already but it's from when 4K TVs first came out, so not that good tbh, lacking HDR etc, whereas this new one is and LG OLED from last year.
Back to the actual point though, I think the lack of excitement is something I have noticed too and I think it's simply due to the lack of games that are that enticing and also exclusive to next gen at launch. I think if Spider-Man MM was PS5 only, people would be more pumped and the same for Horizon if they had been a launch game and PS5 only.
Xbox of course has nothing exclusively next gen for a couple of years which is disappointing. If Game Pass wasn't a thing, I think the excitement for the Series S/X would be near null, but it is something which exists and is the primary reason why I have pre ordered it over the PS5.
A final thing is that normally the build up to these launches is much longer, whereas this time the consoles were only actually revealed a few weeks ago and there is a lot we still don't know, especially about the PS5.
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Sinclair Gregstrum
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Sinclair Gregstrum »

chase210 wrote: October 7th, 2020, 3:10 pm Very much so. New hardware always excites me, and it’s a light in this otherwise dismal year for me.
It has indeed been a shitter of a year! Hope you're doing alright! I'm not sure viruses have an understanding or appreciation of the Gregorian calendar, so I'm not expecting a miraculous turnaround straight away in 2021, but at least we'll have shiny new consoles and video games to cheer us up ;)
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by chase210 »

Sinclair Gregstrum wrote: October 7th, 2020, 3:26 pm
chase210 wrote: October 7th, 2020, 3:10 pm Very much so. New hardware always excites me, and it’s a light in this otherwise dismal year for me.
It has indeed been a shitter of a year! Hope you're doing alright! I'm not sure viruses have an understanding or appreciation of the Gregorian calendar, so I'm not expecting a miraculous turnaround straight away in 2021, but at least we'll have shiny new consoles and video games to cheer us up ;)
Just the thought of miles morales on PS5 is enough to cheer me up right now, sad as it is.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Sinclair Gregstrum »

Angry_Kurt wrote: October 7th, 2020, 3:19 pm
I desperately want an LG OLED. Definitely a reason to be excited! Have a good mid-range 4K HDR Samsung but that will be something I'm eyeing up for next year!

Xbox does have console/timed exclusives on some interesting third party and indie games on or not far from launch that interest me (e.g. Medium, Scorn, Tetris Connected, the Remedy-developed CrossfireX campaign), but you're right the big first-party hitters likely won't be landing until Halo Infinite in around 12 months. I also have a sneaking suspicion we might get Everwild from Rare then too, although that might be nothing more than hope and ignorance on my part!

I'll probably still be playing Cyberpunk anyway...
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by ratsoalbion »

Each console launch feels a little less exciting than the last, partly due to age and partly due to diminishing returns, however...

I am still excited!

I didn’t make any effort to secure pre-orders but have managed to buy a PS5 pre-order from a friend, and am looking forward to BluePoint Demon’s Souls, SSD load times and enhanced versions of existing games at first.
Not so much looking forward to accommodating the thing though, but my PS4 Pro will be sold to make some space and some money back.

I’m just as keen on getting an XSX as an upgrade on my XOX, but I haven’t pre-ordered. I will likely snaffle one as soon as I can and again, flog my existing machine to ease the expenditure.

There’s obviously no Super Mario 64 or Halo: Combat Evolved level system seller for either machine, but a combo of better graphics (pixel counts/frame rates/HDR/RTX*), much faster loading, quieter running units and so on are enough to get me a little bit giddy, if not as delirious as I was when picking up my N64 on a midnight run in 1997.



*NB: If I didn’t have a 4K HDR screen I absolutely would not be an early adopter this generation
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Sinclair Gregstrum
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Sinclair Gregstrum »

ratsoalbion wrote: October 7th, 2020, 4:19 pm
Spoiler: show
Each console launch feels a little less exciting than the last, partly due to age and partly due to diminishing returns, however...

I am still excited!

I didn’t make any effort to secure pre-orders but have managed to buy a PS5 pre-order from a friend, and am looking forward to BluePoint Demon’s Souls, SSD load times and enhanced versions of existing games at first.
Not so much looking forward to accommodating the thing though, but my PS4 Pro will be sold to make some space and some money back.

I’m just as keen on getting an XSX as an upgrade on my XOX, but I haven’t pre-ordered. I will likely snaffle one as soon as I can and again, flog my existing machine to ease the expenditure.

There’s obviously no Super Mario 64 or Halo: Combat Evolved level system seller for either machine, but a combo of better graphics (pixel counts/frame rates/HDR/RTX*), much faster loading, quieter running units and so on are enough to get me a little bit giddy, if not as delirious as I was when picking up my N64 on a midnight run in 1997.



*NB: If I didn’t have a 4K HDR screen I absolutely would not be an early adopter this generation
The load times will be great I'm sure once we've experienced them ourselves, and will probably become a 'how did we ever live without this??' thing very quickly!

Not looking forward to accommodating the PS5 is right - have you seen that new teardown video? If that thing toppled the wrong way the poor bloke would be toast! Still, if it's quiet, the size and ungainly appearance (I'm still not a fan at all of the look!) won't matter a jot.

Demon Souls looks glorious and I have pre-ordered it, but I'm not convinced I'm actually going to like the gameplay/be any good at it! Hope I'm wrong or that the whizzy graphics are enough to see me through!
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Alex79 »

Sinclair Gregstrum wrote: October 7th, 2020, 4:56 pm Demon Souls looks glorious and I have pre-ordered it, but I'm not convinced I'm actually going to like the gameplay/be any good at it! Hope I'm wrong or that the whizzy graphics are enough to see me through!
Have you not played a Souls game before? Oh man. Well stick with it, it's a great game once it clicks.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by raisinbman »

M$'s approach to this generation is interesting. While they've taken quite a beating from Sony, their latest plays have been HUGE - aquiring bethesda, gamepass teaming up with EA, "no generations" etc.

We've seen Sony be cocky and complacent and pay for it before, so it really could go either way.

Sony also has clearly just been waiting to pounce on M$, and they're already eating their words a bit in the way of bad information and them claiming they believe in generations but every game they've revealed thus far being cross generation.

But to directly address the question, I actually think it's a trick question - you don't have to be excited for M$'s system. Sony you could be. Personally, I need software before I can justify a purchase, and THERES NO FIGHTING GAMES(Well, Samsho, but I already have that).

I don't buy a console until there's a game to buy for that console(Kingdom Hearts, Injustice 2, Fire Emblem 3 Houses). That being said, I've always gone Sony because they have exclusives like Ratchet. But Now I'm only reminded of my broken PS3 which means how I still haven't played 2 Ratchet games so I'm clearly a poser :(

Also, gotta remember - Sony is king. They don't need to beat M$, just not to lose or fall behind. They've got the mindshare.

Sidenote: I'm actually excited for gamepass/xcloud hypothetically more than anything.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by KissMammal »

Weirdly, for someone who considers themselves an avid gamer - no, I'm not especially interested in the new generation and actually I've never owned (or even played) either a PS4 or an XB1 (is it weird that I still kinda think of those as the 'new' consoles?).

Partly that's because I basically only ever play handheld, but also tbh there haven't really been any real standout killer apps on either console that have appealed to me personally, at least not to the point where I'd be willing to buy a console to play them. I remember feeling like Arkham Knight or Red Dead 2 might be the ones to finally get me to take the plunge, but both of them met with a pretty muted reception iirc.

The AAA gaming space seems (from my outsiders perspective) to be dominated by giant 'bells and whistles' franchises like Assassin's Creed (which, along with pretty much everything Ubisoft tends to put out, has never done anything for me) and online shooters (ditto). I loved them back in the day, but I find it a bit hard to get too excited about the latest iteration of old franchises like Gears of War or Halo, especially as both series had seemed to have gone really off the boil with the last entry of each I did play.

The Switch (and occasionally the iPad/iPhone) provides me with all the gaming I need these days - the only next gen thing I'd be interested is the rumoured Switch 'Pro' or the eventual Switch successor. I might be swayed with the remote/cloud/streaming play capabilities of the new consoles (though in my dream world I'd be able to do that via the Switch).
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Marlew »

I sold my Pro and One X a month ago to artificially build hype for a launch PS5. Having had RSI earlier this summer and stopped gaming for a while, I've realised how much time and money I've wasted this gen trying to find more peak experiences. I love games as a medium, but I've concluded that outside the top 5% I've played the majority are nothing more than distraction for me.

With the spotlight on the 5%, I have enjoyed this gen arguably more than any in my life, though. From BotW to Tetris Effect to ARMS to Forza Horizon 4 to Groove Coaster to Bloodborne to Odyssey to Isaac AB+ to FF7R, TLOU2, GT Sport, Rez Infinite, MGSV and RDR2, these are games I'm happy to have spent some of my only life with. I've also had an incredibly intense relationship with shmups, not always healthy but often exhilarating beyond anything else, particularly Ikaruga, Dodonpachi DaiOuJou and perhaps my favourite game ever now, Mushihimesama Futari. I don't regret playing any of the above and they represent the best of this hobby and this medium for me. And that's a lot of games, no doubt.

Beyond these titles, though, I've probably played another five hundred games this gen across various formats that were nothing more than distraction, reskins, rehashes, skinner boxes, or plain dull - games which sparkled for a couple of hours and quickly lost their fizz. I won't name names because some people will have enjoyed these too but I've found so many of Nintendo's first party games inane over the last couple of years, replacing satisfying gameplay with 'charm'. I find much of their output mind-numbing as fuck. As much as I've adored the Switch, it's never again come close to the peaks of 2017, and I've wasted so much time and money chasing that high with B/C-tier games or stuff that simply isn't my bag. I could have had the same or more enjoyment by focusing on the top dozen games. That's a lesson I've reflected on lately.

For whatever reason, I've been more selective on the PS4 for the most part. I've only bought most big games in sales and I've made fewer rash buys on stuff I knew I wouldn't really like. My only real regrets are Spider-Man and God of War, both of which I got full price and I find them excruciating for different reasons. There's plenty more 'big games' I didn't enjoy but I paid almost nothing for them and I expected little more. PS4 had comfortably the best exclusive library this gen for me. Take BotW out of existence and it's not even close.

I've been even more selective on the One X because there's frankly fuck all to play. FH3&4 were/are fantastic and that's pretty much it for me. I find MS's output completely unappealing. It's why I couldn't care less about their 'pro-consumer' stance and the 'great value' of GP, etc. They have almost no good first party games. It's no wonder they're going full Man City and trying to throw billions at the problem. I've bought and sold two One X consoles this gen for the same reason. I've loved some third party stuff like RDR2, AC:Od, Titanfall 2 and BFV. It's a much better console than the Pro in terms of performance, but their own output is chronic. I see nothing on the horizon beyond Flight Sim to interest me at all this gen but I won't make the same mistake twice/thrice.

So, in short, no. Not really. I think they're being released far too early. I think the cross-gen approach inevitably kills excitement for the great leap forward. I'm somewhat looking forward to Demon's Souls, a game I know inside out, and that's it. I'd like next-gen patches for TLOU2 and FF7R but I'll never have the first playthrough feeling again. Apart from review games, I've barely played anything for a while now, but I've got right back into cinema and listening to music on headphones in the evenings. When the weather is OK, I've been out taking lots of photos with a new camera and I've loved every minute of that. I feel like my attention span is improving and I find cinema in particular so much more absorbing than I have done in a long long time. I've sat and watched more films all the way through on my own in the last month than I have in the last ten years. I've listened to albums all the way through, not just played in the background, and it's been fantastic. That's what I'm excited for these days.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Flabyo »

Not excited at all for this one. Nothing at launch for either that demands my attention, and I’m quite content to just gamepass my way through the rest of the year on my XBO.

At some point I’ll get an XSX but I see it more as an incremental upgrade, something I’ll do when I next upgrade my setup as a whole including the tv.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by Jon Cheetham »

This is me being a cheapo again but one of the things I'm most excited about with the new launch is getting some absolute bargains on current gen games about a year from now.

Performance and graphical fidelity don't excite me as much as the games themselves, so while I'm happy for everyone getting hyped over the Digital Foundry type stuff it's not a big deal for me. Particularly since most of the games announced I can play on current gen or pc and just wait to play Demon's Souls somewhere down the line. I'll miss out on PvP fun but what can you do.
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Re: Are you genuinely excited for Xbox Series X|S & PS5?

Post by KissMammal »

Come to think of it I don't think I've ever bought a console on launch day, I generally prefer to wait until a system has proven legs and a strong software lineup (and also some bargain titles I suppose). It's usually the second generation of titles that tend to be the must haves - I remember the PS2 launch lineup being pretty dismal, and it only really became a must-own console once GTA III came out. I didn't buy my Switch until Odyssey came out.
As much as I've adored the Switch, it's never again come close to the peaks of 2017, and I've wasted so much time and money chasing that high with B/C-tier games or stuff that simply isn't my bag.
I've bought (and regretted buying) a couple of 'duds' - The Witcher III, Smash Bros Ultimate, Fire Emblem: Three Houses and most recently Paper Mario The Origami King I gave a good go but had to concede that they're just not my cup of tea. But as someone who never owned a Wii U it's been a delight to hoover up all of the ports from that system in addition to the first party Switch exclusives and for the most part I'm pretty happy just playing older ports and indie titles. Definitely tend to prefer shorter, more pick up and play 'arcade' type experiences to sprawling 100 hour epics these days, though I did recently sink 40+ hours into Resident Evil 4!
This is me being a cheapo again but one of the things I'm most excited about with the new launch is getting some absolute bargains on current gen games about a year from now.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that - that's a great way to enjoy games. I've never really been one of those people who has to be bang up to date and be playing the latest and shiniest.
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