I don't like putting labels on people but this what I've observed in my time console gaming:
Casuals: Play games occasionally, sticks with 1-2 genres, doesn't really care about console wars.
Semi-hardcore: A step above casual, likes to play multiple genres, probably has only one console (not because of loyalty but just because they wanted only one).
Hardcore: Own every system so they can play all of the exclusives. Typically has one preferred console but doesn't bash the other (too much). Just happy playing games.
Loyalists: Has just one system platform (sometimes more than one of the same) and thinks their system is the bestest ever! (PC elitists fit in here)
Loyalist Bitches: Include Loyalist traits plus add trolling forums and talking so much smack about other platforms they look like douches.
After I quit WoW, I decided to get back into console gaming. I missed the variety of games and not having to sit in front of my monitor getting headaches. I got a lot of crap from my PC only gamer friends about my switch but it didn't matter to me. I just wanted to have fun!
So I got myself a PS3 and a few games... I was having a blast sitting on my super comfy couch with a controller. I had a lot of catching up to do.
I enjoyed getting trophies although it was never a focus while gaming, just kinda of a "well I could get that but won't go too out of my way".
Around September 2010 I had several people convincing me to get an Xbox 360 to play Halo: Reach with them at release. So I caved and ended up with a second console. Achievements were pretty fun, it was nice seeing a numerical value instead of a color.
The following April, I got together with amazing boyfriend. We've been joined at the hip ever since. He's a Loyalist so he is very much into his Xbox and loves getting achievements. We very much enjoy playing together and hunting achievements. After we met I pretty much ignored my Playstation 3 and started trying to 100% each game I played on the Xbox. Playing online was great and it was surprising how stable and social the Xbox was (especially after trying to play Borderlands on PS3, that was a lagging nightmare).
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| Random pic to break up the wall of text |
I became an Xbox 360 Loyalist. I was borderline semi-casual (when I had my PS3) to hardcore when I had both consoles. Gaming in my free time is what I've always loved since I was able.
After moving last December into our new place, it took me 5 months to retrieve my boxed up Playstation 3 out of the garage just so we could use it for Netflix while each of us played on our Xbox 360s. It sat on the bottom shelf of my entertainment center, being a good little machine and doing what we ask of it. When Dragon Age 2 (at release) was the last full game I played on it, you know it had been a while.
So E3 2012 came along last week and of course I wanted to watch all of the live streams. Even Nintendo, EA, etc. The Playstation stream came on and I was like :O while watching some of the game trailers/demos. Guilt hit me that my loyalist ways had kept me from playing on my PS3. I still prefer Xbox for online gaming and social aspects (voice chat, etc)... but there are some PS3 exclusives that I shouldn't ignore anymore.
Playstation Plus is promising 3 full retail games per month for FREE! For less than $5 a month, that's one hell of a deal.
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| They're gonna have to learn how to share. |
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| Gave my PS3 some love with a Skyrim decal. :D |
So it's official... my GameFly queue has games for both consoles now. *pats self on back*
EDIT: I'm not one to label people... there is no black and white definition for all gamers out there.
There are pros and cons for every system... so how about we just all enjoy our games and be happy? :)
Loyalist Bitches made me chuckle :)
ReplyDeleteSo what do I count as? :P
But, but the PC is the bestest evar!! :P But seriously I don't understand the "console war." Every console has its strengths and weaknesses, even PCs (mainly being ungodly expensive). Each console is a system meant to appeal to different audiences with different tastes. Like the Wii is meant to be a family friendly console where as a PS3 is supposed to be a core gamer's console. No matter what way you look at it the entire "war" is just stupid, almost as equally to or worse than the Mac vs PC debate. It is like saying an orange is better than a banana because it is the color orange and not yellow. Like you said with in the description of "hardcore" they have all the console but dont bash the others because they are not the console you play on, I wish all gamers would be like that, content with all the systems having a preference but not caring enough to push their supreme opinion of the best console down someone's throat. /rant
ReplyDeleteI wonder - I have everything in the this current console generation EXCEPT the xbox. When it first came out I absolutely hated the controller, and every time I've picked it up since I've felt the same way. Couple that with my anti-Monoposoft feelings, I've refused to ever own that particular console. Listening to you guys talk about advertisements everywhere, and the idea of having to pay for xsux live makes me angry too.
ReplyDeleteHonestly though, I wouldn't have a Wii except for Zelda and my children - just not impressed with the motion controls.
So for me it's essentially PC and PS3. However, I've read a little about the PS4, and I'm not real happy about it(specifically loss of backwards compatibility), so I may end up only playing PC games in the next generation. I suppose I feel equally drawn to the PS3 and the PC, though I don't tend to talk about the PC games when discussing consoles.
Does that make me a semi-hardcore, semi-loyalist bitch then? This scale is getting complicated.
Xbox Live is a totally optional service. The people that pay for it are social gamers who want to play with others and have voice chat. The servers are more stable/lag free than PSN because they are paid maintained. If you just wanna enjoy single player games, there's no reason to pay for Gold. No reason to get angry over it. :)
DeleteI don't wanna label anyone... people can call themselves whatever type of gamer they want. Except the fake "gamer girls", they can go away. :D
It seems like I was told you had to get XBLA in order to download patches and updates. Is this not true?
DeleteYeah, I don't really understand the console war. I choose more of what console I would want by the games that I would be interested in playing rather than who makes the console. Generally just stick with PC because most games can be played on the PC and I've grown used to mouse/keyboard and it gives the widest range of games imo. If I had the money I would probably pick up a PS3 (just recently in like the past few months got an xbox). I do however miss my regular nintendo/super nintendo. Again part of the reason I haven't really gotten many games is because they seem to want to focus on (to me) the wrong thing, they are like, hey look how realistic this is...forget that the gameplay sucks and that there is no story..it looks real! But again, that's just my opinion ^.^
ReplyDelete-Hat