Why I do Not Want a PS4

Why I Do NOT want a Playstation 4

I bought my original Playstation in 1995, shortly after release. Back when they were selling their games in the Longboxes, Which I loved, and love to collect today.

I remember buying the system, going home and attempting to hook it up. However the first ones did not come with A/V cables, yeah those were additional, weird? Anyway, back out to the store I went, and shortly there after returned home and had my system up and running. I don't remember exactly what Games I bought, But I am sure Ridge Racer, Destruction Derby (one of my absolute favorite games on the system) and Road Rash were included.  A second Controller and Memory Card were also bought soon after as well.

A close friend at the time also bought a Playstation as well, and that is where I first played Battle Arena Toshinden. He also bought Destruction Derby, and we got the link cable and played against each other, many a weekend night was spent hauling Playstations and TV's back and forth, although he only lived a few blocks away, so it wasn't too bad. We also got Assault Rigs a fun tank game and were able to play against each other with the link cable as well.

I was so into my Playstation, every week I looked forward to pay day, as I would pickup a new Playstation game or two. Destruction Derby & Destruction Derby 2 (One of my favorite games), Gran Turismo, Ridge Racer, Test Drive, Grand Theft Auto (yeah the original top down ones), Descent, Kings Field, Twisted Metal and a Great port of the original Doom, So many Great Games on that system.

I also at one point, much to my wife at the times chagrin, moved my Playstation upstairs (I had a "man cave" downstairs) and the extra TV to the Dining room table, so I could play my Playstation, and watch TV at the same time, good times.

Once the Playstation 2 released, I was of course obsessing over getting one. I finally ended getting one when the Gran Turismo 3 edition released.

I was working part time nights to make some extra Xmas cash to spoil my 2 kids during the holiday at Toys "R" Us when this came out, and one night one came home with me. Yes I paid for it.... Being a "car guy" and Racing game fan, Gran Turismo is definitely a great series, and great way to get into the Playstation 2. It even played my original Playstation games, so I could continue to revisit my old favorites. 

Many great games on this system as well. The SSX Series, Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City & San Andreas all being great. Desctruction Derby Arenas however, was a Disappointment. I remember playing Vice City one night as my cat ran through the living room, well I was on the couch, with the TV & PS2 being 6-7 feet away on the TV Stand, and the cat caught the controller cord, pulling down the PS2 and scratching my Vice City disc and rendering it unplayable. Of course, me being me, I went right out and bought a new one. I also remember getting Metal Gear Solid Sons of Liberty and playing all the way through it in one night, with a friend of mine who doesn't play games watching me. The PS2 was also my first DVD Player, the first DVD I bought was the Original Tron on DVD.

During the Holidays of 2010 I decided it was time to pickup a Playstation 3, it hadn't been high on my priority list, as I had an Xbox 360 and was loving it, But all the gamers at work were cool guys, always talking about games, but all of them only had PS3s. So, around November/December 2010 I went online to Best Buys website while I was at work, ordered the Gran Turismo 5 bundle, Borderlands and Red Dead Redemption (the guys at work played these and wanted to play Coop & Multiplayer) and picked them up on my way home from work.

I got home, hooked it all up to a 10 year old CRT TV (This will become relevant shortly) and found my first disappointment. Now when I have purchased systems in the past, I was always able to hook them up, pop in a game, and be playing in 5-10 minutes. Not so with the PS3. First there was a system update, ok whatever I guess, I don't remember how long it took to download, but rememeber thinking it would only be a few minutes as when my 360 updated it only took 2-3 minutes. Oh not so with the PS3, I don't remember exactly how long it was, but it was a Loooong time, and I have Cable Internet. Anyway, I got excited once it finished, then it had to install which took a loooong time, again. It finally finished installing, so was finally I set up my PSN account, etc. and Pop in Gran Turismo 5. And much to my dismay, took an Hour and Half to Update and Install. An hour and a fucking half, WTF!?!? I remember installing Dragon Age and the Awakenings expansion to my Xbox 360 and it took maybe 15 minutes. Needless to say, I didn't play a damn thing on the PS3 that first night. 

The next day the guys at work asked how I was liking my PS3, I told them I basically played my 360 all night, as all the PS3 did was update and install all night long. They said, yeah you get used to that, I was not happy and let them know. It seemed like every god damn time I turned on the PS3, put in a new game, went to the Playstation Store, etc., all the god damn thing did was update and install SLOWLY. I really just stopped liking Playstation, I only have so many hours to play, and I wanna play dammit, NOT update, wait for install etc.. My Xbox 360 I could buy a new game, put it in, and even if there was an update, be playing in 3-4 minutes. Oh and did I mention No Backwards Compatability? Well, except for Original Playstation games, WTF?!? I couldn't play my PS2 favorites? I could play my all original Xbox favorites on the 360, Morrowind, Republic Commando, Battlefront 2, Knights of the Old Republic, Knights of the Old Republic 2, Halo, Halo 2, etc...

The Playstation Network, Not Impressed. Sooo archaic compared with Xbox Live, it was a chore just to play online. With Xbox Live I could block anyone instantly, with the push a button, or in my profile settings block anyone not on my friends list, Not So with PSN, and I hated listening to randoms in Red Dead Redemption when playing online myself or with the guys from work.

The PS3 was also my first Blu Ray Player, and the bundle also came with the Grown Ups Blu Ray, which I had on DVD already, but heard Blu Ray was supposed to be so much better. So I popped in the movie, started watching it and realized I could not tell the difference in picture, I was not impressed. The next day when I went to work and told the guy I shared an office with about it (one of the PS3 Gamers), he said "Oh Yeah, how old is your TV dumbass". Whoops, he had a point, my 10 year old CRT TV could only render so much.

It wasn't all bad, I did play all 3 Uncharted games, Killzone 2 & 3, Gran Turismo 5 & 6, the God of Wars (I never played them on PS2), Infamous (I still have Infamous 2 brand new unopened) and enjoyed them. My Wife and I also played the Little Big Planet and Little Big Planet 2 together and had good times. Overall though it just made me realize, I have absolutely No Desire for a Playstation 4, I just don't. Really the only 2 games I would even be interested in playing are Killzone Shadow Fall and Uncharted 4, definitely not enough reason to justify buying a console.

I also have a very fond memory involving my PS3. My youngest daughter was born Feb 2011, she was just 5lbs. I remember playing through both the single player campaign and getting all the multiplayer trophies for Medal of Honor (I traded an old car stereo for this and God of War III), while she slept on my chest.

I loved my Original Playstation and Playstation 2, but the Playstation 3 overall really turned me off to the Playstation brand.

Now some of you are saying, hey jack ass, all the new systems are like that now, Do you hate your Xbox One? To that my response is, True, and is One of the several reasons why this is probably going to be the last console generation for me. But that is another rant for another day.