A reader explains why he has cancelled his PlayStation pre-order and why he’s no longer excited about the next gen at all.
I have owned a PlayStation ever since the first one came out. I don’t like to think of myself as a mindless fanboy and I have owned an Xbox 360 and a Wii as well, and am interested in a Switch, but for me video games equals PlayStation. I guess that probably makes me a casual gamer but I like to think I’m reasonably aware of what’s going on in the industry, in terms of big releases, and I do like to try indie games when I hear of a good one.
Based on that you’d assume that I’d be a shoe-in to buy a PlayStation 5 and I would’ve agreed with you… until I found out how much the games cost. This is something everyone has been complaining about since they were announced, with most Sony exclusives costing £70. Third party games are at least £5 cheaper but, like many, it’s the Sony exclusives that have become the main reason why I stick with PlayStation brand.
It certainly wasn’t good news when I found out about the price hike but I pre-ordered anyway and was almost proud when I got confirmation from Amazon that it had worked. But over the last few weeks I’ve had time to think about what I’m getting myself into and I just don’t think it’s worth. So I cancelled the pre-order.
Part of it is probably all the talk about Game Pass Ultimate and how it’s such good value for money and I guess that means Microsoft’s marketing is working. The problem is I’m just not interested in anything Microsoft is offering. I never thought much of Halo and Gears Of War in the first play and now they just feel old-fashioned and stuck in a rut.
Fable was never any good and I’ve no interest in car games, which leaves… Bethesda games, I guess? That is a big deal to be fair but it’d be a bigger one if they had any new games coming out anytime soon that were know to be exclusive, but for some reason they’re keeping all that secret. Or haven’t decided yet – I get the feeling Microsoft make a lot of this up as they go along.
So that leaves me with the choice of either paying unfair amounts of money for Sony games that I do want to play (but, like anything, aren’t guaranteed to be good) and getting an Xbox Series X and enjoying much better value for money that I’m not particularly interested in.
I feel like Sony are pushing me away from the path I want to take and I was genuinely holding out for them to make some last minute announcement of a PlayStation equivalent of Game Pass, but that’s clearly not going to happen now. Although who knows what will change if sales aren’t what they’re hoping for.
All this has done is made me reconsider buying that Switch, except I think I’d rather wait for the rumoured 4K version next year, as the low-tech graphics have always put me off. Or maybe I just skip this generation for a few years? Money is tight given what’s happened this year and to be honest I just feel like I’m being manipulated by these games companies into something I don’t really want.
Microsoft want to tie me into some complicated ecosystem they hope I’ll never escape from and Sony think they’ve earned enough kudos with their exclusives they can charge whatever they want for them. Well, it’s not working on me, I can tell you.
All this has done is make me stick with what I’ve got and maybe reconsider video games entirely. It’s not just the price but the way they try to take over your life now, from game to console, and it’s beginning to get quite creepy and exhausting. So well done Sony, you’ve not only put me off buying a PlayStation 5 but you’ve put me off video games as a whole. At least for now…
By reader PLM
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.
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