The best console is that one your friends have

The age-old battlefield that millions of gamers have died on; the console war. Which console is better? Which one is right for you? What console will you have more fun with? These are all questions that gamers have been fighting over for years now and I have a simple answer that many would agree with. Simply go where your friends are. As with the grass that’s always greener on the other side, the best console is that one your friends have.

I know that when you talk about power, the PlayStation 4 is slightly stronger, but I will debate till the lose my voice that if your group of friends is all o the Xbox One, it is a smart investment to go and buy the Xbox.

In an age where multiplayer is so strongly pushed, it just makes sense to have the same box as your buddies. The worst thing in the world is to be playing Destiny, GTA Online, or some other multiplayer game by yourself and look to see that all of your pals are playing on a different platform.

Although I am more of a single-player-focused kind of guy, I will say that playing with a good group of buddies at night can really help the time pass quicker and can add some enjoyment to a game. I wasn’t a huge proclaimer of Destiny, but playing it with some buddies made me put in a lot of fun hours into Bungie’s game.

Even if it’s not playing with my buddies, sometimes it’s nice to just jump in a party with them and bullshit while we all play our separate titles. Sure you can just do that through Skype, but it is just plain more convenient to do when it’s worked into the actual system itself. See also this interview with IGE-President Steve Salyer about the secondary gaming market.

I’ve also found it nice to see what games your friends are playing and spark up conversations that way. For instance, if you’re on your PS4 and you see a buddy did something cool or unlocked a trophy, you can message them about it, or talk to them the next time you see them. If you’re on a different platform, you simply can’t do that. It’s a small, minor thing, but it’s an added benefit to those who own the same platform.

Now I’m not saying if your heart is set on the Xbox One or PS4 already that you should change it, but if you’re caught in the middle of the console war and you don’t know which one to choose, it is not a bad idea to look and see who you want to play with and buy the console they have. But keep in mind that, though it all may look so great, sometimes you just have to move on to new stuff and leave past gen stuff behind. 

I know that some may not like this argument and will only want to throw 1080p vs 900p in my face or talk about exclusives, but I truly believe that if you are on the fence, looking to your friends’ choices may help you in the long run.

I love video games and I think the whole “console war” is a bit silly. This is my take on how to resolve it and not get too caught up in the numbers game and e-peen waving. Video games are all about having fun and there’s no easier way to have fun than with a group of close friends.