How modern do you go?

[o.pwuaioc]

I'm curious to see if people have some sort of stopping point in video games. I suspect the vast majority of you play up to 2016 on PS4/Xbox One/Wii U/Steam, but if not, I'm curious as to why you've stopped. Was the PS2 the last console you wanted to own? Was the Dreamcast? Perhaps you don't like digital stuff? Do you stop early with consoles but switched over to PC only now? Are there particular modern games you go after or avoid? Are you still only playing Ys on 8 and 16 bit consoles?

I hope to avoid the simple "modern games blow" v. "there's never been a better time to be a gamer" debate. I'm simply curious about tastes, not about bashing or apologizing for newness.

[Fragems]

I have just about everything from the Atari 2600 up to the PS4/XB1. I just haven't really seen a reason to stop anywhere I enjoy games both old and new. That being said I prefer playing newer stuff mainly because I enjoy a good story where as most of the older games mainly focused on gameplay.

[BoneSnapDeez]

For me, the beginning is the Odyssey.

As far as this current gen goes, I'm satisfied with a Wii U, 3DS, Vita, and some indie PC games from Steam and GOG.com.

Technically and aesthetically I'm just not wild about modern gaming. I occasionally make an exception for RPGs and shmups but I do not care for 3D platformers, 3D action-adventure titles, or virtually anything "AAA." I don't care for "realistic" graphics, complicated controls, cutscenes, absurdly long games, and so on.

So why the Wii U, 3DS, and Vita? Well because I can still find "retro-ish" games for those systems. There just isn't enough on the Xbox One or PS4 that interests me. Not to mention the high prices of the systems and games.

I suspect most people here have a retro stopping point, not a modern one. How many members actually play Atari or Intellivision games?

Are you still only playing Ys on 8 and 16 bit consoles?

Hey! Not a bad idea!

[o.pwuaioc]

While I wait for replies, I'll start writing up my own thoughts.

The only consoles I have after 1999 are the PS2 and Wii, and the only handhelds after that date are the GBA and PSP, and I'm finding little reason to keep the PSP and Wii around. I do play a couple of Steam and indie games from the last 15 years, but shedding everything essentially new has been a relief. I've found myself increasingly turned off sandbox, and 3D games in general.

I could potentially play more retro games, but so many of them lack the charm, the polish, or the simplicity of the best of games past. Even shooters, I don't dig bullet hells, so there goes that. :/

I also decided long ago that I currently have enough games to last me a lifetime, I don't need to splurge online anymore. Frankly, I think I went way overboard on indie bundles, and haven't touched one in a while now.

I also decided to uninstall everything on Steam except for seven games, and if I want to play more, I plan on doing it very slowly. For other post-2000 PC games, were looking at less than a dozen.

Feels so good to shed it all. The Wii and the PSP would go, but my wife won't let me touch those yet, and I probably should keep the Wii for GCN games, too.

I do not care for 3D platformers, 3D action-adventure titles, or virtually anything "AAA." I don't care for "realistic" graphics, complicated controls, cutscenes, absurdly long games, and so on.

Yep!

I suspect most people here have a retro stopping point, not a modern one. How many members actually play Atari or Intellivision games?

I think there is already a thread for that, so I didn't mention it, but anyone can feel free to talk about it. As for me, I don't have anything older than the 2600, but I do play it, the Coleco, and the C64 frequently enough.

[strangenova]

For me it's a matter of focus on generations as a whole. I don't have any console older than an nes (I have an atari plug n play though) and for this gen I've got Wii U and 3ds. I tend to enjoy most games and consoles from 3rd, 4th, and 5th gens. After that my enjoyment narrows down to specific consoles or game series. I was a late adopter of both the wii u and 3ds but I got them for the nostalgia factor and that's what keeps me with it.

[PartridgeSenpai]

I'm not really perturbed by the modern-ness of something, other than just through the usual cost-prohibitive factors. I don't want an Xbone because there aren't enough games on it that aren't on the gaming PC I have. I don't want a PS4 because they have very questionable build quality that is too reminiscent of the original 360's for me to feel comfortable owning one. But there hasn't been a stopping point where I've been like, "these new games just aren't delivering what I want anymore."

If anything, I more shy away from the much older stuff. I've recently sold anything I own that's pre-16 bit era because I just accepted that I really don't get engaged in those kinds of games. Those games focus far more on gameplay than story, and story is really what keeps me playing games (most of the time). Granted, the Exhuminator philosophy of owning stuff via emulation or digitally being much more practical is also a big factor of why I decided to purge a lot of my older stuff, but it's only one part of the reasons why.

[Tanooki]

I don't have a stopping point, but I do have a starting point, and a waning interest if you were to say make a bell curve that never has quite yet bottomed out on the right.

There's novelty factor, but I'd rarely ever touch or bother with pre-NES as it's just too janky and limited on the home side (arcade is another matter) though I did like a few 2600 and Coleco console games.

That curve shoots well towards the peak with the NES, GB, SNES at the top, then drops off as the 90s progress into the 3D era at a slow pace, then really drops well off with the HD era. I've progressively bought and enjoyed of that even less games on HD systems. Gamecube/PS2 I had dozens upon dozens of games, but PS3 probably never had more than 30-40 and 1/2 that about for PS4/WiiU.

A good factor is it's rehashed crap with smaller and smaller quality bumps so it's boring but also having a kid and limited time makes me want to bother even further less.

[marurun]

I will absolutely play modern stuff on my PC, but if I'm going to be in front of a TV, it needs to be pre-HDMI. In my case, the Wii is as recent as I go. The HDTV is for watching TV, not playing games. No games in the living room.

[o.pwuaioc]

Those games focus far more on gameplay than story, and story is really what keeps me playing games (most of the time).

It's so funny that you and Fragems say this because it's the exact opposite for me. If I wanted a story, I'd read a book (as I do anyway), and if I wanted to play something, I'd want there to be quality gameplay.

I wonder if this will continue to hold true for a lot of people who shy away from old and stick with new.

[Exhuminator]

Consoles; I start at 8-bit and stop at seventh gen (Wii/PS3/360). I'm totally good with that span of consoles for a good long time. I haven't been super impressed with anything that I've seen on Wii U/One/PS4 yet. Although I'll likely get a PS4 eventually just for The Last Guardian. But that can be five years from now for all I care.

Handhelds, I still play Game Boy all the way to 3DS and Vita. I love all kinds of handhelds and their games. I can get very unique experiences on the 3DS and Vita, and I choose to vote with my money for that stuff, and buy it while it still makes the publishers pay attention.

PC, I tend to play mainly Windows 98 to Windows 10 era stuff. Once in a while I'll dabble in a DOS game. (Although earlier this year I did beat an Apple II game.)