How many games make a console 'worth it'

I won't say that FFXIII didn't factor into my purchase of a PS3, because it did (got my PS3 in Feb of this year). Generally, all the consoles I get are for a FF game. The thing is, a FF is usually the catalyst for me. I'll be interested in a console for a while until a Final Fantasy shows up and convinces me, and then I'll go hogwild for those first few months buying everything that's caught my eye. My gaming tastes vary beyond FF, but for all its ups and downs, it's still my favourite.

The biggest thing for me, and probably for most people, is investment. Back when I got my PS2 ('03), I had no idea that it'd end up having probably my all-time favourite console gaming library, but I did go in with a a bit of (now justified) excitement for the future. For the time, it looked pretty appealing and had a pretty big backlog of games I wanted (many of which ended up disappointing), but it was long before the time of what, in hindsight, I consider to be the real PS2 system-sellers: GTA:San Andreas, God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, DQVIII, and FFXII. These games provided the experiences I had been wanting without even knowing it, and none of them were really in the news when I got the PS2.

I had the same thought process picking up my PS3 Slim this year, but as of this moment, I don't think the game library is really keeping up its end of the bargain. I've had my eye on PS3 for a while, and if four years after the release isn't enough time to show off some real muscle, who knows if it'll come at all. I've waited longer after the initial release to pick up the PS3 than I did the PS2, but it seems like the games aren't there. Granted, there are a few highly-rated PS3 exclusives, but it's still pretty sparse for this far into the console's lifecycle.


In short, a console being 'worth it' depends at what point in the lifecycle one is purchasing it. Early to mid-cycle is usually a couple of pretty good games + future promise. Those who only buy once the new generation is on the horizon are probably targeting a specific bunch of games. I fall into the former group, but it's much more hit-or-miss.

The amount of games you need is fairly irrelevant but here's a formula to make sure you've made the best of your investment!

(Console Price in $US) x 5 = (Expected Hours of Enjoyment)

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Originally Posted by oddler

The amount of games you need is fairly irrelevant but here's a formula to make sure you've made the best of your investment!

(Console Price in $US) x 5 = (Expected Hours of Enjoyment)

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That considers all hours of playing a game equal :D You should rework your formula to include some abstract mathematical concepts that most people won't understand.

On the side, I generally do use a formula somewhat similar when buying games. Though it usually works out to "I have to spend 'x' hours at work to buy this game. Is it worth is?"

Yeah, I see what you're saying. That's a common financial line of thinking to determine what you should put your money toward. But it also sort of circumnavigates the issue you brought up of factoring different weight values for different games. :monster:

My friends have listed some 8-9 games on the PS3 I could get, and considering each game is a nice month or two worth of game time they argued I should get a PS3.

Note however that I consider a game worth buying dependent on total game time. For example I have 1200 hours logged on both Left for Dead and Left for Dead 2 (700 + 500, respectively). So I expect a game to be good for that many hours.

By that logic World of Warcraft is the best game ever xD I don't even know what my /played is on that. No game on PS3 compares to 700 hours of gameplay, since most games I'd buy would be single player games..

That's my take on it anyway. If you like to play lots of different games maybe you might need more than 10 games, but you'd be paying more than the price of the console in games...

Having the combined total of games you want exceed the price of the console. That's not a bad rule of thumb.

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By that logic World of Warcraft is the best game ever xD

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Bah, I hate thinking like that. Every time I think of the all time best games I keep getting reminded that I've played more WoW than my top 5 combined.

Over the course of your play time, you've probably paid much more than 5 times the amount you pay for a normal game, too.

Hm, $60 x 3 + $(15x12)x~3.5 = $810. A little more than 5 times as much :D

Though $810/~3,000 = 27 cents/hour
By that math every $60 game I buy should last me over 200 hours. (Though 500+ hours on FFT for $24 is the best steal ever)

I bought an XBox 360 just for Rock Band, Arkham Asylum, and FFXIII. So I guess the answer is three.

>>> Just one game can make a console "worth it" (I got a PSP only for Dissidia).
And I got a PS3 just for the new FF games that are coming, sadly FF13 was a huge disappointment but atleast I have Disgaea 3..:luca:

There is no concrete figure. I just go "ehhhhhhhh okay" or "ehhhhhhh nah" and that's how we roll.

If there's been any recurring trend in this thread, it's that most of us have moved beyond Final Fantasy for a top quality gaming experience. Which is sad on a Final Fantasy forum...

One - but with the potential for more. In other words, one game that I feel that I really, really, really want to play, but with the knowledge that there will be other games that I can also play on that console and possibly enjoy. That's how it worked with me buying the PS3. I purchased it for a game that isn't even out yet (FFXIII Versus) but knew that there were other games such as Uncharted and Uncharted 2 that I might like. It paid off, too - it turns out that Uncharted 2 is now right up there with FFVII as one of my favourite games ever!

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Originally Posted by Loony BoB

It paid off, too - it turns out that Uncharted 2 is now right up there with FFVII as one of my favourite games ever!

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Yeah, that's how I felt about the PS3 in my initial post as well. The exclusives you didn't expect are just as amazing, or more satisfying, than the games you bought the console for.

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Originally Posted by black orb

>>> Just one game can make a console "worth it" (I got a PSP only for Dissidia).
And I got a PS3 just for the new FF games that are coming, sadly FF13 was a huge disappointment but atleast I have Disgaea 3..:luca:

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Dissidia and Crisis Core. I may not even get any more PSP games, except Birth by Sleep.