Old is the new 'new'
So, after all the hullabaloo of next-generation console launches, arguments about 1080p, and massive online outages, it's time to get on with the important stuff like murdering zombies in Dead Rising 3, or Helghast in Killzone: Shadow Fall, right? Maybe its time for some browsing of menus using your voice, or sharing videos of you being a tool in COD: Ghosts? Right? Well for many, it might not be time to enter the future just yet. Some can't afford to make the jump into the land of ultra-shiny graphics and bountiful micro transactions. Some didn't order a console in time. Some just don't see the point just yet.
Finish what you started
Answer this as honestly--or dishonestly, I won't judge--as possible. How many of the games on your shelf have you actually, fully completed? If you're anything like me, the answer will probably be between 20-30%. Okay maybe 40%, there are only so many hours in the day after all. But thanks to a combination of sales and clambering aboard the hype train every few months, it's hard to avoid amassing a sizeable library of games that never get fully finished.
Carry on catching up
As we've been told mercilessly throughout the past few weeks, the Xbox One is not just a games console: it's a multimedia hub. It's designed to let you watch live TV through it, using the Snap system to flip between TV and games as you please. Because, y'know, the future. Of course, who actually cares about live TV when Parks and Recreation, Archer and Breaking Bad are just waiting for you on Netflix?
Integrate yourself, socially
Social media may be the buzziest of buzz terms, but over the next few years, were going to be seeing a lot more of Facebook and Twitter interaction from our consoles. For starters, PS4 uses the connection with Facebook to allow you to share game clips and link your PSN account to Zuckerbergs brainchild. This is great if youre into that sort of over-sharing thing, which the world has decided that it is very much in to.
Second-screen yourself silly
Dont worry, I havent forgotten about the Wii U. When Ninty squeezed itself awkwardly between generations, it brought along second screen functionality, and now Sony and Microsoft have joined their party. Remote Play and Smartglass are nifty features of the next-gen consoles, but they're certainly not new ideas, and they're easily replicated on whatever hardware you're running.
Experiment with streaming
Share and Upload. Two words youre going to see a lot of over the next few years as PS4 and Xbox One expect you to stream and share your favourite gameplay clips. Its the sort of feature that means we'll never miss a hilarious, game crippling bug again, or forget that magic moment when our 30 hour save files are deleted by the latest gameplay patch. For now though, its being used to showcase the launch line-up of the consoles on sites like Twitch, giving you the opportunity to bore people silly as you camp for hours in Battlefield 4.
Go indie
As all the console makers have pointed out, its not all about the big explosions and rat-a-tat bass rumbles of blockbuster gaming anymore. Indie developers have been courted and wooed to the point where theyre arguably just as big a deal at launch as Battlefield or FIFA, which is great thing for all the early adopters, but not so great for the rest of us. What can I do when it comes to staunchly avoiding the mainstream releases like the gaming hipster I am?
Get next-gen games on current-gen
Have you seen the launch line-up for the Xbox One and PS4? Of course Im being silly, chances are youve memorized it and can conjure up the full list in less than 7 seconds. Now, how many of those games are genuine exclusives for the new breed of consoles? Hmm, not many. For those of you who kept your money in your wallets, nows the time to start crowing about what you wont be missing out on.
Get annoyed with your original Kinect
Kinect and Move might not have been the most popular of innovations during 360 and PS3's lifetime, but Microsoft has doubled down on their tech and now youre getting a Kinect with your Xbox One whether you want it or not. So when you can afford to make the jump, get ready for voice commands.
Time is on your side
With all these reasons for not giving up on your current consoles just yet, you can now forget about the latest hardware. Or, if this list made you desperate to make the jump over, thats what Christmas lists, emotional blackmail, and eBay listings are for. Let us know whether your going next-gen or sticking with current-gen in the comments below.
