Hi,

My knowledge of PlayStation is almost zero and my interest in them is even less so I’m after some advice please.
My two lads (12 and 16) have a PlayStation 3 which is about 18 months old and they have about 6 games for it.
They want as a joint present a new PlayStation 4 for Christmas. We only have one TV in the house and me and the
wife refuse to sit in the lounge with the PlayStation on so they don’t really spend a lot of time on the one they have. Which for
me is a good thing as I would much prefer them to be outside or chatting to us. So do they really need a new one ?
Is a PlayStation 4 just a newer and better version of what they have already. Does it do anything different or does it just do it better?
Most of their mates have one, they don’t look to be mad money and it would be within the xmas present budget of £150 each so do I give in
and get them one ?? Also the Grandparents could get them a spare controller and a couple of games so everyone’s present buying would be a lot less stressful

Thanks ,

Phil

We’ve got one for our 9yr old for Christmas (plus his birthday). It will be going in the lounge so that 1) he’s not tempted to play it at/after bedtime, and 2) so we can get Netflix on it.

It is a newer and better version – the main problems are that few of the new games coming out will have PS3 versions, and if most of their mates have PS4, the only way to play online with them is having their own.

Don’t forget to budget for the Playstation Plus online subscription (Another 35 quid or so if you shop around).

Aye, it’s just a better version of what they’ve got.
The reason for upgrading is that most new games are for PS4 – can’t play them on PS3.

Don’t forget to budget for the Playstation Plus online subscription (Another 35 quid or so if you shop around).

That was something that caught me out, worth factoring in that every year. Some games will come with a free 3 months or similar.

Don’t forget you will need to get them the games to go with it that their friends are playing.

Don’t forget you will need to get them the games to go with it that their friends are playing.

Until you find out that all the 12-year-old’s mates are currently enjoying Bloodborne/Dying Light/Alien Isolation…

My 12 year old got one last year. Remarkably she still goes outside and hasn’t lost the art of conversation.

PS4 is essentially newer and better version yes, the PS3 will start to lose support at some point and if they wish to continue playing games with their mates then PS4 might be sensible.

Yes you need PS+ but it can be bought of much less than £35 with some clever online browsing.

Yes you need PS+ but it can be bought of much less than £35 with some clever online browsing.

Cheapest I’ve seen is about 32 – interested if there’s somewhere cheaper than that for 12 months as I have to shell out in the next few days.

The main difference is as above, that new games will be out for it and eventually stop coming out for PS3. They will want to play online with their mates, presumably.

In our house the PS3 is the main entertainment option (either streaming, DVDs or gaming) on the single TV, but our kids are still young. We’ll try to keep it like this as long as we can…!

It’s still my PS3, the kids just play on it.

Multiplayer support for ps3 games is already on it’s way out, certainly on the early games I’ve been picking up 2nd hand recently.

Don’t forget to budget for the Playstation Plus online subscription (Another 35 quid

eh? how did this come about? A wedge for a proprietary system, a monthly broadband charge from your isp and now the chancers want you to essentially pay for internet access again?

PC multiplayer is free, PS3 afaik is free, what happened?

I guess you’re paying for the servers the matches are hosted on. Xbox is the same.

A wedge for a proprietary system, a monthly broadband charge from your isp and now the chancers want you to essentially pay for internet access again?
PC multiplayer is free, PS3 afaik is free, what happened?

They saw people willing to pay for the XBox online subscriptions so decided to start charging also.

A lot of games you can only access certain content with a PS+ subscription 🙁

I guess you’re paying for the servers the matches are hosted on. Xbox is the same.

Yes just like the PC but other people pay for them.

Cheapest I’ve seen is about 32 – interested if there’s somewhere cheaper than that for 12 months as I have to shell out in the next few days.

CD Keys do £35 of PSN credit for about £32 and then you get the 5% code of their Facebook to bring it down to just under £30.

Ta. I don’t have to ‘like’ them or anything, do I?

The PSN membership is worth it for the free games every month IMHO.

The PS4 isn’t a big leap forward that the PS3 was over the PS2. But it is better in almost every respect.

When I was waiting for COD Advanced Warfare to buffer on the PS3 I knew it was time to move on up to the PS4.

To be honest, I’d hazard your money would be better spent on a second TV and a handful of new PS3 games, rather than spunking several hundred pounds on a new console they’d still never be allowed to play on.

If you have a Sony phone or tablet..then you can play the ps4 on that…I got my kid a ps4 last year…..it’s got to be one of the best things ve ever done …..especially on them cold dark eves….head phones on when one of his 2 friends from school are playing online…….ooooh the laughter….that to me is worth every penny

Ta. I don’t have to ‘like’ them or anything, do I?

Well yes but it’s hardly a ball ache, you also need to give them an email address but again it’s not an issue. Especially if you create a disposable one.