Gaming Wednesdays 2: How to Get Into Gaming (if you're new to gaming) Part 1

I promised last week that I would talk a bit about people who are new to gaming. They are, after all, the only logical potential consumers of the Steamboxes which were the subject of last week's post.  And so, if you, dear reader, are not a gamer but think that videogames seem fun and are thinking about getting into gaming, this post is for you. And for everyone else, feel free to flame in the comments section.

So you want to get into gaming. A lot of other places will recommend whatever their personal preference of latest console is. Instead, I will give you the lowest cost gateway. 

The first thing you want to do is think about the technology you have and how serious do you want your games to be. At the risk of attracting much hate, if you think that you are more of a casual gamer and you already own a tablet, then you already have everything you need to play games. Just head over to the app store and get Final Fantasy Tactics or Infinity Blade or Sonic All-Star Racing. People equate tablet gaming with Angry Bird clones and Freemium skinnerbox games. By and large that is true, but there are a few quality games out there. You just need to search for them. 

Of course, if you're reading this it means that you're thinking of gaming that's a bit more serious than tablet gaming. Maybe you're thinking of getting one of those Nintendo things (as my mom calls every game console) or maybe a computer to play games on. If that's the case, then ask yourself: do you have a computer that can play games already? Look at your computer specs. If you have at least an i5 processor, a dedicated video card, and 8 gigs of ram, you have a good enough computer that will be able to run most contemporary games in mid-low settings. If that's the case, then what you want to do is check out the Humble Bundle Store or join Steam, look for games at a discount, and buy them. If they are on sale, you can buy the Mass Effect trilogy, the Assassin's Creed Trilogy, the Bioshock trilogy, and several other games such as Dust: An Elysium Tail and Guacamelee for about 30$ - 50$ total. Then, you can turn your attention to free online games such as Vindictus or League of Legends. 

But maybe PC gaming isn't your thing. Maybe you'd rather sit at your living room, as I do, and play on your big screen TV. Maybe you like the idea of having actual physical games, as I do, and maybe you don't want to go through all the hassle of installing steam to install games to play. Maybe you just want to pop them in and go. Or maybe, which is the most likely case, maybe you don't have a PC and are reading this at work or at the university, or maybe your PC isn't strong enough. Maybe you want a game console. Which one should you get?

No doubt you will hear millions of people shout the virtues of the PS 4 and the X Box One from the rooftops, with an occasional person saying the Wii U is great (it is). But if you're really new to gaming, then you actually want to go with a last gen console. 

Yes, if you're new to gaming, you're better off getting a PS 3 or an X Box 360. The PS 3 is a better choice. Let me tell you why.

At this point in time, a PS 4 will run you 400$, while an X Box One (from here on called the X-1) will set you back 500$. This doesn't include any games, and each game will set you back a cool 50$ - 60$. Instead, get a PS 3 bundle for 250$. Depending on your local game store, you will be able to find a PS 3 bundle that has Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us and Batman: Arkham Origins (I recommend this one), Gran Turismo 5, or a host of other games included. So, for half the price of an 8th generation gaming console you can get a 7th generation gaming console with a game.