How much does it cost to play?

You’ve seen the previews, you heard the news, but can you really afford the new games? I’ve been asking myself the same question since the advent of news and previews of the upcoming next generation games and consoles. Of course as a true to heart gamer, I could stop drolling ang getting hyped everytime I see the screenshots and trailers. But like most filipino gamers, I am also budget tight! How much does it cost to play and fully enjoy these new games? you wouldn’t believe that playing even a console would would hurt your pocket so much! Here is my breakdown of prices after careful research and evaluation:

Consoles:
Playstation 3 = This baby sells for atleast 50,000 pesos locally! Clearly this is due to the lack of supply, but expect these babies to still sell for 30 – 40k when the prices settle down. With an outrageous pricetag and still with a limited number of games, I wouldn’t recommend this one for this year’s Christmas.
Xbox360 = This one sells for 20k locally, significantly cheaper than his Playstation rival. There are plenty of choices for games and there are enough supply to go around for everyone. This is obviously the best choice!
Nintendo Wii = As of this moment I haven’t seen a Wii for sale around my side of town, but it should sell around with the same price as the xbox 360.

“Now that I have the console. what more do I need?” you may ask, My answer is: “Another 100,000 pesos to fully enjoy your new plaything!” Here is the breakdown:

HDTV = Plugging your new console to a standard TV is like putting a new Ferrari engine in an old car chassis! To fully enjoy these new consoles should be paired up with an HDTV capable of 720p and 1080i, or better yet 1080p for the ps3. The cheapest HDTV I was able to find is priced at around 65-70k, higher models and larger screens would cost alot more in 10-20k increments depending on the size and brand! wheeeww…!

Home Theater System = Sounds play a vital role in immersing gamers and setting the atmosphere of the game, 5.1 surround systems are the way to go! These systems sell for around 20 – 30 thousand for the entry level systems, of course the higher ends would cost alot more.

And that’s that for the consoles! PC gamers, stay tuned for the second half!

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