Dear Xbox 360,
You don’t have to give me the silent treatment. I can feel your dissatisfied stare every time I walk past the office to the living room. I’ve even heard your derisive snort as I carry the PS3 from the living room to the bedroom. I get it. You’re upset. And, maybe, you have a right to be upset. We’ve been together a long, long time, 360. I still remember that November 2007 when I finally quit my part time job at Spencer’s because I finally had enough money to pick you out of Gamestop and bring you home forever. Now that’s love. I hated that job.
I can't remember if I sold or wore this shirt.
We’ve had some good time, haven’t we? I’ve played some of the best games I could’ve imagined with you. Blue Dragon, Fallout, Portal, Final Fantasy… we’ve logged many an hour exploring fantasy realms together. I’m not ever going to deny the initial passion we shared. Far from it. Some of my fondest memories have been spent with you and I wouldn’t trade them in for the world.
But look at it from my point of view, will you? Four years is an awful long time to be exclusive to any game system. And though I dabbled in PC gaming for a short time in 2010, even the lure of the Sims 3 couldn’t keep me away from you that long. It’s just that, after a while, a gamer has needs and, sadly, I needed to have those needs satisfied somewhere else. It’s nothing that you’ve done wrong, exactly, it’s just that the PS3 is able to handle certain things better.
For example, PS3 has built in wireless capabilities. I know, I know. A wired connection is ultimately better than a wireless connection. But that doesn’t take away from the convenience of being able to play my PS3 up in my bedroom or in the living room or even in the office where you’re currently set up. Don’t worry, I won’t ever do that to you, Xbox 360, but I think my point is made. When you’re stuck to my router the way you are, it’s a matter of where I feel like playing. More often than not, when I’m in the office, I’m in there because I need to work, not because I need to play.
Speaking of an internet connection, I also need to shell out additional money in order to enjoy online gaming with you. The PS3 allows me to connect with my gaming buddies at any time without any additional cost. Sure, there’s the Playstation Network Plus or whatever it’s called (I haven’t done the research because it hasn’t been necessary for my purposes) but that’s something extra and if I don’t want it, I don’t have to have it. Every year, I have to subscribe to a gold membership in order to enjoy playing Castle Crashers with my friends. How is that fair? I take an extra job in order to buy you and then I have to pay every year in order to enjoy one of my favorite features of this next gen console. I don’t play things like World of Warcraft or City of Heroes for a reason: once I buy something once, I don’t like to keep paying for it. And spare me your arguments about maintenance and all of that. I get it. But I don’t want to pay for it.
And this will keep the hamsters running the server alive for how long? And Sally Struthers won't see a penny of this?
The games I tend to play typically appear on both systems, so it’s not really a matter of choosing a certain system to play a certain game. Besides, now that Konami has released HD versions of the popular Metal Gears for both systems, I could easily have enjoyed stealth infiltration on either system. However, there is definitely a difference in quality between you and the PS3 and, loath as I am to tell you this, the PS3 does have noticably different graphics. It’s just enough that I can actually see the difference, and that’s usually tough for me. I’m sorry, 360. It’s just the truth.
Also, Blu-Ray. ‘Nuff said.
You see, it’s not you, 360. It’s me. It’s just human nature to want newer and more exciting things and with the PS3, I get all of that and more. The PS3 is sleek-looking and matches my furniture without having to buy face plates or anything. The Netflix application for the PS3 is more streamlined and intuitive to use, too. Having no batteries for the controllers is also pretty sweet; I’d much rather plug my controller in to charge it than replace the batteries. Plus, I can still play while it’s charging. I did buy separate chargers for both systems, which negates that problem almost entirely but I didn’t have to do that for the PS3. I chose to.
I'm pretty sure PS3 loves me back just as much.
I’m not suggesting we break up, Xbox 360. You know I’ll always love you and want to keep you in my life. I’m merely offering a creative solution to the distance we’ve been experiencing. It’s 2011 and I think that we’re both adult enough to handle a more complicated relationship. PS3 isn’t replacing you; there’s no need to be jealous. I just feel that I have enough love in my heart for both of you. I need you to be willing to share your affections for me with another system. I don’t think I’m asking too much. I’ll keep buying gold membership and promise to download some fantastic Xbox Live Arcade games. And I won’t replace the games I have for you with PS3 versions.
All I ask is that you don’t red-ring me. Just don’t do that and we’ll be just fine. Cross my heart.
The electronic equivalent of the middle finger.
Yours Always,
Kristi
