Topic: Any of you ever thought of going retro-only?

Hi there. I know I'm not on much. I don't spend much time on message boards these days. I thought I'd post about something I was thinking about, though.

I know a lot of it is a matter of opinion, but there's a LOT going on with gaming here in the year 2013 that I REALLY dislike. I could make a list, but it's only a matter of opinion, and some opinions might tick some of you off. So, I'll skip that tirade.

However, one thing I imagine a lot of you might agree would be quite the crock of you-know-what is what is rumored for the next Xbox: Constant Internet connection being required to play games on it. I know, it's about eliminating used game sales, and thus creating more profit for game makers, but it stinks on a number of levels. Such as the fact that not everybody even has access to Internet that is always on.

I could go on and on about the reasons online-only would be a lousy thing to do to gamers, but I'll get to the point of this topic. Are any of you disgusted enough with the various facets of modern day gaming that you've considered going retro-only? What I mean by that is solely buying past game systems and the games for them. I'm not to that point YET, but there's so much I'm displeased with from first and third parties alike that it's a very real future possibility if things continue on the same course.

Something someone said in a video discussing this rumor about the next Xbox made me think about it. I don't remember the quote, but his point was that that the only thing that speaks to game makers is money. You can make petitions, and gripe all you like online. At the end of the day, however, it means nothing if you buy their product, and they see that they can get away with things like DRM, and DLC abuse. So, things continue as they are, I can see myself evolving (devolving? ) into a retro-only gamer. Anybody else feel this way?

Retro only wouldn't really be possible for me since I'm really considering trying PC gaming out.

Considering I've played about every game I've wanted to since the 90s, going retro only seems like an unnecessary step back.

I'm kinda going back a bit, but definetly not 100%. There are Zeldas I want, VC games, and some GCN games I wanna get, and you could call those retro.

I have honestly thought about this a lot. However I have different reasons. My primary reason is the ever increasing cost of games and DLC.
Just recently I bought myself a Dreamcast and an NES so that Ican play passed games I missed at an affordable price. The games are quality, Like Grandia 2 which is an amazing RPG, or Powerstone, my favorite fighter.
Honestly the last game I played on Wii was Pandoras Tower months ago, and on my WiiU it was ZombiU with a friend. When we finished Zombiu we popped in some Duck Hunt and Megaman and had way more fun. The games are just as quality (if you look past graphics) and are more affordable.
I really think the WiiU will be my last that I buy new.

Also, I have quite a bit of patience. I really wouldn't mind waiting a few extra years for the next Zelda/Metroid after 2 others have been realeased. But that's just me.

Honestly with the rumor about the next Xbox I am in the same boat as you FluttershyGuy. For one thing I have always preferred buying physical game over digital, I am not going to point out why cause I dont want to derail this thread but it is just my preference. If for some reason the current gen system is digital only I will indeed pass on the system and indeed stick with my retro systems. Yeah I know the big companies wont care and the only one I am hurting is myself but so be it. There are plenty of games that I have missed on the older systems heck I still have a Dreamcast to get games on and after that I am thinking of looking into a Saturn. So I am sure that I will have plenty do.

Have already decided the Wii U is my last console purchase, unless of course nintendo releases another in 5-6 years lol. Have a monster collection of games from the 6th/7th gen that i have yet to play and add to the fact I am hardware tired. So much stuff and not possibly enough time in the day to make use of it all.

I see no reason to go full retro, the retro games I do like are only a few and everything else is either too old or too meh.

I never really played that much on retro home consoles anyway, so I don't really care that much about their games.

Thank you for all the replies! So many legitimate points for both sides!

@Tasuki
I think I know and understand a lot of those reasons, because they're the same ones I have. I'll say this about the fact that you're just one gamer, and I'm just one gamer in a sea of countless who are willing to pay the price of admission, monetary and personal rights-wise: If enough people start to think as you and I, and speak with their pocketbooks, they'll be forced to listen. In time, as enough things change to the dislike of gamers, I feel like there will be a growing movement of gamers who forsake the current cynical gaming business model, in favor of retro gaming. If that time comes, companies will have to listen, for the sake of their very survival.

And, I don't look at it as hurting yourself horribly. There are games here and there you would miss out on, but there are also the classics and hidden gems of yesteryear that you'll discover (that you may like more than new releases of today)! Honestly, despite today's fancy graphics and all, I prefer the games of past systems. I'm playing through both quests of The Legend of Zelda right now, to celebrate my 25th anniversary of getting the game. For some reason, it's quite rare for me to play through more recent games a second time. There are some classics like TLoZ that I've played through five, six, seven, or MORE times over the years. Plus, like me if I eventually go that route (as I'm seriously considering right now), you always have the option of giving modern gaming another chance.

@FluttershyGuy: Yep so true. I dont know why but I can find myself playing alot of the older games over and over and over even after I beat them, some examples being Megaman II, Ducktales, Chrono Trigger, but for some reason todays games one play through is enough for me. Even great games like Batman Arkham City, Skyrim, and even NSMB2. I dont know why that is either although I found out that a co worker of mine is the same way. It seems that he is always trading in games for his Xbox 360 some of them it seems like he just got a month ago lol. Maybe I am just old fashion.

Yes. I've decided to go retro only. I only buy games for N64, PS1, PS2, X-Box, GCN, Wii, Gameboy and NDS. The Wii was the last system I purchased.
There are so many interesting games for these systems that it keeps me busy for the next 999 years. And I have currently 100 games that I've never played (and the proportion is increasing).

Personally, that sounds like one of the worst things I could possibly do to myself, video game-wise.

I think the inability to digest games from recent times has a lot to do with our modern culture: the saturation of gaming news, the spoiler factor, etc.

At the same time all that stuff is what makes this period of time so great, it's a very energetic atmosphere of approaching new games. To truly go retro suggests turning the lights out, stepping away from the computer, and entering a black hole to the past. So I think it's a dishonest term, most people are unlikely to reject the whole of modern gaming. Miiverse is creating a wonderful way to experience classic games, but also places you on the cusp of entertainment. Why choose, when you can have the best of two worlds - the modern, and the retro!

It seems like I buy the new consoles for the retro games. I played VC games more than anything else on the Wii, and I'm planning on buying a lot of PSone classics for my PS3. I'd say about 95% of my gaming time is with retro games.

I think I'm just taking it all as it comes. I've definitely got a lot of things that I can go back and play that are retro that I never finished or would love to play again, but there's also some really great things coming that I couldn't pass up. Thelastlemming has a point, if I wanted to go 100% retro, I would have to never go anywhere near a site on the Internet that may mention the newest game or something. Bottom line: if someone is making something that I want at a reasonable price, I'll get it and I'll play it and hopefully love it. Otherwise, I have tons of "retro" options to go back to.

No. I like new games.

I don't get hung up over always on internet, or DLC, or digital downloads. I'm still playing the game.

Honestly, with my lifestyle outside of handhelds and Civ V or the random Humble Bundle, I am retro only.
My 360, PS3 and Wii are in storage back in the states, and considering I live in Central Asia and do not own a TV, a Wii U just isn't in the cards.
So i play anything my computer can run and anything i can download onto handhelds (my 3DS and iPhone), but for the most part I spend most of my time gaming int he past.

I am just not that big a fan of the grey/brown space marine/special forces fist/third person shoot-a-thon that modern gaming has devolved into...

I constantly go on sites (like Nintendo Life) where the newest games are mentioned and hyped like crazy. And I constantly watch commercials on TV because you can't avoid that. But it don't affect me. I am not easily influenced by others, I have a mind of my own and dont need to be told what to think.

Interestingly enough, me and my friends on Xbox have been discussing this quiet a lot recently. I already have decided that I am going to build up my collection of consoles from the Atari to the Original Xbox, in fact, I already started my collection by re-buying the three systems that got me into gaming all those years ago (19 to be exact)... The Nintendo Entertainment System, The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and The Sega Master System, so far my collection isn't as amazing as say... James Rolfe, or the Irate Gamer, but I have begun building my collection up whether its a good or bad game. At the moment I own about 20 Retro Games, varying over the three systems, and a retro game store that is nearby has a Sega Saturn, PS1, PS2, Sega Dreamcast, and the original Xbox that I'm looking at getting. So my collection will expand...

However,

Since the Xbox 360's release I have been a major die hard fan of Microsoft and Xbox, and while I won't jump on anyone for saying Xbox sucks, or dare I say that PS3 is -better- then the Xbox, I will say that I will give the Xbox Durango at least a year before I cut all ties to make sure the game systems are really as bad as I'm expecting. Also, rumor is they'll keep the Physical stuff, but all games will have activation codes for different Xbox's, which personally, I don't mind really that makes more sense then making everything digital, and yeah, the PS3 is trying to get rid of all used games, and both the Xbox and PS3 creators (Microsoft and Sony respectively), are losing money. But in the end they need to ask themselves, which chances are they won't, what would keep them from making money? Making everything Digital might make them more money, and let them have more control, but would most likely alienate the populous who are their respective fans which was already dwindling in the first place. Frankly, I think only Nintendo really even considers what their customers would want... And even that -looks- to be dwindling.

So bottom line is: No I probably wouldn't go fully retro but I would definitely play my Retro Games more often if I was forced to buy all my games new. Some games are not worth it, also some of my friends work at Gamestop and the Gamers store mentioned above, without used games there is a chance that all those would be closed down. Really annoys me.

Edit: Might as well mention I'm also an avid PC player with Steam, and own like 50 different games on there, plus their expansions.