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[turnbuckle]

I'd go with the PS4 for now.
Unless you're an absolute Zelda diehard. Then, you could get a switch and Zelda and sell both for a PS4 once you're done.

 

[CEJames]

Right now: PS4
1 Year from now: PS4
3 Years: PS5
10 Years: PS5

Not even close. Playstations always have best most varied console gaming libraries.

1) FTFY

2) Tag: Gold Member?

 

[MetalliCabombination]

Is this one of the thread where they all come out of woodwork?

Man this place is getting to point where mentioning the switch with anything but absolute praise invites hostility

 

[Infinite_Daremo]

Man this place is getting to point where mentioning the switch with anything but absolute praise invites hostility

Funny thing is he wasn't being negative. Just pragmatic.

Answer would always be PS4 for me. Waiting till a Xmas price drop with more than 1 game to play is a smarter approach to the Switch.

 

[Tyraniboah]

He already has a gaming laptop? Is portability a major factor? Has he played some of the indies getting released? Would he be interested at all? I love my Switch and Zelda even more. I'd honestly choose that for myself because I also enjoy Nintendo's other franchises (and I'm finally converting to PC). I'm looking forward to online Mario Kart and Splatoon and I think Smash 4 getting a port is pretty likely.

If he's into large open world RPGs and portability isn't important, then the PS4 might be better. I hear Horizon is pretty good and it also has Bloodborne, though that's more action oriented and isn't for everyone. Persona isn't for me as I'm not in a position to spend 200+ hours on one game, but he'll probably get into it. There's also the fact that if he hasn't owned a Nintendo system for a long time, if at all, then other Nintendo franchises might not be all that appealing to him.

As I've seen at least one poster point out, as well as a litany of critics and reviewers on other sites, Zelda mops the floor (and shines it too) with anything offered by the PS4 or even the Xbox One right now. That game alone has justified my Switch purchase, along with stuff like Shovel Knight, I Am Setsuna, Disgaea 5, and other games I missed (those are all playable on PS4, by the way). A PS4 offers the best overall value. He could start now and not have time this year just to finish the exclusives worth playing on it. A Switch has the best overall game though. I know you want to surprise him, but perhaps ask him a few more details. I'd recommend a PS4 as of right now, and judging by reviews there is no better way to get him initiated than with Horizon and Persona.

 

[Kristian]

yo it's your cousin here! i want that sexy ps4. thanks cousin.

 

[Principate]

Man this place is getting to point where mentioning the switch with anything but absolute praise invites hostility

Crazy how GAF is it's either worse than Wii U DOA or the second coming.

 

[AquaWateria]

Honestly asking this type of question on GAF is a bad idea imo since there is a bigger bias towards a system whether its a good value or not. Let's be real no one on GAF knows your cousin better than you.

I mean what if you buy a PS4 and he doesn't like it or vice versa with Switch. So why not just ask what he prefers instead of asking a bunch of people that would rather pick there favorite system.

 

[Ninja Kn1ght]

Zelda is great but PS4 has a hell of a lot of great games already.

 

[Chessr]

Get him a switch.
If he dont play much videogames the big library on the ps4 wont be important for him.
Botw is the better game

 

[Lord Azrael]

That's a really strange reason to get someone a console...

Anyway, kinda hard to answer that without knowing forcing games he plays. I would err on the side of caution and just get him a PS4.

 

[ViolentP]

Get him a switch.
If he dont play much videogames the big library on the ps4 wont be important for him.
Botw is the better game

Unless he doesn't like BotW and he's left with a $300 paperweight.

 

[SocksAndShoes]

As much as I think BOTW is one of the most brilliant games ever made, the best course of action is get a PS4 now and a Switch at the holidays. Spend the next 8 months catching up on the crazy back-catalogue the PS4 has, as well as those two games, and then dive into Zelda and whatever else the Switch has by then.

This is the best idea OP. As someone who just got a Switch + Zelda, It's amazing but it's really the only substantial experience the console is offering at this point.

 

[Give War A Chance]

I really don't think this is a real question.

Switch for one game, without much of a backlog of games they might discover they like also...

vs

PS4 for two games, with a huge backlog of games they might discover they like also.

All three games mentioned are GREAT, so it's really not about the quality of each individual game. I wouldn't ever really recommend anyone buy a new console for one game.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

I'd go PS4. I have both and PS4 is my main by far, though the Switch has been getting a lot of use.

Switch only is really only viable for huge Nintendo fans. For a lapsed gamer, the broader library on PS4 is more likely to appeal to them.

 

[……forgetit]

Ask your cousin what he wants

 

[Tripolygon]

WiiU currently has a better game library than switch. So get a PS4 since wiiU is not on the list.

 

[Krakatoa]

Get him a PS4, If he gets hooked on BOTW he could end up losing his new job due to lack of sleep.

 

[bigol]

Right now Ps4. Not just because of P5 or Horizon,but also the other awesome games. Switch future is still uncertain at this point.

 

[Cleve]

Zelda's a good game, but not worth missing out on all the other great PS4 games that are out.

PS4.

 

[Daknight]

If he already has a gaming laptop that can cover newest games I would go switch. Though the PS4 has a couple great exclusives or multiplatform that aren't on PC (FF XV, Horizon, upcoming The Last of Us) I think a switch would be better since it'll have more games that will never be on PC and he can cover the rest with his gaming laptop.

If his gaming laptop can't play the newest games, then a PS4 is probably the best option.

 

[Savinowned]

I've enjoyed my Switch so much for the past month so I can certainly understand the hesitation.

That being said, definitely go PS4. 4 months from now when he would be pretty much done with Zelda, he'd still be able to pick up Bloodborne, Uncharted 1-4, The Last of Us, The Witcher 3, or any other great games that we all know won't be coming to the Switch.

 

[Zen Mu]

stretch your dollar even further, buddy.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-PlaySt...-4-A-Thiefs-End-PS4-Game-Bundle-/311784232826

$234 with uncharted 4

i would definitely get him horizon as well.

persona 5 seems like an acquired taste though.

Yea, I'd get him Nier or (like another poster mentioned earlier) a 12 month PS+ sub along with the PS4 UC4 bundle and Horizon. P5 will be amazing, but it's not for everyone. Another gaffer also mentioned The Witcher 3, grab that as his second game if he hasn't already played it.

 

[TsuWave]

Switch

It's fun and portable

Plus has hype around it which they may enjoy being a part of

wait what?

i understand getting hyped about a console and buying it for the games that hyped you up but to buy a console to enjoy being part of hype? is this actually a thing?

 

[SScorpio]

wait what?

i understand getting hyped about a console and buying it for the games that hyped you up but to buy a console to enjoy being part of hype? is this actually a thing?

As a Nintendo fan, it's something you learn to do while you wait months for new games to come out.

 

[homelessbaby]

For me personally, I've played PS4 and the amount of games I'd like is overwhelming. I don't know about hype, but there's something to be said for getting a console when it's new so you don't feel like you're missing a bajillion games.

In the era of peak content, it's nice to have some curation (this is how I'm spinning the lack of Switch games ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[family_guy]

Unless he doesn't like BotW and he's left with a $300 paperweight.

My sister was going to get my nephew a Switch for his birthday. I told her not to bother right now. He doesn't have the attention span for Zelda. He likes quick games like CoD multiplayer and Splatoon. The Switch would be a waste of money right now for alot of kids.

 

[The Futurist]

Die hard Nintendo fan that will cut you if you say anything bad about the big N? Get the Switch and Zelda.

Pretty much anyone else in any other situation? Get a PS4.

Between Horizon and Zelda, I would pick Zelda. Horizon is great no doubt, but it's an open world game that pretty much follows the same formula that all open world games do.

Persona looks awesome though.

 

[Waji]

For a second I thought people could be right chosing PS4 but then I noticed he was playing on PC.
What's the point of having the PS4 if he can play most games on the PC already.
He's better with a Switch whether it's for Zelda or the portability which at least differs a little from the PC.

Though I don't know the exact list of games ported on PC but from what I remember there's a fairly good amount.

Is that a valid argument or am I this :

Die hard Nintendo fan that will cut you if you say anything bad about the big N?

It's really tiring to see this kind of reaction on absolutely every forum/website, as if there's no way to discuss something without seein that.

 

[Cornbread78]

PS4+ P5+ Horizon = no regrets will be had..

 

[Dr_LucienSanchez]

I'm one of the few people that liked Horizon over BoTW. Also, after finishing that game, my Switch is gathering dust. So yeah, get a PS4 for me.

I've also been playing through both and have been finding Horizon just much more compelling (mostly narrative, but also gameplay). Not to take anything away from Zelda, since it's an incredible game, but I actually care to find out what happens next in Horizon. Whereas with Zelda I just fuck around a bit in portable mode once in a while.

So yeah, that aside, I think it's a pretty easy choice. It'll take a while for the Switch's library to expand and even remotely begin to compare to the PS4 library.

For a second I thought people could be right chosing PS4 but then I noticed he was playing on PC.
What's the point of having the PS4 if he can play most games on the PC already.
He's better with a Switch whether it's for Zelda or the portability which at least differs a little from the PC.

Though I don't know the exact list of games ported on PC but from what I remember there's a fairly good amount.

I'm pretty positive that the games listed in this thread's title aren't available on PC. Let alone a wide range of other PS4 games.

 

[Daknight]

For a second I thought people could be right chosing PS4 but then I noticed he was playing on PC.
What's the point of having the PS4 if he can play most games on the PC already.
He's better with a Switch whether it's for Zelda or the portability which at least differs a little from the PC.

Though I don't know the exact list of games ported on PC but from what I remember there's a fairly good amount.

Is that a valid argument or am I this :

It's really tiring to see this kind of reaction on absolutely every forum/website, as if there's no way to discuss something without seein that.

Yeah, is weird people seem to be ignoring the fact he has a gaming laptop for most gaming. Though the PS4 has some nice exclusive like Horizon mention (and Person 5 in his case since he doesn't have a PS3) I believe most of the use of the PS4 he would get from his gaming laptop compare to a switch.

 

[Domcorleone]

Switch has one AMAZING exclusive, PS4 has several great-amazing exclusives so go PS4 Pro (especially since he games on a PC, hell expect a certain graphical quality)

 

[Domcorleone]

Yeah, is weird people seem to be ignoring the fact he has a gaming laptop for most gaming. Though the PS4 has some nice exclusive like Horizon mention (and Person 5 in his case since he doesn't have a PS3) I believe most of the use of the PS4 he would get from his gaming laptop compare to a switch.

Because one console has one game worth playing (due to no games on the system yet) and the other has many exclusives he can play right now. Add the fact that you can remote play on the laptop it seems like a no-brainer.

 

[Kindekuma]

He might get some time out of Horizon but P5 being an 80-100 hr long game I doubt he'll be able to really dedicate the time to it.

Zelda and Switch sounds like the more tempting deal. Take with you as you go, open world, accessible.

 

[Usobuko]

Get him the system his friends are on.

But if that isn't a factor, then ps4 has the better value proposition with its longer established library.

 

[Waji]

Yeah, is weird people seem to be ignoring the fact he has a gaming laptop for most gaming. Though the PS4 has some nice exclusive like Horizon mention (and Person 5 in his case since he doesn't have a PS3) I believe most of the use of the PS4 he would get from his gaming laptop compare to a switch.

I think the question lacks some detail.
Maybe the "cousin" he talks about likes a few other types of games that would be on one system or the other.
If it's just "Open World RPG" and that's it... well I wouldn't even say the PS4 has the edge with the PC added. Because the Switch should get some more like Xenoblade X (and if we count it, Xenoblade 2) but X isn't confirmed so I guess it doesn't really count.

But I still think it's worth thinking a little more than just completely ignore the PC and think "PS4 has more games period."

Plus Persona 5 is nothing like an Open World RPG and could easily not be his cup of tea.
We don't even know if it's any Open World RPG or more Western/Japanese...

 

[spock]

Actually, if your buying this soon, getting a switch might make more sense simply because resale value is higher so he could get a ps4 if he ends up not liking the sWitch pretty easily. Just another thought.

 

[MTC100]

The main question that needs answering though: Will you even get a Switch?

 

[ThatsMytrunks]

PS4's can be had for around $200. Buy that, Horizon + Persona + PS+, and you're just under the cost of a Switch+Zelda.

Zelda really might be one of the best games of all time, but it doesn't carry a system with no other amazing games at the moment.

THERE IS A CAVEAT: If he has a commute to his new job via bus or train, get a Switch. He'll love its portability.

 

[Daknight]

Because one console has one game worth playing (due to no games on the system yet) and the other has many exclusives he can play right now. Add the fact that you can remote play on the laptop it seems like a no-brainer.

But he just got a new job (which we don't know what it is) so his gaming time is even more limited. He can take the switch with him and play and he has his gaming laptop for other games at home. In PS4 there are quite a few exclusive...but will he be able to get them all and play them?

We do need to know his gaming habit and is not like the Switch won't get games later on You make it sound like the switch release and boom no other game will ever be made. I am not questioning that the PS4 is a great deal and again if his gaming laptop can't do a lot of current games then a PS4 is indeed a no brainer.

Yet if his gaming laptop can play most games and open world at that then it can cover most of his gaming need (expecially if he is interested most in open world). While the switch can cover everything else and he can take it with him everywhere.

 

[Carlisle]

On the one hand, yeah, the majority of comments are right in that PS4 will get him a million times more bang for buck than Switch right now, objectively speaking. But if he hasn't gotten a PS4 by now, is it really up his alley? Especially considering he's not much of a console gamer, Switch might be more palatable to him due to the tablet form factor. There's also a lot of multiplatform overlap between PS4 and his gaming PC.

But P5 and Horizon...

I don't know, it's really a tough call. PS4 is the objectively better choice, but I'm not 100% convinced it's right for him. But Switch is still too early on to be a very good value either. I think if I had to choose one, I'd go for Switch though. It's the new hot ticket item and I think he'd appreciate it a lot for that alone "omg how did you find one," etc. Not to mention that it sounds like he'd get more out of Zelda than the other two PS4 games you mentioned if he's into open world RPGs.

I just worry that, not being a console gamer, he'll see this gigantic slab that's gotta get hooked up to his living room, with such a big overlap with his current PC library, and be like "what do I do with this?" But you know your cousin best op. Good luck.

 

[Feeroper]

PS4 is the better bet, so many good games and of course Horizon is great and Persona 5 looks to be amazing.

Zelda is one of the best games I've played in a very long time, and I love the Switch, but right now PS4 clearly has an amazing library and so many other classics that can be drawn from and of course its guaranteed to have some amazing games in the future.

Plus finding a Switch might be difficult currently, and as well as it is still launch hardware, there may be more likelihood of issues out of the box like the joy con issue.

 

[Swiggins]

No contest. PS4.

Pick him up a copy of Horizon to start out and from there the sky's the limit. Bloodborne, Persona 5, Nioh, Neir Automata, The Last of Us, Uncharted 1-4 and that's just the exclusives.

 

[SGRX]

PS4 by a mile. It would be a lot more subjective if Persona 5 and Horizon were the extent of the PS4's library, but there are so many more worthwhile titles on top of those.

 

[oti]

I don't really disagree, but it is important I think to realise that the PS4 being the system to get is imo a combination of its vast reach of third party support and its exclusives. Imo a Nintendo system will have better exclusives at the end of its lifetime compared to a Playstation system, so if the person in question has a PC to play third party, the latter comparison becomes by far the most important. In that comparison, at the moment PS4 definitely has a leg up compared to Switch, but I think at the end of both systems' respective lifetimes the Switch will have a leg up. In that sense, there is definitely a discussion to be had about which is best for OP's cousin, especially with portability being a possible selling point.

I like your opinion and I'd love to see this happen, but if it was my cousin I wouldn't tell him to buy something based on assumptions but rather on facts. In a few years Switch could be amazing, right now it's Zelda (which in itself is amazing, mind you). But the correct answer for here and now is PS4. As long as his laptop isn't strong enough to play third parties that is. If that's the case I'd say Switch.

 

[alexbull_uk]

PS4 + Horizon is the obvious choice here.

As great as BotW is, it can't compete with the library of the PS4.

 

[Zia]

Nothing on PS4 as good as BotW (though Bloodborne is pretty good) but PS4 has the better overall library.

 

[Okami Haundo]

Hm... The decision there is kind of tough. Normally I would say PS4, as the exclusive library is quite large. That library is only made even larger when you consider that he hasn't played console games since the PS1!

But... PSNow on PC would allow him to play the PS3 games he missed, and soon that will encompass PS4 games as well. Get him a Switch so he can experience the games he can't (legally) get on his preferred platform.

 

[spock]

On the one hand, yeah, the majority of comments are right in that PS4 will get him a million times more bang for buck than Switch right now, objectively speaking. But if he hasn't gotten a PS4 by now, is it really up his alley? Especially considering he's not much of a console gamer, Switch might be more palatable to him due to the tablet form factor. There's also a lot of multiplatform overlap between PS4 and his gaming PC.

But P5 and Horizon...

I don't know, it's really a tough call. PS4 is the objectively better choice, but I'm not 100% convinced it's right for him. But Switch is still too early on to be a very good value either. I think if I had to choose one, I'd go for Switch though. It's the new hot ticket item and I think he'd appreciate it a lot for that alone "omg how did you find one," etc. Not to mention that it sounds like he'd get more out of Zelda than the other two PS4 games you mentioned if he's into open world RPGs.

I just worry that, not being a console gamer, he'll see this gigantic slab that's gotta get hooked up to his living room, with such a big overlap with his current PC library, and be like "what do I do with this?" But you know your cousin best op. Good luck.

Pretty good point. Good chance he's played or pretty aware of the ps4 by now. What you think the odds are if he wanted it by now her would have got it? You could also just talk about zelda in passing and feel out his response.