I have sat back and watched the Console Wars go on for quite a long time. Not just the nextgen Console Wars but wars that erupted ever since there became more than one system on the scene. Fanboys and Fangirls might be offended by this article because I won’t be giving their specific system of choice the tender loving care it deserves. I could drag on for hours and hours about which system does what and weigh the checks and balances and formulate an opinion on what system you should buy based off of those findings but I’m not going to. What I’m going to do is try to open everyone’s eyes to something I discovered a long time ago.

Okay, so what does the world generally say about each system and how you should base your opinion? The Playstation 3 is an amazing entertainment device that provides high definition games and movies that revolutionize the way we see things. They have built in blu-ray players and are capable of providing some of the most impressive graphics that we have seen in this day and age. So in consideration of these qualities it makes most sense that you would purchase a Playstation 3 if you are interested in visuals, watching movies, and doing other graphics related things, right? Wrong!

The Xbox 360 is a powerhouse when it comes to multiplayer gameplay and storage. They boast some great features like Xbox Live which is a wondrous place to mingle with your friends and build a network of gamers who enjoy the same types of games you do. You can quickly join other players through special areas within Xbox Live and the system knows what types of games you are playing and even presents what level you are currently on and what you are doing, to your friends. In not so many words it’s a really good tool to use if you enjoy stalking people. The storage system of the Xbox 360 is also nice. It comes with removable and interchangeable HDD devices. Imagine a memory card only larger and capable of storing up to 120 gigabytes of data at one time. So the Xbox 360 is a great system if you want to play with friends and store a lot of data, surely that’s why you should get an Xbox 360, right?! Wrong!

The Nintendo Wii was built for two things. Family friendly fun and interactivity in the sense of “virtual movement.” The revolutionary Wii system allows you to physically move within your games and interact with them on a more realistic and personal level. Your movements are mimic’d on screen and with the release of the Wii Motion Plus they are more realistic than ever. Wii has many titles that can be enjoyed with the whole family regardless of age and are created with the factor in mind that not everyone knows how to play games and the Wii enables them to do it without having to go through the complexities of learning different button combinations. In a sense, the Wii is very user friendly and easy to operate. So if you enjoy family friendly fun and easy to use controls than you need to grab the Wii, right? Wrong!

Why do I say wrong on all three accounts? Is that not what each system is most known for and what each system does best? Well, yes, technically that is the best qualities that each system carries and what sets them apart from one another but when it comes to the brass tax it isn’t what you should really base your purchasing decision and here is why. No matter how user friendly your system is, how many bells and whistles it has, or how gorgeous the graphics are, it’s all about the games. That’s right, games are the simple answer to which system you should purchase. Why? Because some developers are platform specific with their games and if you enjoy a specific game or a specific style of game that is only released for that platform than it should be an obvious choice as to which system you should obtain.

Halo? Microsoft has the exclusive ownership to that title and Halo has only and possibly will only be released for Microsoft’s systems in the near, and far future, depending on Bungie’s deal with Mr. Gates. God of War is something that can only be enjoyed on a Sony system and as much as you hope and pray God of War 3 is going to come to your Xbox 360 or Wii, it just isn’t going to happen, at least not right now. Nintendo Wii owns the exclusive rights to everyone’s favorite little green tunic’d Elf boy, and until Miyamoto changes his mind we probably won’t see Link (Legend of Zelda) on any other system than a Nintendo brand system.

This isn’t to say that these rules are set in stone and as gaming progresses we are starting to see many more titles come out for multiple platforms. To be honest, behind the scenes, it takes a lot for a game to be programmed and designed to work of multiple-platforms. There is a lot of coding and design that must be done specific to each system to work with its specifications. But still, some companies are making the leap into multi-platforming and it is both good and bad for the gaming business. For example, Square Enix is taking a chance this year by shying away from Sony’s grip and slithering over to Microsoft’s word as well. Final Fantasy XIII will be released on both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 and to be honest that is a good move in Square Enix’s field of play because it will generate that much more revenue for them as Microsoft owners clamber to purchase the popular title. But at the same time, if all games were multi-platform what would separate the systems from one another? It is truly a double edged sword when it comes to the design and production of games.

You just need to remember that it’s mostly about what you want to play and what you want to enjoy, not about all the different gadgets and gizmo’s that we all weigh against one another when trying to make an informed decision about what gaming system is the best choice. So when you purchase a system take into consideration what games are available for it and what companies have exclusive deals with those systems. Unfortunately, as is the case in my gaming life I am sure you will come to the same conclusion I did. There is no choice and eventually you end up with all three systems anyway. Not because you enjoy one over the other, but because, like most hardcore gamers, you just have to play a certain game and if it takes purchasing an entire system just to do it, well, I think they call that a necessary evil.