With PS4 and Xbox One games now being considered last-generation, game prices will fall.
Hectic shooters like Borderlands can suffer performance drops in split-screen, but that’s a problem that you won’t have if you’re both using separate consoles.Ĭross-play is also becoming more prevalent, with games like Minecraft, Rocket League, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Battlefield V allowing players to play together regardless of whether or not they’re using Sony, Microsoft, or PC hardware. Fallout 76, Sea of Thieves, and Red Dead Redemption 2 all offer immersive online worlds that are lots of fun to explore together. This includes games like Halo, where entire campaigns can be played together.
There are tons of multiplayer experiences that can benefit you, including co-op campaigns, competitive online play, and survival sandbox games. Two consoles mean that two players can play together, each with their own display. One of the most compelling reasons to hold on to your old console is for multiplayer purposes. Playing together is often more fun than playing alone, too. If you have multiple gamers in your house, two consoles can help keep the peace. Better Multiplayer and Co-op GamingĮven though the next generation of games consoles is already here, your old consoles should work fine for a few more years at least. If you’re going for local play, a wired ethernet connection will give you a more consistent experience. Network performance will affect the viability of game streaming, both in terms of online streaming and local remote play.
This means that you can stream games from your living room PS5 to a PS4 in your bedroom at glorious 1080p resolution. This allows you to play PS5 games on your PS4, provided that your network is up to the task. If you’ve already bought a PS5, you can use your PS4 to stream games to your console over your local network. You can’t stream games to an old console.)
(Microsoft has its own Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming service, but it can only stream to Android devices.
This premium service lets you stream games from the internet directly to your console without being limited by the hardware. The service is often touted for its emphasis on older PS2 and PS3 titles, but modern PS4 titles are also included. Sony has a game streaming service called PS Now. You can use an external USB drive to add storage, with both the Xbox One and PS4 supporting external hard drives. Both consoles can play files from USB storage, with the Xbox One family even supporting x265 (HEVC) files.Īll you need is a TV or a monitor to plug your old console into, and somewhere to put it. While the PlayStation 4 can play DVDs and regular HD Blu-Rays, the Xbox One is able to handle 4K discs in high dynamic range. This includes premium streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, free streaming services like YouTube, music from Spotify and Pandora, or live streaming platforms like Twitch. Use Your Old Console as a Media Centerīoth the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (as well as older consoles like the Xbox 360 and Wii U) have apps for accessing most major streaming services. The same can be said for the Xbox Series X and Series S, both of which are backward compatible with several generations of Xbox. Newer consoles run older games better, often with enhancements or optimized versions. If you own a PlayStation 4 and you’re upgrading to the PS5, you’re less likely to play your old games on the older system thanks to the PS5’s backward compatibility. You could awaken a passion for video games in someone who’s never touched a controller before.
Not everyone can afford a brand new system, and not everyone is invested in video games enough to spend a few hundred dollars. You could also donate directly to friends, neighbors, or anyone else whom you think might get some entertainment out of your old console. Don’t forget to include any old games, controllers, and peripherals that you no longer need either. We would recommend contacting any institutions first via phone or email to learn more about their policies for accepting donated goods. Giving your old console to a thrift store or selling it online through eBay for Charity can also make a difference since you’ll be raising money for a good cause. This could be a children’s hospital or a domestic violence shelter in your area, or it could be an established charity like Gamer’s Outreach (U.S.) or Get Well Gamers (U.K.). By far, one of the most impactful things that you can do with your old console is to donate it to a charitable organization.