Buying hardware at launch

[Linkachu]

It seems different people have different reasons for purchasing a console or handheld system at - or as close to as possible - its launch, so I'm wondering how you guys feel about it. Do you buy anything right away, or do you typically wait? And if you do have a tendency to buy certain systems at launch, what's your main reasoning for doing so?

For me, it's a combination of the price, launch games, upcoming games, and the hardware itself. If at least one of the launch games are worth purchasing, future releases appear to be worthwhile, it's priced around or under $300, and the system is functionally intriguing, I'll typically buy on day one. I don't need lots of games right away if the hardware itself is unique, such as the dual screens/touch screen of the DS, the gyroscope/AR/3D/StreetPass/SpotPass functions of the 3DS, or the motion controls of Wii. Backwards compatibility tends to play a role for me in this regard too. Even when you have nothing specifically released for that system to play, you can at least keep it handy for something else until some good games finally are released.

Not surprising, I'll typically wait on a hardware purchase when the reverse occurs. If a system is basically just upgraded power and little more, isn't backwards compatible, is super expensive, and/or doesn't have at least one or two games I really want, I'll pass on it until after some price cuts or those must-have game are finally released.
Most recently, this is how things went with my PSP, PS3 and 360. I ended up buying all three, but not until their gaming libraries bulked up and their prices were reduced. Couldn't justify the launch prices of the two consoles, PSP had nothing that interested me yet, and Blu-ray wasn't overly important to me back then either. Wasn't until after HD DVD died that I showed any interest in Blu-ray really.

 

[Rayn_Shyu]

For me, it's when new Pokemon game comes out or is coming out that I get a new Gameboy/DS system. I didn't get a DS until Lites where out, and that was the Christmas before D/P.

As for consoles... it's usually our "expensive" present from parents to kids at Christmas, starting with the SNES. My brother had to get le expensive uncompatible first release of PS3 for CoD. Woulda much rather had a Wii *grumbles*. We get systems based on the games that are coming out really.

 

[dafg 猫君]

Well I really love to buy consoles and games when they are released, I have bought the wii when it just got launched years ago, also when I read about an upcoming game that I would really like (like zelda, pokemon, mario and luigi... etc...) I wait a lot until it is released and like in my country games get here like 2 months late I buy them in amazon. I like a lot like games usually get out like on september or march because all my friends get the game and play it at school :3. I usually buy new consoles when they get launched, except for the ds I got it when the lite came out, also I got a dsi and I am expecting to get a 3ds soon...

The ds is the console I always get kinda late, (well I don't have a lot of consoles anyways).

 

[Fumanshu]

I usually wait it out. Pricedrops, hardware improvements and videogame libraries are the things that I usually check out.

In the case of the 3DS I'm actually cool with me waiting for it because it really didnt have any games that interest me that much and was just kinda expensive. 170€ is really ok and I dont expect a further price drop in the future. I already know that this thing will get at least 8 games that are worth it so thats cool.

Might even buy one today if I find a store that sells me one for the reduced price. My DS is broken and I need games.

 

[Demelza]

Depends on a lot of things for me really.

For consoles I never really aim to get them at launch, just for my Birthday/xmas. Having my birthday in March does mean I got the first DS model when it was released and I got my 3DS as a late birthday gift otherwise I would have waited till some better games came out. Happy I've got it now though as I got the free games.

Game wise it does depend what series it is, Pokemon and Legend Of Zelda I always have at launch as long as I have the money for it. Anything else that really really interests me I'll have within the month of release, stuff that interests me but not quite enough to pay for myself I just get for xmas/birthday.