Would buying a PS4 at launch be wise?

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Or should I wait a year or two so that the library of exclusives can build up?

I say wait 6 months and see how it looks.

They've had a reputation of having bad launch games. Wait a little while for the game library to stack up and read reviews of the console itself before you go buying it.

I usually just get the Nintendo consoles first, since they're likely not going to release an updated model, and then I go for the Playstations.

Both the PS2 and PS3 have Slim Models, and they are always the best version. The PS3 Slim has more memory than the PS3 Fat, and also has less risk of dying.

They usually release the slim models after 2-3 years, and during then dozens of great titles have been released, so I find it better to wait until then. Also, don't forget price cuts. That always makes a large difference.

Wait a little bit. Let them fix the bugs and all that junk.

Memory wise its kinda unimportant when it comes to PS3, cause unlike Microsoft or Nintendo consoles it doesnt use proprietory memory drives. Any 2.5 inch laptop SATA hard drive will work on any PS3 model. I assume PS4 will be a similar set up.

It might be worth owning a launch PS4 just for the collectors value. The value of it is bound to appreciate once it becomes harder to get. Especially if it has increased functionality compared to future models.

No one can really say until we know the launch lineup and the price, though you can expect eventual hardware revisions of minor to potentially major importance any time you buy a console at launch.

Not quite, but miles wiser than buying a Nintendo system at launch.

Early PS1/PS2/PS3 models were notorious for breaking down unlike most Nintendo consoles bought around launch which are usually reliable.

Handheld systems are usually the ones that have major differences in later versions like larger screen, etc. Consoles often just get bigger hard-drives and/or their outer-casing is shaped/colored differently although later PS3s weren't PS2 backwards compatible, so they were actually downgraded in a way. I'm surprised nobody mentioned that yet in this thread.

A PS4 for Xmas 2013 sounds cool since it probably wouldn't be from the very first batch of them.

So true. I still have the original Wii that I got about three months after their launch, and I'm on my second PS3 (which isn't doing so well right now, actually).

I got the slim PS2, though. Still runs pretty darn well considering how much I've used it.

Well i would not call it wize. It is like taking a risk, during the first few years of a consoles life you never know if it will succeed or fail. However if it were not for people buying things at launch than no console would ever succeed. If you have money to spare and it probably wont fail than i would buy it. The chances of the playstation 4 becoming a failure is slim imho. YOu decide for yourself.

I never buy a console at launch. Well, I suppose I did acquire a ds not long after launch, and I didn't regret it, but consoles or handhelds are rarely worth acquiring right away IMHO. They may or may not have a solid launch lineup, but they need time to build up a library of games. Also, they are at their highest price point at launch. You don't need to be good at math to know that more games + a lower price point = better value. On the flip side though, if there are games you absolutely must have, then assess whether they will still be available later on. They almost always will though, unless you're interested in Japanese games outside of the mainstream titles that are either only available as physical copies, or you want a physical copy.

I do have a rule of thumb about having a list of at least 3 exclusives(or exclusive extended cuts) for the system that interest me, though I prefer to have at least 5. That way, even if said system doesn't do well, it still ends up being worth it to me, as a cult system. I'm not the type to go out and buy a system for one game, because between the cost of the system and the game, that's one expensive investment for just one game.

Depending on your age, you may or may not be awed by the graphics of the ps4's launch lineup, but it's up to you if you let that feeling guide you. Keep in mind there's only a small "whoa" period at the start of a gen, before those fancy graphics are accepted as the norm. What you're left with then, is the quality of the games. The ps4 should be a safe investment. Sony has never released a bad system IMHO, and their consoles have all fared well. With that said, there's nothing wrong with waiting and seeing how things play out, while saving a heap of money. Besides, not everyone is the type to camp outside overnight to acquire something they can get later on without having to wait, and deal with crowds; I'm certainly not. Even if you get a system shortly after launch though, despite possible shortages(another major con of going for a system at launch), there's still the matters of price and games. The decision is yours to make, but my opinion is that you should wait a little while.

With any console, especially one without backwards compatibility(directly, anyway, it will have the ability to stream and download PS1, 2, and 3 games, I think), it's worth waiting to see if it has a strong library of launch titles and is regarded as actually being worthwhile by other consumers and reviewers. It's a pretty significant investment, after all.

Only if you intend to play it often. I knew heaps of people who bought the PS2 the day it came out in Australia, and at the time it cost around $1,000. But for that console it was probably worth it.

No, not at all, IMO. It's probably going to be expensive and it'll take a while for the library to build up.

To be honest, buying anything at launch is a bad idea. The only real advantage is a social one - you can be part of the community of people who have bought the new product. If that isn't important to you, you should probably wait.