When did having more than one system become common?

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Voor
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When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Voor » July 17th, 2015, 10:54 pm

Growing up, me and my friends always just had one system (SNES or Genesis, 64 or PS). And I've always kept that tradition--currently just have a GameCube. I'll admit that part of that is the fun of choosing one or the other.

But I read here about people having 2 or even all 3 of the big systems. When this start happening?

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Rev
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Rev » July 17th, 2015, 11:05 pm

I think this started happening as kids who were gamers, grew up to be adults (with income) and gamers. If you have disposable income it makes it much easier to buy the things you enjoy vs. your parents buying them for you.

Breaker
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Breaker » July 17th, 2015, 11:20 pm

I think the Rev is about right. I have never sold a console, so I always had older generation stuff around, but it wasn't until about 2 years ago that I had two consoles from the same generation. Unless you count having a fully backwards-compatible PS2 while still owning my N64.

And I haven't bought a system new since the N64 Everything since has been used, always with great success. Though I'm leaning towards a new PS4...

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scotland
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby scotland » July 17th, 2015, 11:27 pm

Having two consoles of the same generation seems recent. Otherwise, the Dreamcast may have made a great second console. Perhaps it was last gen and the Wii phenomenon. Oddly, there seems less of a reason now with so many multiplats and so few WiiU killer apps.

ESauce
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby ESauce » July 18th, 2015, 7:31 am

I don't know when it became common but we had more than one console in my house growing up since we got a Genesis in the early 90s. At that point we still had the original Nintendo as well.

If memory serves, the first time we had two consoles from the same generation is when my parents bought us an original PlayStation, very late in the generation (I believe the Dreamcast was almost out), and we already had a 64.

The first time we had two from the same generation when it was actually early in the generation is when my parents bought us an Xbox and my brother and I bought a GameCube too because it was so cheap we could afford it and we wanted to play Smash Bros Melee.

Vexer6
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Vexer6 » July 18th, 2015, 11:44 am

At one point I had both a Genesis and a Dreamcast(and later a Gamecube after the latter stopped working), though I eventually sold the former.

Nowadays I have both a 360 and an Xbox One, though I only keep one system hooked up at a time, so i've been trying to get through all the 360 games that remotely interest me so I can finally trade those in and possibly get a PS3.

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby VideoGameCritic » July 18th, 2015, 11:53 am

It's an interesting topic.

I remember I had a Genesis when the SNES came out and Street Fighter mania was sweeping the nation.
I went ahead and got an SNES but it felt like I was "cheating" to have both systems!
It was pretty much unheard of at the time.

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Gentlegamer
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Gentlegamer » July 24th, 2015, 7:07 pm

Until I went into classic playing and collecting original hardware, the only time I had multiple systems was when I bought a new system and kept the older systems. I never got rid of my NES, so when I had SNES, I still had the older system. Likewise with N64 and PlayStation. Then I had a period of being a lapsed gamer. The next then-current system I bought was Xbox 360 in 2009.

Sut
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Sut » July 26th, 2015, 3:17 pm

I think the Wii ignited the 'second console' ideal. Most people got a Wii for family and party situations and a PS3 or 360 for more 'hardcore' gaming.
Also consoles tended to stick around longer starting in the sixth gen and were relatively cheaper than previous.

Maks
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Re: When did having more than one system become common?

Postby Maks » July 31st, 2015, 6:18 pm

I'm not sure when it became common, but I also never sold my systems so I always had multiple consoles. Of course back then, once something new came out you didn't want to play your old stuff. The first time I had two current gen systems must've been the PSX and N64 when I was in college.


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