[ad_1]
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S ushered in a new generation of console games. Since backward compatibility is so important in this generation, you may not have much use for your old console anymore. So what do you do with an old console that you no longer need?
Consider donating your old consoles
By far one of the most impressive things you can do with your old console is donate it to a charity. This could be a children’s hospital or domestic violence shelter in your area, or it could be an established charity like Gamer’s Outreach (US) or Get Well Gamers (UK).
Giving your old console to a thrift store or selling it online through eBay for Charity can also make a difference, raising money for a good cause.
We recommend contacting any institution by phone or email first to learn more about their policies for accepting donated goods. Be sure to include old games, controllers, and peripherals that you no longer need.
You can also donate directly to friends, neighbors, or anyone else you think might have fun with your old console. Not everyone can afford a new system, and not everyone invests in video games enough to spend a few hundred dollars. You could spark a passion for video games in someone who has never touched a controller before.
If you own a PlayStation 4 and are upgrading to the PS5, you are less likely to play your old games on the older system thanks to the backward compatibility of the PS5. Newer consoles run older games better, often with enhancements or optimized versions. The same can be said for Xbox Series X and Series S, which are backward compatible with multiple generations of Xbox.
Use your old console as a media center
Both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 (as well as older consoles like the Xbox 360 and Wii U) have apps for accessing most of the major streaming services. 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.
While the PlayStation 4 can play normal HD DVDs and Blu-Rays, the Xbox One can handle 4K discs in high dynamic range. Both consoles can play files from USB storage, and the Xbox One family even supports x265 (HEVC) files.
All you need is a television or monitor to connect your old console and a place to put it. You can use an external USB drive to add storage, with Xbox One and PS4 supporting external hard drives.
Game streaming is also a viable option
Sony has a game streaming service called PS Now. This premium service allows you to stream games from the Internet directly to your console without being limited by hardware. The service is often touted for its emphasis on older PS2 and PS3 titles, but modern PS4 titles are also included.
(Microsoft has its own Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming service, but it can only stream to Android devices. You can’t stream games to an old console.)
If you already bought a PS5, you can use your PS4 to stream games to your console over your local network. This allows you to play PS5 games on your PS4, as long as your network is up to par. This means that you can stream games from your PS5 living room to a PS4 in your bedroom in glorious 1080p resolution.
Network performance will affect the viability of game streaming, both in terms of online streaming and local remote play. If you’re playing locally, a wired Ethernet connection will give you a more consistent experience.
Best Cooperative Multiplayer Game
Although the next generation of game consoles is here, your old consoles should work fine for at least a few more years. If you have multiple players in your home, two consoles can help keep the peace. Playing together is often more fun than playing alone.
One of the most compelling reasons to stick with your old console is for multiplayer purposes. Two consoles mean that two players can play together, each with its own screen. There are tons of multiplayer experiences that can benefit you, including cooperative campaigns, competitive online games, and survival games.
This includes games like aura, where entire campaigns can be played together. Fallout 76, Sea of Thievesand Red Dead Redemption 2 all offer immersive online worlds that are great fun to explore together. Hectic shooters like Borderlands You may experience split screen performance drops, but that’s a problem you won’t have if you both use separate consoles.
Cross-play is also becoming more prevalent, with games like Minecraft, Rocket league, Call of Duty: War Zoneand Battlefield v allowing gamers to play together regardless of whether they are using Sony, Microsoft or PC hardware.
Now that PS4 and Xbox One games are considered next-gen, game prices will drop. You’ll find more used copies at thrift stores and online markets. There are bargains to be found, but the games are still as good as ever.
Take a look at the homebrew scene
Homebrew is user-developed software designed to run on closed systems such as game consoles. Requires that you circumvent the protections set by the manufacturer to run custom code. Once you have access to the console operating system, you can install your own applications.
How far you go with Homebrew ultimately depends on the console you have, your technical level and, in large part, how lucky you are. If you have a Wii or Wii U, you will find a wealth of homebrew available to you, including user-created channels, emulators, and launchers for loading games directly from disk.
Reddit communities like r / WiiHacks and r / ps4homebrew are very helpful when trying these kinds of things. There are many risks involved and you could possibly end up locking your console completely. You’ll also want to avoid using main accounts (the ones you still use or have used to buy games), as companies like Nintendo and Sony often ban users they suspect of hacking.
The Xbox One remains one of the only consoles that has never been “hacked” for use with homebrew. Despite this, Microsoft supports a developer mode that allows you to run Universal Windows Program (UWP) apps on your Xbox, as long as you install them yourself. By doing this, you can use your Xbox One or Xbox Series X console | It’s like an emulation box.
Whether it is ultimately worth it to you depends on what level of risk you are comfortable with and also what you want to use the console for. Emulators are a popular choice thanks to projects like RetroArch. Just make sure you understand the legal implications of emulation and ROMs.
RELATED: How to install RetroArch emulator on Xbox Series X or S
Console dead or dying? Try it yourself
You can sell your “broken” console for a pittance on eBay, or you can try to fix it yourself. This can be a rewarding experience where you will learn a thing or two about hardware. If you know what’s broken, you can find replacement consoles on eBay for a pittance, after all.
The most common problems will be disk drives that no longer read disks and dead hard drives. These are relatively easy parts to replace, and you can even upgrade components like the hard drive while doing so to increase the overall capacity of the console.
You may have other issues such as a dying fan, poor thermal performance (heat dissipation) due to accumulation of dust, or buttons that no longer function as expected. iFixit can help you get your bearings on the hardware, while communities like Reddit’s r / consolerepair offer constructive feedback. Then there’s YouTube, with endless video tutorials from enthusiasts to help you along the way.
Just be careful and make sure you know what you are doing before opening the console. You can still get a nasty shock, even if the console is turned off and unplugged. You’ll probably want some basic tools, such as an antistatic bracelet or mat and a set of screwdrivers, before diving in.
A console that you have fixed yourself can live many more years, which is better than dying an early death like a pile of electronic waste.
Will you upgrade to the next generation?
The PS4 and Xbox One may qualify as “next generation” at this time, but they are not. that old. The games are still being released for these platforms and will be for years to come. As the dust settles on the build, used discs will continue to get cheaper. There is still a lot of life on these platforms.
But when you finally decide it’s time for an update, take a moment to consider what’s best for your old hardware rather than just letting it collect dust under the TV.
Ready to pull the trigger on a new console? Here’s why you should avoid fully digital versions.
RELATED: Why You Shouldn’t Buy a Fully Digital PS5 or Next-Gen Xbox
[ad_2]
