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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think games consoles are a complete waste of money?

55 replies

Costanza · 07/09/2014 15:45

I have 3 DC . We have a games console, with 3 games. Fifa, Skylanders and -of course- minecraft. So getting on for £600 worth of stuff. To plplayau any of these games takes a bit of time. X3 so they all get a good go. We never have time! But all their fruefriendsnds play - so how have they got time?

OP posts:
Original poster
Costanza · 07/09/2014 15:46

Wow - phone doing some weird shit there.... Hmm

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/09/2014 15:47

So for your kids they are a waste of money, but for others who have time, they aren't.

ilovepowerhoop · 07/09/2014 15:49

you can play some as multi-player. My 2 tend to play minecraft at the same time - one ion a laptop and one on the desktop.

What point is it you are making though?

AnyFucker · 07/09/2014 15:50

Some families have a console per child.

Ibizatime · 07/09/2014 15:50

Well anything's a waste of money if you don't understand/like the thing.

But I would say that other people have time either that they don't have three people share the thing or they have more free time?

MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic · 07/09/2014 15:50

Maybe a waste of money for you, but not for other people. People make time for things they like to do, you obviously have things you like doing more which is fine and wonderful and personal preference. Smile

SailorEverRose · 07/09/2014 15:51

Your post is confusing and doesn't really make any sense.

Your children don't have time to play the games but their friends do, so you want to know where their friends get the time from?

The children that play them enjoy them, if you enjoy something enough you will always find time for it. (And they're children who don't have commitments)

Fairylea · 07/09/2014 15:52

Anything is a waste of money if you don't use it Grin

gamerchick · 07/09/2014 15:54

You only have 3 games?

PiperIsOrange · 07/09/2014 15:57

How come you haven't got time to play them.

dreamerdoer · 07/09/2014 16:05

"Well anything's a waste of money if you don't understand/like the thing."

Agreed!

The number of times I have heard people deriding a hobby they personally don't like as a waste of money / time etc. If someone enjoys it, its not a waste of money (for them).

Eva50 · 07/09/2014 16:24

Ds1(18) ds3(8) and the boy from 2 doors down (also 8) are playing on ds1's computer at the moment and ds2 (17) is playing on his playstation 4 online with friends (and goodness only knows who else). We have several hundred pounds of equipment bought over more than a decade and passed down the ranks. They enjoy playing on it and it is giving me peace to play on mine mumsnet. They have done homework, violin and piano practice and been swimming (except ds1, who is not long up). What else should they be doing?

Original poster
Costanza · 07/09/2014 16:29

So during the week they are at school, then usually an afterschool club (swim , tennis, cubs) then dinner then homework then shower then reading then bed.

Weekends we are out/ family round. Long lunches etc. They might get an hour between them in the morning but it doesn't seem long enough. They love them '- particularly minecraft but we just don't seem to have time

OP posts:
Original poster
Costanza · 07/09/2014 16:30

Maybe it will be different in the winter.

Yes we only have three cgames, but tbh only one gets played really.

OP posts:
Lally112 · 07/09/2014 16:32

we have an xbox but its a waste of money in hour house, all the kids play outside with their friends till its time to come in and eat or bath or bed etc. cant even tell you the last time it was turned on.

cherrybombxo · 07/09/2014 16:32

My DP has a Wii, Xbox One and Xbox 360. I don't get it because I don't like gaming and I think that £50 a game is mental but I have upwards of £1500 of tattoos so I don't complain. Each to their own.

Original poster
Costanza · 07/09/2014 16:43

I don't have anything against them playing it, but there just never seems to be time- hence my question

OP posts:
ilovechristmas1 · 07/09/2014 16:49

they have been a blessing and a curse here

more a blessing here i think

i have boys,2 teens and a primary

as mine are older we dont do the days out/swimming so much as they are teens so they choose to spend their free time on them

maybe you do lots of activities out the house so thats why you have less time

ilovechristmas1 · 07/09/2014 16:55

also when they started wanting the £40 + games i used to roll my eyes

but we made them into xmas presents.birthdays etc and after seeing how much time they spend on them i dont begrudge the price (i am tight)

though the teens do spend alot of time o them especially with the xbox live (thats a xmas present to) we have 2 xbox's and 2 xbox live accounts

Alexaa · 07/09/2014 16:59

DS1 (9) has an XBox. He has at least ten games on it an plays them all. My nephew gave him an XBox kinect as he got one for Christmas then won another. I think it's lovely when he's showing DS2 (4) how to play and although the games are a little grim (CoD etc.) they have fun on it and it is the only thing DS1 will "play"

WineWineWine · 07/09/2014 17:13

PC games are much cheaper. DS14 plays loads of games on Steam and only pays a few pounds for them. DS15 plays minecraft on his PC
I don't organise their time that much so they have plenty of free time to play if they want to.

WeBelieveInLove · 07/09/2014 17:13

Get Netflix on the console, it gets lots of use here, Netflix that is! Grin

HopefulHamster · 07/09/2014 17:28

You might find they're worth their weight in gold come bad weather! Keep an eye on what games they want/ask for though as pretty sure CoD series is an 18, and they are 18s in the exact same way as a film is an 18 (I know you didn't mention that game but another poster did).

superbagpuss · 07/09/2014 17:29

we have a ps3 and a Wii, which were dh and mine respectively before we had DC

dh has always played on his ps3 plus we can use it to watch lovefilm, Netflix and iPlayer and its a bluray

I used the Wii a lot to lose weight and now DT use it to play games, not every day but every couple hours of days

MrsCakesPrecognition · 07/09/2014 17:53

Buy a second controller and they can play in pairs. My two really enjoy working as a team on Minecraft. Best thing we ever bought for our Xbox 360.