X-box or playstation, new models or old?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

DS (nearly 10) wants an X-box for Christmas. But sometimes he says Playstation, he's not sure really. We have a Wii and a 3DS currently. So, what are the pros and cons of each, do they have different types of games, should we buy the new versions or the older ones? We pondered this with the 3DS and went for that instead of the DS because no new games were being made for the DS, is the same likely to happen?

They will have games that are exclusive to just that console, but both have a wide variety of types of games but are generally aimed at an older, or more 'serious' audience than the Wii.
I think the new consoles are all backwards compatible with the old games.
But you cannot play new games on an older console.
Does he want one to play specific games or to play online with friends? No good getting him a PS if he wants to go online with friends who're on Xbox!

Thanks - I think I need to talk to his friends parents TBH. He used an x-box in kids club on holiday and loved it, but not sure what his friends use - unfortunately he doesn't go to friends houses regularly (he has ASD and although he has friends, all those friends have closer friends than him IYSWIM and invitations tend to be thin on the ground ). I think I need to do a bit more research generally.

The new consoles are not backwards compatible.

I'm reserving judgement until they're both out.. so in that sense I would go for the current console. I think he has a choice to make.

Oh, thought Microsoft had backtracked on Xbox One and were making it backwards compatible now? Ugh, so hard to keep up with it all.
I'm sure he'll be chuffed with whatever he gets as a present, so best thing to do is make sure you're happy with it, the content he can access and the parental controls available.

I hope they do.. They backtracked on the pre owned games thing which royally pissed me off. I'll have a check when I get on the pc.

uk.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/Backwards_Compatibility

attackofthefanboy.com/news/xbox-one-backwardscompatible/

I guess we'll have to wait and see. Bloody irritating though.

uk.ign.com/wikis/playstation-4/Backwards_Compatibility

and not on the playstation 4 either it looks like. I haven't been following playstation as the console doesn't interest me though.

Thanks for the links. At least with the Xbox you will still be able to get new games for the 360 then, that was one of the reasons we went for a 3DS instead of a DS, no new games for DS. I am going to go into Game next time I am in town and pick the brains of someone there, as well as talking to DS's friends parents. We haven't promised either, he also wants an Ipod touch, which to be honest would be a lot easier. Or a phone (the list is endless).