I have no allegiances to a specific console manufacturer. If anything, I’ve been addicted to the Xbox 360 for years; my gamerscore is evidence of that. My time with the PlayStation 3 has been relatively short, just one year in the nearly seven-year life span of the console.

During that time, I’ve been on epic adventures with Nathan Drake, ripped gods to shreds with Kratos and stealthily wandered around war-torn battlefields as Solid Snake. I’ve also played scores of absolutely brilliant games on the 360, Wii U, 3DS, Vita and PC.

However, the announcement of the Sony PlayStation 4 has made me take notice like no other console announcement. Without a doubt, there will be fantastic exclusive games on both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 over the coming years. However, Sony’s core philosophies regarding the PS4 have remained unchanged and that’s impressive. Here are three reasons why I believe pre-ordering the PS4 is an absolute no-brainer:

• I believe that I should be able to resell a game that I’m finished playing. There’s no getting around it—gaming is an expensive hobby for the average American. If I’m going to pay full retail for a game (generally $60), I want to be able to recoup at least 40 to 60 percent of that cost on eBay after I’m done with the game. Sony reaffirmed their belief in that philosophy, while Microsoft is taking the opposite approach with the Xbox One. Unless publishers want to start charging me $30 for a new game, I’m not interested in losing the ability to re-sell my purchases.

• When my Internet Provider sucks, my ability to pass my time with awesome single player games shouldn’t suffer. I should be able to play games as long as I want without having to connect to the Internet. It’s a silly restriction that Microsoft really needs to rethink. But if I go with the PS4, it’s something I’ll never have to think about.
• As a value proposition, the Sony PlayStation 4 ($400) is 33 percent more expensive than the standard PS3 bundle ($300). Alternatively, the Xbox One ($500) is 66 percent more expensive than the standard 360 / Kinect bundle ($300). If you are considering purchasing a new gaming console, taking the step from the PS3 to the PS4 is physiologically less daunting than jumping from the 360 to the Xbox One. I bet I’ll be able to snag three PS4 games on a “Buy 2, Get 1 free” deal at Toys R Us this November with my PS4 and still spend about the same amount of money as I would have on an Xbox One.

Don’t get me wrong; I’ll probably end up with both consoles at some point by the end of 2014 or 2015. But the console that’s going to be installed in my home entertainment center this holiday season is the Sony PlayStation 4. There’s simply no doubt about it after the two press conferences yesterday. And I’ll be encouraging everyone else I know to do the same.

Check for PS4 Deals on Bens

Microsoft Xbox 360 Versus Sony PlayStation 4

Shut Up and Take My Money: Sony PlayStation 4