The top trending gaming consoles and games for 2024, according to experts
Joost van Dreunen and Walter Brandsema talk top games and gaming consoles
More than 212 million Americans played video games at least one hour a week last year, according to the Entertainment Software Association. Whether you or someone you know fits into that and is considered a "gamer," ABC spoke to some industry experts to learn about some of the top picks for gaming consoles and games.
If you are doing some research ahead of gifting a gamer or looking to upgrade your gaming system, they'll guide you through the buzziest handheld gaming consoles like the PlayStation Portal, Nintendo Switch and more. Our experts also shared some of the most highly recommended games to shop now such as "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom."
Our experts
First on deck is Joost van Dreunen, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and writer of a games industry-focused newsletter called the SuperJoost Playlist.
“It is a really good time for the gaming consumers, as far as I see,” van Dreunen said in an interview with ABC. “Though there were releases of many blockbuster titles last year, in 2024, we will see a lot of really good deals on bundling consoles and games, which can give the consumer the most bang for your buck.”
ABC also spoke to Walter Brandsema, director of content at Beastcoast and commentator for the “Super Smash Brothers Melee” online competition.
“I suspect 2024 to be a groundbreaking year in the VR space -- I’m interested in seeing how it can collide with the growth of AI.”
The guidance offered by each expert is representative of their views and not necessarily the views of their organizations.
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Where to start with gaming consoles in 2024
With the diversity of today’s video game players, our experts say it's important to consider your budget and how you intend to play, such as on the go or in your living room.
“Handheld gaming is a really fun experience,” van Dreunen said. "I recently tried out the PlayStation Portal. There's a whole bunch of third parties that are releasing devices in this space, as well, and they each have a slightly different offering.”
According to our van Dreunen, other things to consider are the battery life and physical weight of the devices.
Best handheld gaming on a budget
If you are looking for a budget-friendly handheld device without the functionality of connecting to your television, van Dreunen recommends the Nintendo Switch Lite. If you are willing to spend an extra $100, he suggests going with the Nintendo Switch OLED Model.
Best high-end handheld console
If you're willing to invest in a handheld device that was launched in 2023 and might be worth the splurge, a top pick is the PlayStation Portal.
“I am leaning into 2024 becoming a groundbreaking year in the VR space,” Brandsema added.
Top video games to play now
For Nintendo:
“Whether you're a casual gamer that just picks up a controller once in a while or you are a diehard fan and build your PC rigs, I would suggest jumping into Zelda this year,” van Dreunen shared, with “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” being the latest release to the franchise. “The Zelda franchise has just been knocked out of the park, it's really fun to play and continues to sort of innovate on its own.”
For PlayStation:
If you have the most current PS5 console system, van Dreunen recommends "Spider-Man 2."
"Tekken 8," which launched earlier this year and is for mature audiences, seems to be generating traction, according to Brandsema and is a game to watch if competitive fighting games are what you are looking for.
Van Dreunen recommends "God of War" and "The Last of Us" for a more mature gaming audience.
For Microsoft:
Brandsema shared that he is anticipating the release of "Star Wars Outlaws," which will be released in 2024.
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