All video game consoles are toys.
Mod Note: Thread split because people care about things that may or may not be considered a toy. And thus kiddie. And not for adults. No way.
-AlStrong
*sub-thread* What is a Toy? Are Consoles Toys?
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All video game consoles are toys.
Mod Note: Thread split because people care about things that may or may not be considered a toy. And thus kiddie. And not for adults. No way.
-AlStrong
depends on the genre
FPS- Wiimote(when done right) or keyboard+mouse. No controllers.
Fighter- controller or joystick (perferably the joystick). no keyboards,no wiimote
RTS-DS touch screen(when done right),Wiimote, keyboard+mouse.no controllers
RPG- keyboard+mouse
Racer- a good Wheel beats anything
Sports - Controller,Wiimote (when done right) no keyboard+mouse
Adventure - controller with analog,Wiimote w/ nunchuk (when done right)
Agreed. I suppose some people take their gaming very seriously.
Define "toy"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/toy
Pick one. A game console fits pretty much any of them.
2. a thing or matter of little or no value or importance; a trifle.
3. something that serves for or as if for diversion, rather than for serious practical use.
1. an artifact designed to be played with [syn: plaything]
3. An amusement; a pastime: thought of the business as a toy.
1. An object for children to play with.
PS3 and XB360 are probably as much toys as mobile phones and DVD players and most electric guitars and household gardening sheers etc. Those definitions are so loose as to render categorization as toys pretty pointless. It seems to me cbarcus' was using the term to differentiate Wii as a entertainment product from PS3 as an entertainment product in that Wii is pretty much exclusive used for playing games, whereas PS3 is used in part for non-gaming entertainment. You can quibble his choice of words all you like but it doesn't really further the discussion much 
so in the same way that a TV is a toy
PS3 and XB360 are probably as much toys as mobile phones and DVD players and most electric guitars and household gardening sheers etc. Those definitions are so loose as to render categorization as toys pretty pointless. It seems to me cbarcus' was using the term to differentiate Wii as a entertainment product from PS3 as an entertainment product in that Wii is pretty much exclusive used for playing games, whereas PS3 is used in part for non-gaming entertainment. You can quibble his choice of words all you like but it doesn't really further the discussion much
Well, yeah, they're all toys. Toys is a pretty broad term, and isn't very useful in this discussion. People tend to call the Wii a toy because it's less sophisticated that the other machines, which is true. But in the end, they're all built for various forms of entertainment and they're all toys.
Well what happens if grown ups plays with it?
If its a "toy" for grown ups then it starts becoming more serious form of entertainment especially when so many forms of art are involved in the creation of a single game.
This is kind of like the, "It's not a doll, it's an action figure" thing. Game consoles are expensive and complex toys, regardless of who plays them.
Which can be taken seriously for good reasons depending on the game and the age of the consumer
I suspect most large corporations have more money allocated to mobile phones than to video game consoles, and it's not merely so the reps out making sales can amuse themselves with Bejeweled. But yeah, DVD players are basically toys, and so are electric guitars unless you actually use them to make income. Gardening shears are toys? Do you live in that overgrown eyesore that's driving everyone else's property values down? Shame on you!
We men don't stop playing with toys, they just get bigger, more expensive, and use more energy. Men who insist that the entertainment center is very Serious Business and most certainly not a very expensive toy closet probably have security issues.
If video game consoles aren't toys, why do we "play" with them? "I'm not playing! I'm journeying into a magical world of elves and fairies and pretending to be a mighty warrior, saving the princess from the evil dragon! It's totally different!"
If all you're doing is playing games, sure. What if you're watching a movie though? If that's a fantasy movie, are you playing? If it's a historical documentary, are you playing? What about browsing the web? To pass the time? To look up information for a report? Or you install Linux and are typing up that report?
If a toy is anything that's not contributing to serious, necessary, survival-level work, then so much of our stuff is toys! IMO, I agree with your explanation, but the word toy is just a wishy-washy word. It needs tightening up. It's not a good choice of word to distinguish between different systems in terms of supported functions.
Right. I used my GI Joes to create some kind of diorama for school once. They were still toys. Now I know a whole lot of people bought their PS3s and Xbox 360s to watch educational films and study for final exams, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the number of people who pretty much just play with them is at least five percent larger, if not more. I mean, I didn't think that the UNIX version of MATLAB was being marketed as the PS3 killer app.
Seriously, though, when you're basically dumping hours into playing with digitized GI Joes, hi-tech versions of Hot Wheels, and pixel-shaded versions tag, don't tell me you're not "playing" and that isn't a "toy." Like I said, we don't stop playing with toys. They just get bigger and more expensive.
Well, I use my PS3 as much for browsing and watching movies as anything else (more and more combined too now that the streaming downloadable movies works so well). My wife only watches movies on it. For here it's definitely just a DVD player.
In a word, no, the Playstation 3, name notwithstanding, is no longer a toy. That's about as silly as calling a computer a typewriter.
In a word, no, the Playstation 3, name notwithstanding, is no longer a toy. That's about as silly as calling a computer a typewriter.
Effictively, toy = plaything.
Just because something fits the definition of a toy doesn't mean that it doesn't fit the definitions of other terms. It is usage that determines just what description fit the device the best.
In their capacity as game consoles, all game consoles are toys.
All consoles this generation had aspirations to filling more functions than gaming only, but if gaming is how you primarily use it, then it's primarily a plaything, a toy. It is interesting to note that the platform that was the most ambitious in terms of functionality, the PS3, has sold the least so far, and the one that was most strongly focussed on its primary purpose as a plaything, the Wii, has sold the best. Specialization and clarity of purpose can bring benefits.
Just because something fits the definition of a toy doesn't mean that it doesn't fit the definitions of other terms. It is usage that determines just what description fit the device the best.
In their capacity as game consoles, all game consoles are toys.
All consoles this generation had aspirations to filling more functions than gaming only, but if gaming is how you primarily use it, then it's primarily a plaything, a toy. It is interesting to note that the platform that was the most ambitious in terms of functionality, the PS3, has sold the least so far, and the one that was most strongly focussed on its primary purpose as a plaything, the Wii, has sold the best. Specialization and clarity of purpose can bring benefits.
Taking the first definition of toy in an on-line dictionary:
1. An object for children to play with. - average age of PS3 owner is well over 24
2. Something of little importance; a trifle. - subjective, but I'd say no.
3. An amusement; a pastime: thought of the business as a toy. - different kind of use of the word, but the closest to covering the PS3 experience - doesn't have anything to do with toys anymore though but more with the activity
4. A small ornament; a bauble. - that's definitely not the PS3
5. A diminutive thing or person. - again, definitely not the PS3
6. A dog of a very small breed or of a variety smaller than the standard variety of its breed. - not even Aibo matches this one
7. Scots A loose covering for the head, formerly worn by women. - ...
8. Chiefly Southern U.S. A shooter marble. - ...
1. An object for children to play with. - average age of PS3 owner is well over 24
2. Something of little importance; a trifle. - subjective, but I'd say no.
3. An amusement; a pastime: thought of the business as a toy. - different kind of use of the word, but the closest to covering the PS3 experience - doesn't have anything to do with toys anymore though but more with the activity
4. A small ornament; a bauble. - that's definitely not the PS3
5. A diminutive thing or person. - again, definitely not the PS3
6. A dog of a very small breed or of a variety smaller than the standard variety of its breed. - not even Aibo matches this one
7. Scots A loose covering for the head, formerly worn by women. - ...
8. Chiefly Southern U.S. A shooter marble. - ...
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I'm gonna sew this thread up. Much as I like discussion on language, it's not relevant to the forum, because the crux of the discussion is over the definition of a word and its interpretation. This is a discussion for an English Language board, and once a consensus is reached on interpretation, we can then discuss whether the consoles fit the criteria or not. Which, if it's a good definition, would be obvious and so wouldn't need discussing!
Otherwise the discussion here boils down to 'yes and no', depending entirely on your interpretation of the word. Whether you care to label your box a toy or not has no bearing on what it does, nor its place in the home or society. About the only reason to care whether consoles are 'toys' or not is for government classification for the purpose of taxes etc.
If we just rephrase cbarcu's original statement from
Otherwise the discussion here boils down to 'yes and no', depending entirely on your interpretation of the word. Whether you care to label your box a toy or not has no bearing on what it does, nor its place in the home or society. About the only reason to care whether consoles are 'toys' or not is for government classification for the purpose of taxes etc.
If we just rephrase cbarcu's original statement from
...to...
...we eliminate the offending word and get back to the actual point of the topic regards console sales.
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