Buying a console for Christmas? Hook it up before you wrap it, to do software updates

We're getting closer to Christmas and sale season, so you can be guaranteed that someone will be buying a console for their children or significant other.

People new to consoles will not realize that in most cases a software update is required before you can use it.

To avoid impatient children or general annoyance, hook up the console before you wrap it up, to allow for any software updates that would be required.

Glico Man

To add to this, perhaps purchase 1 or 2 single player games incase some asshats decide to take PSN/XBL etc offline again. Like they did last Christmas.

Very very true, it's become an increasingly big problem for the networks breaking. Single player games ensure they can still be enjoyed!

Temptamperu

Make sure you put all the updates on the game too. Setting up a console is easy all you have to do is wait for 39 hours for the day one patch :pac:

Captain Chaos

An Xbox One cannot be used out of the box without a day one software update to activate the console while the PS4 has no issue if there is no network on the day.

awec

Also remember that the official console bundles (i.e. not the offers given by stores) usually come with a digital version of the game (on xbox anyway) so you'll need to download that before christmas day.

Generally if the bundled game comes inside the box of the console itself then it's probably just a digital code to download.

Isolated Warrior

Yeah, the whole hacking thing a few years back rendered new ps4s usless as upadtes coundnt be downloaded, if moving from xbox 360 to xbox one or ps3 to ps4, do the updates and account migrations now. At least they'll have single player games etc to play. Also if i may, new call of duty infinite warfare release that includes modern warfare remastered. That doesnt include a physical copy of the remastered game, its a 50+ gb download. It'll take a few hours to download even on a fast broadband connection and if psn/xbox live are down xmas day there will be plenty of disappointed kids (yeah i know its an 18 rated game but that's another post entirely :-) )

Captain Chaos

Isolated Warrior wrote: »

Yeah, the whole hacking thing a few years back rendered new ps4s usless as upadtes coundnt be downloaded,

No, it rendered Xbox Ones useless as they need to go online once to even start up for the very first time, not so with PS4s. Lizard squad took down XBL and PSN but PSN took far longer to recover.

Isolated Warrior

ah i see, day one ps4s wouldnt even read discs without software update

Agricola

Good thinking. Got myself a PS4 slim bundle last week and was gonna keep it in the box til Xmas, but it would be wise to get some big updates out of the way at this stage, instead of Xmas day.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Good idea, sometimes I buy a physical game and don't install and download the updates until I want to play it.

The brother and parents are coming to stay at mine for a few days over the Christmas - I'm hoping EA Access runs smooth so I can sign up and grab some FIFA and other games for us to have a laugh with.

Bumping on the back of the sale weekend ending.

CiDeRmAn

Pre updating is a must.
Waiting until every short-sighted parent is logging into the same servers as you to get the machine up and running is a recipe for error messages.
Plug it in, get the parental controls set up, update and install the games too, big big time saver.
Even if more updates are required by Dec 25th hopefully they'll just be more minor affairs than the 5 hours of waiting for each game to install and then update too otherwise.

Legionn_of_Dan

Bloody great idea! Could save alot of headaches on the day.

Creamy Goodness

The B&M stores could make a real dime on this, charge €20-25 to have it set up, might be a bit sticky though when it comes to PSN/Xbox Live accounts etc. I haven't set one up in years.