Okay, reading this thread has got me wondering, should I purchase a gaming system, if so, which one, and what (3) games would you purchase first? I have been out of video games for about 8 years and have a young baby at home currently so not A LOT of time to sit around playing but wouldn't mind the occasional session when I have the time.
So this is a somewhat difficult question to answer without knowing your preferences (and the fact that there's no great answer anyway).
I was a Playstation and Playstation 2 guy through about 2006. Then I switched over to Xbox 360 and have continued down the Xbox One path.
I will freely admit that if backwards compatability holds true, I will probably purchase an Xbox and a Playstation for the next generation.
But a lot of that is driven by my desire for backwards compatibility. Having an Xbox One and an Xbox 360 in my house allows me to essentially access anything I want from 3 generations of games. Considering the next Xbox will play anything the current Xbox One plays, that will soon extend to 4 generations.
Ditto with then next Playstation, which when combined with my PS 2, will essentially allow me to cover the bulk of that platforms multiple generations.
Playstation has the better exclusives and gets the nod on graphics. Personally I like the broader selection of games on Xbox though. Both systems double as Bluray players, streaming devices and stereos if you have proper speakers, so that's an added bonus.
I tend to gravitate toward story-driven games, as opposed to shoot 'em ups. In terms of games that have stood out in our household over the last decade or so:
Fallout 3, Fallout 4 and Fallout: New Vegas are fun post-apocalyptic RPGs that can be played over a longer period of time.
Ditto for Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Batman Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight are all among the best or better superhero games of any generation.
The Mass Effect series is a personal favorite.
If you're into builders: Cities Skylines, Jurassic World Evolution and Zoo Tycoon is fun. Project Highrise is a modern incarnation of Sim Tower if you're into that kind of thing.
If you're into racing, The Forza series is awesome.
If you like older school point and click type games that are very heavy on story, Telltale has some great stuff ranging from Batman to Back to the Future. Tales from Borderlands was a lot of fun and underrated.
The Borderlands series is fun if you're into more action/shooter types.
The Witcher Series is great.
I am fan of Assassin's Creed, with Syndicate and Black Flag being my personal favorites.
The Madden series is still a lot of fun, and relatively easy game to keep playing if you only have time here and there.
If you help narrow things down, it'll be easier to make recommendations.