I’ll go ahead and start this with a disclaimer.
I’m hoping this actually is read, but most of you wonderful readers are of the reasonable sort, so I’m counting on folks not skipping down to the comments to tell me why I’m an idiot. So here’s a little preface for thisĀ opinion of mine:
- This is my personal opinion on gaming, and it in no way affects anyone that doesn’t agree with me.
- The joke is on you if you think I’m an idiot for what I think, because I have had my suspicions that I’m an idiot for years already.
- I understand that not everyone has the same line of thinking as me, so naturally my views are not the end-all-be-all.
That said, I’m certainly open for discussion on this topic, and as always I encourage others to share how they feel.
To Begin
I’m a simple man, of simple gaming tastes. Actually, that isn’t really true, because I enjoy many different genres of games ranging from racing games to shooters, platformers to strategy titles. There are few types of games that I don’t enjoy, like hack-and-slash games, JRPGs, and visual novels. I have nothing against those genres, they just don’t interest me.
But I digress.
Like my taste in games, my preference in gaming platform is varied. I game on Xbox primarily, though I own a PlayStation 4 and a moderately capable laptop. I’d own a Nintendo Wii U or Switch (or both), but quite frankly, I’m a little broke and Jennifer would probably kill me if I came home with another game system when we’re looking to buy a house.
“But Shelby,” you may be thinking “if you own a PC that can run most games, why bother with an Xbox at all?”
My response to you, hypotheticalĀ well-intentioned reader, is that I’m cheap and lazy.
Sometimes You Just Gotta Game
As I’ve said before (probably in another post that I couldn’t be bothered to link back to though far more likely in a comment I’ve made to someone on their own blog), when I want to game, I just want to game as easily as possible.
For example, when The Witcher III: Wild Hunt released, I was able to pop in the disk and play the game on my Xbox One with little hassle. I didn’t have to worry about system specifications or compatibility issues. I knew that if I bought a copy of the game for the Xbox One, it would work on my Xbox One.
At the time, all I had for a PC was a cheap Dell desktop with a crappy integrated GPU, so even playing the game on the lowest settings would be impossible. I still remember getting aĀ Rainbow Six: Siege alpha access code and not being able to participate on even the barest of bones settings because my PC had trouble with rendering textures. I still have that Dell and I use it for light gaming, like playing older titles, but the vast majority of my PC gaming is done on ourĀ Jennifer’s laptop.
Contrast the ease of installingĀ The Witcher III: Wild Hunt with my experience with installingĀ The Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim on my laptop when it arrived. Jennifer was excited to dive back intoĀ Skyrim (it’s her addiction), and it helped me sell her on the idea of letting me buy an $1200 laptop for college instead of a more reasonably priced one. So once I got the laptop set up and we got the basic stuff out of the way, I started installing her game.
Once it was finished, I ran it… and I noticed something odd. A game from 2011 ran like trash on a brand new laptop with a graphics card and processor that should run it easily. It turns out that it was an easy fix, as I just needed to update the graphics card drivers, but had I not known to check for that, I would’ve been rather upset.
Where am I going with this? I don’t know. I kinda lost my train of thought. Oh, right…
My point is that I don’t have to worry about running games on my Xbox One, or even my PS4, because I know that if I buy a game for those systems, it will generally work (barring extraneous circumstances of course). Sure, it won’t run at the highest settings, but I don’t really need my games to. Most gamers are the same way; even (shockingly) PC gamers.
I could invest in a decent gaming rig to be able to play the vast majority of games at higher settings, but that would require the purchase of a decent monitor, a pricey GPU, a hard drive or two, and likely other things that I can’t think of at the moment. It’s something I’ve considered before, but once I start pricing things, I remember that I have other obligations I need to see to, and spending the equivalent of two car payments on a graphics card is not something I’m comfortable doing at the moment.
PC Gaming Is Less Comfortable And More Complicated
It’s an older picture
I have a pretty nice TV. It’s not the greatest, but it’s pretty nice. It’s a 46″ Samsung display, and it has a good refresh rate and all that jazz. Jennifer has the same model TV. My laptop is minuscule in comparison, sporting a 13″ display. I compromised when shopping for a laptop because getting a larger screen meant spending an additional $200-$400 for the same power. Besides, I have the option of connecting my laptop to my TV anyway.
Actually, as far as I know, there are many PC gamers that do the same thing. Connecting a PC to a large HDTV is actually a good solution to the small screen issue, and it doesn’t require the purchase of a costly monitor.
The problem is that it’s inconvenient and not as comfortable to game that way.
Relax, we’re veering into first-world problems territory. It’s not like I’m talking about getting clean, running water in my house for the first time after all.
It’s justĀ more inconvenient than playing on a console. I have to hook up my laptop to the HDMI cord I have for it, round up my wireless keyboard and mouse, and find something to use my mouse on. Is it the end of the world? Hardly. However, it’s still much easier to plop down in my chair with my controller. Maybe in time I could fashion a way to make it less inconvenient, but for the time being, that isn’t really an option.
Gaming on my desktop isn’t much better either since I need to sit at my desk to use it, and while my chair is fairly comfortable, it gets a tad bit less comfy sitting there for a long period of time, which is a problem since I love my gaming marathons. Sitting at the desk is also a little less desirable since I do that at my university constantly. It’s preferable to me to be able to separate myself from the desk and computer for a while when I’m trying to relax.
Not that I’m in the need of that right now… It’s not like my life is all that stressful at the moment. What little of a point that I’ve made though still remains though!
In Summary
I guess I could’ve just broken this down into a list…
- It’s arguably cheaper in the long run to play games on consoles while maintaining a decent level of quality
- Sitting on the couch while playing on a console is less of a pain in the ass (both literally and figuratively)
- There’s little hassle with compatibility on consoles compared to PC
- Console gaming is for the lazy gamer, which is what I am
So there it is. This is the gist of why I prefer my console gaming over the PC alternative. Don’t get me wrong, I know that gaming on the PC has its benefits. It’s just that I, like many other gamers, don’t experience those benefits because I haven’t been completely invested in that platform. I also don’t pirate games either, so there’s that.
I’m not implying that all PC gamers pirate games. Boy, do I have stories of the few that do though!
Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Anger-filled rants? Feel free to chip in!
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omg u n00b y u such an idjit?!– I’m kidding already of course š
I love gaming on my PS4, however I prefer the (get ready for this) cost effectiveness of gaming on my PC! This is where it gets interesting: My PC cost me Ā£850, or around $1,100.
It runs most games at max settings pretty darn well and I’m highly excited for the new Tekken on my PC. So you may be thinking: Why would I spend Ā£850 as opposed to Ā£400 for a brand new PS5 (When that eventually and inevitably)?
For me, it’s to do with life expectancy and also the cheapness of games. When I consider a new game on my PS4 can sometimes reach as high as Ā£50-Ā£60, as opposed to the same game on my PC at Ā£40, that’s a big jump. Every 5 games, I’m saving Ā£100… and I have a lot of games. I’m talking 250+.
A recent (not quite as drastic) example is Ā£44.99 for Tekken 7 on PS4, vs Ā£39.99 on my PC. It’s not a huge difference, but still Ā£5 is enough of a saving to make a difference.
Plus – I love my chair! I sit so far back in it, I’m almost staring at the ceiling. And finally, there’s the fact my PC can act as an office. What I can do on my PC is vastly better than what I can do on my PS4 without dedicated apps… Even then, dedicated apps on the PS4 are only just optimised correctly and cannot take advantage of the (weak) CPU a console has to offer. The GPU of a console is great, however.
In conclusion (for my long response!)
Games are typically cheaper (plus major savings with bundles)
My chair is comfy š But it isn’t cheap to have a comfy chair!
My PS4 is vastly underpowered by comparison.
Length of time my current PC should last: 8-10 years.
This isn’t to say “How dare you enjoy gaming on console” – I love getting a game out when we have friends around. Console WINS the friend argument hands down. But the PC, for me, is my dedicated gaming experience š
Great article!
(Also; I don’t pirate games š¦ That’s sad and makes me sad and makes devs sad and that’s a sad, sad state of affairs. Nearly all of my PC gaming friends don’t pirate; but it is indeed possible to pirate games for consoles. Don’t forget, PS1 era we called them “Chipped games”)
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A well reasoned, yet somehow still incorrect response. You lose 20 internet points, and are banished to the dungeons! š š š š š
I think it’s important to note that consoles will ALWAYS be less powerful than the top-tier PCs, because the bleeding edge experience is always going to be on the custom rigs. As for cheaper games being available, I’d lump that under the “depends” category.
Bundles of games are good for value, but it sucks if you’re getting a bunch of games that aren’t appealing in addition to the ones you actually want. I’m kinda picky myself, so I’ve never been attracted to that option. I also tend not to find myself on “grey market” key reseller sites, so newer PC games are full price to me. I understand the appeal of those sites, since getting a brand new game for a fraction of the normal cost is wonderful, but I don’t want to take the chance that the key I’m buying is one that was attained through disreputable means.
I do have to admit though that here in the US, pricing may be a little different. The UK, Canadian, and Australian regions seem to suffer from price inflation quite a bit.
Thank you for the comment by the way!
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I don’t think an opinion is ever incorrect – It’s an opinion, much like your article states.
As I mentioned – I don’t pirate; but I also don’t use these key sites, except for Humble Bundle. I often buy direct (Blizzard), Steam, GOG or other such sites. 8/10 times I would hazard a guess that brand new on PC was cheaper than brand new on console.
This isn’t a dig at consoles; it’s just as you mentioned that you like your games ready to go: There’s a premium for that (at least here in the UK). So perhaps ‘incorrect’ is more of a regional thing. I also in my response gave a current example of the price difference we see, at least here in the UK.
Considering my last PC lasted me 8 years at just Ā£600, this one I guess will last me 10: but granted, the next gen consoles -will- play new games easier in 10 years than my rig will š
Mind you, if I were to constantly update my rig, certainly, consoles win on price hands down.
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I was being flippant in my response. I wasn’t attempting to imply that you were incorrect in any serious way. I added more winky faces for good measure.
There really needs to be a sarcasm font…
I do like the Humble Bundle option for games, not only because of the prices, but because of where the money goes. Steam kinda gets under my skin a little with how miserly it has gotten, so I’ve been perusing GoG or seeing if I can buy directly from the developer lately.
At least here in the US, I’ve generally been able to find my console games for <$50 on launch day, thanks to Amazon and Best Buy. I haven’t paid full price for a game in quite a while (except for my 2nd copy of Ghost Recon: Wildlands that was digital so Jennifer and I could play together). Microsoft and Sony have been pretty good about sales this generation as well, so it has been relatively easy to get decent prices on games if I choose to wait, just like on the PC. Though I can totally understand why you would prefer the PC for that reason. Not to mention that my own purchasing experience is anecdotal at best.
I think the issue with the discussion of PC vs console tends to arise from the thinking that PC and console games improve along the same track. PC games seem to have performance and graphics improvements in a smooth upward trend, where consoles rely on new iterations of the console to push the boundaries further, making for a stepped trend. A console will provide a inferior, yet stable platform. A PC will start strong and degrade very slowly over time, depending on what game developers are trying to do with their software. Neither really makes for a bad experience really. That’s just where personal preference steps in.
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I had guessed you were joking; so I thought I’d interject with that little quip š
From what you’re saying – The price issue must be a regional thing! I think that’s something I’m going to look up (Perhaps I’ll do a full study for an article). I’ll concede this point, at least to US readers, but UK readers might find my side rings true?
It’d also make a lot of sense from a collection perspective (Angry Video Game Nerd’s extensive collection comes to mind). Here in the UK, I don’t see many people with massive physical game collections – Because of how crazy expensive it can be. But game libraries on digital distribution reaches amazing numbers.
You’re right about the quality of some Steam titles. I’ve played some -dreadful- Steam games. That said, I’ve played some -dreadful- PS4 games. Thanks to Steam Greenlight and PS4 Plus Ā¬_Ā¬;
Sales here tend to be minimal for games… or they’re Steam/Amazon sales š That’s the only time I hear local gamers go “Sales on!” Sad really. My PS4 also has more downloaded games > physical games… But that said, as I mentioned above, I’ve got PS4 Plus š
And also, you’re 100% spot on regarding the development! As I mention; I can’t go on many websites on my PS4, due to it being underpowered… But when I want to game, it games very well!
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Oh the gloves are off then! USA USA USA!!!
It does strike me as a little odd that UK game prices are so much higher than here in the US. I know that Canadians pay about $70 new games, despite the Canadian dollar being fairly close in terms of the exchange rate too.
It’s really easy to be impulsive with game purchases when they’re cheap though. I know I’ve made at least a handful of game purchases like that.
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See, here, impulse buying video games just can’t happen unless you are impulsively wandering with at least Ā£40 in your pocket. ;( Sad times.
But not as sad as the fact that I still can’t play Tekken 7! š
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I’m never far from my debit card, much to Jennifer’s chagrin. She put my credit cards in our safe deposit box at one point!
Why can’t you play Tekken 7 though?
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It’s still not out officially. But it’s sat in my library. It’s taunting me ;_;
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You could punch it in the face, but that might be a very expensive punch.
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I’ll leave all the punching for in the game ;)!
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I’m sorry but if you pirate games, then it’s an automatic L.
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As I say, I don’t pirate games š
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Me neither. It’s an L by default, never do that and support the devs!
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Absolutely right š I pay for all other mediums, video games are exactly the same to me
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Honest question here, how do you get 8-10 years out of your PC? I’ve stretched mine to five, maybe 5 1/2 but then it ends up costing me about $200-$300 more to get it up to spec again and even then its still at the low end.
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Typically I build high but not the highest – I don’t push my PC to limits… Which, granted, means I’ll probably never get the “full” experience that some PC gamers get š
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I’m coming into 8 years on mine. Main thing I needed to upgrade is the GPU. But I was able to find some good deals on AMD cards. The rest of the PC holds up remarkably. I’m able to do Witcher 3 maxed out and get great frame rates, only 4gb of ram to. O spent about $300 on the card, which I think is fair for 8 yeara
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I feel quite the same way. Gaming on my consoles is more convenient and more comfortable, generally just hassle free which is an optimal situation for one of my hobbies.
I don’t need the best graphical options to enjoy Skyrim or Dragon Age. Gameplay over graphical capability is key for me. They’re damned fine games no matter where they appear.
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While I do game on a PC, like you I generally prefer to game on my consoles. There is something nice about ease of use and comfort that I just don’t get out of my PC setup. Certain genres, like RTS games work better with a mouse and keyboard and I’ll sit down there to play them. And then of course there are the PC exclusives that you can’t get on a console but more often than not, I prefer to pick up an XB1 or PS4 gamepad and play in my chair or on my couch.
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I will say that I will only play strategy games with a mouse and keyboard. I’ve tried a few with a controller, but it’s such a pain that I’d just rather sit down at the computer anyway. Besides, computers can handle the unit counts of RTS games better anyway, so I can build the gigantic armies that I love seeing.
I meant to mention that in the post, but somehow it slipped my mind. Thank you for reminding me!
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PC MASTER RACE – or not! I have a gaming PC, and also a PS4, 3DS and Switch – and basically I use the PC for games like Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm, and for the rest, I’ll just get the game wherever I can get it cheapest if it’s on multiple platforms! That being said, I am also somewhat of a hobbyist who loves building PCs – I tend to keep them for 4 or 5 years before I replace them.
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I would probably get games that way but I really like watching my gamerscore go up. I hit 80k a while back!
Honestly though, it’s really a combination of the Xbox controller with the fact that I have to share the laptop. I’d love to build a PC in the future though. Just not feasible at the moment.
Thank you for commenting by the way š
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No problem! Trying to strike a balance between blogging and reading the posts of all the people who have graciously followed me.
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It’s… tough to say the least. I still find myself struggling to keep up with everyone.
Not complaining though! There’s a lot of good stuff on here.
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You are correct – consoles are designed to be simpler, less hassle, and usually cheaper.
Whereas, PC generally requires more time to mess around with; but the way I see it is, if I’m going to have a gaming device, why not have something that can do almost everything.
I game almost completely on PC – and it’s because I like to customize what I play with. The wide range of capability that a PC can have is pretty awesome, of course that is if you’re willing to put in the time and money into such a thing.
Another thing that PC has is emulation capability, for at least PSX, PS2, & most Nintendo consoles.
Also there’s usually the problem of no backwards compatibility with many consoles nowadays [PS3 / PS4, some XBOX / XBOX 360, etc]. The PS2 was probably the one of the best deals as far as consoles because of it’s backwards compatibility. Even PC isn’t compatible with an older title, it’s possible to figure out a loophole to get a game to work, which takes time.
PC usually has a longer expectancy to keep up to date with games, where consoles generally last 5 years until the next version is released. Consoles still beat PC as far as cost efficiency though; but if someone’s going to have a laptop and 2 consoles, they might as well have a PC that can do it all instead.
The biggest problem with PC is that some games are specific to certain consoles, which pisses me off because we all know they could easily be ported to PC by the developers / publishers who have the files and authority, since it’s their product.
To each their own; no decision is the wrong one, as long as you enjoy what you play.
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Also, I very commonly use a huge TV + an XBOX 360 controller and sit back just like I would on a console. A PC is quite capable of that; of course you have to know how to set it up.
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That is something I often hear echoed by PC-primary gamers. I do like the versatility of a computer, but the investment required in order to get a comparable experience makes it a bit of a wash in my opinion.
As for exclusivity, I can understand the disdain, but 1st party games are investments by the platform holders. It makes sense to me why Sony would want to keep Bloodborne on PS4 only for instance, given its unofficial status as a system seller. Same with Nintendo and their various 1st party IPs. Their mentality is almost justified based on what I’ve heard from others regarding Microsoft exclusives though. Many folks I know now take the stance of “If Xbox One exclusives are on PC, then I have no reason to have an Xbox One.” It’s certainly logical, but I can understand why the Japanese giants are opposed to throwing away their best meal ticket.
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They’re all at fault in that regard – it’s just a greed stance from my opinion, and that includes Microsoft.
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Great Post! I personally prefer console gaming although there are a few games that I loveeee playing on PC more! I can understand your reasons for preferring consoles because I harbor some of the same opinions. Honestly, Gamers or Gamers to me. Whether it’s consoles, PC, mobile devices or even the throwback board games.
I own an Xbox One, PS4, PC and retro games like the Nintendo DS, 64 and Gamecube (working on the Switch but I have a lot of vacation time that i’m currently planning for lol). As mentioned I prefer consoles, mainly the Xbox One but here are a few cross platform games that I prefer on PC. Civilization for 1. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee (and I can’t stress this enough lol) Civ Rev for Xbox 360, but after playing it ( or the Civ 5 version) on PC I’ve much prefer the limitless feel of the game. On console you couldn’t in detail manage farms or population growth (on a large scale you could lol).
Another game I prefer on PC is The Sims for the same reasons. There’s far more to do and control. The last game I will mention is Minecraft. Minecraft on PC as compared to console gaming is so vast and amazing. When I play on consoles I’m very disappointed on the limited features (even though the console version is updated often) as compared to online.
-Luna š
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I can echo your love for playing strategy games on the PC, as well as moddable experiences as well. That’s a huge strength in my opinion.
Though I suck at Civilization. The last one I played was Civilization 2, and I only got by because I cheated, a lot.
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I think the ‘gap’ between pc and console is shrinking with each year. I couch game with my pc and ‘desk’ game depending on the title. As far as your points go, I think there totally valid, my pc is currently doing pretty well (it hasn’t taken a serious dislike to a game for some time), but I know it’s only a matter of time until I have to work out which bit needs upgrading. For me the trade off is not necessarily graphics, but versatility, I’d say PC is more suited to more games, but that’s just based on what I play at the moment…
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Versatility is a huge factor in PC gaming, for sure. A gaming PC is generally capable of doing most other things that a user needs to do, whereas a console is a more entertainment-focused thing.
It’s clear that Microsoft is still going for the long play of making PC and console gaming more interconnected though. It was Bill Gates’ vision for the Xbox after all. They really aren’t going to get far with that until they focus more heavily on making keyboard and mouse inputs a priority, and making sure that the Xbox brand of devices stays on par with similarly price PCs.
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Fellow console gamer reporting in. I understand PC gaming is ‘better’ in a lot of ways (cheaper games, free online, improved performance, etc), but I prefer my consoles.
I have enough stresses in my life as it is without having to worry about system specs and driver updates every time I buy a new game.
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Thankfully I haven’t run into many compatibility issues with my laptop, but I haven’t purchased many “AAA” games for it either. It’s obvious to me that it wouldn’t be able to exceed the performance of a console though for the newer games coming out however, which is a bit of a bummer.
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I’m pretty much the same. As an A/V geek, my TV and speaker set-up is usually pretty good for watching films and TV anyway, so it makes more sense, practically and economically, to just get consoles that I can plug into that with a minimum of fuss.
Plus, some of the PS4 Pro games now come with various options for how you want to maximise the games anyway, so that gives me a bit of choice without messing about with sliders and such!
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Well not everyone is cool like you and has a PS4 Pro! I’m still sporting the now-legacy style Xbox One and PS4 Noob.
Makes me a bit excited for more info on the Scorpio though!
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To be clear, that wasn’t meant to be showing off; more highlighting that consoles seem to be moving towards giving Console Gamers a few of the options normally available to PC Gamers.
But yeah, since you mention it, I am pretty damn cool*…. š
*that’s funny because it’s patently untrue, btw. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but “cool” isn’t often one of ’em!
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C’mon… You own a Wii U and you live in Brazil. That’s all it takes to be cool, yeah?
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If only, dude. If only…..š
(Actually, though, owning the PlayStation VR has made me pretty cool. I mean, it’s made me “cool” amongst fellow nerds admittedly, but still, I’ma take it anyways…..)
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Admittedly, I would be bumming it off of you if I could. Or at least trying to find reasons to drop by so I could be my inner 10 year old and sneak a little demo time.
Just don’t tell anyone I said that. I’d lose my Xbot membership.
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I’m a PC Gamer primarily, I have a way more then capable PC to run most if not all third party games on Ultra and 4K resolution but Console gaming is pretty good. I should use the Xbox more often, I usually use the Xbox for games that don’t run well on the PC or for exclusives because Microsoft is shitting the bed with Xbox Play Anywhere : eg GoW 4 doesn’t run well on PC.
The reason why I like PC Gaming is because of the customization and the smell of freedom you get when you’re not being hold back from this restriction or that restriction but the reason why I should use the Xbox more is because it’s comfortable and pretty easy to use without messing with the configuration or trying to find a way to run an older game.
Good article!
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Shots fired!!
I hear ya. I play primarily on the PC. The Wii U is my console of choice outside of that. But I typically don’t play PC exclusive games and use Steam to play games most console gamers are playing. Witcher 3, me Andromeda etc.
I used to also hate the whole being at the desk thing. But through using controllers such as dual shocks 3, 4 and the steam controller, I have a pretty good setup to play from the TV. I have my PC in my basement at a desk. Then 2 HDMI wires for our, one to the monitor at the desk, and the other one upstairs to the TV. Wireless range.for keyboards and controllers work well.
It is practical, as my wife uses it as well to watch TV shows. It took some work though and sometimes I just have to put up with needing to trouble shoot things with the controllers, or steam. Times like that make me feel console way more convenient because as you said, it just works.
Also PC may be more powerful if speced right, but cost way more. And I feel consoles like Scorpio and PS4 pro are coming close to PC standards, and their OS’s blow the windows PC version out of the water in terms of efficiency I feel.
But I love having my whole steam library available on any machine I install steam. And through family sharing, my brother and I can share games, as long as the other is not playing (not sure if any consoles have something like this).
So all in all PC works very well for me given the so I’ve come up with, I can game and watch TV upstairs and if I want to play a keyboard/mouse game, or do some productive work, I can do it downstairs in the same machine. It’s quite a multi purpose system for me. And consoles not supporting backwards compatibility like they used to is a big turn off and keeps me on my PC, since as I said, I can play any game old or new on steam forever theoretically. I do however envy the ease of consoles, I wish PC could match that one day
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I think you’ve hit the core reasons why some people are reluctant to PC game. Consoles are specifically made FOR gaming whereas PCs are more ubiquitous devices. Oh yes, I use the PS4 to watch Netflix or a Blu-Ray or what have you, but its primary use is as a gaming system. I don’t have to worry about specs or memory if I want to play any game made for it on it.
Also anyone who’s going to castigate you for just saying that without reading it doesn’t have an opinion worth reading lol. If I can read and comment civilly on a fellow blogger’s post about why they’re not really into Final Fantasy, PC gamers can do the same here. People are entitled to their informed opinions, and that opinion and this one were both informed, nor were you bashing PC games. You were just saying why they weren’t for you.
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Here on WordPress, I haven’t seen any hostility. I can’t say the same for conversations that I’ve had elsewhere though.
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WP seems to be a really cordial site. I’ve heard of some trolling and received a little bit of it, but the majority of people are super awesome. I think it’s because if you write a blog, you have solidarity with other bloggers, and we’re all pretty much trying to do the same thing! I think the trolls are people who happen to find something they don’t like, but they don’t have their own blogs. The atmosphere of WP lends itself to friendliness and togetherness, which is a LOT to say anywhere on the internet. Generally if you don’t like something here, you just don’t read it lol.
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I’m not averse to either style of hardware, but to be honest I think I veer more towards PC gaming because it feels more diverse to me. Controllers plug into PCs just as easily as they do into consoles, but if you feel like some keyboard+mouse action, it’s easy to switch.
Meanwhile, it is far easier to play strategy games on PC than it is on consoles – meaning one of my personal favourite genres would be locked out entirely if I were to stick only to consoles. Plus there’s the fact that a PC isn’t just a gaming machine – it’s a work tool as well. Sometimes that comes back to bite you though as your eyes start drifting away from the Word document and over to the Steam shortcuts!
That being said, some games are just designed for the easy plug-and-play of a console. I’m currently playing through The Witcher 3 (after a long hiatus from the series), and it feels so much more natural with the controller style play. In fact, there are times when I wish I had the console version rather than the PC, as I feel it would be better designed for that style of play from the ground up.
Some excellent points you’ve brought up, but I’ve always been confused by the whole tribalism of consoles and PC in general. Why does it really matter? Is just game, why you heff to be mad?
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Strategy is at home on PC, that’s for sure. I’ve never cared for using a controller for RTS games at all. Of course, that isn’t a PC’s only strength, just as you pointed out.
You really hit what’s at the heart of the debate though. It really doesn’t matter what other people game on, because where others derive their videogame enjoyment is irrelevant to your own enjoyment. I think some people are just appalled that others might like something that they don’t, or vice versa.
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As soon as I was finally about to shell out money on building a good PC and getting into PC gaming, you remind me why I’ve held out on it for so long lol. I too am an extremely lazy gamer, but I do have a growing interest in converting to PC. I think outside of convenience, PCs have more Pros than Consoles
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Great Post! Agreed, I love gaming on my PS4. As much as I have considered getting a PC, I’m far too lazy for that, and just enjoy gaming in its simplicity.
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I have a PC for certain games, but it’s so nice to plop down and kick back.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
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Interesting perspective. I agree with a lot of what you say here. I used to PC game more when I was younger, but it became too expensive for me to keep updating my rig on my own. Now that I do have the money to fund a new build, I don’t have the space to put one, so my consoles and laptop will have to do until my lease is up. PC may be the ultimate platform to game on, but it’s more expensive and less convenient.
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Money does prove to be a bit of an obstacle. If it were less of an issue, I might game on PC more.
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Hello, PC gamer here. My biggest complaint about console gaming is I cannot control my aim in FPS games like I can with a mouse. Every time I’ve gone back to using a console since I’ve felt like a potato. Something about a mouse is so much more accurate in my opinion. However, nothing beats lounging with a controller in your hand and your feet up on a reclining couch.
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You’re absolutely right about precision. M+KB is by far the more precise option for controls. If only consoles allowed it!
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I agree for the most part lol. My thing is that the PC is prone to viruses and things can go wrong easier.
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I’ve been lucky on the front of malware and hardware issues, so that’s something I didn’t even consider. That’s a good point!
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Thanks lol I see SO many PC elitists and im wondering ” why cant we all just have fun with video games? Especially since each thing has its own flaws.”
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[Snip]
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I clipped your comment. I appreciate your participation on Falcon Game Reviews, but I don’t allow links to other sites. Furthermore, if you’d like to continue participating, please don’t plug your blog here. At the very least, if you’re going to, keep it somewhat relevant to the subject.
Rules & Regs: Section 1, Rule 5
https://falcongamereviews.com/rules-regs/
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I’m very sorry to disturb you in such manner. I didn’t know . Sorry. Won’t happen in the future? By the way can you tell me ways to promote blogs?
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Honestly, the best way I’ve found is to be engaged in your community. Reach out to people, share what you have to say, and be genuine with them. It’s slow, but it’s the only way to really grow a meaningful audience.
There are many ways to just get numbers, but if you want to have an audience that cares about what you’re writing and want to share that content with others, nothing beats just being a friendly and engaging person š
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Thanks. It’s really helpful. I am again sorry to disturb you. I was just trying to promote by blog.
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I totally understand, and I appreciate your understanding š
I did look at your stuff, by the way. I’ll have to keep up on it.
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Wow your writing is amazing, I recently started blogging about bits and bobs but I’m no writer even though I would love to be. I’m not a pc gamer either but I will normally use my boyfriends pc for games like Undertale (since I have a yogabook for designing it isn’t good for gaming).
I own a ps1, 2, 4, a Xbox 360, Nintendo wii and a Nintendo DS but everyone tells me to get a gaming pc so I sit there like “erm no I like less hassle as possible” plus it’s so much easier to make a party and chat with friends while gaming, no making sure Skype is running okay or pressing shift to talk or whatever.
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You may consider using Discord instead of Skype. I know that’s a preferred communications tool for gaming.
Thank you for reading by the way!
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Oh I’m glad I started using WordPress, saves those newspaper reads where it’s all bad news! I’ve never heard of discord before š¤ shall look it up
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Brilliant article. definitely hits the nail on the head. I don’t have any issues with PC gamers myself. I have just always been a console kid since the commodore 64 days. I also work in a console based gaming cafe is the best job ever! Its not even work LOL We organise and host tournaments for Fifa and Capcom. I have been to some PC based gaming cafes. They are not as popular here as the are in for example japan and China. Maybe because they have had powerful PCs since day one. Good post. Keep on blogging š
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Yes consoles can be a lot more hassle free and cheaper but pc games have much better graphics for a true gaming experience obviously at a higher cost
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It may just be the fact that you’re trying to game on a laptop, I was amazed when I went from the PS4 version of Witcher III to the version on PC, the graphical quality is much better, and the frame rate was amazing. But that was on a tower, with a very good graphics processor.
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I’m definitely interested in building a tower someday, but cost and space is a concern for me, in addition to my hesitance to sit in a chair as opposed to my far more comfortable couch. That’s not to say that I couldn’t hook up my PC to my TV, but there are issues with screen tearing and refresh rates to deal with then.
Like with Skyrim, I know that games like The Witcher III look far better on a capable PC. It’s just that graphics aren’t the end-all-be-all for gamers, or myself for that matter. If graphics were the primary concern for most gamers, the Xbox One X would be stomping out the PS4 Pro already, and the Nintendo Switch would go the way of the Wii U.
That said, I’m happy with my laptop for now. It does what I want it to, which is to play certain games that aren’t available on consoles or benefit greatly from M+KB support (like strategy games). I definitely don’t hate playing on my computer though.
Thank you for reading, and taking time to comment by the way!
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[…] years, and have made some drastic changes to those opinions in that time as well. I posted about not liking PC gaming all that much, only to later back down once I built my own PC. While I still feel like I made some cogent points […]
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