[CecilRousso]

Because some people care more than just about graphics, and believe that historically, having a consoles gives you access to better games. I'm inclined to agree.

What do you mean by better games?

[Gravijah]

PC gaming has a lot of games, but not a lot of games that i absolutely need to play. when i finally do upgrade my PC, it'll be mostly for emulation, though it'll be so i can run the games at native res with no extra filters or anything like that. i'm kind of a purist when it comes to emulation.

[Cipherr]

Because the PC has a poor range of games. If you like FPS games, great. If you like 3D platformers or JRPGs, it's terrible. Ultimately the games will always win over graphics. The Wii has the best games of this generation, despite not being as powerful as the other two consoles.

Impeccable amounts of fail here. Laughed all the way through that post. Lovely crescendo at the last sentence there..

[Truant]

Nah, the HD generation and the current generation of consoles didn't line up like MS and Sony thought in the beginning. Next gen stuff will be 1080p for most releases.

[Eideka]

Because some people care more than just about graphics, and believe that historically, having a consoles gives you access to better games. I'm inclined to agree.

That is entirely subjective. Console only games are certainly not "better" in my opinion, and I have both a PS3 and a 360. I played exclusive games on those systems (Gears 2/3, Uncharted, Killzone, Infamous etc..) and frankly, nothing mindblowing or that I could not have lived without.

[diffusionx]

Games like Grand Theft Auto seem like games that need a controller. And you can get one but then you have to setup the controller for each game, it's such a hassle.

No you don't.

[see5harp]

I have a gaming PC which really isn't anything more than a decent PC and a $200 video card. It's not any more hardware than I'd buy if I needed to buy a regular PC. I would like to see the DX11 jump though because it seems like the majority of games I play still run DX9.

[Criminal Upper]

I really wouldn't want to limit myself to such a library, so no thanks. Consoles will always be in my life.

[stuart]

Impeccable amounts of fail here. Laughed all the way through that post. Lovely crescendo at the last sentence there..

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

[Durante]

Outside of that very first initial cost, everything on PC turns out to be cheaper. You get more games for free, larger discounts, cheaper prices, mods, and other stuff.

And online gaming for free.

[Blackvette94]

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

I laughed at this post.... sorry

[enzo_gt]

That is entirely subjective. Console only games are certainly not "better" in my opinion, and I have both a PS3 and a 360. I played exclusive games on those systems (Gears 2/3, Uncharted, Killzone, Infamous etc..) and frankly, nothing mindblowing or that I could not have lived without.

Of course it's subjective, that's why I said "some people."

If you fancy sims, indie games and shooters to some extent, the best way to go is PC. If you fancy platformers, arcade racing titles, RPGs, etc. consoles have the upper hand.

So yeah most of the games I think are better are on consoles, and just because shit is consistently prettier on PC doesn't mean I have good reason to switch my main platform. Undoubtedly, if you want a complete range of experiences you need multiple platforms, but not everybody wants to put the effort and money into that, especially if it's for just a few games like in my case.

[Derrick01]

I've never understood the cheaper argument. Let's talk about cheaper first. Most people here probably spent 300 or 400$ on their system. Some of the people responding probably spent 600$. I recently purchase a new PC for about 750$. 2500i, GT560ti, and 8Gig Ram. With the rest of the jazz including casing, cooler, motherboard, etc. So it has a higher upfront cost, but their prices have gone down while console prices have gone up. Its no longer 1000+ dollar PC, but rather high hundreds vs middle hundreds. We can also discuss all the other benefits of using a PC too. Its a multi-tool unit. Compared to consoles which are still largely an entertainment device. I use it for School, Entertainment, Contacts, and creation. You don't get anywhere near the usefulness out of a console as a PC. And outside that very first purchase, I don't think how anyone could say its cheaper overall anymore. Just for a quick comparison. Thanks to GMG such titles like Borderlands 2, Sleeping Dogs, Hitman Absolution, Darksiders 2, and a few others. Most Gaffers have been getting all of them for low thirties. Sleeping Dogs was 32$, compared to the 60$ its on Amazon right now. Or even just using Steam/Amazon DD. Its 45$ compared to the retail 60$. Longer you wait, most Console games are going to stop dropping around 10-20$ due to retail margins and console manufactures. While they'll keep dropping to that 5$ or less mark on PC, due to no overhead required. Deus Ex Human Revolution isn't even a year old, but people have already picked it up for 6$. We can also discuss how big of a joke XBLG and PSN+ are too. Where such wonderful arguments like, "It pays for itself" comes into play. You are paying them 50$ a year to spend money, or on the one service, get a 3 year old game to play with some 10 year old games. Know what I'm going to be playing for free? Planetside 2 With some Hawken I also don't have to spent money to get discounts too! Outside of that very first initial cost, everything on PC turns out to be cheaper. You get more games for free, larger discounts, cheaper prices, mods, and other stuff.

Really good post. It reminded me that I've already saved $100 from buying late 2012 games on GMG, and that wasn't even including the $10 console tax on most of them so that's even more savings. And I have more games to get this fall too, not to mention all the savings I had from the last few years. All of a sudden console gaming isn't looking so cheap.

[CecilRousso]

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

There is a big difference between a poor range of games, and the complete range of games. You seem to confuse those two things.

[Eschaton]

Of course it's subjective, that's why I said "some people." If you fancy sims, indie games and shooters to some extent, the best way to go is PC. If you fancy platformers, arcade racing titles, RPGs, etc. consoles have the upper hand. So yeah most of the games I think are better are on consoles, and just because shit is consistently prettier on PC doesn't mean I have good reason to switch my main platform. Undoubtedly, if you want a complete range of experiences you need multiple platforms, but not everybody wants to put the effort and money into that, especially if it's for just a few games like in my case.

nah, PCs have the hand on RPGs as well.

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

they just arent very educated concerning the PC platform

[Interfectum]

I believe my opinion is a valid one

It's not.

[shintoki]

And online gaming for free.

Free on the one system. But if you want discounts on products or many year old free games. You gotta pay the fee. You know, what is just expected to be the norm on PC.

[Gravijah]

All of a sudden console gaming isn't looking so cheap.

GameFly. a gift from the gods.

[Kintaro]

I don't want to get banned so I will be careful with my words.

I love my PC and PC gaming in general. It never feels like a "generation" to me. There are only improving things as I go and if I feel like it. I love it.

[jaypah]

For me it's the games. It's the same reason why, as a console only gamer for 28 years, i bought a PC and hooked it to my tv. As a kid i was single platform. Eventually i became a multi-console owner but something was missing. I got tired of having to ignore (and as a child even downplay) the games on PC. i absolutely love everything about my PC. It really is like a super console next to the tv. But until all games release for it I'll always have all of the consoles around. For me it's worth it to have every available game accessible. Some people don't need/want that much choice and are fine missing out on some games. But for me being able to play anything that looks interesting is sooo worth it.

[Durante]

Free on the one system. But if you want discounts on products or many year old free games. You gotta pay the fee. You know, what is just expected to be the norm on PC.

I'm not sure what you're getting at here, I was just adding "free online" to your list of what makes PC gaming cheaper in the long run.

[StuBurns]

I don't want to get banned so I will be careful with my words. I love my PC and PC gaming in general. It never feels like a "generation" to me. There are only improving things as I go and if I feel like it. I love it.

Generations are blurrier on PC, but we still have DirectX iterations, etc. Once the UE3 stuff started to roll out on PC, and Crysis turned up, it felt like a new generation to me.

[Lateraleye]

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

Ignore them, they don't understand that people have different opinions. I agree that the Wii had a kick ass exclusive library (including the game in your avatar) and people prefer different genres to others. The PC exclusives with only a few exceptions aren't appealing to me in the least but now that I've built a gaming PC recently, I'll be getting all my multiplatform titles on there for the better visuals and sticking with Nintendo for things you can't really find anywhere else at the moment.

[GotEmRunnin]

Let me also add with dreamcast emulation I'm able to get all my fighting games fix and jrpg fix on my plasma via my pc + 360 gamepad. I'm good.

[Derrick01]

GameFly. a gift from the gods.

It works if they send you what you want and don't take nearly a week to get it to you like they did with me. They have a long way to go.

[EatinOlives]

I've used Steam/PC games/emulators in the past, most of the problems I mention I've experienced directly.

Nobody who has had a reasonable amount of experience with PC gaming in the past 10 years would've made that list, that's for sure.

[Juancho9]

My PC has replaced my consoles completely.

[see5harp]

Really good post. It reminded me that I've already saved $100 from buying late 2012 games on GMG, and that wasn't even including the $10 console tax on most of them so that's even more savings. And I have more games to get this fall too, not to mention all the savings I had from the last few years. All of a sudden console gaming isn't looking so cheap.

I don't know if "saving money" is necessarily a good argument for PC gaming. I've been a gamefly member for the better part of a decade now. I've rented games dating back to GBA and PS2 through the current gen. I probably saved thousands of dollars by not buying games.

[Eschaton]

Nobody who has had a reasonable amount of experience with PC gaming in the past 10 years would've made that list, that's for sure.

Pretty much thats how i felt, like I was in 2003 reading that on gamefaqs.

[thetrin]

Hey guys, why don't you just play everything?

[Bumhead]

Wii U + PC is the route for me next gen.

I know that means owning a console AND a PC, which seems to be a novel concept according to this thread, but I'm sure people will get over it.

One thing about the console vs PC debate that really gets me - even more than the misinformation about the cost of a PC - is that there is still a misconception that console gaming is this seamless, instantaneous experience. It hasn't been since 2006. I bought Max Payne 3 on PS3 last week and between a mandatory install and game update it was at least half an hour before I was playing it.

[mkenyon]

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

Less faith, more empiricism.

[dark10x]

Not sure why people always seem to laugh at my posts, I believe my opinion is a valid one

No, it really is NOT a valid opinion.

The PC has, perhaps, the broadest range of software of any established platform on the market. What you're likely ignoring are titles which could not be classified as "AAA blockbusters". There are an incredible amount of titles that could fill the void you mention available on Steam.

[Always-honest]

If pc gaming provides all the games that i love to play then i would. Currently it doesn't. Also... with Windows it's always something. It's never really burden free for long.

Maybe someone could make pc gaming hassle free one day.

I'd love to have to play the games on that fidelity though. I'm a total graphics whore.

[Canis lupus]

Was there a pc game that looked visually appealing as Gears of War back in 2006? You'll see some awesome games come next gen, and its not all about the resolution or frames per seconds.

[CecilRousso]

Hey guys, why don't you just play everything?

Not everyone can/wants to buy/play everything. And discussions are fun.

[Rm88~]

I'm a PC gamer and my 3DS currently gets more play time than my PC. It's all about the games, really, not everyone enjoys the same games. And since I'm talking about PC and 3DS (currently my most played platforms), I can go from playing Super Street Fighter IV at 1080p on my PC to playing it at 240p on my 3DS without problem. I don't die because of the sharp jaggies or anything.

[Imp the Dimp]

Current PC gaming is clearly in a golden age and arguably in one of the best states it's ever been.

[Derrick01]

I don't know if "saving money" is necessarily a good argument for PC gaming. I've been a gamefly member for the better part of a decade now. I've rented games dating back to GBA and PS2 through the current gen. I probably saved thousands of dollars by not buying games.

I've saved over a thousand dollars just in the couple years that I've been a heavy PC gamer, whether it was a good preorder price or steam sales. Plus the money that I do spend goes to the industry so they can keep making the games that I want to play every year.

[shinobi602]

I've never understood the cheaper argument. Let's talk about cheaper first. Most people here probably spent 300 or 400$ on their system. Some of the people responding probably spent 600$. I recently purchase a new PC for about 750$. 2500i, GT560ti, and 8Gig Ram. With the rest of the jazz including casing, cooler, motherboard, etc. So it has a higher upfront cost, but their prices have gone down while console prices have gone up. Its no longer 1000+ dollar PC, but rather high hundreds vs middle hundreds.

You're comparing a PC you built "recently", to the initial price of a console 6 years ago.

Travel back in time to 2006 and build a PC with comparable specs as the PS3 with a built in blu ray player and tell me the difference.

[shintoki]

I don't know if "saving money" is necessarily a good argument for PC gaming. I've been a gamefly member for the better part of a decade now. I've rented games dating back to GBA and PS2 through the current gen. I probably saved thousands of dollars by not buying games.

You spent 16$ a month for one game, 22$ for two. Its a fixed cost and its always dependent on when you return you're next title. So if you play a lot of games quickly. It can work out for you. But I don't. I largely pick up one online game to play for months while rotating out a Single Player game every few weeks.

Now lets say if I had proper Steam Sale controlling habits. I'd probably spent 20$ every 6 months, while playing a F2P title as my online game.


And more on a personal note, I hate that feeling of being on a clock. Similar to P2P MMOs. You naturally want to get in more with you cash for the month.

You're comparing a PC you built "recently", to the initial price of a console 6 years ago. Travel back in time to 2006 and build a PC with comparable specs as the PS3 with a built in blu ray player and tell me the difference.

2006-2007, 800-900$ would have netted you: Good Duo/Quad Core, 8800GT, and 4gigs of ram. Which would have played titles like Crysis and Stalker well. With many games still using 8800GT as a sort of limiter. Since it was a really popular card. And yes, I do believe it completely crushed the PS3 then. So I doubt nothing changed.

[RiverBed]

Don't PC games normally get a jump tech-wise around the launch of a new console generation? I don't know if it is because multi-plats are usually ported to PC that they don't bother pushing it or it is because PC devs need time exploiting the new GPU cards.

Having said that, does anyone think it is realistic to expect UE4 PC games launching by next year or is it too soon? UE4 is releasing in a couple of months or so, I think.

[Coolwhip]

Graphic whores definately should stick to PC at least. I recently played Tera on my new PC, it was an eye opener. Why play on a cheap box for your tv when you can hook up your €1500 PC to your tv if you want to sit on your couch. Unless of course money is the issue.

I'm most likely not buying any of the new consoles, unless Wii U really offers something new. 3DS + PC for the win!

[StuBurns]

Having said that, does anyone think it is realistic to expect UE4 PC games launching by next year or is it too soon? UE4 is releasing in a couple of months or so, I think.

Fortnite is announced for next year, so yes.

[see5harp]

I've saved over a thousand dollars just in the couple years that I've been a heavy PC gamer, whether it was a good preorder price or steam sales. Plus the money that I do spend goes to the industry so they can keep making the games that I want to play every year.

I've probably played the majority of every game on every platform dating back to ps2 and I've paid less than the price of three $40 great PC deals (Borderlands 2 what up!). My subscription money goes to the industry too.

[mkenyon]

If pc gaming provides all the games that i love to play then i would. Currently it doesn't. Also... with Windows it's always something. It's never really burden free for long. Maybe someone could make pc gaming hassle free one day. I'd love to have to play the games on that fidelity though. I'm a total graphics whore.

Dat entitlement.

If headaches and hassle is the price I have to pay for a completely open platform in which I can design and use any way I see fit, I think I might have found the bargain of the century.

[Skilletor]

If pc gaming provides all the games that i love to play then i would. Currently it doesn't. Also... with Windows it's always something. It's never really burden free for long. Maybe someone could make pc gaming hassle free one day. I'd love to have to play the games on that fidelity though. I'm a total graphics whore.

No one gaming platform offers me all of the games I want to play.

But owning a PC provides me to play the games that are offered with the best options available.

Dark Souls being an unfortunate exception.

[Coolwhip]

You're comparing a PC you built "recently", to the initial price of a console 6 years ago. Travel back in time to 2006 and build a PC with comparable specs as the PS3 with a built in blu ray player and tell me the difference.

Times change. You are not going to get something better than a PC in 2013 for 300 bucks.

[see5harp]

You spent 16$ a month for one game, 22$ for two. Its a fixed cost and its always dependent on when you return you're next title. So if you play a lot of games quickly. It can work out for you. But I don't. I largely pick up one online game to play for months while rotating out a Single Player game every few weeks. Now lets say if I had proper Steam Sale controlling habits. I'd probably spent 20$ every 6 months, while playing a F2P title as my online game.

In any case I could play pong and watch porn all day long and I'd be the best. Who the fuck cares you don't save money on PC. Let me check your game list and count the shit you don't play.

[legacyzero]

If anti-used becomes an issue next gen, I'll be skipping consoles altogether. I swear by Gamefly.