The great debate PC vs. Console

[NotinbutaPnut]

I was thinking to myself the other day what would make an avid PC gamer switch to console and vice versa. I for one just recently quit WoW (5.5 years) and made the switch to console FPS shooters. I have always had a Xbox or Playstation and felt it was good for the soul to give up WoW.

I was trying to decide whether certain types of games were better on PC or console. I would assume that Racing games would be clearly favored on console since heavy weights like Forza and the Gran Tourismo series are designed for their respective system.

But on the other hand I would consider a PC to be the optimum platform for RPG based games like of course WoW. MMO's seems to be very intricate games and need a lot of flexibility when it comes to controls and keys which I would think only a PC could provide. But in hindsight you have games like Morrowind which I never played but assumed it was kind of like Fable in that it was a simplified RPG with more storyline and not as much combat. I am comparing combat to WoW in this case which is very complex and is nothing even close to the simplistic Fable combat. Which are basic attacks and combos that can be handheld with a controller. Things you don't need macros for or key bindings. But you can also make the debate that games like Assasin's Creed are phenomenal for console. I have not played this game on PC so I cannot judge this fact.

Also a clear favorite for PC would be strategy games like the Starcraft, Command and Conquer, Age of Empires the list goes on. I have heard of strategy games making brief entrances onto the console market and just blatantly failing. Why is this? I think the mouse is basically all you really need if you are a casual player of this genre so the console controller is useless in this instance. Screen size is a mute point since you are only really looking at a particular section of the battlefield at any given time. Also there is a lot of clicking going on which is best for PC.

I think the one area where there is a great debate is FPS games. I would see how many would choose to play FPS on computer. Screen size is a special reason since past 27" you are negatively effecting your peripheral vision when it comes to scanning the battlefield. For that reason I would guess PC would be a good choice. I do think that the keyboard is basically useless in regards to FPS since you would only need I would guess 12-14 keys at max to play a FPS. Where on the controller you have everything you need with just 1 input device. Graphics are also better on PC. You can have more depth without a loss of clarity. The refresh rates on PC seem better. But I still think I would prefer console. I don't think there is much better in life then watch you stealth kill an enemy in HD on a 42" TV. Seeing the blood, watching the guns cycle through bullets. I just think it looks better. Plus you can't get around the fact that sitting on the couch or a lazy boy is better than any computer chair you can buy.

I guess in the end there are PC guys and Console guys. There are also games meant for each. It's all just a matter of personal opinion.

[Guest Irv]

Putting graphics and controls aside PC gamers are 100% more mature then console gamers. Mommy won't buy these 7-12 year old kids a high end desktop to play BF3 on so they get stuck on the xbox or ps3.

[iamcline]

Some genres I prefer on the PC such as racing games/sims, strategy games and some FPS games...but sports are hands down better on the consoles. Not to mention Red Dead Redemption never even came to PC :-\.

[natty]

Everything a console can do a PC can do better. Consoles are worthless and hurt gaming overall.

[Reapuh]

I like playing games on PC over console any day, just most of the people I know play on console.

I get most multiplayer games on console, and everything else on PC. I will never play an RPG type game on console, that's all PC.

[Darth Biscuit]

I really, really ought to get a good game for this new PC workstation I have at work... high end, 3D graphics (nvidia), triple monitors, etc.... but then I'd want to play games during work... which would interrupt my huddle time. :D

[Seamonk]

I've recently converted into being a PC gamer. Here's why:

1. paying 60 bucks for any new game is a bitch and you don't get any insane sales that often. I poo a brick whenever steam has a 50 dollar game on sale for like 10 bucks. Even fuging Origin had a $5 a game sale for some of the good titles.

2. Digital Copies are awesome. I don't need a stupid bookshelf to house all my stupid game discs.

3. I can still use an xbox controller on the pc. Albeit I don't use it for most FPS games because a controller just can't keep up (unless there's vehicles, cuz using a mouse to fly a heli is a bitch.)

4. Believe it or not, You don't need a $200 gfx card every year. Most games don't require that much power and a lot of the time the ones that don't are also some of the better ones.

5. A lot of the console games usually get ported over to the pc anyway. Plus the PC has a greater number of indie games as well.

6. No 13 year old kid screaming into a mic calling you a f*ggot whenever he dies. (Side Note: I've noticed I rage wayyyyy less on the PC. In fact, it's actually funny the ways you DO die) Plus, you can type to your teammates instead of hearing their annoying voice.

7. There's a greater variety of genres. MOBAs and RTS game are practically impossible on the console and if they ever tried it, they'd have to dumb it down a lot. Even with racing sims, they end up being very arcade-y on a console. You don't see hardcore sims like iRacing, etc on a console.

8. Maybe it's just me, but I'm able to play games longer on a pc than a console. That's good when you only have a day or so to play something and you can finish it in a couple of session.

9. Most online enabled games are free. And there's the ability to host your own server for a lot of games. You know. To keep the weirdos out.

I had been a console only gamer for the longest time too. After playing BF2 on PC, I was strictly a console gamer. There was a pretty good stretch of years where Halo 3, COD4, and other multiplayer games came out where the console was a pretty good place to be. Sadly, it all went down from there and I actually have a couple of games for the console that I haven't even bothered playing. It also doesn't help when your xbox could die at any moment. I've already sent mine in for repairs for a red ring once. It's out of warranty and the disc drive was being finicky for a good part of 2 months. It managed to fix itself, but regardless, that's not a good place you want to be. At least with a pc, if something goes wrong with my hardware. I don't have to lose all hope and 300 bucks if I'm out of warranty. Especially for something like a disc drive...

In the end, I like where I am now.

[necroplasm]

hurt gaming overall.

I'm assuming you mean the gaming market..yes it's true. Like everything else almost, it comes down to making money.

[necroplasm]

After PS3, I'm most likely done with consoles in general.

hurt gaming overall.

I'm assuming you mean the gaming market..yes it's true. Like everything else almost, it comes down to making money.

[Toolbox]

Too many kids on consoles is why all the good games are on consoles and PC get the shaft..

[Chimera]

Too many kids on consoles is why all the good games are on consoles and PC get the shaft..

hmmmm.....

Mommy won't buy these 7-12 year old kids a high end desktop to play BF3 on so they get stuck on the xbox or ps3.

Consoles are worthless and hurt gaming overall.

You sure that's where the kids are?

[Toolbox]

PC gaming is becoming less and less relevant every year. Wouldn't be surprised if it's reduced to niche or independent games by 2020.

Pretty much.. only thing that really is exclusive to the PC are the MMO's and a few AAA titles like total war series diablo 3 and witcher series. Too many other games are crappy ass console ports and make PC wait a long time after console release.

[mmmbeans]

I've done both. Both are ok. I like my ps3 because I like playing Japanese games.

[NotinbutaPnut]

I completely forgot sports games, they are definitely better on console.

You guys have some good points. The whole thing about getting yelled at by 13 yr olds on console games is kinda tiring. I might have come across a screamer on xbox like 4x and its usually when they talk poo about having sex with my mom when I run 50 kills on their faces.

But to be honest with you I have very rarely run into these early teens. I mean I play FPS shooters primarily like stated before. Which should be where they all hang out. Alas, I do not get this same feeling. Maybe my match making is set to a different crowd. I did notice that my gamertag on xbox has over 60 people that prefer to not play me again. Which I thought was hilarious.

Stated above was that you can play for longer sessions on a PC. My longest ever was 16 hrs. Woke up get on, get off go to sleep. I had a friend during release of burning crusade who went for 32 hours straight. Kid was a waste for days after that. I do plan to take some time off for the release of MW3. So we will see how long I can last on console. I would assume less since a chair is better for long run gaming comfort then a couch for me since I can only play sitting up.