Why Console gaming is dying and why PC or Steam gaming is the future

[Discordian 6,015]

23 minutes ago, Celli said:

Okay, as a PC gamer, you've missed the point. I'll tell you why PC gaming is better than consoles though.

Prepare for incoming text wall.

 

PC gaming as a whole is much cheaper than console gaming. Especially in the long run, it can be less than half of what a console will cost you. Hidden fees, price hikes, and royalties are abundant for gamers AND developers in the console industry. [1] [2]

PC hardware offers better bang-for-buck & value than console hardware (same performance for less money, more performance for the same money, or much more performance for a bit more money). [1]

PCs have the freedom to upgrade whenever YOU decide to, not when Sony or Microsoft decide to. If you just got a big paycheck and wanted to sell your R7 260 to a friend for $50 and buy an R9 380 for $150 tomorrow, you could do it.

PCs give you full internal and external control over the graphical fidelity triangle. Consoles can control neither.

PCs easily work with TVs and monitors, and even multiple of each.

PCs can play nearly every old PC and console game ever made, thanks to its tremendous legacy support, emulator availability, and GOG.

PCs can use nearly every console controller ever made, modern ones (PS3/PS4/X360/XO) work without even needing a USB adapter. [1]

PC games offer a clearer image thanks to native resolution and its ability to adjust to any display its plugged into. Console games don't allow resolution adjustments, and will lock to whatever the developer arbitrarily chose. This means that lower resolution displays offer no performance benefit like they do on PCs, because the resolution is never lowered to spare some workload on the GPU (which, on a PC, would mean it could render frames faster). [1]

Gaming services and "social services" on the PC are completely free, even with online play (Steam, Galaxy, Desura, Mumble, etc)

Gaming services on the PC offer more functionality than what you pay for on a console

PCs have better better multiplayer support (LAN, 16x local multiplayer on the same machine with softXpand)

Using a modern budget GPU yields around 60 frames per second during gameplay with recent game releases. Consoles can barely reach 30FPS most of the time.

Not only can PC's be used for education, entertainment, gaming, and content creation... they're the best at all of these things.

PCs are much more powerful than the PS4 or XBox One at the same (traditionally believe to be affordable!) price point

More exclusives than all the current-gen consoles combined

More highly-rated exclusives

PC games have free modifications and enhancements available. Old games and new games alike have player-made content, graphical enhancements, and additions available for free. Even Minecraft. [1]

More games, much larger library

More exclusive games

Healthy independent developer scene

Lots of free games

Free abandonware titles

PCs can emulate almost any handheld and stationary console games using freely available emulators. Sometimes even at higher framerates, detail levels, and with better input than the original console permitted! [1] [1] [2]

Increasingly cheaper hardware for the price as new GPUs are released

Big Picture mode for couch gaming

Easier to repair and highly modular

Backward and forward hardware compatibility of ~2 years

No punishments for repairing

Can be upgraded if desired

Easier to upgrade

Better price-performance than consoles

Higher framerates, resulting in smoother motion, physics, particles, and gameplay

Higher resolutions than consoles (such as 1080p, 1440p, 1600p, 4k, and 8k!) if your display supports it and you have GPU power you're willing to spare. Consoles struggle, even at 720-900p!

Higher graphical details (lighting, textures, foliage, particles, shading, weather)

You're probably going to own some sort of PC anyways, why not pay a bit more on top to make it a gaming machine? That alone makes it cheaper than a console.

 

One of the bigger reasons consoles are as big as they are, however, is that the average gamer isn't going to care about 90% of this list. They want to play a game and they want to play it now. They are also more easily accessible. You can go to a Walmart and buy a console and it's automatically going to work right out of the box. PCs bought at the same store, laptops or otherwise, are going to have a good number of things to deal with before you can even get to the games.

 

And to get a PC with any sort of power you have to actually build it yourself or have someone build it for you. Most gamers don't want to go through that much time and effort just to play a few games.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Just now, Jeric said:

90's? Check my age. I locally gamed in the 80's before the NES was even a thing.

To answer your question, probably several times a week. I knock on the door down the hallway and say "Mario Kart". It's kinda cool having teenage kids who are gamers and geeks ... 

Sometimes I just yell, or send a message on whatever chat service I see them on. And here's the cool thing ... this is something that I am not that big of an outlier on. I have several friends my age that game with their kids. 

 

Before the NES? that means you must have grown up with the Atari 2600?

I guess you must have also experienced the BIT wars and stuff, between nintendo and sega?

(Or those tiger hand held games, lmao, those could not even be considerd consoles, perhaps art?)

[Celli 4,337]

5 minutes ago, Envy said:

1. I know not every single PC gamer is an elitist, but clearly it is enough of a problem within the PC gaming community because topics like this one right here come up so frequently on this forum and on other forums, as well. You can keep on making this argument over and over again, but it would be so much more effective to address the people who are causing these problems before coming after me for getting frustrated with them.

2. That does not appear to be the context that it was used in this topic. In this topic it was literally if you play consoles, you are a peasant. Regardless of whether or not it was entirely serious, it does not lend to your argument very well at all.

3. As for this and the term "console peasants" it is all extremely condescending whether used as a "joke" or not. Clearly A LOT of PC gamers do think that their format is superior, so using it as a "joke" doesn't sit right with me. Jokes can say a lot about someone.

1. It's not a problem within the PC gaming community. If you actually did extensive research and looked around, you'd find that most are regular people who would be more willing to help with problems. The problem with some people who ask for help, is that they can be really stubborn. No offense, but that's what you come off as to me.

3.  OP did not do actual research, and doesn't really know what he's talking about.

3. Console peasant is used for people who blindly follow the company they support. You're not one of those people, but I thought I'd point that out. As for the term PC master race, if you can't take a joke, I really don't know what to tell you. Most PC gamers don't have a superiority complex.

[Reose 4]

I live in Norway. Whats an NES? We had it but it was not that popular here, Amiga or Commodore 64 is what sold best here. Even SEGA Master System did better. The NES is ok but i dont see anything special that i havent seen on DOS games.

[Celli 4,337]

3 minutes ago, Discordian said:

And to get a PC with any sort of power you have to actually build it yourself or have someone build it for you. Most gamers don't want to go through that much time and effort just to play a few games

If you put a bit of thought into it, building a PC really isn't hard at all. It's like legos, and hard to mess up, because everything is labelled.

Also, OP does have one thing right, PC gaming is huge. Sales have never been higher, and it rivals the console market, at least in the hardware part. Not so with all in one desktops and cheapish laptops.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Celli

[Jeric 46,850]

1 minute ago, Mickey Adaptus said:

Before the NES? that means you must have grown up with the Atari 2600?

I guess you must have also experienced the BIT wars and stuff, between nintendo and sega?

(Or those tiger hand held games, lmao, those could not even be considerd consoles, perhaps art?)

Yes to all of those questions. Before Tiger I also had some of these. 

 

 

[Discordian 6,015]

12 minutes ago, Reose said:

But can i ask a question. How often do you invite friends to play Tekken or Mario Kart now than you did in the 90s or early 2000s or any local multiplayer games?

The time period is irrelevant here. If you have the want, you can very easily get people to play games with you, on or offline.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,585]

20 minutes ago, Envy said:

elitist, but clearly it is enough of a problem within the PC gaming community because topics like this one right here come up so frequently on this forum and on other forums, as well.

I think that the problem is more that filthy casuals like myself don't make topics about these things because we are playing the game. From over 2 years of being part of PC-community, I would argue that elitists are pretty rare. They just are the loud minority.

 

20 minutes ago, Envy said:

would be so much more effective to address the people who are causing these problems

People like that don't stop doing that if you say "don't do that.". It's same as saying don't bully to a bully. That has been tried and is still tried by people who give a damn about that type of people.

 

20 minutes ago, Envy said:

before coming after me for getting frustrated with them

Maybe don't start you sentence with "you PC gamers" maybe say "PC elitists" so this thing doesn't happen.

Edited July 8, 2017 by The Cerberus

[Reose 4]

2 minutes ago, Discordian said:

The time period is irrelevant here. If you have the want, you can very easily get people to play games with you, on or offline.

I cant convince everyone to like anime. Video games is the same if nobody cares or want to have a life doing other stuff. The problem is if its ment to shut you in then i dont see the fun in it if you cant use it to socialize with other humans. That i just find lonely and sad. Thats why i moved on from consoles to PC, i just dont see anyone i know of that i can ask, unless its like a convention or something, and i feel anti social and obsessed if i continue with it. Thats why i dont play Final Fantasy on Playstation anymore.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Reose

[Discordian 6,015]

Just now, Celli said:

If you put a bit of thought into it, building a PC really isn't hard at all. It's like legos, and hard to mess up, because everything is labelled.

Tell that to the guy who doesn't know anything about computers. Consoles are easy to understand and come with instructions to get you immediately playing and online. The most hassle you get with current consoles is having to download a software update. Once you get to that point you're golden. You have access to the entire library from then on and there's little reason to look elsewhere. You don't need other options when the one you have is good enough.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

3 minutes ago, Jeric said:

Yes to all of those questions. Before Tiger I also had some of these. 

 

 

Wow, that must be really far back, i think it must have been somewhere around 1982?

I never saw those consoles you showed in the picture so i guess those must be really far back, perhaps even before atari itself.

[Jeric 46,850]

2 minutes ago, Reose said:

I live in Norway. Whats an NES? We had it but it was not that popular here, Amiga or Commodore 64 is what sold best here. Even SEGA Master System did better. The NES is ok but i dont see anything special that i havent seen on DOS games.

Did you do a search for the term NES while writing this post and forget to edit that question out, or did you try and actually form an opinion about something you are unfamiliar with? 

[Reose 4]

2 minutes ago, Jeric said:

Did you do a search for the term NES while writing this post and forget to edit that question out, or did you try and actually form an opinion about something you are unfamiliar with? 

No i just know it. I never heard of it so i found it odd why its so popular in America. Apparently its more glorified over there due to the failed product of atari 2600 and NES sorta replaced american non interest to video game consoles to the NES one that got americans hooked to it. In Europe this wasnt a problem, Amiga and Commodore 64 did well over here, in Japan gaming was booming as ever before.

I've just found it odd why so many like it. I think its fine, but dont think its the best thing ever.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Reose

[Discordian 6,015]

1 minute ago, Reose said:

I cant convince everyone to like anime. Video games is the same if nobody cares or want to have a life doing other stuff. The problem is if its ment to shut you in then i dont see the fun in it if you cant use it to socialize with other humans. That i just find lonely and sad. Thats why i moved on from consoles to PC, i just dont see anyone i know of that i can ask, unless its like a convention or something

So this is a problem with your own social life more than it is with consoles themselves.

 

On a personal note, if I need to talk to someone I have my laptop sitting literally right next to me while I game at all times. There is no functional difference here. This is literally what I'm doing right now while playing my PS3. I'm probably more social than most people I know. I'm always actively talking to someone via chat and forums.

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

That's where I'm gonna have to stop you, console gaming is far from dying. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are making a fortune off of us who buy their products and, membership. Not to mention developers are still making good money from their console releases. Your point is nothing but opinion and you lack significant evidence to prove that console gaming is dying.

[Celli 4,337]

9 minutes ago, Discordian said:

You can go to a Walmart and buy a console and it's automatically going to work right out of the box

Not true. Modern consoles have various issues today, those updates, aren't as small as you think. When you want to play a game, you have to install it to the HDD, so it's a lot like PCs in a sense, and actually, that's what modern consoles are, weaker PCs. And they don't always work out of the box. And if you have a problem with it, gotta send it to the manufacturer, with PC, just replace the bad hardware and you're good.

2 minutes ago, Discordian said:

Tell that to the guy who doesn't know anything about computers. Consoles are easy to understand and come with instructions to get you immediately playing and online. The most hassle you get with current consoles is having to download a software update. Once you get to that point you're golden. You have access to the entire library from then on and there's little reason to look elsewhere. You don't need other options when the one you have is good enough.

Look, I'm just saying, if you look into it a bit, it really isn't hard. You don't need to know much about PCs to build one. When you do, though, it's rewarding and your PC is yours.

Also, I had a PS4. It was alright, but the constant updates was annoying. So much for pick up and play. And especially since I was playing online.

[Reose 4]

2 minutes ago, Discordian said:

So this is a problem with your own social life more than it is with consoles themselves.

 

On a personal note, if I need to talk to someone I have my laptop sitting literally right next to me while I game at all times. There is no functional difference here. This is literally what I'm doing right now while playing my PS3. I'm probably more social than most people I know. I'm always actively talking to someone via chat and forums.

Well i like talking to people. I just find it old fashioned with consoles now. I can talk and interact, but i wont force myself to be like "hey, wanna play Tekken 7 with me?"

Before, awesome yes. Now... Nah not now sorry.

The world has just changed much in how we interact, so i just dont see the reason to keep it when the way we communicate or interest for that matter has warped so much since the 90s and early 2000s

Edited July 8, 2017 by Reose

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Can we all get along and say both sides are good at their own thing? It's irrelevant to say which one is the far superior out of the two.

[Discordian 6,015]

Just now, Celli said:

Not true. Modern consoles have various issues today, those updates, aren't as small as you think. When you want to play a game, you have to install it to the HDD, so it's a lot like PCs in a sense, and actually, that's what modern consoles are, weaker PCs. And they don't always work out of the box. And if you have a problem with it, gotta send it to the manufacturer, with PC, just replace the bad hardware and you're good.

Look, I'm just saying, if you look into it a bit, it really isn't hard. You don't need to know much about PCs to build one. When you do, though, it's rewarding and your PC is yours.

Also, I had a PS4. It was alright, but the constant updates was annoying. So much for pick up and play. And especially since I was playing online.

Most updates take a matter of minutes to finish. You also don't HAVE to play with those updates unless it plays online. Depending on the game if you really want to play it as soon as you plug it in you just don't do the download or don't connect online at all.

 

If there is an actual problem with the system when it comes out of the box then you go back to the store you bought it from and get a replacement or a refund. Hardware failure is a rare enough incident on consoles, especially if you aren't playing the first generation of a new console such as the Xbox 360 Slim. I've owned every major console of every generation since the PS2 era and not once have I ever had a hardware failure until the system straight died. Then you just buy a new one, which will inevitably be cheaper ten years down the line.

 

A person who knows nothing about computers isn't even going to make the effort to try to build one. They won't even look it up. That little bit of effort is too far for the layman to care.

 

PCs go through just as many updates for their games and services. They're just often set to automatically do those updates in the background. Consoles can be set to do that as well and you'll never have to see an update screen unless you're dealing with an actual system update.

[Celli 4,337]

Just now, Discordian said:

Most updates take a matter of minutes to finish. You also don't HAVE to play with those updates unless it plays online. Depending on the game if you really want to play it as soon as you plug it in you just don't do the download or don't connect online at all.

 

If there is an actual problem with the system when it comes out of the box then you go back to the store you bought it from and get a replacement or a refund. Hardware failure is a rare enough incident on consoles, especially if you aren't playing the first generation of a new console such as the Xbox 360 Slim. I've owned every major console of every generation since the PS2 era and not once have I ever had a hardware failure until the system straight died. Then you just buy a new one, which will inevitably be cheaper ten years down the line.

 

A person who knows nothing about computers isn't even going to make the effort to try to build one. They won't even look it up. That little bit of effort is too far for the layman to care.

 

PCs go through just as many updates for their games and services. They're just often set to automatically do those updates in the background. Consoles can be set to do that as well and you'll never have to see an update screen unless you're dealing with an actual system update.

Have you used a PS4 or Xbox One?

[Discordian 6,015]

8 minutes ago, Reose said:

Well i like talking to people. I just find it old fashioned with consoles now. I can talk and interact, but i wont force myself to be like "hey, wanna play Tekken 7 with me?"

Before, awesome yes. Now... Nah not now sorry.

The world has just changed much in how we interact, so i just dont see the reason to keep it when the way we communicate or interest for that matter has warped so much since the 90s and early 2000s

The way we communicate has only improved since the 90's. The ability to talk online only adds options. It doesn't affect the original option of talking to someone in person. If you don't want to go up to someone and ask them if they'll play Tekken with you, that's fine. You do you. That doesn't affect everyone else's ability to do the same. The option is still there even when you don't use it yourself.

Just now, Photon Jet said:

Can we all get along and say both sides are good at their own thing? It's irrelevant to say which one is the far superior out of the two.

It's actually good for two sides to argue about something. If not for the ones butting heads but for anyone who reads it. They can learn, they can find someone that agrees with them, or they can generally expand their knowledge on the subject using both sides.

4 minutes ago, Celli said:

Have you used a PS4 or Xbox One?

I play on both regularly. 

[Jeric 46,850]

3 minutes ago, Reose said:

Apparently its more glorified over there due to the failed product of atari 2600

It failed eventually, but it wasn't a failed system. The home gaming industry was in it's infancy so they had a LOT to learn, but from a revenue and installed user base metric, it is hard to justify the VCS as a failed system. 

The NES was massive in the US because of an almost flawless marketing strategy. As far as your DOS vs NES point, that is likely the biggest apples to oranges comparison that exists in gaming platforms that share an era. I can sing the praises of Tandy CoCo, C64, and Amiga ... but by and large home computing and game development of that area had a wholly different development paradigm than consoles that handicapped the quality of some games. The console developers knew how to use the hardware in creative ways that many PC game developers struggled with, mostly because of the need for parity and accessibility. 

Things obviously changed in the early 90's (see Kings Quest V). 

Talk about memory lane! I remember when SVGA was a new thing XD

 

[Envy 6,129]

8 minutes ago, Celli said:

Not true. Modern consoles have various issues today, those updates, aren't as small as you think. When you want to play a game, you have to install it to the HDD, so it's a lot like PCs in a sense, and actually, that's what modern consoles are, weaker PCs. And they don't always work out of the box. And if you have a problem with it, gotta send it to the manufacturer, with PC, just replace the bad hardware and you're good.

Look, I'm just saying, if you look into it a bit, it really isn't hard. You don't need to know much about PCs to build one. When you do, though, it's rewarding and your PC is yours.

Also, I had a PS4. It was alright, but the constant updates was annoying. So much for pick up and play. And especially since I was playing online.

I've had very few issues with consoles messing up on me. The only example of a system that messed up out of the box for me was the original Gameboy Advance. My grandparents took it back to the store and they traded in a new one for me. Simple, and done.

PCs mess up so much more. My new PC from a few years ago had a RAM issue half of a year after getting it. I had to BUY brand new RAM and have my dad install it. I was lucky that was the only issue. I've had countless other issues with PCs and not been able to fix them. And when that happens all of the money you spent on those super expensive parts goes down the drain.

Building a PC may not be too complicated, if you have help and you have a company put it together for you, like I did. But that's not where the issues stop. Like for me with The Sims 3. Unexpected issues occurred - it wouldn't read my graphics card which I had extensively researched and checked in with other people that it would work fantastically. It appears I didn't research enough. That's really frustrating, why should I have to go through so many issues when I just can buy a console and the games work for it immediately?

And then you have MORE problems, like the fact that The Sims 3 can fry my video card if I don't find some program or something to make it limit the FPS. As I mentioned before, this is not simple to do and I'm stressed out about it. I just want to play my flipping game that I spent over a $1000 on a PC just to flipping play. But there are so many issues here and there. PC gaming is very high maintenance, and while it may be rewarding (The Sims 3 is certainly amazing with mods and CC that would NEVER be able to get on a console version) it's really stressful and I just want to play my game.

I can't argue with the PS4 and all of its updates. Lol. It's really annoying that I have to constantly update it... But I can't say that it's really different for the PC and PC games. Updates are good, either way.

22 minutes ago, Celli said:

1. It's not a problem within the PC gaming community. If you actually did extensive research and looked around, you'd find that most are regular people who would be more willing to help with problems. The problem with some people who ask for help, is that they can be really stubborn. No offense, but that's what you come off as to me.

You took that in a completely different direction from what I was meaning. II don't have to do extensive research. If I have to do extensive research to see that PC gamers are not at large elitists, than there's still a problem here, because this forum is constantly pelted with topics and posts about how much better PC gaming is. I'm annoyed by that, it is an issue.

Of course, I'd like help. I'm a little stubborn, but I'm mainly just trying to make the point that PC gaming is really complicated and it is one really strong point for consoles that they don't have those issues.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,585]

25 minutes ago, Discordian said:

Tell that to the guy who doesn't know anything about computers.

 

29 minutes ago, Celli said:

building a PC really isn't hard at all.

I just like to add to the discussion between you two that you don't have to build a computer have a good one. I have a pre-build computer and I had to only update my graphics card (that was very easy mind you, and I didn't know anything about computers) and I have better computer than my friend who build his.

But of course if you want top-tier 4k 300 fps 4-monitors etc. you have to build it yourself but for casual gaming, you really don't

[Discordian 6,015]

Just now, The Cerberus said:

 

I just like to add to the discussion between you two that you don't have to build a computer have a good one. I have a pre-build computer and I had to only update my graphics card (that was very easy mind you, and I didn't know anything about computers) and I have better computer than my friend who build his.

But of course if you want top-tier 4k 300 fps 4-monitors etc. you have to build it yourself but for casual gaming, you really don't

Even as a hardcore gamer I don't put that much effort into it.

 

As Celli said, a PS4 and Xbox One might be for all intents and purposes a weaker computer but it's still adequate for the purpose of playing games.