Why PC Gaming Is Superior To Console Gaming

"With the anticipated arrival of more next-generation consoles in either 2013 or 2014, much hype has been heaped onto these consoles and questions of who will bring the more powerful console or the better performance for price has been thrown around on many websites" | Explosion.com

[Fixay]

These aticles are everywhere! I still find them interesting though

[dark-hollow]

Both have their cons and pros.

PCs are obviously much more powerful, have almost unlimited backward capabilities, and MODS!

but consoles also are no slouch either.
Exclusive games and more convenient (no don't even try to say that PC gaming is easier for the average Joe than consoles. Its not rocket science, but still consoles are more accessible)

[PCgamer4ever]

PC gaming,also have exclusives.

[Temporary]

Only problem is the good devs go where the money is. PC has the POTENTIAL to make amazing games, but no one really cares to do it.

You have some gems here and there throughout the year, but the Consoles have all the best games hands down...and there's really no denying that the developers support consoles more so than PCs.

[thehitman]

I believe consoles have the largest variety of exclusive games and the best games at their genre's compared to PC gaming. I use my PC mostly for just MMOs and and RTS games thats PC gaming strongest asset atm. Everything else consoles do better at.

The whole PC has better graphcis is completely overblown when judging the two considering like 80% of PC gamers game in settings equal to console or in worse settings.

In the end its to each their own.

[Blues Cowboy]

@dark-hollow: Totally agreed, balance is the key. I have both a dedicated gaming PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 and use them on a fairly equal footing. PC has some fantastic indie games, brilliant MMOs and graphical powerhouses, whereas I can sit down in front of a console after a long day and play some killer exclusives without having to faff about with drivers and settings.

[Perjoss]

@ thehitman

Sorry man but everything you said is just kind of wrong. Some games you cannot even begin to compare the PC versions to the console versions, stuff like Skyrim, GTA4 and Arkham City are way superior in terms of view distance and texture quality.

And no platform in history has ever had as many exclusives as the PC.

[HeavenlySnipes]

What are ten noteworthy PC exclusives from the past 3 years?

There are a lot, but thats only because you're counting those small average games that have dev teams to small to port to consoles.

Believe me, I actualy started PC gaming 4 moths ago and other than the Witcher and those MMO FPS/RPG games, there isn't much for an offline PC gamer other than upgraded versions of games already on the consoles like Skyrim and The Witcher 2

[aquamala]

definitely pros and cons on both. but once you've seen games like Far Cry 3, Arkham City, BF3, etc on PC why would you play these games on consoles. But once next gen consoles come out console games will look more like games on mid-range gaming PCs today.

The main downside of console gaming for me is when you "upgrade" to a new console, it's probably not even backward compatible, even if it is it won't improve the visuals on the library of games you already have. when I upgrade my PC, all my games will look better, unless they're already maxed out.

[Dasteru]

@HeavenlySnipes:

The Witcher 2
Diablo 3
Starcraft II
Arma III
Blacklight: Retribution
Dota II
Path of Exile
Planetside 2
Tribes Ascend
Torchlight II
Grim Dawn
Dead State
Lucius
Warhammer: 40k
Umbra
World of Darkness
Tera
The secret World
Firefall
Hard Reset
End of Nations
X-Rebirth
Natural Selection
Project C.A.R.S
Hawken
Iron Front
Warface
Overgrowth
War of the Roses
Primal Carnage
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Dungeons
Might and Magic: Heroes VI
Tropico 4
Drakensang
E.Y.E
Neverwinter

I could go on and on.

Most are current, some are upcoming, All are exclusive.

The PC gets over 100+ Exclusives each year not icluding indies. Just because console gamers don't pay attention to them, doesn't mean they aren't there.

[MysticStrummer]

@dasteru - Look at that list and ask yourself how many of those games will ever be known, much less played, by the average gamer. I've never heard of about 3/4 of your list. There's a reason for that. Of course PCs have exclusives. The question, just like with any platform, is how many people want to play those games. You could go on and on, but your list will only get more obscure.

[thehitman]

@ dastsu that list is kinda meh there isnt a game on there thats been critically acclaimed by any major publication. I could easily double your list from console exclusives and each game will have major accolades and well known as best of its genre. Its just a fact that the best developers are developing games for consoles and not on PC. I am a PC gamer so I know what im talking about I have both a ps3/PC and I can say hands down the quality of PS3 games outweigh my PC games but I wouldnt trade my gaming PC for anything because there are still gems there that cant be played on my PS3. Has nothing to do with power and gfx just quality of games which is all that matters to a real gamer.

[Dasteru]

@Mystic & Hitman:

Alot of the games on that list have been very highly regarded and well reviewed, and most of them are well known by true PC gamers.

Just because you (console gamer) haven't heard of them, doesn't mean they aren't there.

Dead State
Lucius
Natural Selection
Iron Front

Those are about the only games on the list that i would consider "obscure"

The rest are very well known among 90% of PC gamers.

P.S Critcal acclaim implies high regard among an entire industry, a game nor anything else can be critically acclaimed by a single publication.

The reason MOST of these games haven't recieved critical acclaim (Several of them have) is because 95% of current gaming review sites and publication are heavily console bias and have not reviewed most of these games to begin with.

[Dasteru]

Scrap The Witcher 2 from my list, didn't notice it had been ported to the 360 now.

There are currently 35 announced (Non indie) games for 2013 and the year has just started.

http://www.gamespot.com/for...

Currently the 360 only has just over 150 exclusives total for the 7 years it has been out.

The PS3 has around 110 after 6 years.

The PC gets on average between 100-120 exclusives every year.

[ATi_Elite]

This article has been DONE to DEATH! Whatever system has the games you enjoy then that's for you.

Also unless you got a Gaming PC and know what LOL, ISK, FTL, MOBA, and Chronoscrolls are then DO NOT act like your some PC aficionado cause your not.

It's annoying listening to NON PC Gamers talk about PC Gaming when they have NO clue what they are talking about.

Example: oh PC doesn't get that many AAA Games like consoles do.

and just what AAA games would those be, Skyrim, Assassins Creed 3, FarCry3, Dishonored cause the PC got all of those.

Example 2: Oh PC doesn't get many exclusives.

You mean like DayZ, Guild Wars 2, Tera Online, Shootmania, Starcraft2, Diablo 3, DotA2, Smite, Hawken, Planetside 2, Tribes Ascend, Blade & Soul, etc. etc.. PC gets like 5 Exclusives a month.

Also now that the russian PS3 Emulator is coming along there isn't any Game an Enthusiast PC Gamer is missing out on.

People are PC Gamers cause the PC provides something Sony/MS will never provide and that's:

. Complete control over your customized Gaming expereince

. first crack at new genre's of games

. Games influenced by Gamers

. Bleeding edge technology

PC vs. Console is like comparing Apples to Oranges, they are two different things.

[doogiebear]

Just flamebait. No need to give it hits. Move along.

[Ezz2013]

too late,:(
anyway

i just can't have pc and miss out what ps3 offer with it exclusives
that's why i own ps3/xbox360 along with my gaming pc
i use pc and ps3 all the time

[MikeMyers]

Why is it flamebait when PC gaming can be superior? Most games on any console is made up of multiplat games and we all know the PC is capable of running those games smoother and in a higher resolution. You also have games that allow more players in online matches. The PC also holds the largest library of games available to play.

Of course not everything is preferable otherwise everyone would be playing games on it instead. Consoles have their own exclusives, ease of use, unified services like a reward system, better marketing and, cheaper and so on. However the PC is by far the most flexible and powerful system that can be upgraded at any time.

People use to marvel about how game consoles got hard drives and could play with other people online and be a media player that can play DVD's and bluray. The PC can do all of that too. It also supports various controllers and keyboard and a mouse. You're not tied to one brand either.

The thing is both can and will co-exist. There is no need to be threatened by the PC. They each serve various needs. Just like handheld systems cater to gamers as well.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

And you know what's better than both with no slowdowns, seamless gameplay, over 300 frames per second and both accessible to both casual and hardcore?

http://alntv.files.wordpres...

[MestreRothN4G]

Red Dead Redemption? The Last of Us? GTA V?

[Norrison]

RTS games? MMOs? 60+fps at 1080p+ resolution? Mods? Backwards compatibility? GTA V is in development for PC you know.

[MestreRothN4G]

@Norrison

Such wonderful games, right?

lol

[ColinZeal]

I played Far Cry 3 on my PC this weekend. Suddenly the triggers on my 360 controller stopped working. Only the triggers.

YEAH, PC GAMING!!!

[HarryMasonHerpderp]

*yawn*

[The Meerkat]

And only PC gamers care.

[LightofDarkness]

I'm a PC gamer and I don't care. So the reality is, nobody cares. Except indignant types, which this article is designed to attract. They should be along any second now...

[Lvl_up_gamer]

"I'm a PC gamer and I don't care. So the reality is, nobody cares."

So you speak for ALL PC gamers? I don't think you are speaking reality at all. I think you don't care and can only speak for yourself.

Here on N4G, there are plenty of PC elitist who constantly go into console news and pound their chests about how PC gaming is superior.

[Ducky]

^ "... except indignant types ... they should be along any second now"

The prophecy is fulfilled!

[JackBNimble]

I'm a pc/ps3 gamer and I care so much that I didn't even read the article and give that site anymore hits.

Although there are advantages to pc gaming, but I am not going to fall for the BS line of which platform is superior over another.

[TheEnigma313]

Will these articles stop; you will not convert hard core console gamers to pc; just leave it alone. I have a pc and I enjoy it, but I also enjoy console and what they bring.

[tronjohn]

This article can be surmised in one word: Mods.

[gamernova]

What people do not realize is that the consoles are very underpowered PCs. They get patches just like PC, they have mandatory installs, and now serve for far more than just gaming EX:netflix. The only reason to stick to console gaming would be the exclusives. People are afraid of change and I get that. Either way, consoles appeal to a certain demographic and in no way should be looked down upon.

[contradictory]

yeah, but consoles are cheaper
and are easier for average joes to pick up and play.

that being said, i would get myself Gaming Pc that would be beast. but i don't have that kind of excess money lying around (i'm a student, sorry.) i know assembling one from custom parts would be cheaper but i don't got the know-how or the patience for that stuff.

so yeah... it's gonna be console's and my laptop for now.

[gamernova]

About that cheaper part, you can build a great gaming PC at a low price. And there is no way to find steam sales on console. Ridiculous sales on steam. Right, the demographic I was talking about was average joes. Not everyone knows what a sata port is or how to water cool a pc. I get that. Looks like we are both students then haha Whatever works for you dude. Just keep gaming :D

[RAYMEISTER]

Can't stand the closed off part of consoles. Want to upgrade hard drive..u have to get this one. Need a memory card for vita...have to get this one. Want to go online....have to pay for it. All BS. F em

[mamotte]

Not to sound like disagreeing at all with this: I can say that, in avaliable games, the PC version is always superior in graphics, gameplay, and online.

Sadly -for me, I suppose- the majority of the games I like are not avaliable for PC, so it's pretty useless for me to have 300 fps with a 5292x1050 resolution, if I cant play, let's say, Disgaea or Catherine in it.

For me, what games I can play it's the only that matters.

[SAE]

Not disagreeing with you but specs does matter but developers doesnt use them . imagine uncharted / mgs / gt5 / the last of us / god of war ..etc on pc with 6gb ram and stuff like that . will you say the same thing you say now ?.. i dont think so . look at mgs 4 on ps3 and then look at mgs gz on pc . huge upgrade . it looks / play a lot better then mgs4 and what makes it shocking is that the game is open world .

but i agree with you on exclusives . i wish sony support pc too instead of limit the great games they release ..

[GuyThatPlaysGames]

Not everybody cares about the graphics. You can have the most visually stunning game but the game can still be a piece of shit! So the graphics don't matter. Core gameplay is where it's at. Don't need all the excess eye candy.

[SAE]

specs effect gameplay more then graphics so i dont know why you people disagree on this ..

[KrisButtar]

to be honest i the pc gaming is worst than console gaming, for the simple fact that the last few games i have bought i cant play, cant say the same for consoles.

oh the reason why my games wont work is cause i need to install steam, or be online, thing is my only internet is when i drive to a tim hortons, like im at now, and use my cell. internet is not offered in my area and online DRM is killing my pc experience.

at least when i buy a console game i can play it

[aquamala]

Use Steam in offline mode, google it

[KrisButtar]

Wouldn't you have to sign into steam 1st(as my games want me to connect) my problem is Internet is not offered where I life so, cant really install a program from online, also can't really play the games I bought cause I have to be online, like I had to cancel my preorder for sim city.. Cause you must be online to play and I can't get online without the Internet, and can't get the internet if it's not offered in my area. I drive 30mins to tim hortons or 67km to my girlfriends to have Internet. Still doesn't help me when I'm home and wanting to play a game

At least with a console game I can play it without having an Internet, like far cry 3, halo, assassins creed 3, don't need an Internet connection to play them it's just put it in my system and bingo, I can play

On a side note I could just get a pirated version of the games downloaded while at my go's, you know the version that let's you be offline... But I'm not a pirate but that may work for others

[aquamala]

that's exactly what offline mode is for, look

https://support.steampowere...

[KrisButtar]

lol it funny the link you provided proves what i was talking about, step one start steam online, i dont have online. im at a coffee shop on my cell.

thats why in my opinion pcs have gone to sh*t, i used to game on my all the time. now it collects dust unless i play some of my old games. i know if i ever what to play another pc game, instead of buying it and not being able to play it. i will likely pirate.

also at below the games i bought and cant play dont have cracks for offline play.

[tachy0n]

*facepalm*

go get cracks and crack the games you bought, its not pirating since you ACTUALLY OWN THE GAME!!

all games that bother me with DRM i crack them, as simple as just dropping a file on a folder.

or

try offline mode on steam

stop making us PC gamers look like we are as restricted as console players please...

[LeoDDestroyer]

I believe he saying that he can't even download steam so there is no way to used the offline mode. Some games even if you have the disc still need to be downloaded. Had this issue with tera and supreme commander 2.

[jeenyus]

It's like that ugly whore you fucked when stoned and now she needs your attention threatening with some pics. That's an accurate the description of this article.

Run along, don't give this peasant hits. Enjoy your PC/console or whatever.

[Tone]

Articles like this are useless!!

All formats have their pro's and con's. I have owned nearly every format since 1982 and have never had a favourite system or think one is better than the other.

In my eyes all systems are great.. games are great.. what they do are great. I love the fact that can choose whatever I want to play on whatever format I want to play it on, taking into account the genre I like and what system etc most of my friends are playing it on.

Be it console, handheld or PC.. I win! :) .. Yes owning most systems can be a wee bit expensive, but in the grander scheme of things... other hobbies are way way more expensive.

I see no losers.. just us the gamer as winners.. Competition breeds better games etc for us to enjoy!

[SignifiedSix]

Well said, mate. I own a 360, wii, pc and hopefully soon, a ps3.

There needs to be more people like you on this site. Getting sick of all this fanboy garbage now..

Happy gaming! :)

[Tone]

Cheers mate!! I agree there way to many fan boys these days, I just don't get it.. to me a good game is a good game no matter what platform is on it :)

[hiredhelp]

Im a PC Gamer i took back seat for a while played consoles psx ps2 exct. Still having the ability to just turn on my PC Now my point here is ive gone back to my PC spent alot on steam gaming changed on PC now we have steam DX11 ability to change setting in a game that a console at the moment just cant simply do.

But guess what i have a rig i spent £1300 building it up but yet i fine myself missing my PS3 titles GOW, GT5, till project cars of course. Uncharted serious so if this site is slow for news that they have to start these petty wars dont.
Consoles have some mind blowing games same as pc

[Rageanitus]

Mouse and kB and unlimited choice in hardware

[JBSleek]

I think both have pros and cons but when you outweigh them its hard to deny that PC just seems like the better overall experience for a gamer if you can stomach the way you have to play it which is being challenged with Steams Big Picture Mode which means soon I think PC will have all the grounds covered.

[spektical]

i have all 4(wii,360,ps3,mid-high range PC). PC gaming for teh average joe is a lot harder than most people think. The fact that you have to do homework to build the right machine with a given machine is already enough to push people out the door, nvm installing the tons of drivers.

Its great to have the best of all worlds. No discrimination. You definitely see what games are tailored made for each system. On a side note, I dont see teh steambox surviving because of this same reason, unless its a high quality PC that is selling at a massive loss. Then again I still will be able to upgrade my machine and have it cheaper than what they will offer.

[FunAndGun]

Console gaming = Games made to run on specific requirements.

PC gaming = Rigs made of specific requirements to run games.

Part of console fun is to see and play what developers can create throughout a generation running on specific requirements.

Part of PC fun is to build a rig that is able to play what developers can create with the latest technology.

Console is steady and grounded.
PC is always moving.

Both are fun and both play games, the one that is superior is in the eye of the beholder.

[poo342947294792]

like consoles a lot but luv pc,Like skyrim fully modded to the rim running locked at 60fps and all the added texture packs and land/vegetation/npc mods probley looks better then anything the next gen of console could have....that being said tho ya consoles are simple buy and play nothing to maintain except the odd firmware update.

btw mouse n keys blow controllers away for all games except say 3rd person action like tombraider and such

with a mouse n keys you could take down everyone in black ops2 that uses a controller before they could even turn to see you lol

ooot oooot ooot im da uberest who da uber ya im da uber oot ottt sing it with me people oot oot

[TheFirstClassic]

"btw mouse n keys blow controllers away for all games except say 3rd person action like tombraider and such"

Keyboard and mouse is better for shooters and strategy games. Controller is better for just about everything else.

"ooot oooot ooot im da uberest who da uber ya im da uber oot ottt sing it with me people oot oot"

...Wut?

[dee-ecks]

Well thats easy, coz its not!!

[strigoi814]

Common sense i guess console games are made and developed in PC

[JohnDread]

*This is not the article you are looking for*

[isyourhouseonfire]

Yes, PC gaming is superior. That's why developers everywhere are exiting the PC gaming market...

[PCgamer4ever]

Yeah,right!!!!!

[tachy0n]

O'really troll?

tell that to the huge amount of Free to Play developers and the exclusives PC has, which are more than the PS3 and Xbox 360 COMBINED.

[pennywhyz]

Because thats the way it is and will always be.Console games are made on a pc.When its the other way around then it will be a diffrent story.Im not looking to start a war but the reality is next gen consoles are Already outdated compared to a pc.i luv consoles but not for raw power,but they are fun and conveinent.

[ajax17]

It's too expensive for me. Plus I just love Sony's exclusives.

[JBSleek]

So $60 isn't expensive with expensive DLC but cheaper games more real sales and a superior back catalog isn't good enough? Seems legit.

[ajax17]

I hardly ever buy games new. I usually wait until they're around 20-30 dollars. I don't buy dlc either unless I really really like the game. And I make sure the dlc is worth it by reading multiple reviews... Yeah, I save money.

[profgerbik]

This article should be called why consoles are just cheaper, more stripped down PC's.

Or the fact that almost every electronic device in the world is practically related to a PC somehow or was either around a PC to be made or developed at some point..

PC is god in a sense simply because it will always be everything. To me it's just a stupid comparison, of course PC's are better when everything else was built from the idea of a PC and what it does.

I would not say it's superior gaming wise anymore though not at all, PC's used to be superior gaming wise and literally only the best games could be ran on a PC but that isn't the case anymore also developers have shifted gears since the PC gaming market is next to nothing.

Developers had moved their focus towards consoles ages ago. Of course there are still a few great PC games that come out but it isn't like it was before when every single game that was extremely bad ass that was talked about was on PC.

PC just doesn't get the love it used to for games which is stupid when still even to this day all video games are developed on a PC first.. but whatever.