Why Haven't Video Game Consoles Died Yet?

This week, EA made headlines because they released an estimate which said that 55 million new-gen consoles had been sold so far.

[Thatguy-310]

Because the ease of use. That's one of the main reasons I doubt they'll ever die out. A lot of people get intimidated with gaming on PC.

[DarkOcelet]

Gamine on PC has one problem. The budget of making a PC.

But honestly, once you play on said Budget PC, you will think that its worth every penny.

PC gaming is amazing and so is console gaming. I cant travel with my Desktop PC, but with a PS4 or XboxOne, i can put it in a bag and bam, i am playing again.

Also the exclusives on Consoles makes them worthwhile. Especially with games like Uncharted, Gears Of War, Halo, Infamous etc etc etc.

[IamTylerDurden1]

People grew up console, it's affordable and the visual quality with games like 2nd Son and The Order makes it closer than ever.

Not every PC gamer is playing with vastly superior visuals. Most people have a 1080p monitor or lower on PC.

[Ezz2013]

@IamTylerDurden1

True,
Games like Uncharted 4 blow my mind by how good it look
things like those are truly something else seeing all those physix and animation/facial animation such like here
http://giant.gfycat.com/Col...
http://cdn4.dualshockers.co...
https://d.maxfile.ro/ocbrus...
http://cdn.makeagif.com/med...
http://static1.gamespot.com...
http://static1.gamespot.com...
http://i.imgur.com/A2hLzrZ....

PC gaming is awesome
PC,Ps3,Ps4 all get equal gaming time from me
But my problem is ..or what make me sad is that no developer out there put their heart and soul making an exclusive game from the ground up for PC with top-tier animations,gameplay,story..I just feel that PC isn't getting the treatment it deserve...i hope Star Citizen is the game to do that whenever it come out
that's my opinion anyway.

[mabreu]

Why Haven't Video Game Consoles Died Yet? Short answer, branding power and market control.

PC and consoles are 2 separate gaming markets. I know it's hard to believe because we see a same game released on both PC and consoles.

Just because the PC vs Console debate exist in internet forums, does not mean that PC is in direct competition with consoles. If you disagree, then tell me why Steam boxes exist?

...Answer, Valve wants in on that console market. Well Valve, good luck competing against marketing giants with a long history of brand recognition.

[SolidStoner]

I play half the time on PC, half on PS4.. PS4 is like, hop in straight into action and play right away after work (and you can go pro if you wish!) :D on PC I love to customize things and it takes more time to figure things out.. I love the variety and complexity of PC, but sometimes bugs and glitches occur just because of that!

[nommers]

I'd argue that PC gaming has a bigger problem than the budget of making a PC vs a console, and it's a problem many overlook; yet it's so simple and obvious: The fact that there are so many other things to do on the PC with lightning quick speed other than play games. While PCs do have almost a universal advantage in gaming logically..humans are not logical. They can be distracted by so many things and let's be honest; youtube alone can garner a gamer's attention just as much as a video game can. Then of course there's the million other distractions. PC gaming has to compete with all of that simply because it IS a PC.

Even though consoles have the option of going online, the ironic fact that a keyboard and mouse allow so much better navigation on a PC as opposed to a controller and thus giving an outlet away from gaming on a PC is a detriment to PC gaming.

On the other hand it's extremely slow and cumbersome to navigate with a controller. Few even consider using a console as their primary internet exploring device.

[freshslicepizza]

the steambox tried to give consumers an easy entry into plug and play gaming but they still can't get it down to the same price of a ps4 or xbox one.

but there is one bigger thing that helps consoles, marketing. that's why console gamers pay more usually for software and not for online mutliplayer. a lot of that goes back into marketing and the r&d of the hardware. you don't have that sort of marketing power on the pc because even though steam plays a huge role they don't own the pc market and are just starting to get into the hardware part of it and even that is very small scale in comparison. plus on consoles all your friends, achievements/trophies, games all work seamlessly together to support the lug and play mentality.

you still have console gamers who think you can't play pc games on the couch in front of a big screen or with a controller.

one day the hardware itself will become irrelevant. you will just stream your games or download it from a online service and your tv will act as a cpu/gpu much like how your smartphone works. that['s where the money is, in the software and services.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@Ezz- "what make me sad is that no developer out there put their heart and soul making an exclusive game from the ground up for PC"

Well thats incorrect, some do, but PC is open source, its not owned by anyone, thus no one has any ode to make a game ONLY on PC unless they either have the funding to make it only on PC like Star Citizen from fans or they don't have the funding to bring it else where at the moment.

The games IamTyler mentioned are made by Sony.

They don't have any ode to make their titles else where that don't benefit them. Because PC is open source, the job of the developer is to make as much money as they can and reach a profit.

If they can make enough to fund a console port, I see zero reason not to.

Consider exclusive is nothing more then only on.

I can't say its "sad" to not see that often as its due to a very, very logical reason.

No one owns PC. Thus because its majority base is publishers/developers their job is to make money, not sell PCs, they will make games on as many platforms as they can as most times, ports cost as little as 1 million to produce.

With the ease of PS4 along with XONE in terms of development, its likely even cheaper.

So developers have no reason to create a game and leave it on PC other then the game not selling well enough to actually fund a console version.

Sony, Nintendo and MS to a degree have their reasons why they make games on certain platforms that benefit them.

PC just doesn't have that. Its nothing to be "sad" about as its not of a emotional or personal issue, its merely the way the industry is with that platform.

If you made, lets say SOMA, Wasteland 2, FireWatch etc, what would you really gain by making it only on the PC? If it was your studio, your money, your IP and your employees...would it really even make sense to never make more versions? Who is giving you a cut of PC hardware sales for doing so?

Really look at it from a developer stand point, in this day and age, unless its a hardcore RTS or Moba, no reason to really keep it on a single platform as even those design reasons have been bypassed by many teams, Diablo 3 ,Neverwinter, FFXIV, Paragon, Halo Wars 2, Battleborn etc. As even those are no longer valid reasons to keep leaving money on the table.

[CoNn3r_B]

PC gaming has more than 1 problem.
Piracy is rampant which is why devs don't focus on it as much.
Games are liable to not function on release.
The cost of a decent pc is more than a next gen console.
Lack of mobility (admittedly the Xbox doesn't help itself much)
And it's just a hassle, I need to upgrade my PC big time but even when there is a game it can run well I still need to do X amount of things to get it to run properly.

[Maddens Raiders]

@darkocelot

Spot on response.

I hope that consoles never die.

[rainslacker]

There are a lot of people who are intimidated by using a PC, but I don't think many are type to be interested in VR. However, those that aren't used to using PC, still believe it's more difficult...sometimes significantly so. Old stigma's still linger, and while people can typically learn to use a PC, they often don't feel they will be able to get things to run. That's changed a lot since my olden days, but realistically, there are still plenty of things that can cause problems on a PC that people without the confidence or at least the knowledge on how to diagnose, will run into problems to. PC really is not as simple as a console, and that's why consoles do so well, because some people just don't want to be bothered.

Sure, one could build a gaming PC on the cheap, or even buy them pre-built, but if they lack the confidence or knowledge to do so, they aren't likely to pursue that avenue most of the time, and even if they were apt to explore it, it still is easier to simply spend $300-400 and plug a console into the TV.

While many probably would find some better experiences on the PC because of graphics or what not, whether they consider it worth it is really up to them. Others may find the cheaper and more accessible without the headaches console much more desirable.

[isarai]

wouldn't say intimidated, more like people just want to put ttthe disc in, or launch the app and just have it work rather than having to update drivers then sit there forever tweaking the settings till you get a good balance of performance and visual fidelity unless you got a pricey rig. then there's compatibiity issues, poor optimization and piss poor ports. on a console its literally just put it it, hit "start" and you're good to go

PC has plenty of strong pros, but consistent ease of use isn't one of them

[Thatguy-310]

I'm pretty positive that the majority of people that own consoles only won't be able to do what you just listed lol

[FPS_D3TH]

A huge reason i stopped PC gaming ^ too many troubleshooting issues and tweaking. Games that should've worked on my rig that wouldn't even open. Can't be bothered. When I have time to game I want to game, not figure out why my game won't launch.

[traumadisaster]

For me that happens less than 10% of the time, it's an old game and 99% of new games have no issues with compatibility/drivers.

Older games can sometimes need troubleshooting BUT now you have full backwards compatibility and higher resolution, good trade off.

Thing is on console 100% I have to deal with the low lag and resolution, jaggies, screen tear. It really is a mess compared with the same pc game.

Exceptions are the exclusives, that I just learn to deal with and have fun after telling myself to get over it I have no other choice.

Disclaimer: I still play ps360 as much as 4kpc.

[rainslacker]

PC's are great if you know how to diagnose or fix them, or at least know where to find the information. Even individual games often need "fixes" which come from people other than the developer, and not everyone knows how to find this information.

While this stuff is easily learned by anyone apt enough to build a computer, or install software so long as they can do an internet search, it still takes time to learn the proper search terminology, and how to filter into the proper results. The real truth is is that most people don't know how to do this, and more often than not, they're just playing on factory installed OS's and drivers with some automatic update bloatware feature. Their experience is lessened due to not optimizing their computers, so they see less value in the computer itself....and to some, spending copious amounts of time to fix problems or optimizing just isn't appealing to them.

I know quite a few people who dislike using computers except for browsing the web, or doing stuff at work, but will gladly play consoles for hours on end. These same people would probably not be able to fix their computer quickly, and more often than not would just get frustrated over having to do so anyways.

[jerethdagryphon]

Ease of use simple ownership stuff no parts to replace i dislike my gaming pc cause ofctocmany issues with gamescon it

[jstark]

can you explain "simple ownership"?

[DragonKnight]

@jstark: I can. See, console games can be bought, used, sold, reused, and resold by the user. PC games can't. Buy a PC game and you can't sell it. Simple ownership means doing whatever you want with a game when you don't want it anymore.

[traumadisaster]

Simple ownership in that I own the $5 steam game you paid up to $60 for.

[DragonKnight]

@traumadisaster: And if I wanted to I could take that $60 game, beat it, resell it for $55 and then not only have I only paid $5 for the game I just beat, I can then pay $5 for a new game while you're just S.O.L. because you can't do jack with that $5 Steam game when you're done with it.

[Pongwater]

@Dragon - I applaud your answer to trauma.

@trauma - The fact that you use "up to" in relation to the console price and not the PC price is very telling. On both platforms the same game can have various purchase prices.

OT - I've been console gaming since the 70s. I've tried PC gaming a few times and have always gone back to console. Ease of use and ease of share/trade/sell are the main reasons, but I also got tired of looking forward to a favorite game's sequel and then finding out I'd need to upgrade one or more PC parts to make it playable. With a console you know what games are made for it, and if a sequel will be on the next gen you will usually know it at least a year in advance if not more.

[jerethdagryphon]

Exactly dragon knight.. Btw ego draconis reference or just liked the name

[LamerTamer]

The advantage of ownership doesn't need to even have to be related to selling it. It also means you can bring the disc to a friends house to play the game, you don't need to be online to do it, and the physical game will work forever.

With DRM PC games linked to accounts eventually they will expire when they are taken down from servers or online support dries up. Since you need to go online to ask permission to transfer PC games from PC to PC and disc based PC games are gone you are eventually screwed when they no longer give you that permission (or if you are not online). Sadly the only PC games you truly own are pirated ones with the DRM stripped.

[DragonKnight]

@jereth: Actually while I do like the name, it's more of a Final Fantasy 4 reference to Kain the Dragoon. In FF Dragoons are just Knights who model themselves after dragons hence the name. I wanted to go with Kain, or Dragoon, but they were taken at the time. Lol.

[yeahright2]

@trauma I own a gaming PC. Please tell me where you get a $60 game for $5. That just doesn't happen. even if there was some crazy steam sale that I didn't see, you're acting like a $55 price cut on a $60 game is common place when it's not. Also, you're comparing full retail price on console to the lowest possible sale price on steam. Not exactly apples to apples. Steam is cheaper, but not 90% cheaper.

[SilentSolid]

@LamerTamer ''Sadly the only PC games you truly own are pirated ones with the DRM stripped.''

GOG.com, All games are DRM free

While their library is not as big as steam, It is growing.

Edit: and some games from humble bundle are also drm free. But I prefer the easy gog installer.

[uth11]

a lot of people just don't have the time or interest for tinkering with PC hardware, they want to buy something off the shelf that works and have someone to return it to if it doesn't. Not sit there and try to figure out if it's the ram, the video card, CPU, etc.

This is one reason why PC will never replace console (unless a concept like SteamBox really gains traction- but then SteamBox is essentially a console)

[ravinash]

I'm more than happy to build a PC with the latest tech, but sometimes.... even most of the time I like just being able to chuck a game in and play if without having to adjust the graphics.

[MasterCornholio]

Yeah just knowing that you can make it work by shoving it in is a huge selling point.

[DragonKnight]

Giggity

[sanosukegtr123]

Y cuz it's easier to use. When u got family or friends over u can co-op. Who likes sitting close to a computer screen for hrs.

[nitus10]

For most PC gaming the normal way of playing is to have your face within about about half a meter (about 1.5 feet) of the screen which can get pretty hard on the eyes over time.

For console gaming the best way for you face is anything from one to four meters depending on your screen size and the image you are viewing. See the following URL: http://www.rtings.com/tv/le...

Obviously distances do vary depending on a persons eyes and what they find comfortable.

My PC monitor does support HDMI so while I am fairly comfortable with a little over 0.5 meter from the screen for normal PC screen work (ie. surfing, programming, reading, ... etc) I find I do have to sit further back if I play a game (usually an emulation or simple game).

If I switch to my PS3 or my PS4 I have to sit back at least 2 meters although this is not a problem with a controller.

As for ease of use I will agree that consoles are very easy to use although I don't have any problems with my PC either but then again I don't run a Microsoft Operating System.

As for family and friends. There are not that many modern games for consoles (very few for PC) that have two or more player split screen support. A very good example of that is Halo 5.

[UKmilitia]

i play my ps4 on my 106" projector sat 14ft away and its amazing,i need £300 to upgrade my graphics card to get the best from latest games so im sticking with console for furseable future.

my screen https://www.dropbox.com/s/i...

[lxeasy]

Because we love our PS4's Xbox Ones and Nintendo platforms.

[sanosukegtr123]

I like them both but I prefer conoles instead.

[UncleJerry]

I'll be the first to admit I have zero desire to build a rig or deal with updating one. The lesser graphics on consoles are worth the trade off IMO considering that they still look amazing and are very immersive regardless. So I think many people feel this way. Plus, imagine how many people pick up a few triple A games per year maximum. Don't pretend that they still don't account for revenue and a large portion of hardware sales (think CoD, Madden etc, and think working parents, college kids or more casual players in general). Also remember parents who are buying consoles for younger kids or teens or people who are buying gifts in general. Imagine your girlfriend going in to buy you a gaming rig..even a pre-built one. Think of all the variables. Instead she can walk into Best Buy, walk into the green or blue isle and say "I need the new playstation". The sales person can then sell her a live/psn card, maybe an extra controller and a game and it's done. The "plug and play" aspect of it is a huge draw for many. I can't really speak for PC gamers as a whole, but most of the ones I know are not only gaming enthusiasts but they are also PC enthusiasts and have made a hobby out of building/updating a rig and keeping up with the newest tech. Even adjusting the graphics or installing drivers for certain hardware and relatively simple things like that may be viewed by some as a barrier between them and doing what they came to do in the first place. Not all gamers are on that same level...just the way it is.

All of this said without even mentioning the slew of great 1st party games on consoles or the fact that a nice handful of them can still hold their own even next to a PC game. Quick example: Uncharted 4.

For the record, I still think having a gaming PC one day is not out of the question.

[3-4-5]

Oh Forbes.....you are so out of touch with reality.

Forbes likes money....so they like things that can make money really quickly like mobile games.

They WANT consoles,pc& dedicated handhelds to die out so they can exploit and talk up mobile games.

Big business loves stuff like that....but it never benefits the user/person/gamer.

PC,dedicated handheld & console gaming will always be around and will always be popular.

The only people who want it to go away are people who don't play video games anyways.

People who want it to "die" are "money people", who only care about money.

[miyamoto]

because of the PS4?
Thank you very much.

[LamerTamer]

I think consistency of interface too. With a console you buy game pick up controller and go. With PC many times you need to use KB/M to play, bad if you don't want to play hunched over a computer desk and want to play on the TV. Some times you can use a controller but many PC games don't work well with only a controller. They need many KB commands and controllers don't have enough buttons. Even when you can hack around with controller mapping apps it is a hassle and even then often the too many buttons needed thing kills it. Some games are controller friendly some aren't. Every console game is, it is consistent.

I have the money to build a high end rig but I don't have the time to faff about with configuring things, controllers issues and driver problems. I also hate the always online requirements, DRM, and check-ins even when playing SP (all of the time for me).

[nitus10]

Actually I built my PC with the latest Skylake chip-set and it only took less then 30 minutes to install my operating system then 15 minutes to customise it for wireless, then additional software that I wanted and add my family accounts.

Total recovery of data (2.5TB) took in the order of over six hours but the machine was usable prior to the start of my data recovery.

Total cost of all legitimate software was $0.00 and no I don't pirate software.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Its not just that. Even as a PC and Console gamer I can say its also do to the buggy nature of PC.

Even with a game running just fine and being of a good build, you could have a series of issues that make it hard to play a game.

Could be driver settings, Vsync, anti-virus etc.

Before anyone comes and tells me how easily those are detected and fixed, consider that they have to be in the first place.

Until someone makes a gaming only OS that focuses the hardware to max out gaming and only factor in gaming, consoles are here to stay for a very, very long time.

Also factor that even if someone does make an OS that is only for gaming and has no issues, it will take years and years to even get away from that age old PC ideal of being buggy and not working.

[S2Killinit]

Because i cant sit in front of monitor for hours on end.

[GHOSTxx420]

I have both ps4 and the xbox one ive always wanted to get a gaming pc bt want something i can take places so therefor id have to get a laptop my problem is its hard to justify spending a good $1500 on a computer. Even tho i can do tons more with it, idk much about them definitely when it comes to pc gaming.

[Rokakku]

True, when I was young, convincing my parents to buy PC parts instead of a console was the biggest challenge.

[Orionsangel]

If people in 2016 still get intimidated by gaming on PC. They haven't played a PC game in the last ten years. I don't know if these people got the memo, but PC gaming is no longer messy. Where you're running games on a disc and having to install the game and not knowing where the files are located on your HDD.

There's this service now called Steam that made playing PC games as convenient and easy as playing them on a console. All your games are neatly stored in one place.

[Valenka]

Indeed. I play primarily on consoles because I get a headache with all of the technical jargon involved in building or even upgrading a PC to keep it being able to play games smoothly. I'd much rather just pop a disc in the Xbox One or PS4 and be guaranteed playability. For me, there's too much involved in trying to put together a rig that'll play Grand Theft Auto V on ultra. Allow us to mod console games like on PC and I'll be the happiest person alive. Mods are the only reason why I wish I was more tech savvy with computers so I can build a gaming rig, keep it competitive with continual upgrades and mod the crap out of GTA V, Fallout, Skyrim, etc.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

Accessibility and the exclusives you can't play on mobiles, PC, or anywhere else. PS4 will always prevail

[Der_Kommandant]

Until PS5 comes out.

[_-EDMIX-_]

both wrong....until PS9!

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[FallenAngel1984]

Why does anybody think it will. There's nothing that can replace the practicality of plugging a console that is customized for gaming and using a tactile controller

[Germany7]

It will never end, also it proved again how gaming journalists were (are) wrong, your campaign failed.

[stuna1]

They haven't died because we the gamers are their life's blood! And like red blood cells every second more of us are being produced.

Personally I look at mobile gaming as being a subset of Console gaming, Console gaming is a subset of PC gaming where each is derived from the other. PC birth gaming from my perspective, whereas consoles became a smaller formfactor of, making it more mobile as well as introducing a new kind of media/medium and developer. Now we have the smallest subset yet with mobile gaming! Which I dub completely portable, where every aspect of it is designed to be consumed in incremental portions.

Looking at PC's for example, they are the home of the biggest RPG's,MMO's Strategies or large scale massive games. So it's fitting that they would be played in an environment that would facilitate a stable therefore mostly immobile playing area or work station.

Then you have Consoles, which are far less restrain to a certain area, but still aren't something people carry around everywhere they go, but offer something that PC's don't offer on a consistent basis. That is Consoles offer a very social aspect to their designs, where multiple friends can game not only in the same room, but on the same Console and TV. As far as games go, there are big RPG's and MMO's on them, but the majority of games consist of titles as short 4 to 5 hours to about 15 to 20 hours on average.

Now we have mobile gaming which is mainly gaming on the go. Usually facilitated on one handheld, but moreso in Tablets and personal Cell phones. One would be hard pressed to find a massive RPG, MMO or Strategy game being played out on a Tablet/Mobile Phone unless someone considers Candy Crush a massive Strategy game!? Most games are small and consumed in small incremental sitting as well as having the least comprehensive controls due to their small formfactor's. Although they are the most mobile as far as gaming goes.

Just my take on things.

Looking at the big picture Console takes some good qualities from PC's and Mobile and combine them with their own great qualities, with ease of use being at the top of the list.

[jstark]

"but the majority of games consist of titles as short 4 to 5 hours to about 15 to 20 hours on average." what does the length of games contribute as a point? apparently length doesnt matter to the people on console that bought MGS V ground zeros and the order 1886

[stuna1]

So the majority of games are the length of MGS and the Order? Such a small issue to point out in reference to the difference between different ways games are being played that set them apart from each other, but show they can also co exist!

Rather insignificant to disagree on the grand scheme of things..

[jstark]

@stuna1 so a majority of games on pc are 4 to 5 hours to about 15 to 20 hours on average?

[Der_Kommandant]

More like...

Why some people want video game consoles to die?

[IWentBrokeForGaming]

I'm personally not really sold on PC. Everything I want to play IS exclusive to PS4.

[Pandamobile]

Might want to broaden your taste in games.

[DragonKnight]

Armchair General Master Race.

[PizzaSteve]

Everyone have their own taste in games.

[gamer9]

You only play a game if it’s PS4 Exclusive? So you haven’t played the witcher, fallout, battlefield, etc? Umm, okay, to each his own

[nitus10]

The are exclusive games for the PS4 but there are plenty of multi-platform games for it as well.

Exclusive is nice but for me not essential. Since I personally like RPG's, most games I get will take me anything from 40 to 100+ hours so I am quite happy with one console platform.

There are some games that I know are exclusive to some platforms which I would also like to play but I am not going to buy that platform for one or two games when I am battling to play all the games that I like on one platform.

[jstark]

as long as COD,dudebros,and casuals exist there will always be consoles.

[Germany7]

Said the moba player.

[jstark]

i dont play mobas at all nice meme tho

[FPS_D3TH]

Said the 40 year old virgin.

[jstark]

im not 40 nor a virgin but i guess my point is valid since no one is addressing it and again nice meme

[Pongwater]

"i guess my point is valid since no one is addressing it"

Alternatively your point could be so obviously ridiculous that no one bothers. You may want to consider that possibility.

[jstark]

if its so ridiculous then why are you all reduced to making personal attacks

[DragonDDark]

Said the alien..

[madjedi]

And neither of your reply's back do anything to make you look less like an elitist pc ass.

Your no different from the console only guys that bash pc, without ever using it.

With the exception of a few outliers especially rts and indie games, pc and console's share many of the same games.

Like we don't have games like hero siege and other casual games on pc.

I'd rather deal with "dude bros", than fake ass hipster elitists.

They are probably just average guys and girls enjoying the games they are playing.

Better than the types desperate to show how hardcore/sophisticated they are.

[noob_zero]

I really dont see hwy anyone thought consoles would die. Its like people want them to. Theyve been doing great especially this generation. Theres a certain feeling you get when you turn on a console and watch the playstation, nintendo, and xbox logos appear on your big tv. I honestly dont feel like going thru the process of building a pc and spending money and graphics cards and monitors when I can just get a console thats already optimized.

[KaladinStormblessed]

Because video games are fun.

[uth11]

Because they are the only platform that combines high-end gaming with plug and play convenience and at an attractive price point. They won't die anytime soon because all the alternatives have serious shortcomings for this audience.

[ZeekQuattro]

It came damn close to dying in the early 80's but I think it endures mostly because of ease of use. If you game on a PC you better have the right requirements or your game will fail. Even then you are almost guaranteed to have to troubleshoot some random issue. Consoles don't usually have to deal with that. I don't envy those who have to keep upgrading video cards just to play the latest game or find out their card isn't supported.

[SolidDuck]

Ease of use like everyone has said. Also local multiplayer while being portable. I take my console to friends and family's houses, and easily hook up 4 controllers. Its a combination of all those things.

[TheTony316]

Ease of use. PC gaming is much simpler than it used to be, but consoles are still ahead.

Low entry price. You can safe money with PC gaming in the long run, but $400 vs. ~$800 upfront is a big difference.

[nitus10]

You are right consoles do have a lower price entry than a decent PC gaming machine, however it all comes down to games that the gamer wants to play.

For me playing RPG's on a console is better value for my money than playing RPG's on a PC although to be fair I have never liked on-line and especially on-line only RPG's.

Actually my PC cost me more than US$800 to build. In fact my processor actually cost me more than my PS4.

[TheTony316]

I agree. It all comes down to games. I own a decent gaming PC too. I still prefer my PS4 because i like to collect my games and there's no PC exclusive that interests me anymore.

[hiawa23]

Cost could be a factor. I have been gaming on consoles since the Atari days, not into PC gaming at all as the consoles are good enough for my eyes so I hope consoles never die. I am happy with the PS4 and X1 so I am good.

[irgei]

As long as there's steam, pc is kinda dead to me..

also despite the recent pc releases, Japan is still a strong supporter of consoles..they won't die

[user6666047]

Why should they? O...o

[psplova]

simple. I don't want to invest in an expensive PC to play games. No matter how cheap the games are. That, and I don't want to build one neither. Ease of use, as someone's mentioned above.. Plus I enjoy the exclusive games that MS and Sony offer..

[FPS_D3TH]

Because I don't want to bother buying, assembling and configuring a PC just to play games? Because I don't play CSGO or DOTA and don't care to suck Gabens dick like its the last remaining life source for games? Because I have friends who game on consoles. Because I dislike hackers and enjoy fairly clean multiplayer experiences. I haven't been a PC gamer since the half life 2/ cs source days and it was never worth it to keep playing on PC save for some cool mods hidden amongst the endless nude mods. You can't even mod cs go anymore and all I ever used was different skins. Weak. Consoles ftw.

[gamer9]

Would like to get a gaming rig, but a few too many questions on where VR and 4k gaming are headed, and trying to get my friends to make the jump will be tough. Curious – what are people using for display? I like my TV and stereo, can I use 1080p plasma, or is that severely capping myself? Will 4k TVs have good enough refresh rate for gaming? And can I use wireless gamepad instead of wired via usb, or does that introduce lag? Thanks for any input!

[madjedi]

I use a kinda cheap 1080p led 55 inch tv it doesn't seem to give me any issues, however I do not play online competitive mp on pc so I can't say how that will effect it.

My computer is hooked up to my receiver, but I needed a digital optical cable in order for the receiver to output the pc audio.

The only issues that you could run into is response time in fast paced competitive fps games, for the average user it is probably not that important.

As far as 4k or vr, my setup(i5, 970 gtx ssc,8 gigs of ram) barely meets then recommended requirements for occ rift.

4k is too demanding for the average pc gamer, maybe in 3-5 yrs after we switch to 22nm dies and hmb2 is out there it wont be so bad for the newer generation of cards.

An old analysis, but should give you an idea.

http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

Even 2k is a bit hard on current mid range cards.

Have only used a wired controller myself so no clue, have heard people using ds4 or xb1 controllers though.

I don't think plasma work that differently than lcd's or led's but I could be wrong.

[WickedLester]

I used to be a part of the "PC Master Race" but I got out of it. Why? Because once I started down that rabbit hole, I was CONSTANTLY spending time and money upgrading, tweaking, troubleshooting, etc. Anything I could do just to eek out as much performance as I could. I was obsessed with it. More so that just playing games. Finally I got tired of that "rinse and repeat" cycle over and over and stopped. I bought a console and never looked back. I know fully well that I'm never going have the highest end graphics and you know what? I'm perfectly OK with that. Give me the plug and play simplicity of a console any day over better graphics. Plus I enjoy console exclusives way more than I do PC exclusives.

[jstark]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[PeaSFor]

why are you in full defence mode?

it just make you seem pretty insecure about your OWN opinion after those 9 replies.

[PizzaSteve]

PC is more complicated. If your PC can't handle a certain game you would have to go out and buy more parts or change settings to get a game to work right. With consoles you just put in and play. If consoles did die I would move on to something else. I don't have a problem with PC gaming its just don't feel the same as consoles.

[NewAgeisHere]

I used to be console only till about 2 years ago, once I got a gaming rig I can definetly say that PC is superior in just about every way except for ease of use, not to mention 4 out of 5 of my favourite games in recent memory have been PC kickstarter games.
Playstation exclusives and good memories are the only thing keeping me on consoles.......and seeing as how we have to pay for online on consoles even I might go primarly PC in the near future.

[yeahright2]

Huh, I'm the opposite. I got a gaming PC and I can honestly say I enjoy my consoles more. Now my PC is still new (had it less than a month) so maybe it'll grow on me. But I'll take a DS4 over mouse and keyboard anyday. And I can foresee not caring much for having to check the system requirements on new games down the line to make sure I can just download and play. And being a SP gamer, paying for online doesn't mean much to me at all.
But different strokes I guess.

[DivineAssault]

PC gaming requires more money & every game isnt optimized to its best like on consoles.. Exclusives help them too

[Back-to-Back]

Grew up with playstation and most of the games I play feel normal with a controller. The only game I play that feels better on pc is diablo 3. Playing fps with a keyboard and mouse never felt right to me.

[Germany7]

A lot of pc gamers here still waiting for the death of consoles, keep waiting then.
That's why it's called the worst fanbase.

[FN4GM]

"Yet"? Are they supposed to?

[Tales RPG addict]

Videogames are fun regardless of whether you play them on consoles, PC or both. So enough of this fanboyish nonsense.

[ThePhantomHaircut]

Because they're affordable, easy to use and have a community vibe. That's really all there is to it.

[DC777]

Nailed it, short and sweet.

[NovaCorps]

its obvious what to do...if you have money and i mean MONEY build a pc and play multiplatform games there since pc elitist are famous to beg for consoles games so they can feel dat 120 fps 4k ultra whatever crap

and console for the exclusives since in that department it OWNS the pc with style and ease

i have both but screw pc gamers trust me they are the worst out of the big three

[Artemidorus]

Cheap and easy to use it's no bad thing when you slowly see improvements over the years too.

[Coachkeys]

Lol. Now we have to question why they're not dying? I don't exactly see any other type of hardware that's going to rival consoles. Mobile is cute for a day but the real meat and potatoes in gaming is on console/cpu. Even the monster that is 3ds can't keep my children's attention as long as a console can.

[skratchy]

You can always say PC Masterrace this and PC Masterrace that. But people would rather have a machine SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED to play the games they buy. It's a matter of ease, a matter of simplicity and, some times, a matter of NOT WANTING to game on the same machine you do everything else on already, including watching porn. Not too mention upgrading WAY more often than every 6-8 years. Consoles are just more streamlined, reliable product for gaming.

I don't know about you, but I almost DON'T NEED a PC period, because my smart phone does everything a PC can, and it fits in my pocket. I think the PC, as we know it today, will die out before consoles.

[Scottyxboxoneandps4]

People waiting for console gaming to die out are going to have a very, very long wait. Those predicting consoles will die out are so out of touch its not even funny...

[Xasthirion]

Why the hell would they? They offer a cheap, quick, easy to use alternative to PC gaming that delivers almost as good of an experience. That's like asking why bluray and DVD players haven't died out because you can just watch every movie in the theater...

[tmisellati]

because , WE are the fans and will not let that happen.

[Apollosupreme]

How about: why do people expect them to die?

As long as gamers are willing to buy hardware, which they clearly are, why move away from it? Gamers want hardware.

I've experienced cloud based gaming and while I have a good connection the tech isn't there yet. It needs to be flawless. It also need the infrastructure around the world to be up to par.

If next gen consoles move to the cloud then at that point I move to dedicated PC gaming.

[cyber_daemonx]

Because PC gaming is such a pain in the a$$ and too expensive for the majority.

[yomfweeee]

Personally it is because I can sit in on the couch and play on my large screen TV. Yes, I know it can be done through PC but it isn't practical. Also games are cheaper for me since I can resell them. I usually play games for a few dollars after selling them. You can't play with your family either very easily on PC.

[DillyDilly]

Why havent people stopped asking stupid questions yet

[Matology]

I like the ease of console gaming, but the freedom of mods and upgrading on PC always draws me back, even if its gets expensive.

Like £2000 on 2 PC's last year :(

[Ashunderfire86]

Why are you asking such a stupid question? Consoles are more affordable so there is your answer.

[Shineon]

I'm glad I went PC this gen and it's not nearly as expensive as people claim,You don't even need a thousand dollars to beat today's consoles graphic settings.With that being said I hope ps5 and xbox whatever show us something jaw dropping because 8th gen consoles released weak, unlike the juggernauts that were ps3 and 360 who can hold there own with the current gen