#and i have learned it's not just my outdated graphics card but it runs bad for lots of people

[smallhatlogan]

why on earth would you be like "shit our video game city feels too empty we should just put a bazillion npcs who are only there to walk around and cannot be disabled"

gamers are okay with sad empty cities

[thetechdonut]

Console vs. PC: Who Wins?

One of the most hotly-debated topics in the gaming community has been over the superiority of certain platforms. As someone who has passionate about gaming and has experience with both console and PC, I believe I have a relatively subjective standpoint with which I can offer my opinion. 

And ultimately, without diving into the details, it comes down to personal preference. Consoles are catered to different platforms than PCs. It is up to you to decide which one is best for you. 

I played on consoles for years, but switched over to PC gaming about three years ago. In order to decide which platform is superior, one must list out the pros and cons of each one. 

For consoles, the platform that used to be the most popular, I think there are many positive aspects. Consoles are cheaper, include console exclusives, create easier access for multiple parties to play together, and are easy to use. 

To expand upon the positives: Consoles (such as Xbox, Playstation, and Wii) will cost you about $250-$400, with the price depending on memory size, store exclusives, and game bundles. For example, a standard Xbox One will cost $250, but the one-terabyte Xbox One Halo Wars 2 Bundle will cost you $349. 

Consoles also have console-exclusive games and content. For example, the Halo franchise is only available on Xbox, and Uncharted 4 is only available on Playstation. There are also games which only exist on console and are not restricted to certain consoles - the Fallout franchise, for example. These games are not available on platforms other than consoles. 

And now, consoles are not restricted to only gaming. They now offer options to hook up your Netflix, Hulu, or Youtube account, creating a more versatile and well-rounded experience. 

Consoles are also very-user friendly. It’s easy to buy a console, plug it in, and start gaming. It’s also easy and inexpensive to bring friends along and have them play together - on PC, which I’ll get into later, the experience is very different. 

However, consoles have their fair share of negatives. For example - consoles become outdated very quickly and their hardware limits the gaming experience. Most console games run at 30 frames per second, which is quite low. They’re generally not very powerful and have a short lifespan. And older consoles are unable to play new games - an Xbox 360, the previous generation Xbox, cannot play Xbox One games.

I delved deeper into the pros of console gaming than the cons, but that’s because I feel consoles get a bad reputation when I think they are catering to a very different audience. In order to explain this, I’ll dive into PC gaming. 

PC gaming has blown up over the past few years - more and more people are beginning to transition from console gaming to PC gaming. Here are a number of things that belong in the pros column.

PCs have great longevity, they provide a lot of bang for your buck, they are powerful, versatile, and extremely efficient. And, if you choose to purchase a gaming laptop, offer an expensive but portable platform for gaming. 

One of the great things about PC gaming is that with enough research and hands-on experience, PCs can outlive consoles for years and years. They have the capacity to offer a very respectable performance for not a lot of money. You can either purchase pre-built PCs, or create your own from parts. And, as highlighted in a few of my previous posts, PCs can be opened up and upgraded. Parts can be replaced, components can be switched out. And not only is it a gaming machine - it’s also a computer, which greatly increases its number of functions.

However, there are still negatives that come with PC gaming. For example, they are generally more expensive the better they are (good PCs cost upwards of $700), most people don’t know how to change out PC parts, and most of the time, playing locally with other parties is a lot less simple. Unless you’re playing a split-screen game (where the screen is split into the number of players, with each player getting one portion of the screen for their perspective), players need their own game and their own machine to play together. 

What all of these culminates to is the fact that PCs are a long-term investment. If you can invest the time and money into learning how to build and manage PCs, they become incredibly versatile. When you need to update your graphics card, it’s easy to buy a new one, open up your PC case, and replace the part. You can create extremely powerful machines that consoles could never match. It’s also important to remember that with a gaming PC, you’re not just paying to play video games - you’re paying for an extremely well-rounded experience. Improving the components of your PC not only improves your gaming experience, but also the experience of your web-surfing as a whole. 

That being said, it is my opinion that PC gaming is superior. While it is more expensive, it is far more cost-efficient and will last me years longer than a console will. However, I say that because I think I have the time and money to invest in building a good PC. If I was working every day, or had a family, or a high-pressure job, then I would choose to opt for a console. They are much cheaper, easier to manage, and require no learning curve. 

As you can see, the answer is not as simple as “’X’ is better.” They are made for different audiences. They are two very different platforms catered to very different people. If you’re looking for power and versatility, look into purchasing a good PC. If you just want to let off some steam at the end of a hard day and don’t care about investing extra time, buy a console. The choice is yours.