Sunday, June 12, 2011

PC vs. Console Gaming

Here's a topic that i've been thinking about for a while. What gives a better gaming experience? Consoles or PCs? I always see people debating over which is better, so i'll give my personal opinion on the matter.

In my opinion, there isn't a definite answer to this since everyone has there own personal preferences. The PC is without a doubt a superior GAMING platform. The hardware is better, you can upgrade the hardware, and the games will look better because of this. This extra performance does come at a price. The price for a gaming computer that will last a few years is about $800, so expect to make a large initial investment if you decide to take the PC route. The overall price of PC vs. Console in the long run is debatable, and the only thing im going to say is that the prices in the long run might be a lot closer than you expected due to game prices, online fee's, replacements, etc. 

From my experience, the console is a better SOCIAL gaming platform.  People that you know at school or work will be more likely to own a console compared to a gaming computer, therefore you'll be able to play with more of your friends. Things like private chat, party chat, and friends list are all made easier on the console. This isn't a PS3 vs. 360 post, but i think that the 360 exceeds very will in the social aspect. Sure the games on a console won't look as good as a PC, but consoles do provide a better social experience and i think Microsoft and Sony executives know this. I'll use Microsoft for this example. The 360 started off as a gaming platform for the hardcore gamers. There was a lot of focus on games such as Gears of War and Halo, and there was very little focus on casual games. As the 360 got further into its life and the PC started to pull away with the hardcore crowd (due to better hardware), Microsoft started to focus heavily on the social aspect. They introduced cross game party chat, video party's, netflix, twitter, facebook, kinect, youtube, ESPN, etc.

In conclusion, it's all up to you. Would you rather have a better looking game, or the ease of playing and talking to your friends?

49 comments:

  1. I find I usually enjoy console gaming more just because its easier when friends come over. Thats not to say I dont enjoy PC games though.

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  2. depends from which country you're from. where I'm from, most people play on the PC.

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  3. I would have to side with the PC and most of my friends game on a PC anyways, I guess it depends on which crowds you hang out with.

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  4. I guess I've never really thought of the social aspects.

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  5. Depends on the game. I like economic based games which, like East India Company and Civ, which are better on the kept to the PC. Also a fan of the Total War series which would suck on a console. For simpler games I like, shooters and sports games, I prefer the ease of the console.

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  6. Same for me. Some games work better on the pc than the console. Although, I could never bring myself to play Oblivion on the xbox. Mods were way too much fun!

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  7. I think it is a silly debate to have :P
    Whatever choice you make its still for the most part the same game.

    I guess with PC you can get mods and stuff of it is a little better in that way but in reality people should not be debating the better system or pc to play games on.

    They should be pushing for companies to bring out better quality of games :)

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  8. I'm a console person. I like em.

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  9. PC gaming. It has everything consoles have and more.

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  10. You kind of missed that the PC has all the communicators like MSN, AIM or even Steam chat or Skype or Xfire. If you're in USA many people may have consoles, but in my country I know NO ONE who has a console. My country is a PC-gaming land really, in the multimedia shop there are like 5 shelves of PC games and 1 shelf of PS3 and X360 games. I'm a PC only gamer btw. :)

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  11. In my opinion

    Console > PC

    Just because theres no minimum requirements. It just works!

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  12. Console designers are being very innovative with their designs. I personally console game more than PC.

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  13. PC has better graphics and power to play games

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  14. I can understand your point of view when it comes to a social experience between PC and Console. I choose the path to PC gaming merely because most of my friends played games on the PC as well. It makes sense to choose to play on console when all of your friends are playing on console rather than play on PC all by yourself.

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  15. PCs are superior in terms of games, but keyboard controls suck for many games, especially platformers. a gamepad with 2 analog sticks simply allows for superior controls for most games(except most FPS)

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  16. I like gaming on PC's, you just seem to have more options to decide how you play that way.

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  17. I use to be a PC fanboy but then I realized its not a contest, and that both are fun in their own ways. I love them both.

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  18. I like PC gaming because you can put in your own graphics card and all that easily. Nice blog.

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  19. PC for me, but most people I know seem to go for consoles for some stupid reason.

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  20. i like PC personally, you can always update your computer, but not your xbox.

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  21. I am and will always be a PC Gamer. It's always ahead in terms of graphics, and online play

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  22. i find console gaming fun as in theres more of a social aspect to it. PC gaming is also great. Both are very good at what they're designed to do.

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  23. PC gaming is better, I'm not social
    +followed

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  24. I agree completely PC = serious gaming, Console = party gaming.

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  25. Awesome post.
    +Followed
    Follow back?

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  26. I'm a huge PC gamer personally. The system is just readily available for almost everyone and it's a lot more intuitive than consoles.

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  27. I hate gaming on the PC cause of hackers, sticking with my PS3.

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  28. I think you said it well. PCs have more power, but consoles generally are a more social experience.

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  29. I'm a PS3 gamer, but I kinda accept the best gaming expierence will come on the PC. For me personally I enjoy being able to play against friends and everyone I know is on PS3, as well as the fact my PC just ain't good enough to play top games :P

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  30. With PC, it all comes down to compatibility. Although it seems like that is becoming less of an issue.

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  31. PC gaming. Hands down. Even for the social aspect. Need to talk to grandma while gaming? I have skype. Need about 10 different client chat programs based on customization (mumble, ts, vent, etc)? Check. Want to modify your game for a better experience, custom maps, etc? PC wins again. Need a billion more games to play games while you are waiting for your group to get together? Already there. It's not even a competition.

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  32. I prefer the multiplayer aspect on my Playstation, but on the PC, it's easier to get submersed in the gameplay.

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  33. I prefer PC gaming over consoles. I feel that consoles are way too restrictive. The main downside for PC gaming for me is cheaters.
    Awesome blog though, followed.

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  34. consoles have more community and are more enjoyable

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  35. I enjoy both. There's some games I would never even consider playing on a keyboard, i.e, Halo, Mario Kart, etc, whereas there are games that I would never consider playing on a console, like StarCraft, Civ, etc.

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  36. PC by far. I have a triple screen setup. Wheres your triple screen consolers? Well Forza can actually do 3 screens on console, but you need 3 xboxes to do it. At which point you could have built a computer that would have looked better.

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  37. I think it all depends on what games you want to play.

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  38. Dude I don't know why we can't all get along and love videogames together!

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  39. I use both. Can't compare them as i have tons of fun on both platform. Different games and different experiences. A true gamer needs experience from both.

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  40. i cannot say that I either prefer PC or consoles. It is important to me which game I play on which device. Football games and Racing games are much more fun to play on a console, shooters and strategy games more likely on a pc. I love both devices.

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  41. PCs for FPS/"fast mouse movement" games, Console for racing games.

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