PC Gaming Versus Console Gaming

What format should I use? Choices include PC (Personal Computer), or console games (PS2, X-Box, Game Cube, etc). Video Games are becoming one of the most popular tools for today’s entertainment for children and adults alike. They can be anything from cute and fun to racing to violent and even steamy sexual games. There seems to be something for everyone. What form factor do you choose? Which is better? That’s a matter of opinion really. Console gaming seems to be the most popular type but there are many gamers that are very “Pro Pc” as well. There are advantages and disadvantages for both types of games. Games that are made for the PC tend to give you a bit more options and customization options than the console version of the games. One of the disadvantages to PC games is that the new and hot games for PC are often released 2-6 months after they are released for consoles. The thing I think that makes console gaming so popular is that anyone can use it. One doesn’t have to know anything about computers to use the latest and most popular console gaming system. However, with PC gaming, the player has to be somewhat computer savvy to be a gamer. They have to know about their computer system, what RAM is, what kind of chipset their motherboard has, how to adjust and maximize their video settings. That isn’t necessary with console game units as everything is pre-configured for maximum performance right out of the box.

Each form factor has its’ pros and cons. The main pro with console game consoles is ease of use. Another pro is that the hottest games are almost always available for consoles before they’re available for PC. Cons involving console units include lack of or limited internet gaming capabilities. Also, when you buy a console game, that’s what you have. You cannot tweak the game itself or make modifications.

The pros for PC games include additional features and more flexibility. Many times a great game will come out for consoles and 4 months later or so, it will come out on PC. In that time, the game developers have added things and fixed some of the bugs that you always have for a new release. A computer keyboard offers more flexibility than a game controller. Game developers take advantage of this. In the world of PC gaming, there are hackers and people who modify games. For example, on the game Sims, there are several choices of wall art to decorate your home with in the game. On the console version, you are stuck with only those choices. On the PC version, there are many more available for download to install in your game and more are being developed daily by computer savvy gamers.

Some of the cons for the PC format is that you have to wait for a hot game to be released for PC when it has been available for X-Box or PS2 for 2-6 months. It’s very nerving. Another con is that if you are not a computer savvy person, it will be difficult to get much enjoyment out of many of the hot games out there.

Myself, I’m a die hard and fairly opinionated PC gamer and will always choose PC over console. I enjoy the flexibility and I love to tweak and modify. I always say that you have to respect a game that forces your to upgrade. But I suspect that the console game format will always be the more popular format. But that’s ok. I think we all do it for the love of gaming.