Console Gaming / PC Gaming - Opinions of players

First of all, this isn't a bashing thread to either platform. I merely ask this question because it's been bothering me for many years why people choose a platform and stick with it, and are usually hostile to another platform that they feel violates their gaming space.

Now I've been using a PC since the age of 8. I loved what I can do with it, everything about it, eventually it became my passion and I started learning more about it. This doesn't mean I was a PC gamer, sure I had played games on it, but I don't believe the main purpose of my unit was to play games.

When I eventually began to respect my desktop, I got a PS2, and I've been enjoying games on that for a long time. I love the games on it, the games on it are my all time favourites. At the same time, I find myself playing games like C&C and Dungeon Siege on PC, as well as emulating some ancient titles.

Now when I find a person that flames a computer because their experience in computer gaming was slow, laggy, buggy, etc, it gets me real mad at them for looking at it that way. I also really get upset when people only use their computers to play games. I understand, this isn't about my feelings, but I feel there is a seperation between players because of their personal feelings toward each platform.

I feel that one should respect something for what it does. A console is meant to play games. Now it has more multimedia purposes too. A PC can be used for many things, as we know. Games are programmed on computers. We use them for design and communications.

What are your opinions on gaming on a specific system being used as a means to play and enjoy games? If you're a hardcore console gamer that has bad technical experiences in PC Games, do you feel that consoles should be the exclusive way to play these games? How do PC only gamers feel about this?

Well, that's it from me. I hope nobody feels this is a waste of time. I just felt I had to post this, as a personal statement from a friend compelled me to. Good day.

Since getting my PC, I'm going to declare that I enjoy it the most, and mostly because of the versatility and power behind it.

But I was born and bred on consoles, and to ignore them or put them down is a pretty boneheaded thing to do. The best thing about the consoles is that when you put a game in and you turn it on, there's a far smaller chance that it won't work. With a PC, you might buy a game that microstutters on your specific platform and you have to jerry-rig a special .exe or find a mod or something that fixes the issue. Or you could get any other number of countless issues that might be specific to your machine. Still, I will gladly put up with the occasional, almost always easily fixable issue if that means I can play all games at 60 frames and higher resolutions.

@believer258:

That's a beautiful answer. You basically found a balance between both. You come from console gaming but you've found peace with PCs. I can't say I know many people that agree with that. Thanks for your honest opinion.

I'll say that I like both a lot, but would have to go with the PC simply because PCs are far more versatile. There's no "take screenshot" button on a console (trust me; I've looked all over).

I choose a platform based on what it can offer at the time and I tend to stick with it because I've already invested a large amount of money in that platform. As for the being hostile to other platforms, while I don't bother with that other people do it because they hate the idea that something/someone is better than them. I think it's a weird inferiority complex or possibly just some people aren't very nice.

As for the rest of what you said, I think each platform offers a mostly different experience that works for different people. I'm talking about cost, features, services and games available. I've mainly been a console player but I don't feel that one way is better or that there is a right way to play games. I've actually been slowly moving back to PC gaming recently as it's offering an experience better suited to me in terms of price, but I'm not going to suddenly ignore consoles. I still prefer play with a controller even on PC while others choice to use a mouse and keyboard. Each offers a different experience and are all totally valid.

I think PS3/PC was the best route to go this gen.

I enjoy all platforms, though I'd ideally have everything available and best on PC. Unfortunately, market conditions primarily surrounding consoles negatively impacts the PC experience. Especially in the last few years. That is also the primary nugget of what makes people hostile, also. To each their own, but once you feel that someone else's thing (in this case, a gaming platform) is threatening yours, then you get defensive/offensive over it.

Well, some people do, at least.

I love all my game playing devices. Except my 360. Fuck that thing.

I play on both and I believe that there is love and balance between the two. I really sometimes don't get why people would debate over this kind of stuff. I just find the time to play on both. My girlfriend usually plays the pc during the day due to her minecraft and smite games while I just enjoy in the consoles and play any genre during that time.

I tend to game on all platforms, expect the Xbox 360. I do not hold any judgments on those who play on that system, but I wasn't willing enough to play a monthly subscription fee. If you feel that you can justify that service, good for you.

I do believe that many Console gamers have a misconception about PC in general. I have seen time and time again the excuse that you must spend about $1000-infinite money just to have a Rig that play games at a higher fps and above 1080p resolution. For myself, I am a PC enthusiast and I would love having the best system that I can afford. The cutting edge as one could say. However, I know that many PC gamers are not like me. They simply want a better gaming experience than on consoles, which is fine.

I follow the belief that people want reassurance about their purchase decision. The feeling of making a bad decision on a PC, console, car, or anything that requires a large sum of money is very damaging to people and they do not want to be told that they are wrong. Thus, they seek out like minded people who reaffirms that they made the right decision and use misguided hatred to defend their position. I believe that children make up the larger portion of these audiences for these Consoles vs. Consoles, Franchises vs. Franchises, and Consoles vs. PC. As adults, we are also subjected to these arguments, but we can act mature about them. If we are mature.

Each platform has its own share of exclusives that I like switching from time to time. Even though I am mostly a PC gamer, the one big thing that I have noticed when gaming on a computer vs a console is that I have a harder time immersing myself within the game on a console than I do on a computer. I am not sure on how I can justify this. Perhaps it has to do sitting close in front of a monitor / farther away from a TV. Or maybe its the way that it's not as common to be using headphones while gaming on consoles.

I primarily play on PS3 because it is just so much easier. I have dabbled in Steam before but when I played Portal on my old computer (my PC can not even run the newest version of Movie Maker) it was chugging around and there was a crazy amount of input lag. I have tried asking what are good parts to build a PC but everyone gives such radically different answers and my own personal experiences on PC have been horrible that I don't feel like bothering with it at all. I just want to play games damn it and the PC is just too damn scary looking from the outside.

Also fuck the 360 with its stupid online fee, I hook it up only when there is a deal like those two months of Live for $2 deals.

I like all videogames.

i stopped updating my gaming pc about a year and a half ago, and i've played maybe two or three short games on it since, because the discomfort of sitting too long at a desk and playing with a mouse and keyboard finally got to me. i'd be interested in valve's tv box thing, mainly because, if they insist on keeping the main game casual, i'd like to play elder scrolls with survival mods, nothing really to do with better performance. apart from that i get everything i need from consoles.

I think thats exactly the reason why there are such things as console/pc wars.

Hey guys I like good games. I have a powerful PC and every console from the last few generations. Live and let live you know?

Though honestly, I prefer my PC for most purposes. It's mostly a convenience thing since I can go from doing other stuff to playing on the fly, very easily. I also enjoy upgrading/modifying and playing around with the specs of it. Can't do that with a console. :/

I prefer PCs because they're better.

I started off on a Amiga then moved onto PC when my dad purchased one in 1996. I then moved heavily into consoles simply because i could have my own rather than constantly battling my Dad for use of the computer in those early years.

Now im a fully developed trouser wearing 27 year old adult Ive slipped back into the world of PC although im still hugely excited for this next generation of consoles.

i had a gaming PC till about last year, where my video card messed up. (not exactly sure whats wrong but games make it overheat fast). so i started playing my 360 since i didnt have the cash on hand to get a new card at the time.

ive kinda been enjoying my 360 far more than my PC. i feel that i can relax more and just enjoy things more. i actually own Skyrim on both 360 and PC, and i vastly prefer playing it on my 360, why? like i said its more relaxing and enjoyable for me. the PC version of Skyrim is objectively better, i know that. i'll take my time and enjoy things a bit more on the 360, while on the PC i feel like im in a rush, and im constantly being spammed with IM's and steam messages.

i haven't bothered to get a new video card cus ive been doing all my gaming on my 360 and i dont feel like im missing out at all.

I choose PlayStation as my platform because personally i think they have the best exclusives. i've always wanted to get into to PC gaming and i know i would love it but it gets way too complicated for me. Problems always seem to arise everytime i play a PC game

For me consoles and PCs have different roles. Consoles are more social, and for couch multiplayer, PC is for single player, mainly RTS and strategy games.

@fire_of_the_wind said:

Yup.

I'll play on the platform the game I am interested in is on. I do have a PC preference because of how convenient it is to not leave my desk for gaming, but leaving my desk really isn't a problem. I definitely don't mind getting up to play some console exclusive titles.

I mean, where else other than consoles (or arcades) am I going to play Tekken Tag Tournament 2 or Persona 4 Arena?

Anyway, I don't care about what platforms people play on. A person could be a Xbox/PS3 fanboy, a PC elitist, a handheld die-hard, or a multi-platform gamer, and I wouldn't like him/her any better or worse for playing on whatever they play on. If he/she is satisfied with his/her platform(s) of choice, then awesome. That's really all that matters.

I play on PC mostly, because Its easier to upgrade a part in my computer than buying a new console. I also own a Wii U and a 3DS, because I'm a avid supporter of nintendo and most of their games are entertaining.

I'm a console gamer, but not by choice. I'm far too poor, while also too impatient to save up my scraps, to afford a gaming rig. I would ideally play on both consoles and PC, which at one time was exactly how it was! Back when I was kid, and my mum funded everything(...), I loved bouncing between my PC, PS1, Sega Saturn, N64 and Megadrive II.