PC vs Console - The Neverending War
By jakob187 48 Comments
WALL OF TEXT
I'm not looking for a flame war (although I'm aware of how inviting this truly is). I've been taking some time with my blogs to try and hit actual issues from a logical perspective rather than just talking about what I've been doing over the course of a week. During this blog, I want to look at a massive issue - the war between PC and console gamers.
The big question: why is there a war in the first place? Well, some will blame "PC fanboys" and "PC elitism"...and you'd be partially correct. Others will blame "console fanboys" and "console ignorance"...and that's also partially correct. I think the issue really comes down to ignorance on both sides, and neither is superior to the other. Both are drastically different platforms, and due to recent events like Infinity Ward and id Software announcing a lack of dedicated servers in their newest IPs, it would seem that this war is getting pretty heated.
I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that piracy happens on both PC and consoles. Yes, it's more prevalent on PC, but every time an argument starts up where PC users are angered about the loss of a typical PC feature, console users are quick to poke and prod with the "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR PIRATING" argument. Well, not everyone is a pirate, and even then, that comment makes it look as though PC is the sole platform for piracy...and it's just not true. Unfortunately, due to the ignorance (not stupidity or any demeaning terms like that, just ignorance) of many console gamers, they don't realize this and instead try to paint a target on the forehead of the PC gamers. Therefore, the next time a console guy wants to claim this argument, maybe you should take a closer look at the world of piracy rather than just commenting with a "fanboy" response.
PC gamers are no better, however, as they'll quickly use the "WELL YOU CAN'T USE A MOUSE AND KEYBOARD LAWLZ" argument. Really? Are we still going to use that argument after so many games have come out on the consoles to prove that they are fully competent of having good controls? They may not be as super sensitive as the PC's control setup, and they may need aim assist to pull a little extra magic work into it, but games like Left 4 Dead and Halo on the console have shown us that sensitivity settings are steadily increasing. So, the next time a PC gamer wants to wreck on a console gamer with this argument, think about just how dumb of an argument you are using. Mouse-and-key DOES offer more sensitivity, but nowadays, it simply comes down to these words: control preference.
Dedicated servers and modding are two things that are featured in many PC games, and there are plenty of reasons for it. The two biggest reasons? Community and longevity. Thanks to dedicated servers that are typically run by clans or groups, you can find a community of gamers that offer something the console rarely does: friendly competition. Sure, there are plenty of folks on PC that are trash-talking cumstains just like you would find on consoles (and vice versa, there are respectable players on console just like there are on PC). Nonetheless, you typically can find at least two or three servers that offer some good conversation along with some good gaming. Modding offers total conversions of games as well as new maps and features that can greatly increase the longevity of a game's life, as well as even offer an additional ease of gameplay. A prime example of modding can be seen in something as simple as the interface of World of Warcraft. Thanks to many mods like Recount, Auctioneer, QuestHelper, and Omen, WoW players are capable of having far more numbers to help their gaming experience be more focused and concise. Moreover, Blizzard has taken a lot at many popular mods and found ways of implementing their own official interface reworkings to replace those third-party mods. As far as the typical "modding" that people think of, you can look at things such as Garry's Mod or Battlefield: Desert Combat (which led to much of Trauma Studios being brought on at DICE to make Battlefield 2, and the rest going toward Kaos Studios to make Frontlines and the upcoming Homefront).
Without dedicated servers and modding, this leads directly to a loss of community as well as longevity in a game, but it will also lead to positive things like more control for companies to prevent piracy as well as offering official add-ons for their games. Nonetheless, many feel that these are "privileges" and even "rights" for PC users. Guys...shut the fuck up with that argument. It's pointless and stupid. You are not owed anything. HOWEVER, the PC is an open-ended platform for a reason, and developers trying to stifle features like this can cause a major blockage in terms of creative content to further game development creativity, as well as recognition of talent outside of the developers and publishers involved in the creation of a game.
When tackling this argument, though, it's simple: console gamers don't understand how important these features are to an open-ended platform like the PC, and PC gamers don't understand how vital it is to EDUCATE console gamers about these features rather than just blindly rage at them every time they are called a bad name. Stop letting your goddamn pride speak and instead use your brain. Don't insult. Instead, help to push back the cloud of ignorance. Not everyone is a computer whiz. Now, sure, companies like IW and id Software are coming out of the gate and saying that ideas like dedicated servers are "archaic"...but does that mean they are dead? No, it just means that publishers and developers alike are more concerned with making their games more difficult to pirate rather than trying to enhance the gaming experience for everyone involved. Some developers have even taken steps to offer some tools to console gamers in order to show just how awesome PC gaming can be, i.e. the map editor found in Far Cry 2.
The last thing that I bring up in this blog is popularity. Yes, consoles are more popular. Then again, at $200-$400 in their prime selling period, it's hard for them to NOT sell more than a PC. Which one is superior? That's a subjective ideal, as it's based solely on the play style of the individual gamer. Some people don't need 60fps or higher while they play their games to be entertained, and PC gamers shouldn't try to speak down to those people because of it. Meanwhile, console gamers shouldn't need to talk down to PC gamers because they prefer to play their games on the Monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Either way you go, you'll get a way of enjoying an interactive experience, and THAT is the important thing. Consoles can outsell PCs 100:1, but it doesn't mean either is lesser compared to the other in terms of anything other than performance. However, so long as the game is being enjoyed, then what's it matter if it is at 30fps or 60fps? If you feel the need to be that critical, then maybe you should spend some of that time trying to be a professional critic rather than trolling some internet forums.
All in all, the platform war between PC and consoles is tiresome, guys. I've personally seen far too many ignorant posts from both PC and console gamers in recent weeks that just don't need to be there. A little more education, a little more teaching, and a little more restraint should be practiced rather than just outright flaming someone because they have a certain preference or they may not understand.
I will say that console gamers might want to try a better demeanor when addressing issues that PC gamers have rather than throwing up uneducated answers like "HAHA PC gamers are getting shafted yet again" or "PC elitist fanboy tears taste good". Meanwhile, PC gamers should really lay off their typical diet of "mouse-and-keys are better than controllers" and "congratulations on getting duped into buying our patches".
Video games are an ever-expanding market, and there will always be change. There's a lot of it for the PC that I personally don't agree with (and you all know what that concerns). Meanwhile, there's a lot of change for the console that I don't agree with as well.
A final question that I pose: have any of you ever looked at your console and thought "when did my console become more about multimedia and less about games" and then looked at your PC and thought "when did my PC become less about multimedia and more about games"? It's interesting to me how the progression of PCs and consoles continue to try and make one so much like the other...and then we see all this pointless arguing. = /
Then again, maybe it'll be hard for people to take me serious when I have WSAD tattooed on my fingers. Hopefully not.
Until next time, piece.