Do you prefer PC gaming or console gaming?

[Princess Viola]

I used to prefer console gaming when I was younger but, as I've gotten older, my interest has shifted almost entirely to PC gaming. (Edit: By 'PC gaming', I am referring to playing on any type of personal computer, regardless of form factor - so desktops, laptops, and handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally. Anything that runs a desktop operating system such as Windows, Linux, or MacOS)

I'm not gonna pretend that there's no downsides or issues when gaming on PC nor that there's absolutely no benefits for gaming on consoles, there certainly are, but I would say the benefits I get from PC gaming drastically outshines any benefits I'd get from playing on console. Not having to pay to play online, the absolutely massive library of games that no console will ever be able to match, the ability to mod and tweak games, games in genres that either aren't on console at all (or don't work as well on a console), emulation, the list just goes on.

Plus, with the exception of Nintendo (which is why I own a Switch), I have very little interest in what Sony and Microsoft are putting out on their consoles, so why would I want to buy a PlayStation or Xbox Series when the games I wanna play are gonna be on PC? (And, in the rare case where there's a Microsoft game I'm interested in, that'll be on PC too)

 

[Railgun]

I would do PC gaming if I had a PC, but I am stuck with a laptop for the time. :/ So I am sticking with console gaming... including handhelds. I like having portability with the Switch so that gives me an edge. Plus, I like having physical copies of my games.

I do agree PC gaming has a lot to offer when it comes to customization and a giant library you can choose from. Although with consoles and even handhelds you can also mod and hack into them. Particularly older ones.

 

[Princess Viola]

I would do PC gaming if I had a PC, but I am stuck with a laptop for the time. :/

I get what you mean by this but it's also amusing to me as someone who has a gaming laptop lol.

 

[Sheep]

Oof it's hard to say. I love playing certain games on my PC (MMOs primarily) since it's just so much easier to access my many skills + chat that way, but handhelds are amazing for cozying up and playing almost everything else. I play my ROG Ally probably more than my gaming laptop nowadays. It's impossible for me to pick between them!

 

[Railgun]

I get what you mean by this but it's also amusing to me as someone who has a gaming laptop lol.

Oh I have one as well, but it doesn't run as well as it used to. I need to upgrade, but that may take a while.

 

[StormyStinger]

I think I prefer console soley because it's nice having a seperate gaming machine and work machine.

If I have spent most of my day doing work on my PC, I would like to be able to get up and move to a diffrent screen when I want to unwind.

 

[mastermind lissi]

Console, I don’t have a pc :3

 

[Princess Viola]

Oof it's hard to say. I love playing certain games on my PC (MMOs primarily) since it's just so much easier to access my many skills + chat that way, but handhelds are amazing for cozying up and playing almost everything else. I play my ROG Ally probably more than my gaming laptop nowadays. It's impossible for me to pick between them!

OK I think I need to edit my OP a bit because when I say 'PC gaming', I don't mean 'gaming on a desktop or laptop computer', I mean 'gaming on any type of personal computer, including handheld PCs', so playing on the ROG Ally would be PC gaming because that is a handheld gaming PC lol.

 

[Juliyet]

Console. it's just more convenient, and I don't have a good PC for gaming atm

That being said there's been a couple games that have been tempting me to finally get one

 

[Queen Of Space]

Both have their perks some PC games are way better on console some console games are better on PC Terraria is perfect on pc the cursor makes it all come together perfectly

i play console cause I don’t have a PC set up rn but once i do i may go back on both

 

[Palamon]

My piece of garbage computer can barely even handle Neopets, so handheld/console.

 

[Plaid]

Console for sure, mostly because I find it more comfortable (and am also a longtime member of the "potato computer" club. lol Though acquiring a desktop with a good processor a few years ago has finally changed that a bit, allowing me to run stuff like Minecraft and Terraria comfortably. Those, I do prefer playing on PC in the interest of installing mods and the like.)

 

[Salmancer]

I'm already locked into owning a Nintendo device because I like their exclusives and my propensity for getting distracted keeps me from considering PC gaming. Even then, I do look at some PC exclusives like Grapple Force Rena wistfully, because there are some types of gameplay that only PC can handle. (Usually, due to having both the pinpoint accuracy of selecting things via the mouse and speedy movement and interaction with the keyboard, which no other device can implement. Theoretically devices with touchscreens can, but in practice using the touchscreen means losing access to some of the buttons.)

 

[Aulos]

Just ask me pre-2020ish and I'd have a completely different answer. But right now I am definitely preferring PC gaming.

Sitting at my desk on my PC is the most comfortable situation for me, in which case once I got a gaming PC a year or so ago I have been gaming on my PC more than console.

I like the Switch, which I can also play at my desk. However, it has JoyCon drift which is a bit of a pain. lol. As for traditional consoles, I haven't touched one in a longggg time. I don't want to sit down at a TV, I just don't find that comfortable anymore.

 

[wanderist]

Console. I play one PC game but I find using controls on the keyboard to be godawful. I know there's a way to connect a controller to the PC, but not sure how or if it's only with certain controllers (only used to Switch at this point). Also my PC is not definitely not strong enough to handle most current games. It can barely handle the one I do play. Kinda sucks because I'm seeing more and more games that look really cool only to learn that they are only on PC or at least not on Switch, but oh well. I have thought about getting a Steam Deck because of this (since all of them seem to be on Steam), but still debating if it's worth it.

 

[Princess Viola]

Console. I play one PC game but I find using controls on the keyboard to be godawful. I know there's a way to connect a controller to the PC, but not sure how or if it's only with certain controllers (only used to Switch at this point). Also my PC is not definitely not strong enough to handle most current games. It can barely handle the one I do play. Kinda sucks because I'm seeing more and more games that look really cool only to learn that they are only on PC or at least not on Switch, but oh well. I have thought about getting a Steam Deck because of this (since all of them seem to be on Steam), but still debating if it's worth it.

Just so you know, you can basically use any controller on PC - even old as hell ones that you wouldn't even think you could connect to a PC.

It's all just Bluetooth (or USB for wired controllers) for modern ones though, 99% of the time.

 

[wanderist]

Ohh good to know, might look into that sometime then, though might still need a stronger computer. Thanks for the heads up. For some reason I've always thought it was only like...xbox controllers or something.

 

[Princess Viola]

Ohh good to know, might look into that sometime then, though might still need a stronger computer. Thanks for the heads up. For some reason I've always thought it was only like...xbox controllers or something.

Yeah the only caveat is some controllers (like the Switch ones) will need what's called a 'wrapper' to basically translate the inputs to something modern games will understand (the tl;dr is that things like Switch controllers are recognized as generic DirectInput devices, which is an older way for Windows to detect inputs in controllers and stuff that was basically superceded in 2006 so pretty much no modern game supports it), but it's no issue if you use something like Steam because it has such a wrapper built in and you don't really need to do anything once you connect your controller to your PC.

Case in point, just to test it out, connected my Joycons to my laptop and loaded up the controller settings in Steam and there they are, all the buttons work and everything:

Spoiler

 

[Trainer Gabriel]

For the past few (or several) years, I've been leaning more toward PC gaming. With online digital stores like Steam and GOG, it's easy to simply purchase any games available to download and install to my laptop/desktop, and is generally cheaper and more convenient to buy older games, especially when they're on sale. I don't see myself buying the next generation consoles anymore, besides maybe whatever the next Nintendo console is, when I have a gaming PC that I can use to play the newest games from said storefronts, instead of having to buy the newest generation console(s) in order to play a new game I happen to be interested in playing.

But as far which I would generally prefer, I would say PC gaming, because sitting in front of my desk on my PC systems is more comfortable than in front of my TV in my apartment room. Still, I do have several consoles in my room, which I do play quite often when there's a specific game on one of those systems that I feel like playing.

 

[FelipePR]

Handheld or hybrid consoles such as the Switch, PSP, 3DS, Steam Deck bring the advantage of portability, which is certainly a huge favorable point.

On the other hand, I certainly prefer the PC to a traditional console, since the latter is certainly more limited. In favor of consoles there are, in certain cases, exclusive games and greater practicality, but, in my opinion, these are not critical points.

Both have their perks some PC games are way better on console some console games are better on PC Terraria is perfect on pc the cursor makes it all come together perfectly

Terraria is a "PC game", Lol.

it's no issue if you use something like Steam because it has such a wrapper built in and you don't really need to do anything once you connect your controller to your PC.

You can add games from other libraries and directories to your Steam account so you can load them using Steam Wrapper. Therefore, in fact, it is almost a no issue.