I'm not sure I buy the "PC controls are more intricate" argument. I usually play shooters with joystick and trackball and yes, there're a lot of buttons to map. But I've also been there when my grandson is playing on the XBox 360, and it seems to me there's a lot of combinations that have to be mastered. Frankly I don't think I could do that anymore, and I know I can't aim worth crap with my thumbs even though I aim via trackball with my off-hand. I might be a bit intimidated - he's good enough that he is sponsored in tournaments - but I think my point still stands; although the basic controls are simpler, more combination button pushing is demanded to be competitive.
I do think accessibility and cost are big issues. My upcoming upgrade will cost considerably more than an equivalent console, and if you can't do your own building it costs even more. Plus, when you buy games for a kid with a console you only have one thing to match - the console itself. If a game runs on an XBox 360, it runs on ALL XBox 360s. There's no equivalent to Crysis, where a game may run on PCs but not on your PC (unless you want to see a slideshow), and no DX7/8/9/10 to worry about. That makes buying both the console and the games much simpler. The PC gamer needs either a LOT of cash or the ability to build his own, as well as a pretty good understanding of what to buy. For instance, just looking at NewEgg's video cards from $150 to $200 could net you a cheap Quadro or FireGL (useless for gaming), a 7900 or 8600 or 2600 (next to useless), or an excellent 3870 or 9600GT. (And even that doesn't address the variability within a single family; suffixes might define one horrible card and one great card.) Looking at smaller sites or heaven forbid B&M stores you might well bring home a 9800XT or a 5600 for the same money! PC gaming beyond the casual games or bargain bin requires not only more initial money, but more time spent in research as well. PC gamers do get a break on pricing though; most PC games drop in price much more quickly than the console versions.
