What is the point of consoles anymore?

[SonOfVoorhees]

Consoles are for those that love games. Thats it.....well thats what it used to be. Now its about everything other than games. Consoles have more games than PC's and PC's are more expensive. But. PC's have Steam which is cheap. Consoles have yet to compete to steam. I love my 360, but as most of my gaming is rentals, i cant buy a xbox1, it would not be worth the cost.

 

[GAunderrated]

Only point to buying a console now is for a ritualistic sense. Meaning people that always have played on consoles will not feel comfortable unless they are playing on consoles.

There is no longer an objective benefit

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Don't have to upgrade or worry about specs, controller is nice and comfortable, better for offline co-op...

...there you go.

Honestly, my main reason is the first one. I like being able to buy a console and know that the games will be made for it rather than the other way around. I don't want it outdated overnight as people find new ways to render a perfect circle. Yes, it holds back games overall in terms of graphics. But that's what it should do. It means there's a decent amount of time where if you don't want to shell out for new parts or consoles you don't have to because they're guaranteed to work for the next game.

Although I do freely admit PC is the better platform because it can support other genres like RTS, and because of modding. But I like my PS3 better.

 

[Ikasury]

pretty much how i felt when my husband (makes sense he 'games'... occasionally -.-) and my MOTHER?! ? (what is this evil sorcery?!) informed me 'oh hey, there's a new PS4 coming out, i'm excited to get it!!' says two people, that while i 'love' them neither has played anything more complicated then PixelJunk in months, and i don't think my mother's ever played anything passed Tetris... so seriously? WHAT?! not only was that a complete WTF?! moment by my immediate response was 'goddamnit -.-'

the last few games, WITH BIG TITLES AND LOTS OF ADS AND 'TOTALLY' TRIPLE-A AND GOING TO BE SO AMAZING CATHULUU WILL CRY!! were really disappointing -.- Injustice, Dishonored, whatever else i blanked from my mind that i thought was going to be 'awesome' and ended up being 'meh' after beating it... has just kinda killed any love i have for 'this' generation of games... the hell they bringing out a 'new' one for? that and its got all this BULLSHIT-social-media-crap on it, going to have 'a cloud' which basically means 'IF NOT PLUGGED INTO INTERNET YOU CAN'T PLAY YOU WEIRDO~' which i've had enough problems as it IS with net and my PS3 that i'm kinda fed up with it... i don't PLAY GAMES to 'socialize' i PLAY GAMES to PLAY GAMES!! thus the point of said console, to PLAY GAMES!! RAWR!! i haven't updated my laptop in years since i play my games on my PS3... lappy is for keeping in contact with the 'World'... reading, music, unmentionables, movies... PS3 is foar GAMES!! murgah!!

i don't want my PS3 to be my PC -.- i like having them separate... because then i can turn one off and keep playing on the other... but yea, where's my game quality? i still have fun playing PSone games, on my little PS2slim, along with the fab-tab-ulous PS2 games i still have that my ps3 won't play but requires me to 're-buy' on the psn? -.- sigh~ (surprised they STILL haven't released Xenosaga series on psn honestly~ along with other awesomes~)

money-money-money... they should be spending that money to make games better, i can wait for a 'new' console, i'll probably be playing my PS3 until it dies and SMT releases some MUST HAVE title on this new 'thing' *pokes*

 

[EBHughsThe1st]

There's a select few games that are best played on a console. Or only played, as it may be.

Nintendo games are exclusive and typically have a very high standard of quality. I will fork out the $250 if it means I get the next Smash Bros.

That, and fighting games. Because there's a reason no one wants another Rise of The Robots. The keyboard is precise, but the controller is equally ergonomic and tuned to gaming.

And maybe local multiplayer. Sort of sentimental, but I like to spend Saturday afternoons with a group of friends playing Super Smash Bros Brawl and Soul Calibur. And that's an experience unique to the console. Just pick up, take your four controllers in hand, and play.

Sure, you could simulate those with a PC, but I'm too much of a filthy casual sheep to bother. And it wouldn't be the same.

 

[Lunar Templar]

they're SUPPOSED to be a cheaper 'plug and play' alternative to PC gaming, but with this gen, and the upcoming one, they seem to have forgotten that in favor of stacking shit onto a console that don't need to be there, add nothing to, or actually take away from the gaming experience.

Now it seem the PC is the better alternative and the console are just a bigger hassle :/ it's sad really, oh well, I still have my old games from when console gaming didn't suck

 

[GonzoGamer]

Its funny cause one of the biggest advantages to consoles over PC's is local multiplayer which has all but been abandoned or that they are trying to get rid of used games which is another selling point. The developers keep ignoring all the console advantages and pushing the features that the PC thrives on. They need to realize that their advantage lies in that they are simple gaming machines they are cheaper easier and more accessible. All of those advantages are getting overlooked and that is why people are moving over to PC's.

Yes. The best reason I've always had to have a console is that I like to sit on the couch and play games with people sitting on the same couch. Now I don't mind online as a concept because me and my wife can now go online and play Borderlands 2 with my friend and his wife. However we've also seen a lot of games this gen that would've been great for local multiplayer but only had online multiplayer.
If they continue to phase it out in the coming generation, then what's the point of having a console?
Lately the consoles have been getting all the crappiest parts of the pc experience like punching in codes or waiting for patches but getting none of the benefits like mods or cheaper games.

 

[Eve Charm]

Right now there are plenty ways to play certain games with multiple wireless controls offline coop on the pc, and many ways to hook up a pc to a current newer tv.

Once we get to the point in wireless streaming our computers to the tv it's going to be up to the pc developers to turn the pc into that home console everyone wanted.

You don't have to upgrade pc's anywhere near as often as you did for pc gaming in the last 2-5 or so years.

 

[Clowndoe]

This argument against PC gaming never made sense to me. Yeah, when I get a game, I have to install it. Once. After that, whenever I need to play it in the future, I just click an icon, and boom, I'm in before you can fetch your crummy old disk.

Err, by "plug & play" I meant for the console itself, and in retrospect was a bad term to use. I didn't explain it well but there's the difference between saying I want a PS/XBox, dropping a flat 300$ on it (or whatever) and knowing you have the same hardware as everyone else. Compare that to saying you want a PC, you research parts trying to stay up-to-date so you order the right stuff, or worse, try to save money by assembling it yourself, though still spending way more money off the bat than for a console. Then there's the optimization problems, having games randomly not work because you happen to have a chipset or whatever that causes bugs, all that jazz.

As I never tire of saying, I've been exclusive to PCs all my life and that's part of the fun for me. But if I was just some frat-bro or whatever who just wanted to play CoD or GTA from time to time I wouldn't bother with anything more complicated.

 

[The Enquirer]

The cost of a pc is relative. My friend got a gaming pc for a few hundred dollars actually. I don't know the exact model number but it was a lenovo he bought from Best Buy. In all seriousness they aren't that expensive, and you still can get hard copies of the game.

well for me anyway there is three big advantages. 1. indy titles on the xbox live. cheap fun little games that are usually really clever and fun to play. 2. console exclusives. as a metal gear fanboy i don't know how what i would do if another major title came out and i had no way to continue the story. and finally fighting games. i love fighting games and for some reason they rarely get ports from the consoles. as it stands i will more than likely be building a pc instead of going with the ps4 or xbone, but i'll have a tear in my eye when the next mortal kombate comes out

1. Steam has a massive indie library. You can even vote on what indie games you want to see coming.
2. True, one of my favorite games of all time, timesplitters was a console only release.
3. Yea, that's just a matter of personal preference. Odds are soon we will be seeing a change in that since there is a demand for pc fighting games.

And I did forget about local multiplayer actually so I suppose thats ONE reason to get a console. See what I did there (xbox one? One reason to get a console? eh nevermind)

Its funny cause one of the biggest advantages to consoles over PC's is local multiplayer which has all but been abandoned or that they are trying to get rid of used games which is another selling point. The developers keep ignoring all the console advantages and pushing the features that the PC thrives on. They need to realize that their advantage lies in that they are simple gaming machines they are cheaper easier and more accessible. All of those advantages are getting overlooked and that is why people are moving over to PC's.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head there. Consoles should strictly be gaming platforms. If you haven't watched the Jimquisition this week about the XBone, check it out. He touches on that.

The point of a console is to have an easy buy-it-and-the-games-with-its-logo-will-work-on-it (most of the time) thing.
With a pc, the main problem is that people who don't know how to upgrade have to risk buying a new game because their current setup might not be able to handle it.

In short, it's easier to use a console, better to use a pc if you take the time to find out how.

Also, console's are less likely to get viruses and stuff.

To be fair, if you just know where to download games from (safe distributors like steam) then you really aren't at risk of getting a virus. The same goes for just about anything else on pc. Just use some common sense And go on google for a little while to see if your console needs updating. Call customer support. It really is not that big of a hassle. Yes albeit it takes a little time, but it really is not as big of a hassle as many make it out to be.

Its still a little easier than dealing with some pc bullshit but the XBone hit every single one. I want physical games instead of full installs so no wait time downloading and installing things, can share games, I don't want drm services like uplay and origin, it's easier to use with a controller (which is another Microsoft fuck up. Why doesn't the 360 control the windows 7 desktop without 3rd party shit that requires maintenance?), my console magically patches and updates itself without screwing random shit up, etc

With a good pc, these things are minimal but a good pc will be more than a few hundred dollars. As long as the ps4 doesn't approach the $600 mark, then it would cheaper for a console

Like I said earlier you can get hard copies of games still. I also said that one of my friends got a pretty decent gaming pc for only a few hundred dollars. Granted yes that was a sale but still.

One of the biggest arguments to be made for consoles is that they are cheaper. That is true initially but over time, they become more expensive as games are more expensive. I mean take a look on steam at any given day and you're going to find games marked down in price. Today there are a number of games on sale. The other day I got borderlands 2 at like 66% off. When you preorder a game from steam you tend to save 10%. Depending on how many games you buy, a pc can very quickly become cheaper than a console.

 

[Judgement101]

I always assumed that a consoles' role was to be like a PC that you don't need to upgrade for a long time. Since console games are uniform and run with that console's specs, all games for that console will work, which isn't always true with PCs, even with the highest possible specs it's not 100% that a game will work. (Graphic card issues, system incompatability, ect.)

 

[Rancid0ffspring]

I for one look forward to watching TV on the Xbox one, I'm not sure how we watched TV with out it.

It's times like this I wish Escapist had a "like" button...

OT: I still think consoles are relevant and will continue to be so.

Yes PC's can dish out powerhouse graphics that consoles simply cannot compare to nowadays, but consoles can provide affordable gaming with respectable graphics that do appeal to the masses.

I know this isn't a well respected view by some. This is however, how it is!

I've been a PC game in the past but couldn't keep up financially so moved back to consoles. 360 is my current device of choice and despite the.... lacklustre reveal, I do believe the xbox one will be a console worth purchasing.

Let us see what happens at E3 before we write off the Xbox One.

Off topic.... My snake decide to take a shit on me while typing this message >:[

**EDIT** I realise now that none of you will ever believe that I was ever a PC Game. I was in fact a PC Gamer.

 

[Bad Jim]

As I never tire of saying, I've been exclusive to PCs all my life and that's part of the fun for me. But if I was just some frat-bro or whatever who just wanted to play CoD or GTA from time to time I wouldn't bother with anything more complicated.

My advice to a frat-bro would be to buy for the hardware he already has. If he has a laptop, there are plenty of older (pre 2006) games on GOG, Steam etc that will run fine, and the massive savings made by not buying a console mean it's no big deal to buy some tech-savvy mate a few beers for sorting out the technical issues, should they occur.

A piece of dedicated hardware is what you buy when you yourself are somewhat dedicated to using it.

 

[The Enquirer]

I for one look forward to watching TV on the Xbox one, I'm not sure how we watched TV with out it.

It's times like this I wish Escapist had a "like" button...

OT: I still think consoles are relevant and will continue to be so.

Yes PC's can dish out powerhouse graphics that consoles simply cannot compare to nowadays, but consoles can provide affordable gaming with respectable graphics that do appeal to the masses.

I know this isn't a well respected view by some. This is however, how it is!

I've been a PC game in the past but couldn't keep up financially so moved back to consoles. 360 is my current device of choice and despite the.... lacklustre reveal, I do believe the xbox one will be a console worth purchasing.

Let us see what happens at E3 before we write off the Xbox One.

Off topic.... My snake decide to take a shit on me while typing this message >:[

**EDIT** I realise now that none of you will ever believe that I was ever a PC Game. I was in fact a PC Gamer.

As stated in my previous post, console gaming will be more expensive than pc gaming this generation. Companies are trying to do away with used games, which is just about the only thing that can hold up to steam sales. Without those used games, console gaming will be significantly more expensive. So no, I don't believe that it will be worth getting an XBone for financial reasons. If they put used games back in the market then yes, that can be a slight reason to get one, but it just does not look like that is happening. It won't have backwards compatibility either (neither system actually will have it) so for quite a while there will only be 15-20 games out(?) for it that you can only buy at 50-60 dollars each.

 

[Kennetic]

I like my PS3 because I don't like to waste time figuring out if my computer can run a new game or not. I don't need the fanciest graphics and I don't mod every game that I own. I have no issue having an ok gaming computer and a console.

 

[Lucky Godzilla]

In some circles these games are known as exclusives.
They tend to be quite good actually, and have these nasty habits of remaining exclusive to consoles.
That of course doesn't take into consideration their budget price for performance, as well as the relative simplicity.

 

[Rancid0ffspring]

I for one look forward to watching TV on the Xbox one, I'm not sure how we watched TV with out it.

It's times like this I wish Escapist had a "like" button...

OT: I still think consoles are relevant and will continue to be so.

Yes PC's can dish out powerhouse graphics that consoles simply cannot compare to nowadays, but consoles can provide affordable gaming with respectable graphics that do appeal to the masses.

I know this isn't a well respected view by some. This is however, how it is!

I've been a PC game in the past but couldn't keep up financially so moved back to consoles. 360 is my current device of choice and despite the.... lacklustre reveal, I do believe the xbox one will be a console worth purchasing.

Let us see what happens at E3 before we write off the Xbox One.

Off topic.... My snake decide to take a shit on me while typing this message >:[

**EDIT** I realise now that none of you will ever believe that I was ever a PC Game. I was in fact a PC Gamer.

As stated in my previous post, console gaming will be more expensive than pc gaming this generation. Companies are trying to do away with used games, which is just about the only thing that can hold up to steam sales. Without those used games, console gaming will be significantly more expensive. So no, I don't believe that it will be worth getting an XBone for financial reasons. If they put used games back in the market then yes, that can be a slight reason to get one, but it just does not look like that is happening. It won't have backwards compatibility either (neither system actually will have it) so for quite a while there will only be 15-20 games out(?) for it that you can only buy at 50-60 dollars each.

Well, Mr UpYourAssington, I didn't read your previous statement/post. Now that you've quoted me, I still haven't because of... well you being so presumptuous (and being Mr. UpYourAssington - Seriously, change your name to that, it'll be funny).

While I do rather enjoy your mild case of self importance, please look at this matter from a different perspective... some people that do play consoles do so for the cheap initial outlay. They then pay over the odds for the rest of the generation because from time to time they have disposable income. While possibly not as financially beneficial in the long run, it's most definitely more feasible in the short term.

I can't afford to pay out for a device that I then need to upgrade intermittently. Consoles are an outlay that I can afford and still play some awesome games with, as far as I'm concerned, good graphics.

Captcha - banana split

Seriously - that was a hell of a lot of snake poo.

 

[The Enquirer]

I for one look forward to watching TV on the Xbox one, I'm not sure how we watched TV with out it.

It's times like this I wish Escapist had a "like" button...

OT: I still think consoles are relevant and will continue to be so.

Yes PC's can dish out powerhouse graphics that consoles simply cannot compare to nowadays, but consoles can provide affordable gaming with respectable graphics that do appeal to the masses.

I know this isn't a well respected view by some. This is however, how it is!

I've been a PC game in the past but couldn't keep up financially so moved back to consoles. 360 is my current device of choice and despite the.... lacklustre reveal, I do believe the xbox one will be a console worth purchasing.

Let us see what happens at E3 before we write off the Xbox One.

Off topic.... My snake decide to take a shit on me while typing this message >:[

**EDIT** I realise now that none of you will ever believe that I was ever a PC Game. I was in fact a PC Gamer.

As stated in my previous post, console gaming will be more expensive than pc gaming this generation. Companies are trying to do away with used games, which is just about the only thing that can hold up to steam sales. Without those used games, console gaming will be significantly more expensive. So no, I don't believe that it will be worth getting an XBone for financial reasons. If they put used games back in the market then yes, that can be a slight reason to get one, but it just does not look like that is happening. It won't have backwards compatibility either (neither system actually will have it) so for quite a while there will only be 15-20 games out(?) for it that you can only buy at 50-60 dollars each.

Well, Mr UpYourAssington, I didn't read your previous statement/post. Now that you've quoted me, I still haven't because of... well you being so presumptuous (and being Mr. UpYourAssington - Seriously, change your name to that, it'll be funny).

While I do rather enjoy your mild case of self importance, please look at this matter from a different perspective... some people that do play consoles do so for the cheap initial outlay. They then pay over the odds for the rest of the generation because from time to time they have disposable income. While possibly not as financially beneficial in the long run, it's most definitely more feasible in the short term.

I can't afford to pay out for a device that I then need to upgrade intermittently. Consoles are an outlay that I can afford and still play some awesome games with, as far as I'm concerned, good graphics.

Captcha - banana split

Seriously - that was a hell of a lot of snake poo.

True, I didn't consider the initial cheap outlay. A lot of people do claim they are cheaper overall though throughout their lifespan and that is plain untrue (provided they don't buy a several thousand dollar computer and instead spend a reasonable amount. say up to 8-9 hundred), which is what I was referring too.

An as per the graphics point you made, I have never truly considered that an argument to be made in anythings favor. Yes, obviously one would chose the setup that can give the same game with the best performance but as many know, good graphics does not mean a good game. So I'm pretty neutral on the stance of graphics (granted there are limits to that but the point I made still stands). Basically graphics don't really mean much to me up to a certain point.

 

[loc978]

I've been making this argument since Microsoft first decided to make a game console. The Xbox was a just a shitty gaming PC with little peripheral support and running a terrible mobile OS (CE)... the Xbone is... that, again.

...also, everyone I've ever heard ridicule the cost of a gaming PC has been the proud owner of a television that cost more than my gaming PC.

 

[Clowndoe]

My advice to a frat-bro would be to buy for the hardware he already has. If he has a laptop, there are plenty of older (pre 2006) games on GOG, Steam etc that will run fine, and the massive savings made by not buying a console mean it's no big deal to buy some tech-savvy mate a few beers for sorting out the technical issues, should they occur.

A piece of dedicated hardware is what you buy when you yourself are somewhat dedicated to using it.

Hey, never said there was only one way to go