Why so little PC gamers compared to console gamers?

[aussiebee]

From my experience, people seem to think PCs are more hassle/require more 'expertise', and are more expensive.

Personally, I'm much happier spending less than an hour a day for a few days checking out what the best hardware to buy is, spending some money to get a great PC that can play games and do whatever else I feel like.
Spending slightly less to get a console that (judging from forum posts, articles, etc) have far too high a rate of hardware issues, often miss out on a huge number of titles due to console brand wars, and get "upgraded" seemingly as often as a good PC would need an upgrade... And then having to buy a computer to do internet, etc, ANYWAY... Just doesn't make sense to me.
And having to buy a nice tv to go with it as well......

Then again I grew up with a (shitty, family) PC, so maybe I'm just comfortable where I am

 

[Sonic Doctor]

I'll just say, even though it probably already been said, not all games are released for PC. Looking back on what I have ever played on my PC, I would say about 85% of the games are a combination of RTS and sim-type games, mostly RTS. The rest of the games are a grouping of a couple shooters, some MMO's, and a couple RPG's(The KotoR games).

I have had an attachment to both, since I was at least 4. My family always had a computer and a console in the house.

One problem I had with PC gaming was my window to be able to play the latest games was just too small. Every console I have owned, has had at least a five year window of gaming, sometimes more.
With my computer. When I bought and installed upgrades like graphics and RAM, then bought a couple games I wanted, my investment would only last for those two games. The reason is always that after that, the next great game I want to play, is also the next great graphics and processor hog, and I can't play it properly unless I upgrade again, it is especially expensive if the upgrade that has to be done, is an upgrade of an operating system.

My brother makes the argument that graphics are always better on a PC. While that maybe true, I don't game for graphics, that is just an added perk. I game for gameplay, and the only type of games I feel comfortable with a keyboard and a mouse is RTS and sim-type games. People always comment on how shooters are better on PC, but that isn't the case with me. I did have a long history with shooters on the PC(Wolfenstien, Doom, Duke Nukem, Unreal Tournament), before I even tried them on a console. But when I did try other shooters on a console, they just felt easier to control.

I just feel that in the long run a console is just a better investment, with wider selection of games and game types.

 

[acosn]

Because you have to be Hugh Jackman from Swordfish to know how to use a computer.

I have a hard time believing you actually sat through that movie, and I can tell you programming is not nearly that exciting.

If I installed a game and it doesn't run, I'd have to reconfigure my bios,

False. Patently false. Unless someone was screwing around with your bios pretty hard just to screw with you, and didn't mind going through the effort of actually changing your bios there'd be no reason for this to be necessary.

defragment my hard drive,

false. Defragging your hard drive might make it run smoother, but it wouldn't be the difference between it running and not running.

install and update a new video drive,

This is hardly a problem, and I'd rather see regular updates than nothing at all. It's kind of silly that the graphics drivers a console system uses are built on the premise of lasting four to five years.

back check my sound card,

Doesn't mean anything. What, did you build a computer from scratch and then not expect to have to check parts of it?

clean my registry,

The only thing that'd screw up your registry is yourself, or a faulty installation. Either way, its your fault.

and then call tech support because none of that worked only to have them tell me to do all of that and more shit that doesn't even work.

Or I could just say fuck it and play Xbox.

So right, if you make excuses and don't bother to learn how to actually take care of and use your computer using a grossly overpriced computer clone is a great alternative. If you open an X-box you can literally even spot the mother board, hard drive, graphics card, ect.

 

[smithy_2045]

Xbox is just easier than PC gaming.

 

[Deguasser]

I do both, and so do most of my friends.

 

[inpachi]

I am in the process of building my own gaming computer right now...

And all the ideas of how it would go down before actually starting it were completely false.

Let me tell you this now! DO NOT! I REPEAT!!! DO NOT!! Buy a pre built computer from say best buy or frys something like that if you want to use your computer for more than just Word Documents and managing school/work files...

You will shell out 1200$ EASY for a capable computer that is just insanity!

You can build a computer that can play Crysis on Medium High graphic capabilities for under 600$!

Even less if you know when to buy your parts. I have about 300$ saved so far for my gaming computer i have been putting the money i would be using on beer or the movies in a jar for about a month or 2 now. I am already half way there. I might even be done because this year there will be INSANE price slashing near thanksgiving for all electrical components and entertainment because the economy is still a bit sluggish. And the big name brands will need to cut prices to compete with each other.

Another piece of advice is too buy Online. Trust me it is a huge money saver! I just bought a new router 2 days ago off of Newegg for 120$ for the Wireless Router and the adapter for my computer! If i would of bought that in stores it would of cost 180+$ easy.

So buy off of Newegg or Tigerdirect or even Amazon something like that.

And lastly DO YOUR RESEARCH! I have been researching what parts go with what for at least a month now you dont wanna buy all the pieces and then find out they arent compatible...

Oh and a couple of final notes.

*Dont shell out insane wads of cash for a Case it just isnt worth it.. Get what works not what looks the coolest you can always buy a new case some time down in the future...

*Pay a bit extra for the Power Supply DO NOT buy a cheap power supply because if that goes then your entire computer is destroyed!

*Know what the prices for things are dont buy a part that is 100 or 200$ over the average price. Basically just know what your buying.

*If you dont already have it you should consider upgrading to at the very least Cable Internet a fast computer wont do you much good if you dont have the internet speed to back it up... Unless you plan to play just Single Player games and to not go online that much.

*If you have multiple things in your house that connect to your internet network look into a router that has the QoS technology. It stands for Quality Of Service it basically means that the devices that are using more Packet Intensive traffic get priority over the others. So that means a person who is playing WoW for example will have faster connection speed than a person who is just browsing the web on there phone or a laptop. Faster speeds=Less lag and Less Lag=More fun for you!

Well thats about all the tips i can offer. I am by no means a expert but i have always been a gamer and i have always been playing PC games i just recently took the extra few steps to get into PC gaming a bit more.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

snippy snip

but the PC counts as one platform while the play station has multiple platforms ranging from the PSX to the ps3. you can't just lump all the consoles against one platform that is as diverse as PC. the parts you buy determine how much you have to upgrade. if you buy sub par parts then you will have to upgrade but an intelligent buy can last you YEARS for just 100$. the only money i put into my PC was repair, and that was only because my PC had a defective part and was fucked with behind my back. I had to replace my HD 3 times thanks to the person messing with my computer. He thought a PC was like his PS3 where he can throw it on the floor, smack it, and do shit to it and expect it to work. Hell his PS3 goes into the shop for repairs every other month. It wasn't by sony either, he repairs his PS3 by selling his PS3 to a pawn shop then buying it back after they repair it.

well i guess we can agree to disagree on that part, and 100 dollars? idk about that really, i agree you dont have to upgrade for years but only 100 dollars? what was the last part that you bought for 100 dollars or cheaper that was an upgrade? short of hard drive/power supply, i dont see an upgrade for less than a 100 dollars thats worth an investment. and well your friend is just an idiot then, i dont get why he would do that with anything but hey, i guess hes got cash to throw away.

 

[xDarc]

Its because the generation of pc gamers have grown up and are mostly too busy for video games. For about ten years, from the early 90s til the 360 came; PCs were about a bajillion times better than consoles for gaming. If you didn't come from that era because you were learning how to use the potty, u probly wouldn't have the same affinity for pc gaming that folks around 30 do.

It'll be bigger than consoles again soon though. Better hardware, that is keeping far ahead of the boundaries were pushing with home software, is continually becoming cheaper. I've said it a million times, but at the point when a toaster has enough transistors to run crysis, dedicated boxes to just game on will seem silly.

Look at what happened with cell phones; they're eating into PDA and GPS sales like crazy because they do it all, for the same price.

 

[Nyce1]

It comes down to cost and simplicity. A game console costs anywhere from 300 to 200 dollars new. A decent PC gaming computer is at the very least 800 dollars if you actually want something that will run SC2. Then there is the cost of maintenance/ upgrading and keeping up to date with drivers. I love PC gaming but in short console is the easier way to go.

 

[Scout Tactical]

-

I quoted your text so you could read this. I'm going to keep it -very- short so you might even go through with reading it.

This thread has plenty of great points, but I wanted to make sure you got the right one (some people said this before, but I wanted to make sure you got your answer). Most people just aren't looking for the "build your own" experience. Gamers, no matter console (or computer), in general, just want something that works for their games. Consoles guarentee it has the specs to run. Why do Macs sell so well? They're a solid operating system that you don't have to worry your head about configuring or working out. They don't have superior pricing, processing, or selection, but they do offer simplicity, and that's what people pay for. People have complicated lives, and they want their escape (read: games) to be simple.

I've already rambled already, so I'll tie this up: having a console means you simply have to plug and play, and never worry about configuring any game, rather than the notorious myriad of issues that a gamer can run into when running their own computer system with various games. A parting word: I love computer gaming, and could never convert to consoles for good, but every Ubisoft title I got from Ubisoft (read: not pirated, because some people like to support companies) crashes when I die. This bug will never be solved, because it seems so specific to my specific system. It makes me long for the uniform, I'll tell you that.

 

[ntw3001]

Do people have a hard time keeping up with PC hardware? My current PC cost me about £500 a couple of years ago, and I haven't had to replace anything. It recently ran into minor difficulties with SC2 (which apparently hates ATI graphics cards), but that's it. If people are under the impression they'll have to be constantly replacing parts, they're wrong in my experience.

 

[Admiral Stukov]

Simply because consoles are mainstream, require next to nothing in technical knowledge to play.

The PC on the other hand is for those who know what they want because it can easily outpreform consoles, especially when they get a few years on the neck.
To "upgrade" your console you have to wait until an updated version is released, as for the PC you can simply replace the bottleneck. But it requires a certain knowledge as to how a PC works and wich parts works together.

 

[VanityGirl]

Why are there so much more console gamers than PC?

For starters, most kids aren't educated about the PC, and I'm just going to make a good guess that kids are the main demographic for consoles.. Some people can't even handle the KB+M controls and find those two weird analog sticks to be much better for them.

Second, console gaming is cheaper than PC gaming. It is. And much more newbie-2-technology friendly than a PC is. A lot of kids I know tend to either get 23049832 viruses on their computer or somehow manage to blow it up.

Third, the companies blow millions of dollars advertising for these things. It's better for them. Less piracy, more money made because kids are more likely to go out and buy the thing that's being advertised all over the place.

Fourth, clearly a lot of people prefer consoles to PC, mostly for the games so I've been told by my friends. For one, Nintendo has all their games on their own console/portable-thingy-ma-bobber. You like Nintendo, you got a console, don't you? And what if you like Halo or Gears of War? 360. And then all those purty little PS3 exclusives there are.. Well you kind of can't compare.

Your First Point: You're just throwing out a random thought without any evidence to back it up. The gaming demographic is so varied, it's hard to say just one age group mainly plays consoles.

Second: Console gaming being cheaper than PC gaming, I can agree with. It costs a lot for me to keep up my computer. Also, so people don't want to be bothered with having to constantly upgrade their PC's to play the latest game. And I know adults who can't keep their computers from getting 8million viruses, not just kids.

Third: Why do you say kids again? And are you saying there is less piracy (for games) on consoles than PCs? There's plenty of Escapist stories that can will show you that there is A LOT of piracy on consoles.

Fourth: I don't know if it people clearly prefer consoles to PC. It just goes down to personal preference.


To reply to OP: A lot of people won't want to turn down their resolution or dull their gaming experience in anyway, even if their computer can run games.

 

[Woodsey]

That's how it's always been: at the top of society you have the very best, but the bulk of it is made of dirty peasant folk.

[small]Also, the initial price phases a lot of people (although it probably works out about the same, if not cheaper in the end) and lots of people get the impression that computers need to be upgraded every 3 months and believe they'll break just as often too. I'm not really sure why, but there you go.[/small]

[sub]And the first bit was a joke, relax.[/sub]

 

[Estocavio]

My PC costed $595 and it can literally run anything (Not at maximum settings due to the processor only being Dualcore)

Consoles are easier for people to use, therefore since the majority of people cant handle using a keyboard to do everything (Its a joke about how people say that Keyboards cant be used to play games ) use consoles...

Then theres just people who like consoles. And those people are clever enough to not be fanatical about it

 

[Wolfram23]

I'm not a fan of the "Console simplicity" argument. First off you can go buy a prebuilt PC from many manufacturers for decent prices. Yeah, it's cheaper to build your own but it's still going to be a gaming PC. Then, you plug the wires in (not much different than a console, except PCs tend to colour code everything) and turn it on. Stick an install disc in the DVD player, hit "OK" a couple times, wait for the install, then start playing your game. If you want a simple PC gaming experience it's not that tough. Cost wise, it'll cost as much as an original PS3 but it'll last as long and do far more stuff. Occasionally you'll have to do some software troubleshooting, sure. It's never fun, but more often than not a simple uninstall/reinstall does the trick.

IMO, going from console to PC gaming is about as much of a step up as going from a motorbike to a car/truck. Yeah, it's a bit more responsibility but you still go through the same motions.

 

[Chris Jensen]

I think some people are cursed when it comes to computers. My roommate loves to game he even built his own computer. He had problems with it for years until he gave up and bought one from the store, and he still had @#%$! problems with the new one and has just about replaced all the hardware in it... AGAIN!!!

@.@

My own computer sometimes drives me nuts but if I had the same history as him I would be HOMICIDAL by now. I dont dare try some of the things he is confident in doing, yet despite his superior knowledge and experience he still has problems. I can do things like swap out a video card, memory, etc, but that does not guarantee success. I recently got a new computer and with giddy anticipation I swapped video cards (to put the better one in my new machine) so that I could 2-box my favorite MMO only to find that the PCI slot in my old computer decided to stop working and there wasnt a GOD DAMNED THING I could do about it. My old computer is truely obsolete. I once tried to get console-like controlers for my PC that not only didnt work for the game I wanted them for they didnt work at all! After the 3-4th unsuccessfull atempt to mod a game (different game each time) on the PC I gave up on that too.

The human mind can be an amazing and diverse thing capable of understanding a myriad of complex subjects, but to expect every person that wants to play "game du jure" to also be confortable mucking around the guts of one of these touchy gizmo's is like asking someone that wants to listen to a song also be able to play a Motzart piano concerto. Some people have the time and inclination to do that, some people have more important sh*t to do.
The only time I like the PC for games is when I have a lot of controls for a slow paced game. I miss the old (all you really need is a joy-stick) games for the PC, but any action game that uses keyboard and mouse as an interface feels horribly awkard to me and totally rips me out of the imersion of the game. I dont care how accurate the mouse can be it doesnt feel right.

All that being said I use both a PC and consoles and I couldnt imagine gaming without both options.

 

[Siyano_v1legacy]

Yes you can say that a PC can cost an higher price to start but is a PC only a console?
Sure if you only take the PC for its gaming component its start loser but what with everything else a computer can give? I think internet give infinite possibility to gaming and online community (The Escapist?!). I don't think any console can close to: play flash game, mods, user generated content, open source game and more!
Console are good for one thing: gaming
Pc is good for a whole lot of thing and it not that bad for gaming too.
Yes console have their advantage to a certain point, but for myself, PC all the way!

 

[YouEatLard]

The best I can figure is that people have started to look at computers differently. They look at it like they would look at a toaster. It's an appliance to them that they use for homework and work. That and now and again "out of no where" they get a loaf of spam stuck in it, so it kinda scares them. I'd also have to think some didn't think keyboard gaming would be as fun

On the other hand there are the consoles that just work. They've been there for a while. There may be some younger folk her that don't know their parents lost weeks on Zelda. Consoles come with analog sticks. Consoles normally don't let you surf porn as easily (Yellowdog you don't count). Consoles don't get spam. Best part of consoles are that they are played on the big shiny TV's out these days.

The above is a guesstimate of the average consumer's reasoning. I will stick with PC gaming. I own a PS3 but haven't turned it on this year. I also have a 30" 2560X1600 monitor and a 32" LED 1080 monitor. I.... I just can't do shooters without a mouse. I don't have the accuracy. I see the controller as a substandard device for shooter games due to the accuracy a mouse can give. I do use an XBox controller on my PC for some driving games though.

Most people that have a console will also own a computer. So.... if they took the $150-300 and threw it at upgrades or a graphics card they'd have a gaming machine.

 

[Notthatbright]

1. Computer games aren't being sold on the shelves at Gamestop, and Walmart has a small selection at best. Games that aren't on retail shelves arent' getting retail dollars.

2. Used computer games don't exist, or if they do, its rare. Very rare. Collecting computer games as a hobby is almost impossible. Console games are much simpler to collect.

3. There's a lot more computer games than there are console games. There just aren't as many NEW ones these days, mostly due to piracy (yes, it exists, and yes, it affects developers' decisions to release a game on a platform), Constantly changing PC hardware benchmarks, and the general lack of people willing to use their PCs as gaming platforms.