Hey everyone! ^^

So, i was just wondering.. what would be the better platform for gaming overall..? The PC or the Console?

I myself -being a hardcore PC-only gamer- obviously prefer the PC hands down. I believe that the PC is an incredible platform for any type of gaming. In comparison to the console and in terms of performance, the PC has much greater capabilities without doubt. I might even go as far as to say that it has an unprecedented potential over the console. The PC can be upgraded continuously. By the time you're done making all the maximum upgrades you can for a PC, a newer and more powerful hardware would have been introduced to the market by then and you can start working on that hardware then. But of course, you'd most definitely require quite a lot of.. dough to keep pace with such a task. But you always can be at a higher level of performance than the consoles.
With the PC, if at all something goes wrong, then there's always something that you yourself can do about it. But with the console you just have to send it out for 2 weeks or so. The biggest would be Microsoft's famously infamous; 'RROD Box'. The Red Ring Of Death Box. Otherwise known as the XBox 360.

On the gameplay experience level -although it depends largely on the game-, the PC yet again dominates this area aswell. With it's ability to to sync with input devices other than the keyboard, like a gamepad, joystick, steering wheel etc, it has the capability to give you any and the best kind of gaming experience you can get from the game.

Versatility. The PC is also very versatile. With it's capability to run and accomplish of a multitude of tasks with maximum efficiency, it's yet again better than the console. The ability to be compatible with a host of input devices as already mentioned above also can be included in this.

And there's a very immense fun and pleasure that can be derived from custom building your own system. It's just a completely different and enjoyable experience. It's also something from which you get to learn quite a few things aswell. It's almost like customizing your own car or better yet... it's like 'building' or training up your own baby, lol. An experience which can never be derived from or delivered by the console. With the console, you just go on ahead and buy a system made by a xyz company. And you don't have to do anything about it! You just start playing right off with it. And if at all it gets damaged, you have no choice but to send it to it's respective maintainence place. It just doesn't feel your own, you know.
But with the PC, you feel so much part of the whole system.

In conclusion to my opinion, i'd say... PC FTW!!

xD

Now now, don't jump to conclusions and think of me as a console hater or something. It's not that i'm trashing or thrashing consoles here. I'm just trying to know which is the better platform for gaming or any other purposes. Which platform gives you a more... 'complete' experience. And i've only voiced(or typed..) my opinion here. Please feel free to correct me wherever required. I really want to know the opinion(s) and thought(s) of you guys about this! ^_^

I don't hate consoles. But at the moment, i find the PC to be better than the console. However, another thing that sets me wondering.. or rather has me confused is; Why does it seem that the console is more popular than the PC despite all the advantages that the PC has over the console..? Or am i missing something here..?

Your thoughts and opinions please...

-The Firestorm

About PC Gaming:

Console gaming sales are much higher than PC gaming sales:
That is true. According to NPD.com, the PC gaming industry has about $950 million in sales while the console industry has over $7.5 billion. However, what's overlooked here is that's for all platforms including PS3, PSP, XBox360, Wii, etc. While, sales in the PC gaming market is directed to only one platform: The Computer.

Also, the PC gaming market is much more greater worldwide than the console market. PC games usually top the charts in Europe, as PC gaming is more popular there than console gaming.


PC gaming is expensive:
$1,500 can get you a top, high-tier gaming computer as it did for me this summer, that will probably last me for 4-5 years to come in terms of gaming. Plus the replayability of computer games over the internet, such as WoW, CS, Warcraft3, BF, etc. makes it easier just to own and play 2-3 games that will eventually last me those 4-5 years.

For a console, dishing out ~$300 bucks and 50-60 bucks for each game, just to be phased out in 3-4 years to a next-gen console is not worth it.


PC games are patchable, hence, it's more balance:
A console game can go 3-4 years of testing and will still be found with a bug or an imbalance that shifts the gameplay.

Example - Fox in SSBM was incredibly strong compared to the majority of the other characters. Can't fix that now.

Example - The AK-47 in CS was a little strong and abused quite a bit by the majority, if not, all the players. A patch was released. It was balanced (or nerfed, depending on the way you see it)


PC gaming fares better as an E-sports, hence increases its lifetime:
Starcraft. +8 years and still going in major tournaments.

CS. +8 years and still going in major tournaments.

Major tournaments as where the players are sponsored by big companies and are paid professionally as if it was a job.

No console system or game will ever achieve that level without having to phase out with a next-gen system taking over its place.

I prefer PC gaming. Mainly because of the mouse+keybourd support and better graphics and framerates. First time I played the original Unreal Tournament was on the dreamcast and after seeing how much better the PC version was I've never gone back.

Hmm... well... I prefer the PC, mainly because consoles don't have the controller to... control RTS games. However, if I have friends over, the console is my #1 choice, because computer games would require multiple computers... and I can just plug in more controllers, and bam! multiplayer. Now onto what I view as the pros of each...

PC/Computer/whatever-you-want-to-call-it:
It's versitile, it's games can be patched for balance, it does something besides gaming, playing matches over the internet (not including MMORPGs) is free, and it's easier to fix, upgrade, etc. Also, many players can make mods or maps for the game, and because it's on the computer, it's really easy to install/download them. The computer also can give better graphics and control. (many people say mouse+keyboard > controller for FPS's)

Console:
Easy to setup and play, wide, wide, WIDE selection of games, easy to use multiplayer (just plug in multiple controls), many games are console exclusive or released wayyyy later for the PC, and some of the ports from console to PC aren't done very well (Halo 2). Also, if the online network is set up well, then it can be better than PCs for online gaming (if you're willing to pay the price) because that's where everyone has to go to play online. (ex: Xbox Live)

Uhh... yeah, that's pretty much what I have to say... and speaking of Starcraft... I won't even go there. It's like... taken over a country. Then again... Halo 3 sort of did that too to the US... sort of?
/endlongpost

I'm a PC guy as well :) Although if I ever had a ton of time to waste I might get a sony system because I'm used to the old school SNES type control, plus rpgs on PCs are rarely good at all.

On PC we have the power to take control of the game, making it our own. Every tool available on the a computer expands the experience to multiplayer, fan sites, mods and clans. Gaming is very expensive though on the PC. Every year only so few incrediable games (imo) are released on PC. Those that some people absolutely love including WoW and CS are the most boring games in my opinion.

Consoles get awesome games. People would perfer console over PC because they don't have worry about system requirements or installing proceedures. How nice is it to just pop in a game and start playing right away? Your friends are not going to sit beside you watching you play CS, but they would certainly want to join in on Smash Brothers! The game company makes sure their game will run on the console, they keep the control bindings as similar to the regular conventions of other games so you don't have to learn what each alphabet on a keyboard does. That of course limits the amount of functionality and freedom of the user. Consoles keep getting new games for only a few years and each company has a style of gaming they prefer over another, so often the selection is limited.

I believe either one has its good points for gaming, but eventually we decide based on what tools we need or how much entertainment we desire.

The PC does have alot of good RPGs, but they are all Dungeon and Dragons style. Like Diablo, Neverwinter Nights and KOTOR. With japanese RPGs like the Final Fantasy series, yea you'll need a console for that. Been thinking about getting a cheapo PS2 so I could play FFXII. : )

I'm a console person because I rather have to buy a system every five or so years that is pre made and I don't have to fuss with anything, where as I don't want to be upgrading my pc time after time when a new amazing game comes out. When it comes to PC games I'm pretty casual about it, I'll buy one every year or so like the sims or the next one I'm going to buy which is Spore.

I'm a console person myself, because they're just too many nice games out for consoles right now epically in the rpg section. PC does have some nice games including rpg, but you have to upgrade everything every year or so, which can be a pain in the butt. Not to mention the cost of getting a pc upgraded to the highest standard just to be able to play games on it. I think for right now, I"m going to sick with my console, because it easy on my wallet, and it also has some of the best games out there right now.

PC gaming and Console game used to be very different, but Console games seem to be getting more and more PC like, for better or worse.

I don't prefer one or the other more. Some games, I love playing on PC, and loathe playing on Console. A great example would be a First Person Shooter. Mouse and Keyboard controls are perfect for first person shooters. You can aim accuractely, turn fast, and navigate easily. And then, PC gives you easy, FREE online playability. Due to how good controls of the PC is, and how much computer technology has progressed, PC is also home to the best first person shooters out there. Half Life 2, Counter Strike, Battlefield 2, Unreal Tournament, and my personal favorite, Day of Defeat. All PC games.

To contrast, Console games have no mouse and keyboard, so must use the controller. Duel Analog controls, where one thumb controls movement, and the other thumb controls aimming. This system works, but just barely. Movement is extremely more cluncking. Everything about moving is more clunky. Accuracy goes down. There are less commands as well, due to commands having to be mapped onto a controller with less buttons than a keyboard. The Wii looks like it will be able to fix the aimming problem, but since you have to continuously point, it still can be clunky and annoying. Plus, online play has fees on consoles. You gotta pay for Xbox Live, for example. Screw that, I'm just gonna download Steam and play Counter Strike.

Console games does things like Platforming better. An analog stick controls people lot better than a keyboard. Genres like that were tailored for consoles, so it isn't suprising that it works so well. Fight games as well are best on consoles. Especially fighting games, since they require multiplayer to be great. Not only do keyboards normally suck for fighters (although you can get a converter to plug a controller into it), but online play has tons of lag, which is devastating for fighters.

So, with PC vs Console, it just depends what game you want to play.

IMHO, PC gaming still edges out console gaming, just for the simple reason of versatility. Where can you get more controls than on a keyboard? Imagine playing the old game, Mechwarrior 4...you've got controls for everything on the keyboard. I haven't come a console gamepad that has as much control options as a keyboard. Using a mouse instead of a directional pad is also faster and better. It allows for better movement and easier targeting (for FPS type games). And you can always (almost) play your old games on a new PC.

PC games are patchable, hence, it's more balance:
A console game can go 3-4 years of testing and will still be found with a bug or an imbalance that shifts the gameplay.

Example - Fox in SSBM was incredibly strong compared to the majority of the other characters. Can't fix that now.

Example - The AK-47 in CS was a little strong and abused quite a bit by the majority, if not, all the players. A patch was released. It was balanced (or nerfed, depending on the way you see it)

console games can now be patched as long as the end user has a hd ...

Because of the gaming genre right now, im leaning towards Console...

Back then, it was half-half for me... What gaming platform i would choose would depened on what games i was going to play. If it was a First person shooter, a strategy game, or something like that, it would definitely be a desktop..

If it were something like an RPG, a sports game, racing game, or whatever, it would be console...

Games that you could play on your desktop would be dependent on what specs you have, unless you upgrade them.. this means that graphics, capacity and what have you could get bigger and better everytime, and you just have to upgrade..

as for the console, games would have a limit on how big it could be, and its graphics...

but the games, for me, is what made me choose to go console ^_^

Pc gaming can actually be rather cheap if you know a little about computer hardware and where to get it. With a little know how, you could easily build a High end PC core system for somewhere between $600-$800, not that much more expensive than counsels. Also, I find the price difference in counsel to PC games quite surprising. Just checked out Clive Barker's Jericho and the PC version is going to cost 40$ and the counsel versions 60$. Whats up with that?

Well it depends on the games that someone prefers.
I don't really care about graphics, if the scenario and the gameplay is good.
If you prefer graphics then it is certainly the console.
But the PC has an enormous variety of games that can't be played by console.
So according to me, PC 4 ever. :/

If you simply want a system mainly for games go with a console. Many games out for them, simple to use since you don't have to install, and you won't have problems regarding system requirements.