Are you a console or PC player? Are you both? (Like myself) Is there a definitive answer to prove which system and way of gaming is better? Of course there isn't. Everyone has their own opinion on whether or not a mouse and keyboard is better for certain games like first-person shooters, or if a controller in your hands is able to make you feel more immersed in a platformer. Consoles have exclusives, PC gaming enables us to play online for free. There are many factors and cases for both sides to be the winner; so let's start the argument to see, in your opinion, what is better, console gaming, or the PC master race.
Console Exclusives
Let's start off by talking about the games that come exclusively to consoles. We all know these companies love to boast about their exclusives that can only be played on their console. PlayStation love to showcase games such as The Last of Us, Spider-Man, the Ratchet and Clank Series, and Bloodborne, as some of their best exclusive games for their platform. However, more recently though, PlayStation have made the leap to porting some of these exclusives to PC. Some of the most notable games to jump onto platforms such as Steam, were Days Gone, which released on PC back in May 2021, Horizon Zero Dawn in August 2020, and most recently God of War has come onto PC with critical acclaim, overwhelmingly positive reviews on steam, and as of today (17/01/22), it's highest 24-hour peak player count reached 73,529. Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection is also set to hit PC sometime this year.
Xbox have undoubtedly won in this area against PlayStation, their roster of games have been available to play on PC for years now. Games that are on Xbox and not PlayStation, such as Halo, Gears of War, Forza, and Sea of Thieves are also available to PC players too.
Nintendo I believe are somewhat special in that they have a very distinct brand identity along with their games. I think it's highly unlikely that you'll ever be playing as Mario or Link on any other platform other than Nintendo. So if you are a PC player into those types
of genres and titles, you're going to have to go all in a purchase a Nintendo console.
Subscription Service
If you have a console, it is more than likely that you are subscribing to play online and use their services.
Arguably the standout and winner in this category, is Xbox and their game pass. Players can enjoy over 100 games, some of which are AAA titles, and can play on their Xbox console, PC and even their phones and tablets. Discounts are included, as well as EA Play membership and Xbox Live Gold. The price of this service is extremely well worth it, as you can join and get your first month for £1, with subscription continuing at a price of £10.99 per month. If you purchase this on PC, the price drops to £7.99 per month.
PlayStation Plus is around a similar price of £6.99 per month, and while the service is good, the amount of content is inferior to that of Xbox game pass. With PS Plus, you are able to play online, have exclusive member discounts on games, and are given up to 3-5 free games each month. You can also opt to subscribe to an additional service called PlayStation Now, which let's you stream games from a much larger PlayStation catalogue from PS4 games, all the way back to PS2 games. Unfortunately, you will need a very good internet connection to use PlayStation Now if you want high quality streaming.
Nintendo follows a similar approach to its subscription, with a very reasonable offers , where it will cost you £17.99 for a whole year, or just under £3.50 per month.
This then brings costs over to PC gaming. There is no costs. That is, for a subscription to play online. Services such as Steam, allows you to play online in your favourite games, for free. All you need to pay for are the games themselves, which are often discounted significantly in sales during certain periods. Of course there are other services that do offer a subscription for a price, but the high benefit of owning a PC, you can happily choose not to subscribe to play.
Local Co-op
Remember the days where you and your friend or sibling, would grab a controller each and load up your favourite co-op game? It might have been a few hours of blasting at droids and Jedi in Star Wars Battlefront 2, or slicing up grunts with an energy sword as Master Chief and the Arbiter in the Halo series. This was the multiplayer for most back in the PS2 and original Xbox era of gaming, and even before. Now, most multiplayer focuses on online play, where everyone is connected digitally. Consoles do still have the luxury of having co-op games. Mortal Combat, the Injustice series, and TT Games' Lego videogames franchise, just to name a few do the co-op experience the best. I feel that whilst co-op is certainly available to play on PCs, it has never truly been one of its main selling points or appeals.
Co-op today, I believe is done best with the Nintendo Switch. Kings of the platform like Mario Kart, are best enjoyed going up against someone in the same room with you, rather than on your own or a random player online. For a better local co-op experience, consoles win this round, purely due to accessibility; simply grab a controller with your friend, and play.
Overall, there is no right or wrong answer or opinion on what is the better appliance to play on, console or PC. It all depends on you, the player, and what your tastes and preferences are. What exclusives catch your eye more? Do you like playing with a friend? Which system is more cost effective? Is a controller more accessible than a mouse and keyboard? It is a debate that could go on and on, but one thing is for sure, there are many benefits to both, and even owning both.
What do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.
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