The PC vs Console wars are a hot topic in the gaming community. The battle for supremacy between PC gamers and home video game consoles might sound silly to some, but for generations, either of these factions is trying to get the performance crown.
PC gaming comes with benefits like customization and modding. In contrast, console gaming is relatively cheaper and not as complex, thereby drawing the attention of a wider audience. While the battle for the performance crown is still ongoing, both PCs and consoles have carved their positions in the gaming market. The former is known for customization and personalization options while the latter is considered for exclusives and cost-effectiveness.
But, how did this age-long battle for supremacy come into existence? And, why do gamers obsess over which platform owns the performance crown? Let’s find out.
PC vs Console gaming: When Did the War Begin?
The war between PC and console gaming is as old as these platforms. PC gaming became commercialized in the early 1980s. Console gaming can be dated back to the late 1980s. Thus, a respectable time frame for the beginning of the PC vs console wars is the early 1990s.
It is worth noting that the war is mostly materialized by the die-hard fans of these platforms. Manufacturers mostly work in unison to bring faster and more efficient technology to the market. A good example can be AMD partnering up with Microsoft and Sony to design the internals of the current-gen consoles. Both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X and Series S are powered by AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture which also powers the RX 6000 series of desktop graphics cards.
In the past, other tech giants like IBM have helped in designing console hardware as well.
Who is Winning the PC vs Console Wars in This Generation?
One has to consider a lot before determining who is winning the PC and console wars in this generation. It is worth noting that the ninth generation of video game consoles is a lot more than just a medium to play the latest and greatest video games in the market. Cloud gaming has brought high-quality games to smartphones and exclusives are making their way into PC. So, according to many, the PC vs console wars is as good as dead in this era.
However, there are still quite a few aspects to fight about. Let’s look at them one by one.
Pricing
Both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X are priced at $500. That is the maximum one has to spend on console gaming hardware. There are cheaper alternatives to these consoles. The list includes the PS5 Digital Edition, which is priced at $400, and the Xbox Series S, which is priced at $250. While the PS5 and the Series X pack similar hardware and can run games at 4K, the Series S is much weaker and is targeted at FHD and QHD resolutions.
In comparison, a gaming PC that can level the PS5 and the Xbox Series X in terms of computing power will easily cost gamers over $1,000. Thus, consoles might come off as the clear winner in the pricing wars. However, there are a few more aspects to consider.
On PC, one does not have to pay for an extra subscription to play online video games. However, on consoles, online gaming is unavailable without the Xbox Gold subscription on the Xbox and the PS Plus subscription on the PlayStation.
Thus, this brings up the overall expenditure when one considers the four to five years of a console’s lifespan.
Video game availability
Generally, the same video game library is available across consoles. However, some titles are locked to either the Xbox or the PlayStation, called exclusives. But, recent developments suggest that Sony and Microsoft might not be as strict in locking exclusives to a particular platform as in earlier generations. Xbox exclusives have been launching on PC for quite a few years now.
Multiple PS4 exclusives like The Days Gone and God of War have already launched on PC and more titles are headed to the platform in the upcoming months.
Thus, both consoles and PC have a vast video game library. Thus, the competition in this aspect is already dead.
Customization options
In terms of customization options, PC wins without any questions asked. Gamers can modify every part of their Windows gaming PC. The list includes the individual components of the gaming PC to niche stuff like custom mechanical keyboards and more.
Windows also supports custom mods that alleviate the gaming experience. Consoles do not support these mods, thereby not allowing expert modders to tinker with the specific in-game settings and surroundings. However, mods have added new life to games like Skyrim and Minecraft on PC.
PC vs Consoles: Which is the Favorite Platform for Gamers Today?
According to multiple reports, there are over 1.8 billion PC gamers in the world as of today. This makes up for a significant chunk of the human population that is invested in gaming on computers. A driving factor for such massive growth is the existence of platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store that work with local organizations to make PC titles available to gamers worldwide.
Despite such impressive numbers, PC gamers only make up about 29% of the entire gamer population. Consoles are preferred by many more gamers, with 41% of the community preferring either an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo.
It is worth noting that gamers aged 18-34 prefer consoles over PC gaming as well. While 38% of young gamers preferred a PC over anything else, 61% of them chose a console.
A home video game console’s ease of use and affordability appeals to a much wider audience than the perks of PC gaming.
Thus, both PC and video game consoles have their pros and cons in terms of the gaming experience one can enjoy on these platforms. The war for supremacy between these platforms is quickly becoming irrelevant as developers integrate more features and games available on PCs and consoles into each other. Thus, as of today, both of these platforms are as good as each other.