It’s not like there needs to be a winner here. Console or PC gaming is just a personal preference and will always coexist.
Modern consoles are locked pre-built PCs. You have to pay for online. Why get a console at this point in time?
Because you can buy a consol3, plig it into the back of your TV, and be confident that it will work. You don’t have to worry about system requirements, storefronts, launchers, driver updates fucking you up, etc.
Power Cable, HDMI cable, and connect to wifi - that’s it.
I’ve been PC gaming since the mid-80s, and even I sometimes just want to sit on the couch, push the Xbox button on my controller, and get going. Is it lazy? Yes. But I work 2 jobs and get to be lazy when I get home.
Lol… You can do same with pc. Just needs configured 1 time… Using a linux distribution you could boot into same interface like steam deck. You can emulate the consoles too well not newest gen but who cares. You can configure the whole PC for lazy using too…
Just install one of 300 distributions of an unfamiliar operating system not designed specificallyfor you use case along with drivers for all the hardware (that you also have to learn about), learn to use the OS to the point you can actually use it, install custom software so you can install games, then hope the games work or don’t get updated with anti-cheat software that keeps you from playing.
Or just buy the “plays games” machine and play the games.
Steam Deck has turned that around somewhat. It’s pretty close to an easy console experience, amd you can play on your couch, in bed, or on a plane.
That’s because it’s a console.
One rebuttal: Steam Deck.
Yes. The Steam Deck.
A dedicated piece of hardware with limited upgradablity designed and sold by the company that runs the marketplace/launcher/operating system that can’t run all games because of its OS, but performs beyond its specs because developers are designing products with is exact, known specifications in mind.
How is the deck not a console?
Is it weird that I’m about to go full circle? Started on consoles. Switched to PC around 2010, and now I’m kind of leaning towards consoles again. Maybe it’s my setup for my rig, I can not stand headphones, a smallish monitor, or a computer chair to game in anymore. I’ve setup myself to be able to play games on my couch with my pc, but the fact that I never own a physical copy of a game bothers me so much - as I’ve gotten older I cherish the physical copies of games that I have and it’s nice to go back and boot up my old console and play it no problem whenever I want. Can’t really say that about PC barring GOG’s attempt to preserve games. Because as it stands now, at some point a game played on PC will be rendered unplayable unless you really go through some hoops to get it running right. A small example would be Fallout 3 needs a mod to properly use RAM because it was only designed for a small amount (if I remember correctly).
It might still be best just to convert your desktop into a couch and tv device at that point. Or a steamdeck.
I still have my desk setup for when I want to use it, but I’ve ran a HDMI cable under couches and rugs to my TV to use as well. Variety is the spice of life I guess lol. I don’t HATE playing certain things on my desktop setup, but I would much rather my couch setup if possible.
My next thing is to figure out how to use a keyboard/mouse while on the couch. Thought of making a little wooden contraption to sit over my lap with one of those bigger mouse pads glued onto it.
There are mouse and keyboard devices made for using from a couch too, they usually have some sort of track ball type thing for the mouse. Usually the tricky part is making it so you can even see your mouse on such a big screen.
That might be good for browsing the internet but that seems like hell for gaming
