Instead of paying $70 or whatever the hell for a single game, you can just have it for free instead. Also you still have the option of playing with a controller

Well, to build a computer that's equivalent to a current-gen console there will be an increased cost, but that can be recouped by cheaper (or free ) games.

Yeah; being able to play the entire backlog of games (including for consoles) going back forever is a big plus.

imo there's really no reason to own a console unless it's nintendo. PC generally has ports and often they are superior (or superior through mods and fan patches). Plus there's the added benefit of using a pc for stuff outside of gaming which a console can't do.

The biggest advantage of most consoles is that they don’t have a proper web browser or social media apps or software for doing work or any of the other bullshit that PC has. If you sit down in front of a console you are forced to not do work or doomscroll or whatever. There are too many opportunities for all of that shit to eat away at your free time on a PC.

Yeah, I used to be really big on consoles, but the last one I owned was an Xbox 360.

Once I got a PC, I never looked back. There are hardly any console exclusive games anymore, and you don't have to worry about your old games being backwards compatible with a new console. You'll have access to more indie and smaller titles through steam, too.

Emulate retro game. You don't need to play Vermintide 2, you need to play Breath Of Fire: Dragon Quarter.

PC gaming can have some severe frustrations that consoles lack so you'll have to be up for some tinkering if things don't work right. I can list all the pros and cons if you want I'm too lazy to do it atm

simply give up gaming and become an adult

Death to America

I honestly can't think of a single advantage of consoles besides exclusives... Except for the Switch - to me it has staying power in ways that the others can't touch. First, you get portability built in. Second, despite Nintendo being a heinous company, they focus on the fun factor. It's still an amazing system for hosting a party.

Everyone who games should own a laptop or desktop of some kind. Even if its not the latest and greatest, it makes things like mods far easier and allows you to check out all the latest new indie games that might not be available on consoles.

For ~$650 you can probably get around PS5 performance if you build the PC yourself. I mostly play old 360/ps3 era games, so my crappy 8th gen laptop already does the job. If you own a PC already that isn't being used for gaming, try running some older stuff on it. You might be surprised by the performance, and it might be possible to upgrade things.

If you buy everything on steam, you'll most of the time have 0 issue just buying the game, downloading, plugging a controller in and gaming (wired 360, Xbone, and series X controllers work best). If you want to pirate stuff, you might have to tinker, but you'll save a lot of money. Consider also, if you buy a game on steam, you have it forever. You won't have to buy the game again when you build a new pc, unlike with buying a new console.

Fuck yeah. With a pc you can do work, play pc games, emulators, still have the ability to play with controllers. You can use Linux on it so you can host some servers, possibilities are endless.

A PC is so much more expensive to get good performance for newer games. Even a low end PC for doing work is more expensive than a console. And the user interfaces for launching games are truly awful and infuriating. Anything from a big studio like EA or Ubisoft will use their own awful launcher. I think first person games are more enjoyable using a keyboard and mouse (supposedly you can do this on consoles too). If you have a lot of "disposable" income it's probably worth it, at least if you also use the computer for other stuff too. But you'll have to sit at a desk to use the desktop to get to the button to launch the game, to do OS updates, install games, etc. so it sucks compared to the ease of use of a console. Another pro is that you can usually install lots of extra storage.

I've seen deals for low spec gaming PCs that cost a little more than a PS5 does now. This is factoring in it's low spec for today's hardware and the PS5 came out in 2020.

They come in ITX cases as well so they're smaller than a regular desktop so you could easily have one at the TV like a dedicated console.

You could set it up to automatically open steam in big picture mode so you get that console experience and the added benefit of all the games you already own ready to download.

The only reason to get a console now is to match the system your friends play online with. Exclusives are becoming less of a concern

I am a preservationist, so I try to keep things working for as long as I can. I still have a Super Nintendo that works 30 years later as well as games from that era. But sooner or later all of that equipment will fail. With PC games I can at least swap out the hardware and still play the games I enjoyed decades ago.

If you're on a budget grab a steam deck and dock. Less than $1000 and you get access to most of the steam library and a linux desktop with the power of a PS3+

I got into gaming on a PC. I also have an Xbox, but I found I never use it. Even when I want to play something "consoley" I'll opt for my Steam Deck.

Flat out, PC has more games. A lot of them are probably not worth playing, but they are generally cheaper, and they stick with you through upgrades.

The cost of entry is higher. While you can build a PC for the same cost as a console, the performance ceiling is so much higher, and a decent midrange that will get excellent performance in any modern title will cost more.

I think the biggest benefit of PC is getting to play however you want. You can use any controller, play on a couch, train, or at your desk, upgrade one thing at a time, and online play is free.

Overall I'd say it's a "better" experience, but I'm a techy enthusiast who absolutely can address any problems I encounter, and who's willing to pay more for a nice experience.

Yes, if you have the means. Much more versatility, much better graphics, piracy. All good things. Only reason I consider owning a console is for bloodborne and demon souls but also soon as I get a ps4 emulator running on my pc we will be golden. It will happen one day I am sure.

Ultimately it comes down to money, building a pc for gaming is not cheap these days and while some money can be recouped through piracy it is still a fuck ton as an entry fee

In my experience, yes. Last year I had to upgrade my pc for work, and being able to run everything with higher graphics, more customization, AND being able to pirate any single player game I want has been awesome. Not to mention emulation, better media options, etc. In fact, the only reason I still have my ps5 is because its a 4k bluray player as well, and I haven't gotten an external one for my pc yet.

There's some caveats, like if your friends play games that aren't cross-play, your budget for a pc (if you aren't spending the cash, it might not even look good/run as well as current console gen), and some tech hurdles. Also some console exclusives don't come to PC for a year+, and then might still ship in totally broken states.

From a lense of saving money, yes definitely.

Depend of taste and if the closed environement of consoles fit you

When was it ever worth it to use the consoles instead of a PC within the last two or three decades?

Pc means a backlog that goes back like 40 years, and will likely be forwards compatible for quite some time.

You miss out on console exclusives, but many of them get ported to PC. The ones that don't, you can often eventually emulate on PC.

I have my PC set up so I can plug it into the TV for couch co-op.

You can also mod pc games.

Consoles haven't been an appealing choice for me for many years.