As a gamer who started in the early 1990s, my journey through the world of gaming has been deeply rooted in the console experience. From the early days of the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis to owning almost every major console that’s come out since, my gaming history reads like a timeline of gaming itself. Like many gamers of my generation, I briefly dabbled in PC gaming in the late 1990s, but it never really stuck. The allure of plug-and-play convenience, exclusives, and couch gaming always brought me back to consoles.
It wasn’t until the PlayStation 4 came along that I really got back into gaming in a big way. The PS4’s incredible library, coupled with its reliable hardware rekindled my love for gaming. My PS4 saw hundreds of hours of gameplay. To be, this gen was a golden era of home gaming. In short, it was my main gaming platform. But in 2020, everything started to shift, and now, a few years later, I find myself fully entrenched in the world of PC gaming.
So, why the change of heart? Why does PC gaming make more sense to me now than it did back in the ‘90s, and why has it taken over as my main platform? Let’s dive into that.
From Consoles to Building My First Gaming PC
The big turning point for me came in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. With more time at home, I decided to build a modest gaming PC. It wasn’t anything too flashy—just a setup that would run the latest games at a reasonable frame rate with some future-proofing in mind. At first, I viewed it as more of a side project, something to tinker with, not necessarily a replacement for my consoles.
But as I started exploring the world of PC gaming, I quickly realized how much flexibility it offered. There were no subscriptions required to play online (unlike PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live), and the competition between game stores meant that I could often find games at a fraction of the price I was paying on consoles. Services like Humble Bundle and frequent sales on platforms like Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store provided a vast library of games for incredibly low prices. The sheer variety and availability of older games, indie titles, and niche genres were a revelation.
Moreover, the ability to mod games and tailor the experience exactly to my liking was something consoles had never offered. While console gaming still had its conveniences, PC gaming began to feel like it was giving me more bang for my buck. And with that realization, my interest in playing on consoles started to fade.
Enter the Steam Deck and ROG Ally: Taking My Games on the Go
One of the biggest complaints about PC gaming has always been that it’s tied to the desk—that you have to sit at a bulky setup in a corner of your home to enjoy it. But in 2022, when I bought the Steam Deck, that idea was shattered. Here was a handheld PC gaming device that let me take (most) of my Steam library with me, anywhere I wanted. Suddenly, I wasn’t confined to a desk at all. I could be playing Elden Ring in bed, or while traveling. It was a game-changer.
The Steam Deck wasn’t just a gimmick; it was a fully-fledged portable PC that opened up the flexibility of PC gaming in a way that felt revolutionary. Valve had nailed it by making a handheld that could play AAA games on the go without the compromises typically associated with portable devices. Soon after, I added the ROG Ally to my collection, and between the two, I had a perfect combination of portability and power.
This ability to game on the go was something I had previously associated only withbespoke handhelds that offered great games, but a reduced library. But now, the lines between PC and console were starting to blur. I could take my games anywhere, play them in the best quality on my desktop, and then seamlessly pick them up on my handheld. The convenience was undeniable.
Price, Flexibility, and Competition
Another key factor that led me to shift towards PC gaming was the price and flexibility. Games on PC are simply cheaper, whether it’s thanks to frequent sales, subscription services, or platforms like Humble Bundle,. In a few short years, I ahve a library hundreds of titles deep. For someone who wants to experience a variety of games without breaking the bank, PC gaming has an element of competition that console eco systems do not.
More than that, PC gaming allowed me to be more flexible with my purchases. There’s no need to wait for a console port or to wonder if a certain indie game will make its way to the PlayStation Store. On PC, almost everything is available, and I don’t have to worry about compatibility. As long as my hardware is up to snuff, I’m good to go.
That’s not to say I’ve completely abandoned consoles. I still have my PS5 and Switch, but they’ve become more specialized. My PlayStation 5 is now mostly for exclusives, like The Last of Us Part II, God of War: Ragnarök, and Horizon Forbidden West. Yes, some of these games have started to be ported to PC (which is great), but I still feel the console experience suits them best. The Switch, of course, still has its irreplaceable Nintendo titles like Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey. My Xbox Series S is used mostly for family gaming and local co-op sessions with the kids. But for the most part, when I’m gaming solo, PC is where I go.
Steam OS and the Modern PC Experience
One of the things that initially held me back from going full PC was the complexity of the platform. Back in the late 1990s, PC gaming was often plagued by driver issues, compatibility problems, and the need for constant hardware upgrades. There was a certain charm to that tinkering, but it wasn’t exactly convenient.
Fast forward to today, and Valve’s Steam OS and platforms like Windows 11 have made the PC gaming experience almost as streamlined as a console. Steam’s Big Picture Mode, now evolving into the Steam Deck-inspired Steam OS interface, allows me to navigate my PC like a console, complete with controller support. Not only that but the need to re-spec your PC every year or so is diminishing. A good rig now is going to give you AAA game support unless you are chasing 4k graphics with 120 fps.
I’m even considering building a console-sized gaming PC for my family room. With a compact design, I could hook it up to the TV and run Steam OS using a fork like Bazzite, essentially giving me the console experience but with the massive flexibility and value of a PC.
The Future of PC Gaming in My Life
Now that I’ve fully embraced PC gaming, I can see it remaining my primary platform for years to come. The ecosystem offers everything I love about gaming: a huge library, affordable pricing, and the freedom to play the way I want, whether it’s at my desk, on the couch, or on the go. The landscape of PC gaming has changed so much, it feels like the best time ever to be a PC gamer.
The fact that I can now take games like Elden Ring on the road with the Steam Deck or ROG Ally blows my mind. The idea that PC gaming is stationary or cumbersome simply doesn’t hold true anymore. It’s a flexible, mobile, and affordable ecosystem that offers so many ways to play.
While I’ll always have a soft spot for consoles, and will continue to enjoy exclusives on the PlayStation and Switch, PC gaming has become the heart of my gaming experience. It’s no longer just a hobby or a side project—it’s where I spend most of my gaming hours. And as I look ahead to building an even more integrated setup in the family room, I know that PC gaming will continue to make more and more sense for me in the years to come.
In a gaming world that’s constantly evolving, PC gaming has become my home base. The price, the flexibility, the convenience—it all adds up to an experience that fits my gaming lifestyle perfectly.
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