GT Explores ET’s Five PC Gaming Myths

ExtremeTech have recently posted a very interesting article debunking Five Myths Regarding PC Gaming. Being an avid PC gamer and current-gen console owner, I found many arguments made by ExtremeTech well executed. The crux of the matter is that many common fallacies are indeed made when comparing PC and console gaming platforms. Mostly, I attribute this bias to console fanboism; however, often the media fails to seek these truths out. Here are some excellent points found in the ExtremeTech article that I decided to give my own spin:

• Fact: Right now, you can build a really decent PC for gaming for less than $1500, 22″ WS LCD flat panel included.
  
  Of course, what many die-hard console users fail to take into consideration are the cost of purchasing accessories to their shiny new console. If you were to include the cost of a (HD)TV, home theater setup, console peripherals, gaming router, etc… then the overall costs of gaming on a console start to creep closer to that of PC.
  
  Also, many console owners make the weak argument that PCs are too bulky and generate too much noise and heat. To debunk that theory, I present to you my 6 year old Shuttle XPC – coincidently the one I’m typing this article on. Compared to my Xbox 360 (sans the brick), the Shuttle XPC (which has no brick) consumes a paltry 70% more space, generates less fan noise, and exhausts about the same amount of heat. Yeah, my particular XPC (G-chassis) is an old design. Rest assured, you can still pack today’s PC powerhouse stuff into these tiny little beasts. I won’t get into an aesthetics battle here. Needless to say, Shuttle XPC’s aluminum chassis trumps any plastic design.
• Fact: Top-tier PC games are initially priced around $50 (excluding Collector’s Edition kitsch) as opposed to a typical console release of $60.
  
  Expanding on that fact, the average price of a typical PC game ends up being far less than $50. ExtremeTech used World in Conflict as a decent example. EA’s ‘08 sports line is the perfect example of PC games being significantly cheaper than console equivalent. Let’s also not overlook that some PC titles offer a nice discount when purchased through digital download services (i.e. TotalGaming.net).
• Fact: Bugs plague all gaming platforms.
  
  Let’s face it, as the complexity of making a game linearly goes up, the chance of bugs creeping in exponentially goes up. A common fallacy is PC games are more bug-riddled than the console equivalent. Using an open platform for gaming, PC gamers can take things into their own hands when it comes to working around bugs via community hacks and optional patching methods (Hooray Internets!). So in that respect, PC’s gamers actually have an advantage there.
• Fact: Statistics, such as those given by the NPD group, do not directly prove that console sales are “killing” PC gaming sales.
  
  Killing is hardly the truth. PC games are in a financial growth period right now. Let’s get some facts straight. PC is a single gaming platform. You buy a title, it works on any PC. If you were to take those conglomerate figures by the NPD and actually divvy it up among each individual console platform (don’t forget the handhelds!), then PC as a platform stands quite strong. Of course, the NPD statistics are a weak measuring tool to begin with. The fact the NPD doesn’t track online gaming sales of PC (a rather large piece of the pie conveniently omitted) leads me to one conclusion: NPD statistics are only good for measuring the gaming industry as a whole. Forget using them to extrapolate which platform is best. But they sure do make for some fun fanboi fodder, no?
• Opinion: Xfire & Steam are vastly underrated.
  
  Xfire beats Xbox Live (even more so PSN) hands down when it comes to connecting and organizing gaming with your friends. Xfire’s 8 million users not paying a dime also counts for something. Valve’s Steam itself has been unnecessarily bashed over the years, although lately it seems to be finally getting the respect it deserves. Steam is the antithesis of what MS wants to bring to the table with its Xbox Live and Games For Windows Live services. Did I mention that Steam costs nothing per year to use? And if you’re throwing that Xbox Live Silver Membership thing right back, have you tried using any of EA’s online services with said membership? Sony should use Steam as a model for its PSN.
• Question: Which are worse: A handful of PC titles that go out of their way with crazy copy protection schemes, or console DRM schemes that keep their content securely anchored to that specific console device?
  
  Neither platforms are what I would consider plagued with this issue (yet), but the PC game copy protection issue seems to garner a particular unfair bias. Let’s face it, both platforms have protection methods that inconvenience the end user. Neither the PC or console platforms are offering a gaming utopia with the presence of overzealous protection schemes. Microsoft and Sony have spent a considerable amount of money and resources embedding DRM into their particular console’s hardware. So you can blame the $10 price hike of console titles on royalties they are trying to recoup.

ExtremeTech does make some weak arguments, exampling those pre-ordering Valve’s Orange Box getting in on the TF2 beta as being a PC perk. In general, I don’t think this is exactly one-upping consoles. In contrast, PC gamers are not getting to beta CoD4 – a title I feel will be more at home on a PC anyway. Then again, I’d also argue that demos, in general, ruin the surprise a little (and raise the expectation some cases). We ask developers for demos because we are anxious, picky, don’t trust reviewers, and are generally poor, right? Demos (and sometimes betas) can be a double-edge sword in that regard. I still want to be surprised a little, even if it means risking a poor purchase.

It is also no fault that PCs are more complicated than consoles. It is that very complex design that gives PCs the attribute of versatility. By the same token, that stigma of complexity can be scary to the average Joe gamer who just wants to simply turn something on and play a game. Building your own PC and maintaining it are two aspects that I feel make many potential PC gamers run straight to consoles. Sadly, I feel they are also the two most misunderstood facets of PC gaming. Yes, there is a small effort involved. But like most hobbies, there is rewarding experience gained. Once you overcome that initial fear of building a PC, you’ll look back laughing at yourself. Of course I can’t speak for those who are just too lazy or too paranoid to do it themselves. If you have the extra cash, you can opt for the pre-assembled deals. Some of them are actually very aggressively priced these days.

Casual gaming is yet another misconception given to PC gaming. PC gaming isn’t strictly for the hardcore-FPS-mouse-flicking-cyber-athlete. There are a plethora of casual games out there, some even free. For my casual gaming needs, Introversion Software is putting some of the best out there. Do yourself a favor and download the demo for DEFCON. The image to the right is me at 10,000,000 degrees. Even better, just go buy it. It is worth every penny spent.

I could go on for days about the greatness of PC gaming, but I don’t want to turn this article into a “PC PWNZ J00R L4MEB0X0RS 1960!!!! L0LZ!” or “J00 CAN’T W0WZ 0N J00R P3N15THR33Z0RS!!” Consoles certainly have their place in the gaming market. I will not debate this. The irony here is that as consoles themselves become more complex and flooded with features, they start to become more like PCs. So check yourself if you are amidst a PC vs. console debate, because the very thing you are making fun of might be your favorite console’s next-gen feature. Irony has a strange way of working out like that.