Is PC gaming really better?

Matthew Boland

Last week was the release of the highly anticipated Destiny 2, well on consoles at least. The question that has overwhelmed the gaming community is which one are you getting, the console or PC version? This question arose because the first Destiny, which was a massive success, skipped the PC platform altogether. So to preface this, my answer to this burning question is the Playstation 4 version, for two reasons. One, I’m not waiting until the end of October for the PC release. And two, I don’t get the appeal of PC gaming, it’s over complicated and annoying.

I know, a big claim but let me back it up. Let’s say you want to try your hand at PC gaming, you have three options: option one – you build your own PC. Yeah, not going to happen.  You need the hands of a surgeon, eyes of a hawk and the patience of saint to put one of these things together. Static electricity can ruin your whole PC. Your comfy little socks just killed your thousand dollar PC build, no thanks. Just for comparison, I didn’t have to build my PS4, I just plugged it in, groundbreaking I know.

Option two – you pay a company to build the PC for you. One problem, you’re going to need a doctorate in computer science just to know what parts to buy. There are so many different parts you need, then there are 80 different versions of that one part. Did you know you can water cool a PC? I’m glad that the PC takes sips of water periodically throughout the day, but how does that help me in my life. There are two versions of the PS4, two. Seeing a trend?

Final option – you walk down to your local brick and mortar and buy a pre-built PC.  And when people stop you and ask how you lost your leg, you can tell them you had to sell it just to afford a gaming PC. The top customer rated PC on Best Buy, yes I used Best Buy’s website, is over $1000.  You want to know how many PS4s I can buy for that? Three, and then I can go get lunch.

So what are you paying all that extra money for?  Some are you are screaming reading this article saying “the games look better on PC,”  no they don’t. Go on YouTube right now and look at graphic comparisons. The games on console and PC look basically identical. I’m sorry but if someone told you that games on PC look worlds different compared to consoles, they lied to you. I’m not paying an extra couple hundred dollars for more frames per second, and I’m not alone. Grand Theft Auto Five came out on consoles running at 30 frames per second, something that is sacrilegious in the PC gaming world. It sold a billion dollars worth of copies in its first weekend. It seems to me that people are just fine with 30 fps. On a side note, PC players had to wait a year and a half after the console launch to get GTA 5. How is the PC the elite platform again?

I could go on and on with all the problems I have with PC gaming, like why are the PCs so huge and tacky. I don’t want a tombstone sized piece of technology that is actively trying to compete with Las Vegas for who has the most LED lights sitting on my desk. In conclusion, sorry PC gaming you are nothing more than a gargantuan neon glowing headache that has no room in my life. Call me when one of you games can tell a story better than Sharknado.