Switching from console to PC changed my life

Article by editor Jeffrey L. Wilson at PC Mag.

During my nearly decade of working with PCMag, I’ve written a lot of articles about my love for arcade titles, esports, and games in general, but I’ve never told you my joy. How did that passion come to me?

For example, I became an arcade player because I was too poor to own an ’80s home computer and I started to fall in love with esport games while watching games. Various tournaments on Twitch. But why I am a PC gamer is a much simpler story, one that has nothing to do with economic barriers or other negative reasons. In short, I was tired of stocking up on stuff.

I started playing console games in the late 1980s when my mother gave me an NES for Christmas. Since then until now, I’ve owned consoles like the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx-16, PC-Engine, Neo Geo, Playstation, N64, Playtstation 2, Dreamcast, Xbox, and Xbox 360. And if you include handheld game consoles, that includes machines like Neo Geo Pocket, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS. Quite a lot of hardware, isn’t it, but the list goes on even further! Over the years, my living space seems to have shrunk as my house is piled up with items like various gamepads, limited edition posters, game soundtracks, assorted cables, game tapes, and game discs. Of course, I am and will always be a gamer, but something will have to change.

I’ve been fascinated by the idea of ​​PC gaming ever since discovering MULE and Oregon Trail in my elementary computer classes. At first, I was drawn to devices such as floppy disks, mice, and keyboards – hardware devices that were completely foreign to me at the time – as well as the Apple II and Commodore 64 computer. And then , I also bought myself a used C64 from a computer store in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, but was forced to sell it a year later after my family ran into some economic problems. However, the fire of passion for PC games in me has not been extinguished.

So when I decided to settle my life three years ago, I knew my gaming console collection was about to die when I decided to switch to PC. And so I sold a large amount of my console collection, as well as my out-of-control collections. Over time, I also gave away most of my DVD collection and switched to downloads and streaming services. My manga has also gone digital over time. My gaming now revolves around only one thing: my gaming computer. And perhaps this transformation is the best decision I have made so far.

Playing games on PC is quite an unexpected benefit. I no longer have to endure the fatigue of having to search for a certain game in the midst of a sea of ​​different game discs. Now, all my games are neatly organized on my Steam account; and with just one click I was able to jump into my own virtual world and get rid of the piles of consoles and tangled wires in my living room.

And with all the new space I’ve just acquired, I’ve been using it to display art, as well as store my bass guitar (a recent hobby of mine), and generally not. My living room space has been liberated, no longer feeling suffocated. Since switching to PC, my hobbies have mostly been digitized, breaking my habit of hoarding. No more sitting for hours on Ebay or game forums, or stopping at some game store in New York City just to buy a tape or disc to add to your collection.

Surprisingly, this conversion is much simpler than imagined. I remember there was a time when PC gaming was quite difficult to reach for most people, but I find that it’s easier than ever now. My Steam app is set up so it can automatically update, as do other titles on Steam. Similarly, the Nvidia GeForce Experience application ensures that my graphics drivers are always up to date. In fact, Nvidia often releases Game Ready drivers before a game is released, eliminating the need to hunt for the right software for those games.

As expected, there were a few console titles that I overlooked as a PC gamer. I won’t be able to play Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, or the remake of Shadow of the Colossus, or the new God of War game. This is completely acceptable, as those games are really not my taste (except for the Yakuza series). On the contrary, I have anime-only battles with Dragon Ball Z, adventures in the world of Ys, tactics and satire in Fire Pro Wrestling World, and addictive sports simulations of Out of the Park Baseball,… Plus, Microsoft Play Anywhere’s smart mode ensures that Xbox exclusive titles like Cuphead and Forza Horizon 3, will be playable on Windows 10. Honestly, I really don’t overlook too many things when playing PC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08e4whmFrR8

Switching to PC comes at the expense of not being able to play exclusive console games like this…

However, the habit of “stocking up” I mentioned above has shifted to buying games on Steam. Many gamers lament their Steam backlogs, the tons of unplayed or half-played games that get “lost” every time they shop for new titles during Steam’s seasonal sales. I am not an exception. But thanks to my past of huge collections, I was able to somewhat curb this addiction.

However, I must confess that I bought myself a Nintendo Switch at Amazon last March at a cost of $300 damage. How can I resist? The Switch’s game library and ability to play at home or anywhere is something that can’t be replicated. Besides, playing Switch exclusive titles like Super Bomberman R, Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon 2 while on the road is quite attractive. However, PC is still my favorite platform; my “main”, if I use the FGC language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__af_8eNmXU

With Switch, you can play many great exclusive games, and it’s also compact and easy to carry

So thanks consoles. As you were the gateway to my childhood adventures, also the basis for me to transition to a more relaxed experience.

Author: Jeffrey L. Wilson from PCMag