The debate between console gaming and PC gaming has been ongoing for decades. While some people prefer to pick up a home console to plug into their television, others are open to utilizing their desktop and laptop PCs to play their favorite games. For me, I grew up up as a console gamer during the 90s, and have remained so throughout most of my life. And while I don't dislike PC gaming as a whole, there are a few reasons why I don't find myself committing to it as much as other people do.

The truth is that I'm not the only one that feels that way. There are many gamers who find themselves sticking to home consoles for the convenience of it, among other things as well. Even if the most powerful hardware can render games with visuals and details that consoles don't always achieve, there are things about PC gaming that repel me and other gamers enough to keep us enjoying consoles when playing video games. Here is why I prefer console gaming to PC gaming, for these 4 reasons that everyone can relate to.

Expensive hobby

Price is always a problem

Like any other hobby that one can indulge in, playing video games can get very expensive. For years, I've seen holidays and birthdays pass with the hopes of getting new games and opening up new consoles as gifts. This is because it can cost a lot of money to maintain a gaming hobby. And that's just with home consoles and the add-ons that come with it.

PC gaming for some people can become even more expensive. Having bought multiple computers over the years for various reasons myself, I know very well how much it can cost just to get a basic desktop for everyday functions. But when getting into gaming on a PC, which requires more than just standard hardware at times, the price of everything can go up significantly. And while there are deals and sales that can be utilized to mitigate the cost, a person can still end up paying a lot of money. And sometimes, I just don't have the fund to willfully spend so much on a new setup.

The price of gaming is always a funny thing between consoles and PC, because there are so many factors that get involved. Between new graphics cards, memory upgrades, as well as additional accessories to use, it can get pretty scary. When comparing it to just spending a fixed amount on a console that comes with a promise of things being consistent for a long time, it's a very simple choice for many people to make.

The intimidating details

Knowing what to do is very important

One of the biggest factors that can often get overlooked by the price of PC gaming is the necessary knowledge needed to make it all work. This means either knowing or having someone who knows how to put together a setup, or where to go for the best parts to put together a computer. I've always compared PC gaming to what it's like to own a car, with many similarities between the two hobbies in order to get the best performance. However, the alternatives for transportation compared to buying a car are not the same kinds of alternatives that people have between PCs and console gaming.

I've always felt that even when someone buys a computer at a department store, or via an online outlet, they still need to have a certain level of knowledge about computers. PC gaming isn't as simple as plugging in a unit into a television and turning it on, there are a lot more steps to go through before getting into a game. And even with that, there are many other hurdles that one always has to get around just to play games in an enjoyable fashion. Everything from driver updates, firmware updates, upgrading parts to be able to run games correctly, and so many other things that can intimidate anyone who isn't computer savvy.

Exclusives matter

Certain games that will always be there

Console gaming often has one caveat to it that playing on PC doesn't always have, and that's exclusives. Sure, there are games that can only really be played with a mouse and keyboard, or released by companies who only make games for PC, but it's not the same type of exclusive. Consoles have always had exclusivity intimately tied to how they are marketed and appeal to consumers, where they know they'll get a specific quality or type of game on one platform or another. I know I'll always be able to play Mario games on a Nintendo console without a problem, and without any of the hurdles just to get started. And many other people know that too.

You're never going to see Nintendo first-party titles officially released on PC in the way many other games have been brought over. And for a long time, the same thing could be said about both PlayStation and Xbox games for their respective systems. Times may be changing when the lines between platforms have become more blurred, but there are always going to be exclusives on consoles that will never be on PC in an official capacity, and people are always going to stick with them. Those exclusives matter a lot and will always manage to keep console platforms relevant.

Worry of changes

Thinking about it makes it worse

Something that I find a lot of people despairing about when it comes to PC gaming is the need to upgrade and change periodically. Compared to how home consoles are released over a five to ten-year span, things are constantly changing in the PC space. Technology is constantly evolving and changing in ways that make aspects of life better, including how people interact with computers and what they use them for. The same is true for gaming on PC, where things are always being pushed to look better and function in greater ways than previously.

The problem is for people who dread the idea of having to keep up to date with everything. I used to have the same worry for years, even though I understood that playing games on PC doesn't always require that. But it's the thought of feeling like you need to buy a new computer every so often, or new parts for the one you own, in order to make sure things are current and capable. Many people just feel like they don't want to waste the time or money to keep upgrading something that might be obsolete in such a short time.

There's a sense of being left behind and unable to enjoy something you spend so much money on because of it. And while that might not be entirely true, it's a worry that many people can easily avoid by just picking up a home console they know they'll get a lot out of for close to a decade. Whether they're getting the absolute best graphics or high frames-per-second is irrelevant to them, especially when they know they may not have to make another huge purchase for a long time.

The pull between console and PC goes on

There may never come a day when people definitively decide which type of gaming is better, console or PC. But for myself and others who grew up sticking with consoles, it's something that is constantly debated all the time. As much as I respect how PC gaming laid the foundation for what home consoles have become, it's still not a form of gaming that I can see myself fully committing to because of these reasons. At some point, technology might advance enough to make many of the hurdles that keep people out of PC gaming a lot easier to deal with. But for now, I'm just happy to play games on the home consoles I know I can simply enjoy.