PC gaming has a huge following, and whether you built your own rig or bought a good prebuilt PC, it's a good time to be in the hobby. Both huge studios and indie developers are releasing fantastic games every year; PC gaming technology is truly impressive, and the community can be awesome to interact with. But as good as PC gaming is right now, the future is going to be even better.

Normally, this is where I'd say things like virtual reality is finally going to seem like real life, but that's very unlikely to happen.

What I'm excited about in the future isn't gimmicks but a more level playing field where games are universally accessible. One where display technology is of such quality that even budget monitors give an immersive, color-accurate experience. One where you can play your PC games on whichever operating system you choose and get similar performance. Some of these aspirations are far off, while some are almost within grasp, but all of them will make PC gaming stronger.

6 Linux is now a viable option

Windows' dominance of PC gaming is no longer

The year of the Linux desktop might still be far into the future, but the last few years have been truly transformative for Linux gaming. Valve decided to use a customized version of Linux for the operating system on the Steam Deck, and one of the big challenges was how to approach the playing of games written to work on Windows. Instead of forcing developers to port their games, Valve created the Proton compatibility layer, which essentially translates those games on the fly, so Linux thinks it's running a native program.

What's even better is that it works on pretty much any game, and Valve is working to try and make even more of your game library work seamlessly on Linux. It doesn't just translate the game code, but also Direct3D API calls to native Linux ones. You don't need a Steam Deck to use it either, as you can install the Proton packages onto any Linux distribution and start gaming. Some games, notably those with anti-cheat measures, don't run well (if at all) on Linux, but that may change in the future if the developers of the anti-cheat programs create Linux-native versions. Until then, being able to play the majority of your Windows games on another operating system is pretty darn cool.

5 PC gaming handhelds are awesome

Being able to play PC games without a large desktop PC is a dream

PC gaming used to mean being tied to a desk, since the heavy monitors and large tower PCs didn't exactly lend themselves to being portable. Console gamers always had a better time of this, with various manufacturers making handheld consoles as well as those meant to be used with your TV. While several companies tried releasing PC gaming handhelds in the past, it wasn't until Valve released the Steam Deck that the market took off.

Being able to play your Steam library, or those on Epic Game Store or GOG, or any of the other various storefronts while being away from your desk is liberating. I'm not alone in saying that getting a PC gaming handheld has helped me to game more often, clear off some of my backlog, and have more fun at the same time. The power constraints of a portable console stopped me from caring about frame rates or resolution as long as the overall gaming experience was good and the Steam Deck delivers in that regard.

The Windows-based handhelds are a slightly different story, as Windows is often an annoyance on the smaller screen, but the gaming experience is just as good. Microsoft has promised to improve things for handhelds, so I have hope that future Windows versions could make PC gaming handhelds as seamless as SteamOS can be.

4 More console ports and easier development

Reduced exclusivity is better for everyone

PC gaming and console gaming used to be very different domains, but they're on a convergence course. Games that were previously console exclusives are being remastered and ported to the PC so that more gamers can enjoy the quality stories told inside. Architectural similarities between consoles and PCs make it easier for developers to release their games on more platforms at once.

Gaming subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass can let you play console games on PC, whether that's installed to the local storage or streamed via the cloud. Also, many PC games benefit from being played with a controller, and I'd argue that many more games than you'd think are better without using a keyboard and mouse for controls.

3 New monitor tech

From dual-mode displays to OLED, monitors have never been better

Nothing helps with immersive PC gaming experiences quite as much as an awesome gaming monitor. I've used every monitor type you can think of going back to monochrome CRTs, and it's never been better to be a PC gamer for display tech. After years of budget LCDs being substandard, today's monitors are hard to beat. They're not all perfect, but the number of deal-breaking issues is few and far between.

There's also a veritable cornucopia of choice, with IPS, VA, OLED, QD-OLED, Mini-LED, and others all vying for your eyeballs. New technologies like dual-mode panels enable fast-paced, responsive gaming in competitive games while allowing for higher resolution, more immersive experiences in single-player titles. Color accuracy is almost universally fantastic, with the sRGB gamut covered at 100% or very close to it on pretty much every panel. Refresh rates are pushing skyward every year, and the prices of these advanced technologies are coming down to affordable levels. After decades of computing on what I'd consider substandard displays, today's market is mind-blowingly good.

2 Even macOS is getting in on the fun

Gaming on Macs is starting to be awesome thanks to Apple Silicon

Apple's Mac range has never been thought of as a platform for PC gaming, but that's changing thanks to Apple Silicon and a lot of development work from Apple. There are some awesome games you can play on your Mac, and the number is growing. I love this because my computing journey started on an Apple IIc in the mid-80s, with text-based adventure games and the forerunners of modern racing titles. Macs haven't been a viable option for anything more strenuous than casual gaming, but the tide has changed.

The Rosetta translation layer that Apple developed for apps to run on Apple Silicon means that even relatively graphically intensive games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider can get respectable framerates, and the Mac will stay quiet at the same time. Most integrated graphics solutions aren't this powerful, and they need noisy cooling fans while under load, so this is simply amazing. Apple still needs to work on some things, as the company would prefer developers to port their games onto the App Store for more revenue, and discrete graphics card support would be awesome to see, but the potential is there for future Macs to be viable for PC gaming.

1 A new focus on accessibility

From in-game settings to adaptive controllers, PC gaming is becoming more inclusive

While some sections of the PC gaming hobby have a "git gud" attitude against anything they consider to be a gaming aid, not every gamer is as capable. PC gaming should be inclusive and shared with everyone, and some game studios have a big focus on accessibility of all kinds. Naughty Dog is one, with games like The Last of Us: Part 1 featuring a huge number of accessibility tweaks from audio descriptive cutscenes to high contrast mode and a number of tools for sightless gameplay.

Games like Diablo IV also have plenty of options, with a full screen reader, colorblind filters, and text-to-speech options to make them easier for everyone to play. Sites like Can I Play That? review games based on accessibility and shout out developers who are dedicated to making their games more accessible. Accessible design doesn't just benefit gamers with disabilities, it makes games more inclusive for all people, of every age and skill level. After all, sharing the joy of PC gaming is part of the fun, right?

PC gaming isn't going anywhere

As graphics card prices increase while console prices stay relatively static, much has been said about the potential demise of PC gaming. But the real story is that PC gaming isn't going anywhere, not when you look at the hundreds of millions of users on platforms like Steam and Epic Games. The industry has always had churn and consolidation issues with studios merging, reforming, and disappearing, and we're still getting fantastic games year after year. With more power-efficient hardware, it's never been easier to take PC gaming with you, and advances in display technology mean those games look better than ever.