Why do many people prefer PC gaming over consoles?

For a short while, many people believed that console gaming was better than PC gaming. However, after they returned to the world of mouse and keyboard, consoles were left behind. Here's why people prefer PC gaming over console gaming.

Table of Contents

• 1. Mod brings new content and useful adjustments to the game
• 2. Backward compatibility is much easier to achieve on PC
• 3. There are a lot of free and cheap games on PC
• 4. Current console exclusives aren't getting the attention they deserve.
• 5. You can choose your favorite handle
• 6. Indie Scene Thrives on Sites Like Itch.io

1. Mod brings new content and useful adjustments to the game

Console gamers are always jealous of the mods that PC gamers can use. Mods bring a lot of benefits to a game. For some, it adds a new dimension to a game they’ve played many times before. For others, it helps patch up any bugs and graphical issues that console games can’t achieve. In fact, a mod can turn a game from an unplayable experience to something they can enjoy.

2. Backward compatibility is much easier to achieve on PC

Many people also prefer to use their PC to replay old classics rather than play on a console. Admittedly, the Xbox has some great backwards compatibility. But if you want to play, say, a classic PS1 or Game Boy Advance game, you'll need a console from that era to play it.

PCs, on the other hand, have it much better. Sure, you can’t take a drive designed to run Windows 95 and stick it in a Windows 11 PC, but there are plenty of workarounds you can do to get it running. For example, if you check out our guide on how to use DOSBox to play classic PC games on any device , you’ll learn how to play really old games on your PC using physical media.

But here's the really cool thing; if you have old CD console games but the console you used to play them on is broken, you can run them on your PC instead! Many emulators will read games from the CD drive, so you can pop in your old game and boot it up through your PC using the emulator.

3. There are a lot of free and cheap games on PC

Want to play games for less? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to play games for cheap or even free.

For free games, you’ll want to check out our guide on how to find good free games on Steam . The methods outlined there allow you to quickly and easily pick out highly rated games without paying for them, which is a great way to play games when you don’t want to spend money. If you don’t mind spending money, PC gamers can find games for very cheap if they know where to look.

4. Current console exclusives aren't getting the attention they deserve.

Back in the days of the PS4 and Switch, there were plenty of great console exclusives that kept people glued to the platform. The Nintendo Switch had great games like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate, while the PS4 had Bloodborne, Monster Hunter World, and the Kingdom Hearts series.

But people aren’t really excited about console exclusives these days. Sure, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is great, but Breath of the Wild is a satisfying open-world Zelda. Bloodborne is great, but having played it all, many people don’t want to keep the PS4 around anymore. And games like Monster Hunter World and Kingdom Hearts are now available on PC.

5. You can choose your favorite handle

The controller that many people love is the Xbox Series X controller. Many people wish they could use their favorite controller for all games on the console. But of course, that's not possible.

But on PC, it's a different story. You can use any controller you like on it, especially with Steam's powerful Controller Configurator tool. Quantrimang.com has a guide on how to use console controllers on Steam , so check that out if you want to use them.

6. Indie Scene Thrives on Sites Like Itch.io

Bringing an indie game to console can be a difficult task. It takes a lot of due diligence, a lot of work, and a lot of management to bring an indie game to the console market. For PC, it's a completely different story.

If you’re not using itch.io, you’re really missing out. This platform allows indie developers to upload their work for people to try out without any hassle, and they can even offer their games for free. While it’s a great site to visit when you’re bored, it’s also a great way for indie developers to get feedback on their games in alpha or beta before releasing them as paid games.

Many people had a great time with Voices of the Void, but it might not have gotten as much attention without the free alpha version on itch.io. So the PC has always been considered the superior medium for indie games, for both developers and gamers.

PC gaming has made an impression and has kept many gamers engaged. That is why many people prefer playing games on PC over consoles.