4. PC Gaming Is Better Than Ever
Ahhh, PC gaming. That little quadrant of the gaming universe that, despite being proclaimed "dead" countless of times over the years, always finds a way to endure and thrive. Why is this? It's quite simple, really. PC gaming is awesome. Much of the noise from the more vocal minority of the PC gaming community is about their superior graphics, frame rates, and screen resolutions that are made possible as a result of their superior, more expensive hardware. Don't let this elitism discourage you or turn you off from giving PC gaming a go. The main reason PC gaming is great is because of the games. Not only can you play most console games on the PC platform, but there are literally hundreds of PC exclusive games that release every year, much more so than any other platform. And best of all? The games can be had for cheap. REALLY cheap. Valve's digital distribution service, Steam, has multiple sales every year that have become legendary for their deep discounts on all types of games, from the largest AAA titles to the smallest indies. Other online retailers like Green Man Gaming and GamersGate frequently offer substantial discounts on games, and larger retailers like amazon.com, Gamefly, and even GameStop have jumped into the PC digital distribution game, and frequently compete with Steam when it comes to delivering value. And then there is GoG (formerly Good Ol' Games), which contains an unbelievably awesome selection of older PC games modified to run on modern hardware. PC gaming offers gamers the widest selection of top-notch, affordable games to be found anywhere in gaming. Cheap games are really only the beginning. PC's are more easily upgradable, more affordable, and more hassle-free than they've ever been in the past. Many of the features you'll be paying for on the PS4 and Xbox One, such as cross-game chat and cloud saves, are free on PC. Game developers love the open nature of developing for the PC platform, as there is no corporate entity controlling what games will make the cut, leading to titles that are often much more experimental in nature. Games are easily patched, updated, and given free content from the developers. The PC gaming community is well known for having much more open lines of communication with developers, and the shared feedback often leads to an end product that is of much higher quality than it would have been otherwise. Quite honestly, the pros of PC gaming could take up an entire article, but that's something for another day Simply put, if you're not quite ready to invest in an Xbox One or a PS4 but really want to jump into something next gen, I highly encourage you to give PC gaming a look if you haven't already done so. The new consoles are moving closer to being PC's than they ever have, with their easy-to-develop-for innards and their user-friendly networks and digital distribution services. There is a reason for this. Developers love PC's. Going the PC route will not only have you set for years to come, but will give you the option to easily upgrade as needed to keep up with the advances in technology, something the consoles will never be able to do. It's a way of gaming that is much more future-proof than the generational-minded philosophy of console gaming, and offers many, many benefits to those who are willing to take the plunge. And if you're one of those people who feels intimidated by PC gaming, there's something that is being made just for you.....