According to a recent report by Mathew Ball, PCs appear to be gaining momentum, particularly in game content spending, outpacing consoles. Since 2011, the spending on PC content has surged by 65%, which is a staggering 225% more than what consoles managed in the same timeframe. By 2024, PCs are expected to see a $30 billion increase, whereas consoles are only projected to gain around $18 billion.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I absolutely adore my consoles. I’ve probably owned more consoles than most people you know. Currently, I’ve got two Xbox Series Xs, an Xbox Series S, a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo Switch. I’m sure some of you out there might be even more passionate about collecting consoles than I am. For instance, I know someone who buys a new Xbox every time his storage runs out.
However, it’s time we address the reality that consoles are not the unrivaled champions they used to be—and that’s perfectly fine. They still hold a special place for many of us, but they’re gradually losing ground to other gaming platforms, and there’s good reason for it.
Back in 2004, living room and handheld consoles dominated with 71% of the content spend, while PCs held just 29%. Fast forward to today, PCs have captured 53% of the market, leaving consoles with the remaining 47%.
But why is this happening?
Aside from personal opinions, Ball highlights several existing and growing advantages that PCs offer:
– PCs boast a more extensive game library than any single console, or even all consoles combined.
– You can multitask on a PC—streaming YouTube, accessing guides, running full Discord, livestreaming, and using comprehensive editing suites.
– PCs have a more affordable entry point and more powerful high-end hardware that eclipses top-performance consoles.
– The annual influx of game releases on PC further amplifies its library edge.
– PlayStation and Xbox are now releasing their exclusives on PC.
– Premium Roblox games are exclusive to PC.
– Windows-based portable gaming devices are becoming increasingly popular, utilizing the complete PC catalog.
Hold on—did I read that right? Premium Roblox games are exclusive to PC? If you’re not clued in on Roblox’s commanding presence in the market, let me share a little story to catch you up.
Earlier this month, I decided to get my first library card. I’d heard you could borrow certain Switch games from local libraries in the network, so I wanted to explore that possibility and maybe read a book or two. As I wandered into the computer section, something unexpected caught my eye.
Half of the ten occupied computers were being used by kids playing Roblox. Some were clearly friends, while others seemed to be doing their own thing. It seemed like visiting the library to play Roblox had become the cool new arcade hangout for these groups of friends!
Now, let’s talk about Roblox’s power on PC.
When I was a teenager, Minecraft was all the rage, something most of us immersed ourselves in. Over time, I watched it infiltrate classrooms as a learning tool. Yet today, Roblox and Fortnite have surpassed Minecraft in several key areas.
For one, both Roblox and Fortnite have outstripped Minecraft in annual revenue. Roblox also boasts a higher number of daily active users than Minecraft. This isn’t to disparage Minecraft at all but simply to highlight how far Roblox has come. It’s remarkable.
Although Roblox is available on consoles, the ultimate experience is on PC. There, you can access specific game modes, and the creator tools are far superior. Plus, the platform’s lower cost of entry means even budget PCs, like those in public libraries, can run Roblox without a hitch.
Moving on to the sheer game library advantage that PCs offer over consoles—PCs not only have a wider selection but often feature enhanced versions of shared titles. Of course, you’ll encounter some lackluster PC ports, and there are exclusives like Bloodborne missing, but does the PlayStation line-up include PC stalwarts like Escape from Tarkov, League of Legends, Ready or Not, or Arma Reforger?
Even the games that do cross over often present a uniquely better experience on PC. Take Rust and DayZ, for example—try playing Rust on Xbox, then on PC; it’s a completely different ballgame. Sure, you’ll miss features like Quick Resume, but the disparity is significant.
Rust: Console Edition still lags behind its PC counterpart. Barring some quality-of-life features like field of view adjustments, which certain console games do include, it’s devoid of essential components. For instance, PCs have boasted helicopters in Rust since 2019, a feature absent in Xbox and PlayStation versions. While 2024 saw some progress, many YouTube videos highlight the wishlist items console players hope to see incorporated.
Rust isn’t alone; games like Ark, DayZ, and PUBG also showcase these differences. While it’s fortunate that these titles have made it to consoles, years ago, PC ports of such were practically laughable.
But there’s hope on the horizon as consoles make future strides.
Back in 2014, if you’d told me DayZ would find its way to Xbox, I’d have laughed. The idea of such a complex game touching consoles seemed absurd—”That’s built for the Arma 3 engine; consoles can’t handle this!” we’d joke. But here we are today.
Not only can you play DayZ with a controller, but certain lobbies even allow keyboard and mouse integration. Even Call of Duty supports this natively now—a notion that would be mind-blowing to any 90s kid. Consoles are witnessing a host of innovations.
It seems obvious now that Microsoft anticipated the PC trend years ago, with Sony now catching up. Both have been positioning themselves beyond their hardware offerings. Rumor has it that Microsoft’s next Xbox could be more PC-like than ever before.
The convergence of technology, gaming, and platforms between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC is quickly becoming apparent. Remember when Xbox introduced achievements via Games for Windows Live over a decade ago? Well, we’ve come to a point where Sony is embracing similar trophy support. Times are indeed changing.
Today’s landscape is reflective of past decisions aimed at enhancing future prospects. Sony and Microsoft are laying down steps to better position their devices and ecosystems in the gaming world—both for today’s gamers and the generations to come. It’s perhaps time we focus on where gaming is headed, rather than longing for the glory days of the past.
