For a long time, the squabble between "pécéistes" and "console" saturated the discussion spaces dedicated to video games. Each one preaching for his parish; mobilizing arguments as unstoppable as " I am right "," PC master race " or " my console has 12,5 teraflops so huh, nananère ". But these vain quarrels make us miss the point: to choose is to give up.
I stopped choosing. But I have an excuse: it's for work. Well, that's what I like to tell myself to justify my compulsive spending. Still, unlike my younger years, today I have the means (the privilege, in fact) to be very, very well equipped. To play ! I'm not trying to make up for anything let's see.
Read also:PS5: Sony plans to market 12 million additional consoles by April 2022
Parochial quarrels
I started playing in the 90s, on the family computer. I cut my teeth on Diablo, Thief, Midtown Madness and Half-Life before abandoning, years later, this good old keyboard-mouse combo for a Gamecube and then Xbox 360 controller.
The PC has always remained in my heart (and in my bedroom − luck), but I already saw what appealing to the “immediacy” of console gaming. An immediacy that has only become more indisputable over the generations. At the peak since the release of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S, last November.
The PS5, I offered it to myself as soon as it was released. For me, who counts among my favorite games a good number of Sony exclusives, it was obvious. But the Xbox Series X? I just didn't see the point in it. Already equipped with a powerful gaming PC, and noticing that the boundaries between computer and Microsoft console were becoming ever more porous, I decided to pass my turn.
It wasn't until I watched last E3 that a small flame ignited in me. Impressed by the Xbox Game Pass offer, I came to convince myself that an Xbox Series X could finally find its way into my gaming routine.
Read also:Xbox unveils a sumptuous Aqua Shift Special Edition controller
The comfort of living room consoles
So I took the leap. For science. And the thing is, since checkout, I've been racking up a pretty mind-blowing amount of hours on the Xbox Series X. And the worst part is, I'm only playing games that I could enjoy in "better terms" on my computer. But what are the “best conditions”?
A few years ago, the argument could be heard. The console versions of the games capped at 30 frames per second, the sacrosanct fluidity of 60 fps was only reserved for PC players – the famous “superior version”. This is no longer the case with the next-gen. Even on relatively old titles thanks to the famous FPS Boost feature, which more games are taking advantage of every month.
You may be able to answer me that the quality of the graphics on a console does not yet equal that of a high-end computer. But, as far as I'm concerned, I still prefer to trade some visual effects for the comfort of my OLED television and the seat of my sofa.
In reality, there are just certain games that I'd rather enjoy from my living room than sitting at my desk. Just like there are others that I can't imagine playing anywhere other than on Switch.
Of course, the PC remains my machine of choice to chain games on a competitive FPS or to play The Sims. But for Forza Horizon? Discover the intrigues of Yakuza? Lose myself in the devastated immensity of Death Stranding? I opt without hesitation for the console versions.
It should also be remembered that I have a job that requires me to spend my entire days in front of the computer. And that, when I'm not playing for work, I like to change my environment. If only to take a dozen steps towards the living room.
Read also:
Between convenience and overdose, what should we think of Microsoft's Game Pass?
come as you Are
I didn't really believe it a few months ago, but the new generation of home consoles has profoundly changed my gaming habits.
Sickly impatient, I've often been too lazy to turn on my console, slip a disc into the drive and wait for my game to load. We are, of course, only talking about five short minutes (well, if there are no updates to download), but it was enough to cut me off in my tracks.
Today, and whether on the PS5 or the Series X, it takes me less than a minute to pick up where I left off. The latest Xbox is on this point even more impressive than its competitor thanks to the Quick Resume, which allows you to put up to 6 games on “pause” rather than leaving them. Even if the console is turned off.
Although PCs have benefited from the contribution of SSDs for years, they still do not manage to offer an experience as fluid and instantaneous as the new generation consoles. This may change with Windows 11 and its DirectStorage API. But computers are in essence machines that have other things to do than just worry about video games.
All that to say what, in the end? Simply that the old myth of PC gaming as the pinnacle of the video game experience must be rethought, and questioned in the light of new generation consoles.
Obviously, this mood post is not about money. On a tight budget, it is surely smarter to opt for a powerful computer from the outset for the versatility it brings. Or to be satisfied, like most of us, with a single game console.
Eh yes. It's a rich man's problem.
