Are consoles a rip off?

[Pantsu Hunter]

For me consoles always will be above PC. Buying high end PC is pointless imo unless buying it for VR. The best AAA games are coming on consoles, while PC get only shit like new assasin games every year and a lot of indie crap. Even though I have quite stron PC I didnt even played once any game with visual quality that was offered in games like God of War or Horizon Zero Dawn. Also playing multiplayer shooters wins on consoles for me. playing on controller might be less precise but its a way more fun for me, and arguments that people use that they could kill me 10 times faster on mouse+keyboard are pointless since everyone is playing on controller on console. They simply suck and are looking for excuses. But the main reason why I despise multiplayer games on PC are cheaters. Preety much in every game there is no day not to play some asshole on aimbots, while on consoles its rare and happens mostly in older abandoned games. At this point I wasted 2k for PC 2 years ago to only play vr games, ARK, mobile games and roms.......

[Aidy]

Thanks for explaining/sharing that.

But on another but related topic, I see a lot of people on this forum talking about broken/buggy games being shipped and then fixed in patches, even on consoles. So how does that work without the internet?

The first thing you need to realise is that they're talking about 0.001% of all games, but talk as if it was almost every game. Secondly if you don't have your console connected to the internet then you simply play the non-updated version that is on the disc. I think most console manufacturers and game producers pretty much assume your console is going to be connected to the internet. It's not that unusual an assumption, these days most people's fridges are connected to the internet, never mind their games consoles.

The other thing to address is how PC users go on and on about having to pay to connect your console to the internet, and that also isn't true. Console makers want your console connected to the net too so they can push their own updates to the console. What you usually need to pay for is to play multiplayer games with other people, but you can connect them to the net for updates\downloads\internet connected apps etc for free.

[PriestTroit]

It doesn't. Though, you could just buy titles known to not have that problem.

[aileron]

That's how Microsoft was trying to sell the Xbox One back when they first announced it, but they reversed their decision shortly after realizing anti-consumer practices weren't going to sell... <the rest of your post>

Thanks for explaining/sharing that.

But on another but related topic, I see a lot of people on this forum talking about broken/buggy games being shipped and then fixed in patches, even on consoles. So how does that work without the internet?

[Baron Baldric]

Sorry I said 2 valid reason .... "Spyro Reignited Trilogy Does Not Include Spyro 2 and 3 on the Game Disc, Requires Download (Update)" ... 1 valid reason

[Baron Baldric]

Here are some reasons consoles are worth having, in the order of which they spring to mind:

• You can play your games offline without any issue whatsoever, whereas that's not always 100% true on PC.
Really, think better about this.
• You can play your games off physical discs which are cheaper, able to be loaned to friends, or sold on the secondary market
• You can readily purchase your games without having an internet connection
Games in digital format already account for 74% of sales. But you have 1 valid reason.
• You can sell your older consoles and recoup some of the costs much easier than you could with a PC
PCs are generic hardware, they can be used for practically anything. Selling them costs nothing.
• Video game consoles have cultural significance
TikTok has Cultural Significance haha
• You can play split-screen multiplayer with friends and family using one piece of hardware ----- BIGGEST REASON!!!
2 valid reason
• Consoles cost less, especially if you purchase an older model or generation.
If you buy an old PC they are very cheap too.
• Consoles are noob friendly and easier to play on for people with poor hand-eye coordination or disabilities
Stephen Hawking: Do I speak with a PC or with a Console?
• Can you play Mario Party on a PC with your kids? That's what I thought!
Emulators
• Consoles take up less dedicated space in your home.
Mini PC, Laptops.
• Consoles are more energy efficient both in operation and construction. Good for your wallet and the environment!
WTF NO
• Your friends are more likely to have a console
WTF NO
• Consoles are more culturally acceptable
WTF NO
• Consoles are easier to transport
Mini PC, Laptops.

[PriestTroit]

Really? I'm not a console guy but I'm really curious about this. I assumed every game these days, PC or console, checked in with a central server when it loaded up, and won't start if it can't reach it.

That's how Microsoft was trying to sell the Xbox One back when they first announced it, but they reversed their decision shortly after realizing anti-consumer practices weren't going to sell their Xbone. Xbox originally had it so that you couldn't play your video games if you didn't check into the server in a 24-hour period. I live in the country, so that is the reason I made the switch over to PlayStation. Funnily enough, during the PS4's reveal at E3, they poked fun at Xbox for their stupidity and made the fact that PlayStation would allow 100% offline play and would be DRM free the main selling point. Also, it was a hundred bucks cheaper than the Xbone.

Here's the video of it. It's roughly at the 1:00 mark where he talks about offline play, but he starts laying the beat down on Microsoft right from the beginning.

[aileron]

...
You can play your games offline without any issue whatsoever, whereas that's not always 100% true on PC
...

Really? I'm not a console guy but I'm really curious about this. I assumed every game these days, PC or console, checked in with a central server when it loaded up, and won't start if it can't reach it.

[PriestTroit]

Here are some reasons consoles are worth having, in the order of which they spring to mind:

• You can play your games offline without any issue whatsoever, whereas that's not always 100% true on PC
• You can play your games off physical discs which are cheaper, able to be loaned to friends, or sold on the secondary market
• You can readily purchase your games without having an internet connection
• You can sell your older consoles and recoup some of the costs much easier than you could with a PC
• Video game consoles have cultural significance
• You can play split-screen multiplayer with friends and family using one piece of hardware ----- BIGGEST REASON!!!
• Consoles cost less, especially if you purchase an older model or generation.
• Consoles are noob friendly and easier to play on for people with poor hand-eye coordination or disabilities
• Can you play Mario Party on a PC with your kids? That's what I thought!
• Consoles take up less dedicated space in your home.
• Consoles are more energy efficient both in operation and construction. Good for your wallet and the environment!
• Your friends are more likely to have a console
• Consoles are more culturally acceptable
• Consoles are easier to transport

[Sol]

I don't think it's a ripoff. I enjoy sometimes just playing on the sofa with a controller. Could hook up a PC as well but eh too much work to keep swapping back and forth. As dumb as it may also be. I also really enjoy consoles for Ubisoft games so I don't have to deal with that dumb launcher lol

[Baron Baldric]

[Matcam89]

I have an Xbox One X and a gaming PC by far I enjoy the Xbox One X for a couple reasons

1. I enjoy gaming on the couch - Yes I can hook my pc to my tv but it’s annoying
2. I never have to find patches or odd fixes Games just work
3. I don’t have to optimize games it’s already done for me

now don’t get me wrong I still love PC gaming but I tend to reserve it for games like

Stellaris, Company of Heroes, Total War and Civ games

[Baron Baldric]

[Animusisters]

I doubt it, I certainly hope not anyway. Constant online play requires continual resources. Even Bethesda couldn't manage it with Fallout 76, it's going to be especially hard for smaller companies to run non peer-to-peer on-line games. And I'm not sure what kind of "control" you think they want, I'm sure they probably just want you to buy the game, play it and enjoy it.

What you can and can't do with the game. Things like reselling, or lending to friends.

[Aidy]

Always online and streamed games will be forced even harder in the future, because that will give the publisher even more absurd amounts of control over their product and how you can consume it. They dont have to give you anything physical at all and in some cases you are already not eving buying the game anymore. You are just buying a "licence" to consume their entertainment product and you agree that they can cut you off whenever they want to.

I doubt it, I certainly hope not anyway. Constant online play requires continual resources. Even Bethesda couldn't manage it with Fallout 76, it's going to be especially hard for smaller companies to run non peer-to-peer on-line games. And I'm not sure what kind of "control" you think they want, I'm sure they probably just want you to buy the game, play it and enjoy it.