A premium PC might no longer serve its purpose, and gaming could lose its appeal.
A premium PC might no longer serve its purpose, and gaming could lose its appeal.
I largely share the views expressed here. I'm a relaxed, non-competitive gamer who hasn't felt the need for top-tier performance in PC gaming, even during esports sessions (still non-competitive). Most online multiplayer titles have turned into costly add-ons, and even strong single-player experiences often require huge updates just days after launch. From what I've played recently, single-player games gave me the most authentic experience, and even when ported to PC, they sometimes run better on consoles—something I value for immersion rather than higher graphics or frame rates, though occasional stutters and crashes are rare. Online multiplayer games seem more enjoyable to me because of the social aspect with friends, not just the gameplay. For those who understand, it's possible that high-end PC gaming might be unnecessary, serving more as a hobby to enjoy what they truly appreciate—building and owning a powerful system.
I'd like to see someone construct a solid 4k capable setup, then gradually replace the CPU with progressively lower-end models. It wouldn't be difficult to track the outcomes and identify where performance declines occur. Because 4k is believed to be less demanding on the CPU, the trial could reveal potential savings for system builders.
High-end systems seem irrelevant to me overall.
Budget components can handle most titles reasonably well. 720p and 1080p work just fine and look acceptable.
The key benefit of PC gaming compared to consoles lies in the flexibility of keyboard/mouse, custom controls, near-complete backward compatibility with older games (mostly except a few exceptions), mods, and major exclusives like Arma 3 and World of Warcraft.
Although consoles are improving in terms of disk and mouse support, and there are adapters for keyboards, it’s starting to feel unnecessary. There’s a lot of backward compatibility just by inserting a disc now, whereas on consoles it mainly depends on mods—somewhat yes, some no, especially for big titles. Games like DayZ PUBG and Fortnite are available on consoles, so it’s not a major issue. Phones also have PuBg, and back in 1999 Arma 1 was on PC requiring around 1GB RAM.
Yes, you’re correct about high-end systems being pointless. For single-player play, consoles might still edge out in terms of overall experience. I use my PC for music, web browsing, development, and gaming, but it seems consoles are better for the first two and last two aspects. It’s not a huge drawback that consoles have this way.
The selection isn’t too bad from PS4. RDR2 is expected on PC soon. It’s not the smartest move. PC offers a much broader library of titles, with many comparable exclusives that deliver similar fun or quality.
Notable exclusives include God of War - Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, DmC: Devil May Cry - Definitive Edition, Bayonetta, Rise of the Tomb Raider, For Honor, Dark Souls: Remastered, Shadow of War/Shadow of Mordor.
Other popular titles on PC are Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3, Monster Hunter World, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Skyrim, Zelda: Breath of the Wild (playable on Dolphin on PC), Dragon Age Inquisition, Nier Automata, Enslaved Odyssey to the West, Spider-Man games (various versions), Batman Arkham Knight, GTA 5 with Spiderman mods, Prototype 1 & 2, Just Cause 3, Sleeping Dogs, Assassin’s Creed titles, and Bloodborne.
Additional recommendations cover Dark Souls remasters, Nioh, The Surge, Necropolis, Death’s Gambit, Severence, BoD, Dead Cells, Salt & Sanctuary, Hyper Light Drifter, Dragons Dogma, Uncharted series, Last Guardian, Detroit Become Human with various games, and more.
The main advantage of these options is improved performance, mod support, customizable graphics, K&M compatibility, mapping adjustments, and bug fixes.
Where to go next? There are likely similar alternatives for nearly every PS4 title that can be enjoyed on PC, offering comparable experience. If you’re not keen on keeping your PC, selling it might be the wiser choice.
Replacing it with a PS4 would be a poor decision. Once you reach 90-144 fps, reverting to 23-30 (or even 60) feels like a loss.
This is because producing a high-quality single-player AAA title is extremely costly, and excluding consoles would significantly reduce potential earnings. CDPR even acknowledged that without consoles, Witcher 3 wouldn't have launched.
It also makes sense with consoles since one company (Sony/Microsoft) manages all the platform decisions, unlike PC where no single entity controls exclusives.
I've been considering adding a PS4 to my setup so I could enjoy Horizon Zero Dawn and Spider-Man, but the lack of enough exclusive titles is holding me back. The other game I want is Breath of the Wild, which would require buying two consoles just to play three games.
Even if I could afford it, I still struggle with time management—daily life is packed with studying, work, and leisure activities, leaving little room for gaming. Every day I feel pulled in many directions: playing games, watching TV, movies, reading, or listening to music on Tidal. They all compete for my attention.
Although my current game, Pillars of Eternity, is decent, it doesn’t match the engagement of previous titles. I expect things to improve with Anthem and Cyberpunk, which would clarify my priorities.
However, the main issue remains: many of these games are also available on consoles. Just like @Princess Cadence mentioned, there aren't many true PC exclusives, so switching won’t make those options unavailable for her and will still give access to exclusive content.
You're right about mods, graphics, resolution, and FPS—those factors matter—but they’re not the deciding factor. The main consideration should be cost versus value, especially with ongoing upgrades needed for optimal performance. Only she can judge whether eye candy on PC is worth sacrificing upgrades for exclusives.