Why do many people prefer PC gaming over consoles?

This is why people prefer playing games on PC over consoles.

1. Mod brings new content and useful adjustments to the game

Console gamers are always jealous of the mods that PC gamers can use. Mods bring a lot of benefits to a game. For some, it adds a new dimension to a game they've played many times before. For others, it helps patch up any bugs and graphical issues that console games can't achieve. In fact, a mod can turn a game from an unplayable experience into something they can enjoy.

2. Backward compatibility is much easier to achieve on PC

Many people also prefer to use their PC to replay old classics rather than play on a console. Admittedly, the Xbox has some great backwards compatibility. But if you want to play, say, a classic PS1 or Game Boy Advance game, you'll need a console from that era to play it.

PCs, on the other hand, have it much better. Sure, you can't take a drive designed to run Windows 95 and stick it in a Windows 11 PC, but there are plenty of workarounds you can do to get it running. For example, if you check out TipsMake's guide on how to use DOSBox to play classic PC games on any device, you'll learn how to play really old games on your PC using physical media.

But here's the really cool thing; if you have old CD console games but the console you used to play them on is broken, you can run them on your PC instead! Many emulators will read games from CD drives, so you can pop in your old game and boot it up through your PC using the emulator.

3. There are a lot of free and cheap games on PC

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Want to play games for less? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to play games for cheap or even free.

For free games, you'll want to check out our guide on how to find good free games on Steam. The methods outlined there allow you to quickly and easily pick out highly rated games without paying for them, which is a great way to play games when you don't want to spend money. If you don't mind spending money, PC gamers can find games for very cheap if they know where to look.

4. Current console exclusives aren't getting the attention they deserve.

Back in the days of the PS4 and Switch, there were plenty of great console exclusives that kept users glued to the platform. The Nintendo Switch had great games like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate, while the PS4 had Bloodborne, Monster Hunter World, and the Kingdom Hearts series.

But people aren't really excited about console exclusives these days. Sure, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is great, but Breath of the Wild is a satisfying open-world Zelda. Bloodborne is great, but having played it all, many people don't want to keep the PS4 around anymore. And games like Monster Hunter World and Kingdom Hearts are now available on PC.

5. You can choose your favorite handle

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The most popular controller is the Xbox Series X controller. Many people wish they could use their favorite controller for all games on the console. But of course, that's not possible.

But on PC, it's a different story. You can use any controller you like there, especially with Steam's powerful Controller Configurator. TipsMake has a guide on how to use console controllers on Steam, so check that out if you're interested in using them.

Micah Soto

Update 31 August 2024