PCs are on the rise, at least according to a recent report by Mathew Ball. Windows PCs have surpassed consoles in terms of game content spending. Since 2011, PCs have increased their content spending by 65%, or 225% more than consoles combined over that same term. PCs gained $30 billion by 2024, while consoles only saw an increase of $18 billion.
I love my consoles—I really do. I'm even willing to gamble that I've had or owned more consoles than most folks out there. I use two Xbox Series X, an Xbox Series S, a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo Switch. Notice I said majority; I know some of you are definitely more gaga than I am. I know a guy who buys a new Xbox when his other one fills up.
But we need to start talking about those consoles. As we understand today, they aren't the be-all and end-all anymore, and that's okay. They still have a place in my heart and millions of others, but they're losing ground to other gaming mediums for sound reasons.
Compared to 2004, the living room and handheld console market dominated 71% of content spend, while PC carried the remaining 29%. As of today, PC has claimed the better half of the share at 53%, with consoles falling behind at 47%.
So why is this?
Outside of my own opinions, Mathew Ball lists a few existing and intensifying advantages that PC presents:
- PC has a more extensive library than any one console (or all consoles combined).
- Ability to multi-task, YouTube, guides, run full Discord, livestream using full editing suites, etc.
- Lower entry price point and higher top-range hardware that beats high-performance consoles.
- More annual game releases compound the library issues.
- Both PlayStation and Xbox release their exclusives on PC.
- Premium Roblox games can only be bought on PC.
- Portable Windows-based gaming devices are growing in popularity with full PC catalogs.
Wait, did I read that right? Premium Roblox games can only be bought on PC? If you're unfamiliar with Roblox's dominant hold on the market, let me share an anecdotal story to help bring you up to speed.
Earlier this month, I got my first library card. I'd heard you could rent some Switch titles from surrounding local libraries in the network, so I wanted to check it out. I figured I'd read a book or two while at it. Crossing over into the computer section, a surprise caught the corner of my gaze.
Five of the ten occupied computers had kids playing Roblox on them. Some seemed to be friends, while others did their own thing. From what I could glimpse, more than one group of friends came to the library to play Roblox! Was this an arcade now?
PC and the power of Roblox
In my late teens, I played Minecraft like every other core gamer. I watched Minecraft take over classrooms after graduating; it became a tool beyond gaming. Roblox and Fortnite have now surpassed that childhood game in some key areas.
For example, Roblox and Fortnite have overtaken Minecraft in yearly revenue. Roblox has even surpassed Minecraft in daily active users. This isn't meant to throw shade or anything at Minecraft; I'm only trying to paint a picture of how dominant Roblox has become. It's insane.
While Roblox is available on consoles, that's where the penultimate experience is. Only on PC can get specific game modes, and the creator tools are superior on the platform. It also has a lower cost of entry when you consider any budget computer, like one at a library, can run it.
PCs win on game library
Let's talk about the library of games that PCs have compared to consoles. Not only does PC have more games, but the games on it are generally superior renditions in numerous ways. Sure, you can find some underperforming PC ports, or you can talk about the lack of Bloodborne, but does PlayStation have Escape from Tarkov, League of Legends, Ready or Not, or Arma Reforger?
Of the games they do share, it's often more than a straightforward graphical overhaul. Titles like Rust and DayZ are entirely different beasts on PC compared to their console brethren. Load up Rust on Xbox and compare it to the PC version. You might miss out on Quick Resume, but it's a literal night and day difference.
Rust: Console Edition is quite a bit behind its PC counterpart. Outside of quality-of-life features like FOV, which some console games support, it's missing core elements. For example, Xbox and PlayStation ports don't have helicopters yet, a trait PC has had since 2019. Although there was some decent progression in 2024, go take a look at YouTube, and you'll come across quite a few wishlist videos console players would like to see added.
Rust isn't the only game, either. Other games like Ark, DayZ, and PUBG all have discrepancies. The list is many, but the fact that these games are on consoles is a blessing. Years ago, PC ports of these titles were almost laughable.
But consoles are making strides for tomorrow
In 2014, if you had asked me if DayZ would come to Xbox, I'd call you nuts. There was no way something as convoluted as DayZ would ever touch consoles. "That game is built on the Arma 3 engine; console can't play that, lol," yet here we are.
Not only can you play it on a controller, but there are whole lobbies that support native keyboard and mouse play. Even Call of Duty has native support, which is unheard of to any gamer who grew up in the 90s. Miracles are happening in the console space.
With Microsoft catching the PC train years ago and Sony seemingly playing catchup, it's pretty clear these companies saw a trend that many of us didn't. There's a reason we hear that Microsoft's next Xbox console could be closer to a PC than ever before.
Slowly, the technology, games, and platforms shared between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC have begun to blend with one another. While Xbox added achievement support a decade ago with Games for Windows Live (let's not talk about that), did you ever think Sony would add trophy support? Times are changing.
What today looks like reflects yesterday's decisions to better oneself for tomorrow. Sony and Microsoft are taking those steps to better place their hardware devices and ecosystems in the hands of gamers, which not only exist today but will live tomorrow for years to come. We should step back and start pondering about the future rather than begging for the past.
