I’ve never skipped a console gen starting from Super NES, PS1 through 4 plus the Switch Oled 5 years after launch of the OG Switch
It seems like exclusives are rarer now with Sony and Xbox pushing games to PC and Nintendo spending resources on remasters. COVID made it incredibly difficult to own a PS5 and they have some disappointing exclusives as well
What do you think? Any reason to own a PS5 or PS5 pro?
The best thing about this gen so far is the rise of handheld PCs, like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. I mostly play on the Deck nowadays, while the PS5 gathers dust.
The OLED Steam Deck has reinvigorated my love for videogames. I’m playing Dave The Diver and DBZ: Kakarot now.
Yeah, the Steam Deck (and clones) will be the cover story in this chapter of gaming history.
Yep :D Really like the steamdeck too!
The best thing about this gen so far is the rise of handheld PCs
I’d like to think this is due the Chinese handhelds picking up where Nintendo left… (In its own way ofc 🏴☠️) and I’m glad I was a participant of this…
But I think it is mostly because of cloud gaming and Nintendo Switch inspiration.
My steamdeck makes me feel like I’ve gone 3rd party. It’s affordable and can run about 90 percent of releases. Plus indies and it’s not locked down by anything.
I play my steam deck WAYYYYYY more than my ps5. And quite a bit more than my switch.
The steam deck is my favourite console of this generation by far, and it’s not even 100% a console.
I think this is by far the worst generation for gaming.
Obviously from a technical standpoint, it’s great. Fast loading times, better performance, graphical prowess. But in terms of the quality of the games, it’s dire. I honestly don’t understand why I was in such a rush to buy a PS5, because most of the games I’ve enjoyed have had PS4 versions, so whilst I may have experienced that better performance and graphics etc, I didn’t really need to buy a PS5.
I didn’t need to buy my PS5 either, but my PS4 was a much older device I’d bought cheap from a co-worker and I felt like it was getting slow.
The bonus of having both is that the PS4 is comparatively light and compact, so I can travel with it, and for the two PS5 exclusives I have, there is an option to remote play the PS5 on the PS4, so I’m generally happy with my purchase.
All that notwithstanding, I’ve got an Xbox One X and I’ve seen no real need to upgrade that to a Series X. There are no Xbox exclusives for the Series X/S that have been driving forces.
This generation honestly feels like it lacks direction. The consoles are more expensive and are huge devices, with controllers that now cost more than games. With the original scarcity of the newer consoles, nearly four years into this generation, new releases are still available for the older gen. I feel like we’re reaching a point where console evolution either needs to take an enormous leap, or we just stop seeing console generations altogether.
The size of this current console gen is strange TBH. Consoles have always been smaller and more compact than a full fledged Desktop PC.
I was taking my brand new PS4 on work trips and playing games all the time. No way that’s happening with the size of the PS5.
Consoles aren’t supposed to be portable I understand that BUT it’s definitely a consideration for a subset of customers that are on the go.
I prolly won’t get a PS5 unless I’m burning cash when GTA6 comes out.
I agree, thoughts are dire, from a AAA perspective, but the Indie scene is still hopping fun on Evercade and SteamDeck.
This is actually why I got a SteamDeck - I’ll dip into the AAA titles occasionally, but the Indie games are what I pre-order now.
I think this is actually a good thing. In a perfect world exclusives wouldn’t exist and you would buy things based on their own merits. Having to buy something you don’t want because you fear missing out on a game is a horrible experience. In fact I stopped caring because I got so tired of possibly missing out on a game. It has worked out great for me this generation.
95% of the games I play are on pc. With mods. Faster load screens. Better debugging by the community.
The 5% of games I don’t get to play “new” will inevitably be developed for pc - by the companies themselves or some smart fan.
I figure consoles have another 25 years max before they are totally obsolete tech.
Consoles are basically just pre built PCs with an OS dedicated to games. There will always be a huge audience that wants an easier to use purpose built device for games. The situation might change though with steam os getting better and allowing for PC games to compete with consoles on the same footing.
As a console gamer who loves tinkering with my pc, I can’t agree. As much as I love tinkering on PC, when I want to game I don’t want to setup anything or wonder if my computer can run a game.
As long as PC gaming isn’t giving you that for every game, they’ll be some kind of console market.
And as long as consoles remain cheaper than gaming systems. Sure, you can technically build a gaming computer for less than the cost of a PS5 or Series X, but the consoles will massively out-perform it.
Yeah I’m already annoyed because you have to choose between Fps and graphic fidelity on that generation, so I’d have a stroke in front of all the parameters you have on a pc😅
And yeah the price is a big plus on a console, especially if you only buy a few new games and buy second hand a lot.
I’ve been on the internet for a long time. Pc fans like yourself have been making this claim forever. And yet the market keels growing.
I liked the price point of the PS5 vs getting a solid gaming PC.
Returnal is one of my favorite games of the last few years.
Demon’s Souls is a delight for the eyes, as well. And I loved being able to replay such a classic PS3 game, even if Bluepoint modified the art direction from the original in certain ways.
FF16 was incredible, I don’t care if they trimmed down the jrpg elements
Sony seems content sending many of its exclusives over to PC after a few years, which I’m grateful for. So if you’ve got a PC I wouldn’t see a huge need for a PS5.
Good point, but Returnal is on PC and you can play with mouse kB, Demon Souls is a remaster of something I played on PS3 which blew my mind then. And FF16 has mixed reviews. I’m more into FF7 part 2, but the complete dlc edition will eventually reach PC as well.
You’re right in that exclusives are becoming less and less but I still think it’s worth getting a PS5.
If you have the wallet for it I think the perfect setup is owning a switch for party games and Nintendo exclusives, a PS5 for Sony exclusives/general couch gaming and as your media machine, and a PC for all the rest.
Ps5 definitely has some great exclusives that imo make the system worth it, not to mention the graphical upgrades and how quick it is compared to a ps4.
-Ghost of Tsushima is a beautiful game, with a great story and gameplay, performs so much better on PS5 -Spiderman 2 -God of war Ragnarok -Horizon zero dawn -Gran TurismoI use my PS5 for most of my games over my gaming PC, just more comfortable for me. Also I still like that you can get lucky if you go to a GameStop and find used physical copies of expansive games at a discount.
I have also always recommended owning an Xbox/PlayStation as a media device as well. Sound and image quality usually surpass your smaller basic steaming devices or built in smart TVs. Compared to my ps5, my ps4 crawls through the menus and loading screens. One of those things that you won’t notice until you upgrade.
Having said all that, I wouldn’t get the “pro” model, unless you have the cash and want to game in like 8k or some bs
Also, much easier to get a ps5 now, most stores just have them in stock now, seen some used ones for sale too
PC has always been better anyway
PC gaming isn’t that expensive right now anyway, depending on the level of performance that you want. I have a computer presumably without a dedicated graphics processor that runs Fallout 4 well. It will run Fallout 3 at consistent 60 fps at 720p.
Depending on how new the game is and whether or not you turn down the graphics, it’s not that expensive to get a gaming PC.
Your comment remind me how many games just wouldn’t run on my PC or how install would break my OS. Maybe I had no idea what I was doing. But PC gaming back in the days was very tricky. It got better in recent years.
I really mostly play on PC. But PC master race people are very snobish. Console gaming is a very important part of the market for very good reason.
What PC game broke your OS? That’s mad.
It’s easy to be snobbish when you’re right ¯\(ツ)/¯
Eh, depends imo.
Civilization? PC all the way. Ratchet & Clank? God of War? I had a lot of fun playing them on consoles. IDK whether they would have worked as well on PC.
Knights of the Old Republic? I played on PC in spite of the awful UI port from console mode.
As someone who skipped the last generation… I think this one is way better… Because it’s fully backwards compatible. Since I got a PS5 I’ve gone back and played many games I missed. Meanwhile the only game for the PS5 I play is GT7. And since I’ve loved every GT game, it was worth it for me. I expect that GTA 6 will be the next PS5 game I actually get.
PS5 is nice if you can’t afford a PC capable of 4K or Ray Tracing for the games that are on every system ($500 for a machine capable of high fidelity gaming is a good value; couldn’t build a PC for that price with the same capabilities atm).
It might be more worthwhile if the exclusives for it weren’t able to be counted on 1 hand. There’s very little to warrant buying a whole system if you’re only interested in the exclusives.
The Ray Tracing argument and 4K are both shit arguments. On the PS5 most games are not 4K native, those that are, are locked to 30 which is an horrible experience. Ray Tracing is the same thing, and not only is PC Ray Tracing much more advanced and better looking, but it also locks you to 30 fps modes on PS5. I doubt the PS5 Pro will change that. If you forget the 30 fps sad modes that have 4k/ray tracing, suddently you can actually build a PC yourself that plays the same games for $600-800 (bit more than a PS5 but ITS A FULL PC, does everything, not games only) that for that price can play 1080-1440p games with ease at 60 fps with graphical fidelity similar to the PS5 if not better since you can better fine tune the graphical settings of all games. Ray Tracing will kill it, just like it kills the PS5.
In my style of life (PC-first) I myself consider a console to be one of those extra expenses that you have only if you have free money to spare. Having games on your couch and big TV is amazing, but if you need a PC anyway for daily life, might aswell waste a bit more and get a great PC for gaming too. If it’s a powerful laptop, it can also be your living room “console” just by plugging some cables anytime. Having a console after having a good PC feels like luxury to me (in a bad way), and very optional.
However if your PC is absolute trash but you see no reason at all to buy a new one, because your life style rarely needs to use it, and you absolutely cannot be bothered with Windows configuration and all its BS, then a console is 100% justified. Consoles are great for people who just don’t care and just want to play a game a few times per month.
I guess some people want a pc and a console like me and some people just want a big gaming pc. Both ideas are fine and no one should be looking badly at the other.
We’ve made our calculations and for me a « shitty PC » and an easy to setup gaming system like the ps5 is what I need.
But it’s perfectly fine for me if someone wants to go the other way. I’m not gonna say they are dumb and their way is shitty because it’s not mine…
The thing that always bothers me about people saying consoles are a good deal as the hardware is cheap compared to a PC is just that it gets more expensive really quickly with software. Particularly if you get a digital only console it only takes a few games until you’re at the price of a PC. I just can’t justify buying a locked down system anymore.
The last console I got was the 360 halo three special addition. Been on PC ever since.
Which as we all know makes me superior.
Keyboard and mouse or do you use a controller?
I can’t believe you even have to ask.
People do different things. I notice you didn’t answer.
For what it’s worth I love the ps5. The ps5 controller absolutely reinvigorated my love of gaming. I know some pc games are getting the adaptive triggers but I do not think it compares.
Let’s put it this way. Split screen was a mostly console exclusive feature before some genius decided to kill it off. Locking multiplayer behind a pay wall at some point was also the stupidest idea I’ve ever seen.
Most new titles for consoles are exactly as enjoyable on PC. The experience is almost identical. Companies prefer it this way too.
They can make a nice exclusive and release it for PC 2 years later to reap double the profit.
The above has me thinking that consoles are becoming a niche. I’d just get a steam deck for portable gaming and a play pass for the exclusives not yet available on PC.
My partner and I got a PS5 when they became available and only played a couple of games on it. It mostly collects dust now. I’d attribute a lot to PlayStation’s games becoming more available on PC.
As someone with a PS5 since launch… Not really.
I’ve owned every PlayStation generation since the original. I don’t consider myself a Sony stan, but with the exception of the Xbox 360, I’ve felt each generation of the various PSX’s have had a better lineup for my tastes. (Halo is great, though)
This time around, not so much. After three years, I have purchased five titles for my PS5. And, by FAR, the game that gets the most play is my PS4-version of Minecraft, so my kids can play multiplayer.
If you’ve got money to burn, I’d recommend a Steam Deck + Dock and a Bluetooth controller of your choice instead. Most of the same games will run on either platform, with the advantages of PC gaming - mods, forward compatibility, access to the MASSIVE Steam store and library…
Alternately the Switch has had a great lineup of first party titles - as usual. Just pickup a pro controller too, the “joycons” develop drift so fast it’s not even funny. Every single joycon I’ve purchased (six pairs over five years) has developed drift in under a year. I know I can get them repaired, but at this point, I’m over it. Just buy a pro controller and have done with it.
(If anybody is curious, my five PS5 titles are
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Spider-Man 2
- Sackboy’s Big Adventure
- Jedi Survivor
- Diablo IV
All but one are available on PC. I bought the Spiderman games before the PC ports arrived. Jedi survivor had a bad port at launch and I really wanted to play it. And Diablo IV I was able to pick up used for cheaper than the PC price. …let’s just say that after hundred plus hours in D3, I’m glad I didn’t pay full price for D4.
I do also pay for PlayStation Plus, where I’ve downloaded and played a few dozen indie titles, all of which are also on PC.)
Benefit is that Jedi actually runs on the console
You can buy aftermarket individual joysticks that permanently fix the joycon drifting issue.