What console compliments the PC gamer best!

This is a hard topic for me to make. Your a PC gamer. You will always love PC. It will always be your bread and butter. Part of your soul. The endless customization, the way you build and shaped your own machine gives it a personal feel that no mass produced console would ever be able to.

But still in my opinion it is good to have a console besides the PC gaming. The problem with this generation is that unlike the last generation, where the GC, Xbox and PS2 was all very identical, the PS3, Wii and 360 are so different that its insane. Not only in game philosphy, pricing, game styles, appeal, design and scope but also in the very way we play games.

 How does a console compliment a PC gamer? What do you think?

My take;

The Wii offers alternative multiplayer games that the PC has nothing off. Perhaps it is complimenting the PC in the sense that it offers a different party experience. Its hard for a PC gamer to have his friend playing with him on the same PC, but with a Wii alot of the games focus on offline multiplayer party games. Quick, fun and quirky japanese games. Is this the refreshing style of games that will appeal to the PC gamer? The machine is cheap which is good since many passionate PC gamers use quite a bit of money upgrading their rigs every year or every 2 year, or when they buy all these great PC games comming out very often now.

The 360 could also be said to compliment PC gamers. The original Xbox was called a "poor mans PC". A 8 Gig Hard drive with a custom geforce 3 card arhitecture it was a machine that appealed to people who liked to play pc type games and online games but could not afford to upgrade their pcs very often. games like splinter cell, KOTOR and its many solid FPS offerings seemed like pc games to a much larger extent that we had seen in the past. The 360 can connect and stream video and music from your pc using WMP11 or media connect. Both free programs. problem is that it only applies to MS own codecs. so no divx or avi. the 20 Gig hard drive also makes it a fast stop as far as storing all your content.

360 is not very good at using your pc devices. it does not have a browser, can not run an OS like linux, but it can see use many digital cameras and mp 3 players. but not much as far as headsets,Mouses, keyboards, web cams, external hard drives and so on. You can get headsets and webcams and a 20 Gig hard drive for 360 but it has to be made for 360.

The cross on Xbox live with pc gamers versus 360 gamers when live reaches PC, could be a big compliment for pc gamers. not only with the 360 gamers gamertag, achievements, points and friends list transfer over to your pc account, you will also be able to play against people in both worlds.

but xbox live is notorious for having 16 player max games, with limited scope and being full of 12 year old helium screaming headset loving kids. Will pc gamers who are used to 64 player games, open source mods and free cross apllications like xfire, want to pay for a service like Live?

As far as games, 360s games seem to appeal to pc gamers. mature, violent and impresive in visuals and presentation. gears of war and mass effect probably being good examples.

However, xbox was very known for having its best games ending up on PC. This has been true with most of its "AAA titles" outside of racing and sports games. Examples being Halo, Halo 2, KOTOR, KOTOR 2, Splinter Cell 1,2,3, Jade Empire, Riddick, Fable, and Ninja Gaiden which on another note has ended up on the PS3.

This is probably because xbox was always accused of being a pc in disguise. with XNA many of 360s best games might end up on pc aswell. So far though, this has not been the confirmed case with titles like Crackdown, GoW and Mass Effect still being seen as 360 exclusives.

The PS3. Kenny "Crazy" Boy, has in the past badmouted the PC, claiming that the PS3...The so called Super computer would make the PC obsolete as a gaming platform. While this is a stupid statemente, it is impressive how many PC and USB devices that actually works with PS3, meaning that allot of your stuff might co-work. It does not mean that you will end up using linux very often or checking your email with the ps3s build in browser, but perhaps you will appreciate being able to use your own favorite buetooth headsets, keyboards and so on, instead of buying overpriced 1 party ones you dont need.

 for MMORPG fans, the recently announced playstation "Home" service might be a big appeal. it certainly seems that it has won much appreciation and as a nice patch on the wound of the horrible scar that was 2006 for sony.

Looking back at it, the PS2 has boosted an incredible amount of great games that has stayed exclusive to the platform. 7 years in and the machine still pumping games like god of war 2 out. sony claims that ps3 will last 10 years, and that with firmware upgrades, it will surpass any current gen console in all aspects.

people loving games like final fantasy, tekken, metal gear solid and ratchet and clank might already have made up their minds that ps3 is the way to go as far as complimenting the pc, but the appeal might also be there in other ways.

HD-DVD and Blue-Ray is currently batteling for supremacy. according to certain tech heads, even if Blue-Ray should fail, it will be used for pc due to the fact that Blue-Ray discs boosts 20 gigabyte more space than HD-DVD and that it will be the prefered use for pc, as programs tend to fill more spaces. Apple has already decided to go with Blue-Ray. Could this mean that Itunes and Ipod and Iphone will eventually collaborate with Sony, and perphaps the ps3? Itunes on ps3?

At the same time MS has went with HD-DVD. Apparently vista was supposed to have build in HD-DVD support but that has been delayed until the first major service pack later this year.

PS3 like the wii certainly seems to boost some quirky japanese non-pc-like games. LittleBigPlanet being one of them. in a way the ps3, arhitecture wise is the most PC like console. it can run an OS, it uses an Nvidia based GPU, it relies on firmware upgrades to help it allot in the future.

It also seems like a device that has big plans for its interactions with the psp. PSP already is considered a great portale machine, yet it is expenssive, and people are having doubts about the UMD - PSPs movie format.

In conclusion; I dont know. As a PC gamer, I want my console to compliment my PC. Not the other way around. Right now I own a WIi and a 360. Its still early and I don't really know. I like how Wii is so alternative and different, and yet at the same time I feel that the precision I love from PC with mouse pointing and the advanced difficult and challanging games has not been translated to the Wii.

As for the 360 I do not like XBL in its current form. I dont understand why I have to pay for a Peer 2 Peer service. And I dont understand why games like Halo 3 will only have 16 players max. I dont like how the service is so closed off.

Im wondering if PS3 is the sweet spot I have been looking for. Or if its to early to pass judgement on the other consoles. Its personal taste. But what truly compliments the great PC. What if you have handhelds? What if you dont have handhelds?

in general wtf did you say?icecream76239

That depends on who is asking...

A great game is a great game. Why does anything have to complement anything else? I'll own all the consoles and continue gaming on pc as well. For me, I could care less what platform I'm playing on if I'm liking the game.

The OP lists lots of shortcommings for consoles but doesn't mention those for PC. PC has a very narrow range when it comes to variety in games. Also, why don't more games have co-op campaigns in pc games. Pkaying GRAW 2 co-op on the 360 was amongst the most fun I've had in years. Same with Gears of War. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory had great co-op on pc, but it's a rareity. Also, playing a party game with a group of friends, Guitar Hero for example, is an experience you can't have on pc.

Don't think I'm bashing on pc's, I spend prob 75% of my day on em at work and at home, but consoles are just as viable when it comes to gaming and offer a different experience than is currently available on pc.

i have a 360..as u can tell with the sig..but i play any video on any system including pc. There are certain games i'd rather play on a console and others i'd rather play on a pc. RTS (my favorite type of games out of all) duy, on a PC its just to strange and confusing to use a controller and on that note thats the reason i'll be gettin the new C&C for PC and not 360. When it cums to sports and racing imma have to get em' for tha 360.

"I'm so high, i have no idea whuts goin on"..Towelie

in general wtf did you say?icecream76239

Exactly what I was thinking. 

Xbox360. Nuff said.MegaWang

I cannot see myself playing sports, racing, fighters, and I prefer Oblivion on the 360.

I think the PS3 is, the Playstations have always had a great library. Plus the 20 gig version is only $100 more than the 360 20 gig and it has free online, wireless controllers, and a blu-ray player.fivex84

I have a 360 and am quite unimpressed with it. I thought the Wii was fun but to casual for me, but I have yet to try a PS3. But I kinda think every next gen console sucks in comparison to the last gen consoles. I would really welcome the old consoles back again. Anyway, PC for the win. PC > ConsolePlatearmor_6

[QUOTE="Platearmor_6"]I have a 360 and am quite unimpressed with it. I thought the Wii was fun but to casual for me, but I have yet to try a PS3. But I kinda think every next gen console sucks in comparison to the last gen consoles. I would really welcome the old consoles back again. Anyway, PC for the win. PC > ConsoleArcadius

if i'd have money for a console (wii,ps3,x360) i'd upgrade my computer ! PC ftw !

I would have to say the Wii simply because its so different in terms of gameplay compared to a PC, and the games are much more unique.

Xbox 360 is nice, but any game on there (even if its exclusive) has an equal or better alternative on PC, and I just hate conventional console controls.  Putting my two big bear paws onto a controller and then mashing buttons just doesnt do it for me.

PS3...well, what good can we say about this POS?  THe games suck so far, and as far as I am concerned the only people who should own one are Final Fantasy enthusiasts or Metal Gear Solid enthusiasts.

Im sticking with PC for life, though.  The games are better, controls are better, and it looks better for less money than a console.  Plus the games are, on average, 10-20 dollars cheaper.  Oh, and I dont need a nice big HDTV to get good graphics with my PC as is the case with consoles....my nice 20.5 inch, 190 dollar widescreen does just fine.

out of the current generation, the wii - easy, the other consoles are too much like bad pcs, and while the ps3 may have some great exclusives in a few years, it probably won't - and the 360 deifintely won't (i'm not saying the ps3 and 360 are bad, just that they're bad partners for a pc, being very similar only, in most cases, worse)

but i gotta say, i own and still avidly play on my playstation 1 - games like wipeout 2097 (xl in usa), castlevania: symphony of the night, street fighter alpha 3 and the oddworld games are each simply unrivaled in their genre on any system

the wii is cool, and cheap, and about as far to the opposite as you can get from pc gaming, but i will never let go of my playstation as a perfect pc partner

Xbox360. Nuff said.MegaWang

Actually, I think you said too much.

I asked this same question a couple of months ago and ended up with a 360. Never been happier. It's really awesome, and the fact it actually interacts with my pc is great too. Aside from the games, I can now share movies, pictures, and music with my XBox 360, and display them on my 56" TV. It's such a cool feature, and just seems to compliment your entertainment system. Games are great too, and what really surprised me is the online. Integrated voice chat, easy connection, surprisingly low lag gameplay (from my experience anyways), and just an overall good setup. Haven't played the other 2 consoles, but honestly, I am not droping that kind of cash for a PS3, and the Wii's games look pretty crappy. The only one that is even remotely intersting is Zelda, but I am not buying a console for one single game...dnuggs40

Oh look.......a Microsoft representative........

:|

[QUOTE="MegaWang"]Xbox360. Nuff said.Subcritical

Actually, I think you said too much.

PS3 is automatically out of the picture due to the price, imagine the upgrades on your PC you'd get with that money. And like the OP said, at least the last gen xbox games had a tendency to end up on the PC as well, so if this continues 360 wouldn't be worth it IMO. Wii on the other hand has only one game that interests me, Zelda, not worth bying a whole console for. So if I'm gonna get a console besides my PC, it's gonna be PS2, it's sick cheap and has lots of good games that the PC doesn't have, even whole genres.EntwineX

i like the ps3 more than computer. more variety in games 

out of the current generation, the wii - easy, the other consoles are too much like bad pcs, and while the ps3 may have some great exclusives in a few years, it probably won't - and the 360 deifintely won't (i'm not saying the ps3 and 360 are bad, just that they're bad partners for a pc, being very similar only, in most cases, worse)

but i gotta say, i own and still avidly play on my playstation 1 - games like wipeout 2097 (xl in usa), castlevania: symphony of the night, street fighter alpha 3 and the oddworld games are each simply unrivaled in their genre on any system

the wii is cool, and cheap, and about as far to the opposite as you can get from pc gaming, but i will never let go of my playstation as a perfect pc partner

A-S_FM

Maybe I'm crazy, but wouldn't a pc gamer want to get a console which is something like a pc yet plays different games?

As a longtime pc gamer I'll tell you this right now, Xbox Live is far better than anything on the pc right now. I know you find it hard to believe but the built in voice chat, finding friends, inviting friends, messaging, mailing, etc are incredible. I can go online right now and see EVERYONE I've played online in every game for the last 2 weeks. It's very very cool 

Well, I guess this depends greatly on how you mean "compliments." For me this is a system that doesn't have a huge library of overlapping games and can give me experiences outside of what I would typically have on my PC.

From the previous generation of systems that would be the PS2. The PS2 had a significantly large and diverse library that had something to offer for everyone and had very few overlapping titles. In fact, many of the overlapping titles were actually better on the PS2 as they were standard action games ported to the PC at a much later date (Devil May Cry for example).

For the current generation I would say it is a toss up between the PS3 and the Wii. The PS3 is going to have longevity, has networking abilities with the PC, and like the PS2 will have a diverse library with fewer overlapping titles than the 360 (assuming the 360 continues on its current course, which is to share many games with PC, which is in part due to the fact that Microsoft is, of course, a very big computer industry company). The Wii definitely offers something new and as with all Nintendo systems you won't find any of their first party titles going to the PC.

[QUOTE="A-S_FM"]

out of the current generation, the wii - easy, the other consoles are too much like bad pcs, and while the ps3 may have some great exclusives in a few years, it probably won't - and the 360 deifintely won't (i'm not saying the ps3 and 360 are bad, just that they're bad partners for a pc, being very similar only, in most cases, worse)

but i gotta say, i own and still avidly play on my playstation 1 - games like wipeout 2097 (xl in usa), castlevania: symphony of the night, street fighter alpha 3 and the oddworld games are each simply unrivaled in their genre on any system

the wii is cool, and cheap, and about as far to the opposite as you can get from pc gaming, but i will never let go of my playstation as a perfect pc partner

Endgame_basic

Maybe I'm crazy, but wouldn't a pc gamer want to get a console which is something like a pc yet plays different games?

As a longtime pc gamer I'll tell you this right now, Xbox Live is far better than anything on the pc right now. I know you find it hard to believe but the built in voice chat, finding friends, inviting friends, messaging, mailing, etc are incredible. I can go online right now and see EVERYONE I've played online in every game for the last 2 weeks. It's very very cool

  Playstation 2, access to hundreds of used games for cheap, and the system it self is $100..

   Not sure about a Wii, (though I am gonna get a Wii my self).

the Wii BY FAR, not even close

here's some of the games you can play on Wii that you can't on PC:

• Zelda: Ocarina of Time (on the Collectors Edition)
• Zelda: Majoras Mask (on the Collectors Edition)
• Zelda: WindWaker (2003 GotY)
• Zelda: Twilight Princess
• Metroid Prime (best game last generation, 2002 GotY)
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
• Eternal Darkness
• Super Smash Brothers Melee
• Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
• Super Paper Mario
• Soul Calibur 2
• Resident Evil (the great remake)
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica X
• Resident Evil 4 (2005 GotY, much better than PC version I'm sure)
• Viewtiful Joe
• MGS: The Twin Snakes
• Pikmin 2
• Skies of Arcadia Legends
• Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
• Tales of Symphonia
• Baten Kaitos
• Warioware: Smooth Moves

all of those games are must plays alongside the great PC games.

Also, don't forget the older Nintendo games are becoming available for Wii.

I first got back into gaming in 2001 with the original Xbox, then over the next year or so, found myself using the PC for the majority of my gaming. Since then I've upgraded my PC system several times over to keep pace with the advances of gaming technology, which I enjoy  very much and will first and formost be a PC gamer. All during that time I liked how I used the Xbox console to comliment my gaming habits. Usually with games that weren't avaiable to the PC and even some that were, it was a nice change of pace from time to time.

I haven't as of yet purchased a new generation gaming console machine. I guess I'm willing to wait a bit longer for prices to drop and more gaming content to be had, the few titles that peak my interest are not enough for me to take the plunge just yet. But take the plunge I will, maybe by this fall or before or after Christmas. I just did a major system upgrade on my PC back in September and am planning another by mid to late summer, so funds may be limited and a price drop in the console market will be a big factor to determine when I purchase one.  

I do believe that having a gaming console to compliment your gaming PC is the best of both worlds. The question is which one ? And the choices are quite varied, so it will come down to fitting a person's likes and needs. There are many people that will collect more than one system or just have to have them all.

I'd like to see where MS is going with their 360 since the release of the 360 Elite, which is getting a little closer to the features of the PS3. I don't have a problem with waiting since the PC is my number one gaming love, but i'll make the move to add a sidekick console sometime soon, which one it is I'm still undecided.......One thing I do know is that I'll always keep my orginial Xbox.

Oh and one other thing....excellent thread by the original poster...very good job !

Maybe I'm crazy, but wouldn't a pc gamer want to get a console which is something like a pc yet plays different games?

As a longtime pc gamer I'll tell you this right now, Xbox Live is far better than anything on the pc right now. I know you find it hard to believe but the built in voice chat, finding friends, inviting friends, messaging, mailing, etc are incredible. I can go online right now and see EVERYONE I've played online in every game for the last 2 weeks. It's very very cool

Endgame_basic

i live with a guy who owns a 360 - i nearly bought one... in fact, i still plan on - but i find the 360 mainly to be a poor man's pc with driving games - xbox live is cool, but it's nothing spectacular when weighed against the might of the pc - all of the stuff you mentioned above, more or less, is fully available on the pc through various forms of user-determined and user-cusomtisable software - or multiple softwares for certain situations if required

when i buy a 360, though, i'll mainly be playing the pc style games that aren't making it to pc - stuff like gears and mass effect - so yeah, i guess it's totally down to the individual, my console choice - as a pc partner - is something as far removed from the pc as possible, when i want to play something like a pc, why settle for anything but the real thing?

every time i play 360 stuff, i find myself constantly comparing it with the pc, pointing out the flaws and limitations - i know i shouldn't, but it's in my nature to - i can't choose otherwise - so i find it best to go for a machine that deliberately transends conventional limitations, either the wii - or simply something very old like a psx or snes