PC gamer's "Attitude" towards console gamers

[Deleted]

I've noticed something when reading through various forums on the internet, and in conversations with people i know online and in real life. Alot of PC gamers seem to explicitly HATE consoles, now i can see why many people may prefer PC gaming, being one myself, i can see the advantages it brings, and I don't need reminding that PC gaming is indeed a great thing.

However I think alot of PC gamers have an unjustified "hatred" of console gaming in general, and i don't quite understand why. I own 2 consoles myself, I think they are great for casual gaming, when I just want to relax on my sofa and play whatever it may be, on my Xbox 360 or PS3, there are some great titles on those consoles.

But whenever I mention this to a hardcore PC gamer, they instantly dismiss it, spouting ridiculous statements like "Pfft, PC is much better, why the hell would you want to play a console" Well i can think of a multitude of reasons why some people might want to play various titles on a console, but trying to tell these reasons to someone of this mind frame is next to impossible, its close to fanatical the way they worship PC gaming. I'll give you an example.

I was reading an article about Diablo 3, this particular article was addressing whether there would be gamepad support for Diablo 3. While I can see there would obviously be issues that would need to be resolved before this could be a possibility, i thought it was a pretty neat idea, it might be nice to hook my PC up to my big TV, relax on my sofa and chill with a gamepad, that would be cool right? well, i scrolled down to the comments, and one guy said he fully supported the idea and that blizzard should do this.

Well, the sheer ammount of flak he got from the PC gamers was astounding, people calling him "retarded" for not being able to use M+KB, saying they couldnt possibly see why any sane person would ever use a pad, ect.

Now, I'm no "console fanboi" but it seems to me like alot of this hatred is very immature and unjustified, and its that sort of mentality that paints a picture to console gamers that us PC gamers are a bunch of "on our high horse" jerkoffs that look down on everyone that doesnt use a PC. Personally I don't want to be thought of as that.

Has anyone else encountered this behaviour?

[Deleted]

Console gamers tend to be younger than the average PC gamer (or poorer), hence the arrogance of the PC user. It's all bullshit in my opinion, use what you can afford.

[Powerogue]

Was there an issue with this? I've heard of it but hardly ever seen it. Most of the time we're even playing the same games.

[Deleted]

Its the internet... trolls and sad people will find ways they can dismiss others, to make them feel superior or part of a group.
Its not limited to console vs pc, its everything

[stuck4cash]

Console gamers tend to be younger than the average PC gamer (or poorer), hence the arrogance of the PC user. It's all bullshit in my opinion, use what you can afford.

Tend to be younger? I'm sure you have some actual statistics to back that up?

I don't believe the hate actually exists all that much. Obviously there's some people that hate console gamers (and the other way too I might add!) but it's unwarranted.

Personally I have both (ps3, wii and multiple computers) and find that some games are better suited to one platform or the other. I find that sports games, platformers and racing games suit console (ps3 anyway) better whereas FPS, strategy and anything online are better suited for PCs. Consoles are also a must for multiplayer games as a LAN doesn't have the same social impact as sitting there (and nudging!) next to each other.

[Apellosine]

Or in a lot of people's cases use both?

I for one use both as there are just some games that don't come out for pc or that are just plain better on a console (my opinion of course). For example there hasn't been a baseball game for PC since MVP '05 and The Show on ps3 is fantastic, not to mention that many sports games control better with a gamepad over a M+KB. I still play many games on PC as it far and away has better specs than the ps3 for better quality graphics and the like.

p.s. you can be both a pc gamer and a console gamer at the same time, the 2 way sobbery and bitching is childish.

[Deleted]

Was there an issue with this? I've heard of it but hardly ever seen it. Most of the time we're even playing the same games.

I must be really unlucky, because i have come across this topic alot, especially amongst my friendship group, and their extended friends, half of them play consoles, the other half are hardcore PC gamers, im stuck in the middle playing both. Every time we go out it becomes an often heated debate about consoles vs PC. I guess ive just been around the argument so much it seems like its much wider than it really is.

[Calzaeth]

It's really simple. As long as there exists both an A and a B, some of the people who prefer one of them will be exaggerating the differences between the two. In all areas. And SPECIALLY when they find a combination of words that put people who prefer the other in a bad light.

Sad, but entertaining

Personally, I'm a PC guy. But come on, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart is meant to be played from a couch, next to whomever you're beating!

[Caiada]

Anyone playing on exclusively one platform for any reason other than cost is a fool and depriving themselves.

[vindicatorx]

I play both console and PC but I haven't really been playing the PC the past few months

[inux94]

I hate the console because it dumbs down perfectly fine games like Diablo 3, Call of Duty, Mass Effect 3, Counter Strike GO into a pile of mess.

I hate the majority of console players because they're narrow-minded people who think the console is more technologically advanced than PC/being scumbags in general

PC's are 5 years old, nobody plays on them

[Dacien]

I played a lot consoles when I was growing up; NES, Sega Genesis, SNES, N64, all that typical shit. I also had a 1988 computer I played games on. Now that I'm older and can afford it, I have a PC, but I'll pick up a controller on a console if I visit my brother's house. Both are good, I just prefer PC gaming. Mostly because I do everything else on my computer, so gaming on it is just really convenient.

[nefz]

Too many bad ports by greedy companies. Don't hate consoles or console gamers myself, but I can understand the animosity (however misplaced it is).

[cFortyfive]

Well I have pretty much every console here as well but I usually tend to only play the exclusive titles on them - for the rest I usually prefer good ol mouse and keyboard because pads tend to be too slow for my taste. And xbox live for instance is pretty much worse than twitch.tv, lolstream and youtube comments together so...

[Nadev]

My interests have traditionally been console games. Picking up WoW and SWTOR slightly changed that though.

My favorite games have been console games, but that's probably because I have more fun playing Super Smash Bros for 5 hours with my friends than pugging raids that go nowhere for 5 hours.

Also WoW's story pales in comparison to my favorite games. A 30 second post-Deathwing cutscene doesn't lend itself much character development

[Altrec]

I've noticed something when reading through various forums on the internet, and in conversations with people i know online and in real life. Alot of PC gamers seem to explicitly HATE consoles, now i can see why many people may prefer PC gaming, being one myself, i can see the advantages it brings, and I don't need reminding that PC gaming is indeed a great thing.

However I think alot of PC gamers have an unjustified "hatred" of console gaming in general, and i don't quite understand why. I own 2 consoles myself, I think they are great for casual gaming, when I just want to relax on my sofa and play whatever it may be, on my Xbox 360 or PS3, there are some great titles on those consoles.

But whenever I mention this to a hardcore PC gamer, they instantly dismiss it, spouting ridiculous statements like "Pfft, PC is much better, why the hell would you want to play a console" Well i can think of a multitude of reasons why some people might want to play various titles on a console, but trying to tell these reasons to someone of this mind frame is next to impossible, its close to fanatical the way they worship PC gaming. I'll give you an example.

I was reading an article about Diablo 3, this particular article was addressing whether there would be gamepad support for Diablo 3. While I can see there would obviously be issues that would need to be resolved before this could be a possibility, i thought it was a pretty neat idea, it might be nice to hook my PC up to my big TV, relax on my sofa and chill with a gamepad, that would be cool right? well, i scrolled down to the comments, and one guy said he fully supported the idea and that blizzard should do this.

Well, the sheer ammount of flak he got from the PC gamers was astounding, people calling him "retarded" for not being able to use M+KB, saying they couldnt possibly see why any sane person would ever use a pad, ect.

Now, I'm no "console fanboi" but it seems to me like alot of this hatred is very immature and unjustified, and its that sort of mentality that paints a picture to console gamers that us PC gamers are a bunch of "on our high horse" jerkoffs that look down on everyone that doesnt use a PC. Personally I don't want to be thought of as that.

Has anyone else encountered this behaviour?

Well a lot of it is PC Gamers are some what bitter about what console gaming has done to PC games; a lot end up being bad ports that feel way to dumbed down. Take your example of D3 as a good example if you add in support for a game pad you have to limit what can be done with the controls so it works well with a game pad, and things like that really piss off PC gamers.

I play both but I prefer PCs and I miss the feel a lot of games should have that get ported now. Don't get me wrong I understand the money in consoles I just wish with those extra earnings they would release complete games and proper functioning ports.

[Jtbrig7390]

To me a real gamer can find something they like in each type of game and console/pc i use to game on pc but the cost was a bit much so now after 3 years im back on xbox360.

i do want a ps3 and i had a wii. the wii has some good games like mario and resident evil the ps3 has some like god of war and xbox360 has gears with a few others. i never got why people just random bash something like all the bullshit back ps3 getting hacked people down the ps3 more now cause of it. like i told a guy befor a few months back xbox was hacked it was called the fifa hack cause tons of accounts got hacked and had fifa 12 bought on it. he said no that was xbox i told him no about a year ago ps3 got hacked and just a few months back it was xbox he got mad and left the party.

to sum up my point: there is something good on each type of gaming rig you use weather its wii/xbox360/ps3/pc just get what u can and enjoy it.
Also to add some people need something to bitch about even if they know there wrong they got to have that drama in there life.

Edit: Sony getting hacked i mean.

[Bigbamboozal]

Because they are to gaming what a flashing vcr is to cinema.
(ok really, I'm not that pretentious, like, at all....just being silly, with a grain of truth involved)

Consoles are limited, cost plenty, and do only that specific thing. Also to do that specific thing you must have an internet connection, and pay the console maker AS WELL...now if say a game that charges a sub such as WOW was on console...fuck that noise, that's getting too expensive for a game.

Also in a few years a new version will come out, and to stay 'in the loop' as it were, you will buy the new one.
I on the other hand, will get a newer video card, slap it in and make my computer continue to function for the life of that 2nd console, for less money (in my case), while continuing to do all the shit a computer can do that a console cannot in between all my gaming.

If there comes a time when I can sell my computer and rely on a console to do all the same shit a computer can, for the same budget and life cycle, I'm in.
Until then I will continue to envision console's as the flashing vcr clock, and we all know what time it is at Billy's house: TWELVE OCLOCK! TWELVE OCLOCK! TWELVE OCLOCK! TWELVE OCLOCK! TWELVE OCLOCK! TWELVE OCLOCK!

[Altrec]

Because they are to gaming what a flashing vcr is to cinema.

This person is a good example of why PC gamers tend to dislike console gamers as well.

[zorbathegreek]

IMO it has to do with consoles stealing titles. Look at an old classic, GTA. PC gaming made GTA a name, made the brand, and played it for years. Then, to combat piracy (more on that later) they move to console. This isn't all bad, it comes out for PC too, but when it does, it's not a PC game. Poorly optimized, bad peripheral support, low res textures, terrible user interfaces. This has happened for many many games. It drives me nuts personally, *cough cough skyrim*. PC gaming is making a comeback IMO, you can just require an internet connection and while people may gripe about it, it is a easy, unobtrusive way to pretty much stop piracy in it's tracks. This is a good thing IMO (And I've pirated plenty of titles in my day). The problem I have with companies moving to consoles to combat piracy is it doesn't work. For one, people mod their consoles and can play pirated games on them. Also, piracy IMO isn't that big a deal. Look at starcraft. Super easy to pirate, plenty of stolen copies over the years. What does this mean? Sure maybe they "lost" some sales (can't assume the people that pirated would have bought it if they couldn't). But what this did for blizzard is drive starcraft to be one of the most played and popular RTS games in history. Players ARE content. They play with their friends, they tell their friends about this great game, some of them will buy it. And in the name of fighting PC gamers feel like they've lost many good games to consolification. And I agree. but I don't hate consoles for it. I hate the developers.