Consoles are now branded PCs with DRM lock-in. Makes way more sense to buy a PC.
It's just not the same market.
And this one of the main reasons why consoles will continue to thrive. Because not everyone can afford to drop 3k on a gaming PC. Or 2k. Or even 1k.
I don't know what you're playing, but it's a joke to imply that games on consoles run without performance issues.
Anyway, just graphics cards, CPU upgrades, noise and ventilation... It's expensive and it's a mess for anyone except hardcore gamers and people who need a desktop PC that costs $2000 anyway.
For most folks a one time cost of $600 settles their gaming needs for years.
Yes, one can hook up a PC to a tv. No, that is not without hassle and upgrades. I want a box to play games and watch shows and movies.
The Nvidia Shield does exactly this. It has Android TV on it and can stream games either from your own PC or from Geforce Now.
Plus, I don't get to worry about updating drivers, checking system requirements, disabling cortana or all that other stuff. I can just sit and play. Maybe I have to plug the pad on the USB port to recharge it.
I guess in that sense console ARE PCs, just very specialized ones meant to only play games and some other entertainment apps which to me still makes a lot of sense. I like that thing in my living room instead of a big box that needs constant attention on my desk.
It's really sad that Stadia has flopped so far and that xCloud isn't any closer to being a thing. Nvidia's solution looks better, though still requires a Windows/Mac computer.
Maybe the Stadia announcement next week will have some interesting stuff, I'm excited to not have to worry about devices anymore and simply buy games I like.
But some people just like the convenience of a simple, good-enough plug and play solution.
PC Hardware is cheaper. PC games are also cheaper. And games are seldom console exclusives anymore. When they are, they're not for long.
There's no value to be found in consoles anymore. They exploit the tech ignorance of the riffraff.
That may be true for the Xbox but certainly not for PS4 or Nintendo games.
Could you buy or even build a comparable gaming PC for that much? Not really to up with all the hardware stuff... so curious. Guess you’d need to pick a case, motherboard and then find similar specs if comparing and compatible hardware combination.
Then I thought consoles were some what subsidized since they also get a cut of game sales. Plus targeting the same hardware sounds like a way to be consistent.
Do look up release prices. These consoles are old now.
And keep in mind they're not proper computers: They can only run a selection of programs, which are mostly games. Usefulness-wise, they aren't even comparable.