Not PC and streaming: the future belongs to console gaming

Not PC and streaming

"You just replace the graphics card, download the new drivers and you're done."

Something like that, PC self-assemblers like to explain to you what to do when you are at your age -Otto wants to upgrade after tens of years, in order to be able to experience at least blobby volley in all its glory, often adds a cheerful "if you can put blocks in a shape cube, you can do it too". Simply pull the nipple through the flap.

Table of contents

1 Small hurdle, big effect 2 As simple as possible 3 Plug it in and have fun 4 Germany, now also with the Internet 5 Where does the controller go? 6 Rise of the machines This is usually followed by a desperate look from the person asking for help, followed by the slightly annoyed groan of the hobbyist, who quickly does the job for you.

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And that's why I say: Consoles will remain relevant in the future!

About the author

Not PC and streaming: The future belongs dem Konsolen-Gaming (6) Source: Lukas Schmid Lukas Schmid has been working in various functions at Computec Media and thus at PC Games since 2010, first as an intern, then as a freelancer, then as a volunteer, editor and now as chief editor for pcgames. de, videogameszone.de, gamesaktuell.de and gamezone.de. He loves action, adventure, action adventures, shooters, jump & runs, horror and role-playing games, you can hunt him with strategy titles, most rogue likes and military simulations. Every Saturday at around 9 a.m. he tells you in his column what is annoying or happy about him. Hate comments and love letters are welcome in the comments under the column, to [email protected] or on Twitter to @Schmid_Luki.

Small hurdle, big effect

Not PC and streaming: The future belongs to that Console Gaming (2) Source: PCGH Ok, that may have been a hasty conclusion, but you can guess where I'm going with my introduction. PC gaming is actually not rocket science. It only requires a little training time and a bit of tinkering, then you can screw together devices that do more for years than the current consoles do now.

The problem with it: It requires a bit of training time and a trace of craftsmanship.

Video games have now really, really long arrived in the middle of society. And with something that is enjoyed by Grandma Hedwig and Grandpa Günni as much as by cousin Susi and Schwippschwager Torben, there is also the need to use this something as simply as possible.

As simple as possible

That's why I find it difficult to agree with those who say that PC gaming is the future of the medium because it is cheaper in the long run, more widespread because almost everyone has a PC, and ultimately easier to adapt. This is all true, but only in theory. In practice, the effort that is seen as a minor stumbling block for someone who is familiar with the subject is an insurmountable hurdle for a layperson. And in the age of touchscreen devices, it is no longer the case that every household has a computer or laptop.

It is no coincidence that gaming with smartphones and, in front of them, the Wii is so extreme Thrust into the "blue ocean" the potential buyer has experienced. From this a new target group developed, which gradually wants more demanding games, but is still not willing or able to tackle technical hurdles around them.

Put it in and have fun

Not PC and streaming: The future belongs to console gaming (3) Source: Nintendo Best example of my mother-in-law: From hectic fidgeting in Animal Crossing and Endless Ocean on the Wii, it has evolved to role-playing games, action adventures and co ., which she has mastered quite confidently in the meantime; on her switch, in her household without internet, so that I always have to help out with updates via the cell phone hotspot, and maybe the vague reminder that she saw a PC remotely many years ago.

The plug & play factor will still be of immense importance in 2021. Sure, there are huge updates, DLCs compulsory online and all sorts of other inconveniences. Ultimately, however, the following still applies: If I buy a game for Playstation, Xbox or Switch, I know that the thing will also work, regardless of whether it is digital or retail. Nothing there with checking the system requirements, increasing or decreasing the settings and despairing because the image resolution is not what you want it to be. The new consoles also have different display options, but they are always optional.

This is why it works the potential objection not that you just buy a completely cobbled together computer and be happy. Taking care of things goes backwards in the run-up to the purchase, and as soon as the first time something does not work as you imagined or an upgrade is pending, as a layperson you are quickly at the end of your game.

Germany, now also with Internet

Not PC and streaming: The future belongs to console gaming (4) Source: Qualcomm For similar reasons, I don't see streaming as a new hot thing in the foreseeable future. There is no need to deal with the hardware, but completely new problems arise. First of all, decent internet has to be available at all, and that is by no means the case everywhere in Germany, even with the tech-savvy age group. If you move from the city out into the country or even just outside the city, the situation quickly looks bleak. While 5G plans are being cheered on in Berlin's government district, in some places you have to take a vacation to send a video on WhatsApp.

For streaming, you need not only fast, but also stable internet, and neither one still the other is given in many places. That alone is a big difference to film and music streaming, where you might not get 4K or have to be buffered, but ultimately this permanent stability is not that relevant factor.

Sure, Germany (plus my Home country Austria, where the situation is very similar) is not the world, and elsewhere the digital change is taking place much faster. You might not believe it, but there are even countries that are even worse off than we are when it comes to the Internet! Console connected and started, but it works everywhere, and if global uniformity is not at least largely in place, one cannot assume that a new technology will prevail. The makers of Google Stadia had claimed and maybe even really thought that the network expansion would take place faster because everyone would be so keen on their service - somehow almost cute.

Where does that come from Controller on?

Not PC and streaming: The future belongs to console gaming (5) Source: Google LLC And then we're back to the topic of plug & play, just in a different version. If it is up to me as a gamer which devices I stream with, which input device I use, which settings have to be made for it, then for many people we have already reached the point where the anger or displeasure about the necessary preoccupation with the infrastructure outweighs the will to play. I haven't even talked about the countless different providers and subscription models.

Rise of the machines

And that's why: console! No matter how often the end of dedicated gaming devices is talked about, I don't see their end as a given in a society in which so much speaks against the alternatives. More limited functions, a lack of upgrade options and, on average, higher prices for software are restrictions that many people are willing to accept and, in my opinion, will be so for a long time to come.

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