PC Games Comeback
Growth trends
PC games have been popular all over the world. Interestingly enough, it is only in the very recent past that mobile gaming revenues have overtaken PC. According to one study, mobile games revenues have overtaken PCs games in 2016. The forecast for 2016 for the worldwide games marketplace shows that mobile will generate $36.9 billion of the market, and PC games will account for $31.9 billion. Not a massive difference in a market that:
It is expected to touch $99.6 billion. It has ‘players’ such as handheld devices, tablets, consoles in it too. It is growing at 8.5% year on year.
There is also the fact that PC manufacturers are selling more than console manufacturers. Dedicated gaming PCs are changing the way the humble computer is perceived when it comes to games.
Multi-role
Unlike a gaming console, you can use a PC for other purposes too. So why would people want to add to device clutter! There are quite a few devices that facilitate gaming:
The Web VR systems Televisions and so on
Very few can match the number of operations that a PC can perform. It makes it a fabulous device at so many levels.
Game trends
One game genre that is making huge headway in the industry is e-sports. Gaming has taken a turn for the professional and people are coming together all over the world to compete in electronic sports such as battle games, strategy, and shooter games, and so on. There are actual tournaments that are held for global players, and people participate in them much as they would in ‘brick and mortar’ stadiums and games. The most popular games in this genre of electronic sports are available only on PCs.
VR
Virtual Reality is a rising star in the world of games, and even though this technology has its dedicated ecosystem of devices, it is also true that for the most immersive gaming experience including the ability to ‘teleport’ between different worlds, gamers may have to rely on a VR system that is plugged into their PC. There is also the factor of accuracy. Many gamers swear by the fact that playing some games like first-person shooter games becomes more accurate with a keyboard-mouse combination rather than a gaming console. It could also be argued that such a combination is faster than gaming consoles. There is a reason why PC gamers are not allowed to play in the same field as console gamers! The former can end up killing all the game characters of the latter! The future is very likely to bring greater absorption of Virtual Reality content into PCs, and this could also help the PC get stronger in the online games space.
The cost factor
Buying gaming hardware for PCs can be quite an expensive affair, but once you have invested in the same, it becomes a much more cost-effective way of playing games on a PC rather than on a console. One of the biggest complaints that console players have against game developers is the fact that they have very little control over the release of new games and the costs of the same. There are also game platforms such as Steam that are coming to the fore to allow people all over the world to buy not only PC games but also share content. Furthermore, the life of an aging PC can be extended with a few component upgrades. You do not always have to switch out the entire PC for better gameplay.
Connections
PCs also tend to have more ways of connecting to the internet when compared to consoles and handheld devices. They also give people more options to connect to one another as well. PC users can play across:
Different brands of PCs. Operating systems. Difference versions of operating systems and so on. Multiple types of software too.
Ownership
Finally, it is also interesting to keep in mind that a PC game is one of near-constant ownership. You can still access and play games that were in vogue 15 to 20 years ago. Yes, you may have to install a few plugins or mods to your PC, but that is all it takes to get started and own the game happily forever.
