Why I am a predominately console gamer

Yesterday, IGN released an article on why the PC version of Bioshock Infinite would probably be better than the console version.  A lot of the talk centered on how the effects would look better and the game would run smoother.

What goes unmentioned is how PC gamers need to pull that off. Namely, they have to invest in higher end PC's or build their own.  While I have no problem with that, I do have a problem with the continual investment.  In order to play games so they look their best, you must always have the top of the line PC.  And this level is constantly increasing.  When I bought Psychonauts off of GOG for my laptop, it was unplayable due to my processor not being up to snuff.  4 years later, my standard House PC can play it fine.  There's no stuttering, the images are smooth, and I can finally enjoy it. 

With a Console, you make a one time investment.  Okay, you could upgrade every six years or so, but at that point things will have improved dramatically. Here is Castlevania on the NES:

Here it is on the SNES:

Here is the N64:

And now, I'm skipping to the PS3/Xbox:

Will the PC version look better?  Probably.  I'm not denying that point.  Do I play PC games?  Yes.  I love GOG.com and when I can bust out steam, I do. 

But, in the end, does the particle effects truly effect the story? No.  Will it effect your ability to play the game?  Nope. 

Someday, I may invest in building my own PC that I can upgrade.  Steam and GOG has quite a few exclusive games I do want to try.  I learned how to play chess thanks to Lego Chess, which has no Console equivalent. The mods for PC games can be fantastic and it's a lot easier to find deleted content with a PC than it is with a console.

But until then, I'll be quite happy with my portables and my consoles.  It gives me exactly what I want to do at a less, overall, cost.