Topic: People who switched from PC gaming to Switch, what was your reason?

Hi,

I noticed that here are quite a few people who switched from playing on PC to the Nintendo Switch. I wonder what your reason was for doing so, especially given that the PC has a much larger selection of games.

Do you think that Switch exclusives are better than PC exclusives? Or was it the portability, or the price?

I added a Switch, rather than moving away from PC, and the main decision for me was Rise. 2021 had been a pretty slow year for releases (the last couple of months haven’t been I know, but if you can think back to earlier in the year it felt like it went months between every release) and since at the time we had no clue when Rise was coming out for PC, I decided to bite the bullet as it was better than playing the same old games I’d already played on PC.

I will say, I ended up more convinced by the Switch than I expected, the portability - even in this COVID world - is something you don’t realise you are missing, until you have it. And being it is a fairly low end piece of kit from a hardware perspective, you can basically just plug it in anywhere and not have to worry about gimping yourself, which is nice.

Personally I haven't switched to a Switch from PC gaming. I just always been a PC and Nintendo kind of guy. I love playing Nintendo games, and their handhelds were always handy for traveling. I still play PC games, graphics look great and gameplay is very smooth.

There's only two things I don't like about either platform. For Nintendo Switch, it's going paid online multiplayer. For PC, it's DRM schemes some games use. Outside that, I still enjoy playing games on both platforms.

@chipia
1. Consoles are easier to play than PC.
2. Not everyone get into PC gaming.
3. Some peoples prefer exclusive console or handheld games library than PC games.
4. Consoles and or handheld use less Watt usage than PC.
5. Consoles and handhelds have physical release, PC don't have any physical release anymore.
6. A mindset that against mainstream.
7. Powerful machine doesn't equal true satisfaction.

1. ..... define "easier". Easy is just what you're used to
2. Meaningless point
3. And some people enjoy games that only exist on PC. More damming for this argument a lot of "exclusives" on consoles are only "console exclusives" and so do exist on PC. If you have a PC you can play Halo & Forza but also Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War and Uncharted. There's also the unavoidable fact that the traditional console generation model makes some older titles unavailable on consoles. I didn't have to wait for the ports of GTA Vice City to be able to play it on PC, I already brought it decades ago
4. Hardware wise consoles are just PCs with a locked down OS and a pre-defined spec. There are PCs that are more power efficient than consoles. Infact if anything newer PCs are likely to be MORE power efficient than consoles later in the console cycle. Because newer PCs will be using smaller processes
6. What does that even mean? "A mindset against mainstream"? You do realise that console gaming is the more popular way to play games right? You're not some kind of renegade for buying a Switch....
7. Again, PC gaming doesn't have to be 4K/120Hz+. That's the marketable and sexy part of PC gaming for sure but it's not the only part of PC gaming. PC gaming is also the Steam Deck or that 10 year old laptop. It can be the newest AAA game running at max settings or it can be Super Meat Boy and Bit Trip Beat on a hand-me-down netbook. Again, non point....

To answer the question of this thread but? I like both. Both is good, I've always done both. I generally will go to Switch when portability is attractive for the title at hand but also obviously for Nintendo's exclusives. But PC gaming is good for the larger catalogue and generally the lower prices for titles. That I can also run games at higher levels of detail and higher framerates/resolutions is just a bonus.

And in any case, I need a decent PC for work anyways if I want to work from home occasionally. My work basically requires a decent multi-core PC with 32GB of RAM for compile/debug. Adding gaming to that spec is just a GPU away so why not? When I brought the GPU in my current PC it was cheaper than a Switch new. That certainly wouldn't be the case now with prices as they are but generally PC gaming hasn't been that much of an expense

@skywake
I'm different and that's why I don't play PC games anymore.
I don't even care with AAA games on PC. I hate them. Too many rated M games. I don't even play games like that.
Also, I only play The Sims 1 & 3 games on PC used to be. Nothing else. Just only play those games long time ago.

@Anti-Matter And there's to many Rated T to E games On the PC, The PC has everything because of how open source it is. Its Gaming Internet pretty much, If you want it you can find it.

@Snatcher
I'm no longer have interest with PC games once I got my first 3DS XL machine that I bought from my salary.

@Anti-Matter
As I said, PC gaming isn't one thing. You can go for the super high end AAA games or you can go for easier to run indie titles. You can go for "mature" content or you can go for kid friendly titles. There are in depth strategy games, fast paced action games, competitive online games and everything in between. It's an open platform, it's not a genre or age rating or even a particular spec or budget

Saying PC gaming isn't for you because of one particular type of game is like saying Nintendo consoles aren't for you because you don't like Metroid. It's nonsense

I could never switch from pc to nintendo without playing ever again on pc. I play on pc only AAA demanding games. I use switch only in handheld. Bought it in 2018 for exclusive games, found that they have so many third party games, especially 2d games are amazing to play in handheld (hallow knight, dead cells, Ori…).

@skywake Thats what I was trying to say. but you said it so much better.

I am still amazed that in 2021, there is still so much misinformation and fear surrounding PC gaming.

@skywake
But I don't have any interest anymore with PC gaming.
I have moved on.
I went to consoles and handhelds path, don't even care with PC games anymore.
I choose consoles and handhelds since I don't need to worry about machine specs too much, just insert the disc or cartridge to play. And I like to collect legit games in disc or cartridge in box, complete with its cover and booklet. I'm still dinosaur when talking about video games and will not change my mind about quitting from PC gaming.

@Anti-Matter
This is a general discussion forum, it's not the AntiMatter show. You have a particular preference and that's fine, I have absolutely zero interest in changing your preferences. But that doesn't mean your internal justifications for that preference are at all correct

A PC is just a tool. It comes in many shapes and specs and it supports a wide variety of applications. Nothing you can say will change that fact

You can really tell that some people talking here don't even play games on PC from the way that they're talking about it.

For me it's really simple - it's age - My PC is getting older by the day, I'm still using a GeForce 1050 Ti and replacing everything would cost money that I just can't spent right nowbut it can still run some games that me and my buddies still play to this day
The other component is exactly that, age, a lot of my friends I used to grow up with and play video games on PC with either moved on or don't have a lot of time for it anymore.
Online games aren't fun without friends, making new ones on the european server is pretty difficult since either A) there is a language barrier or B) some people don't want to associate with me since I'm german.
So I find myself pretty often submerged into single player games and just pass time that way if I have some free time, that is :b

@chipia I switched from PC gaming to console gaming not only Nintendo for about 95% of the titles

I just love to have a dedicated machine and physical media! That is the main reason! And I grew to love playing games with controller!

But I still play on PC mostly exclusives like Heroes of Might and Magic series, Majesty, Zeus & Poseidon, Disciples Series etc.

I do both. Switch for collectibles and PC for better graphics.

I have a $2000 gaming laptop for 2014. It’s big and bulky though. Doesn’t last long without being plugged in. It also doesn’t work with Halo Infinite lol

Though most of the time, I find myself playing switch. Pick it and l, and 30 seconds later, you’re playing a game. Too much hassle to turn my PC on and wait for it to load. Stuck at a desk, or have to lug it around to set-up somewhere.

The only time I really use it these days, is when I plan to play online with one of my friends. Which is rare as we are all adults..

I have a Steam Deck order, but I don’t think I can justify paying $1000 ish (best version plus dock) for a handheld on par with my laptop when I’m content playing games on my OG switch.

Both systems have their ups and downs.

I'm in the 'why not both? camp and find that the Switch and PC complement each other well. There's the least crossover of all the major platforms in terms of the games you can get, and they do a pretty good job of covering each other's blind spots.

Fair play though, to those who've only got the time/money/patience for one.