Unlike the other gaming platforms we’ve been evaluating here at the end of the year, the PC’s been around for decades. Recently, the PC’s long legacy of openness and customization has come into conflict with a mainstream that’s finally—finally—realized just how big of a deal PC gaming actually is.
By and large, the PC is in a great place. More PC games are coming out than ever, and most of them are even coming out at the same time as their console counterparts. As a result, the PC offers a front row seat to the industry’s heaviest hitters and cleverest indies. On top of that, the PC’s back catalog is a formidable beast, a leviathan that even the most voracious players will never truly slay.
New companies are polishing up and re-releasing classics like System Shock 2 and Baldur’s Gate as well, so incompatibility issues—while still present—are becoming less of a problem. You’ve also got more options than ever as to where you buy your games digitally, though Steam is pretty much a must.