In 2022, the computer gaming industry is worth $200 billion and is expected to pass $280 billion by 2027. At no time in history has gaming been more popular, or more wide-reaching, than it is today.
A huge part of that growth has come from the mobile gaming revolution, but traditional devices are still going strong. In fact, in recent years, the once-dominant PC gaming sector has seen a large resurgence in popularity.
After decades of battling against console devices, both static and portable, PCs met their most powerful adversary in mobile devices. Convenient, simple, intuitive, comparatively cheap, and already in everybody’s pocket, these increasingly powerful machines have become the go-to gaming device.
However, no matter how advanced it becomes, a small touchscreen device cannot match a PC setup in all circumstances. Larger and multiple screens, complex sounds, varied controllers, increased power, and customizability help make PCs the most immersive gaming environment.
Millions of new users have been attracted to the gaming world by easy access through mobile devices. As they have become more serious players, many of these users have sought out alternate and more complete gaming experiences.
Whether playing MMORPGs, intense first-person shooters, or captivating online casino games, players have increasingly come to rediscover PC gaming. This has made, in some ways, the multi-billion dollar mobile gaming industry a recruiting tool for PC game providers.
Then, there are games such as Fortnite, World of Warcraft, and GTA that simply work better on large-screen PCs. All this taken into account, it’s easy to see why PC gaming has enjoyed a renewed boom in recent years.
So, what games are bringing gamers back to PCs in their droves?
Half-Life: Alyx
Released in 2020, 13 years after its predecessor, this Half-Life prequel is a game perfectly designed for PC play. Its combination of fast-action first-person battle and physics-based puzzles simply cries out for a big screen.
Half-Life also invites innovative new play through VR headset add-ons linked to powerful modern PCs. Long gameplay sessions, a complex story, and a huge variety of playing situations prevent mobiles from offering any comparable experience.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The in-depth role-playing content of the latest Witcher, set in a vast open-world sandbox environment, is a perfect PC fit. The sheer scale of this game and its voice-recorded dialogue mean it would be wasted in the mobile environment.
With a PC set-up offering excellent visuals and audio, The Witcher is a game players can become truly lost in. For absorbing RPG game playing, there really is no better alternative to a comfortable and immersive PC setup.
Online Casino
It’s difficult to think of a game type that has benefited more from mobile play than online casinos and slots. Whichever online casino provider you choose, the pick-up-and-play convenience of mobile platforms is more apparent here than in almost any genre.
When it comes to longer duration or live dealer games, however, PCs offer something a mobile cannot. A comfortable environment and multiple screens allow truly absorbing gameplay while making social interactions and chat functions much more practical.
Through online platforms, both mobile and PC options have helped make casinos more popular with wider audiences than ever before. Safe environments, easy access, and the ability to mobile seamlessly between devices have proved irresistible to millions of new players.
Final Fantasy XIV Online
Of all the amazing MMORPGs out there, Final Fantasy is one of the best and it deserves the best environment. If you’re going to be playing with people located around the globe, the stability of a PC is a must.
Complex worlds and multifaceted challenges such as the ones encountered here require serious processing power and large displays to negotiate. You can play an MMORPG on mobile devices, but it’ll never match the experience you will get on a PC.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Flight simulators have been a feature of PC gaming since the 1980s, and Microsoft’s latest is perhaps the best yet. Of course, the ideal environment would be in a billion-dollar moving capsule but, failing that, you’ll want a PC.
With the right joystick, screen, sound, and PC setup, you’ll get as close to a real cockpit environment as possible. Holding your 6.5-inch smartphone screen landscape and leaning sideways in your bus seat just wouldn’t be the same.
These are just a few examples of the games people are choosing to play on PCs for better experiences. Long play sessions, complex games, and immersive environments are all better enjoyed with a dedicated PC setup.
Gaming PCs have enjoyed mixed fortunes since they first became popular in homes half a century ago. Their rivalry with consoles and, more lately, being viewed as “work” rather than “play” machines has often affected their position.
When smartphones and tablets became ubiquitous, the role of the PC for gaming was once more cast into doubt. When it comes to offering a serious and absorbing gaming environment, however, PCs are tough to beat.
What comes next will depend on changes in technology and social trends and cannot be accurately predicted. Currently, however, all the trends are pointing to a huge resurgence in PC gaming around the world.
People are spending more money and more time on their PCs than they were just a few years ago. Software houses and online providers are also continuing to develop and innovate with the PC market in mind.
We will only know for sure when we get there but, for now, the future looks bright for PC gaming.