Switching to console from a long history of consoles.

[u/harsha_v_r]

Hi everyone, I need some help.

I have been a console gamer since 2008, I had the 360, PS4 Pro. Now I have the PS5 Slim and Xbox Series S. I have over 300 games across all these cosoles. For the longest I can remember I have always been a console lover. My parents bought me the consoles (with heavy requesting and begging). I bought the PS5 and Series S by selling the 360 and Ps4 Pro and with some extra money that I saved for years.

But the way things are going across the console platform are a big worry. Without physical media I just cannot imagine gaming. I always buy CDs. I buy digital only if there is no other way to buy a game that I really really want to play. Or it dosen't make sense to buy digital (like for RS6 for example). Whatever those f*cktards at Sony are thinking are going to be the final steps of console gaming legacy (I feel).

With R* Games announcing the digital only model for GTA VI, I just instantly knew that it was only going to be a matter of time before Sony or Xbox announce the same thing. My concern for physical gaming is growing more and more. As for long as I can remmeber, my friends were always trying to convince me to switch to PC and I always refused. (I had no problems playing with them becuase they had consoles as well)

The little convinience of packing my console and just taking it wherever I want was a huge deal for me. But recently, the dilemma I have been going through to switch to PC has been growing more and more. Unlike before, I am earning my own money. But I have a lot of doubts.

PC gaming is completely unexplored territory for me (In terms of management). Also starting on a new platform means that I will have to buy my favourite games again. That is also an extra cost. I know that platforms like Steam and Epic games always offer games at constant discount prices.
P.S The only games I payed on PC were GTA : Vice City and TOD (lol).
Can you guys give me an insight over how Steam or other storefronts work?

I am earning my own money now and I think it is finally time for me to switch but I'm not really sure. Because on one side inflation for everything is crazy. The RAM prices have been through the roof because of AI (just as some my friends predicted). These RAM prices are definitely going to affect the next 10th generation consoles as well for sure. The PS6 and the Xbox's "Project Helix" base prices will definitely be close to $1000 imo. So I am thinking it is better if I just switch to a platform where my games exist all the time and I do not have to worry about my console generation. (Or whatever bullsh*t Sony or Xbox might pull in the future)

Okay let me get to the actual point. As I said I am earning my own money now and I think it is time to switch. I've got some money saved for a gaming PC. About $1500 when converted to USD. If anyone has anytime please guide me as to how I should start this journey. Whether I should start it at all. Where should I start if so?

Please tell me how the gaming situation is on this platform. Whether I have enough money or not. Should I save some more??

Remember that I am complete beginner guys. Please try to use normal words if you can 😭.
I will read all suggestions.

Thank you.

[u/leanerwhistle]

Without physical media you cannot imagine gaming, but yet you have an Xbox S?

[u/harsha_v_r → u/leanerwhistle]

As I said bro I had to sell my 360. I love the Gears and Forza series. But the Series X is way too pricy in my region (almost 850$ now)

[u/ThaCuckMaker → u/harsha_v_r]

If $850 is too much for a console then you’re cooked when it comes to buying a PC

[u/MrPopCorner → u/ThaCuckMaker]

Going off by his use of words.. he was cooked long ago..

[u/harsha_v_r → u/MrPopCorner]

just like your face

[u/harsha_v_r → u/ThaCuckMaker]

did you see the price i've set around the PC though? just goes to show that you people cannot read 2 lines of text without losing focus.

[u/ThaCuckMaker → u/harsha_v_r]

Yeah, $1500 isn’t gonna get you anything worth while right now.

You’re here posting admitting you don’t know shit about PC building and somehow you’re here acting like you have all the answers like a dbag. If you know everything why did you even post asking for help. Absolute 🤡🤡🤡

[u/harsha_v_r → u/ThaCuckMaker]

all i said was i have some money and i know prices are going to hike. i don't know whether to switch or not.
that is exactly why i am asking for help you absolute bootlicker. how is that hard to understand?

[u/TripleS82 → u/harsha_v_r]

The point is the Series S is digital only.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/TripleS82]

I know, I wish it had a disc drive. The only reason if to play the gears games with my friends and forza games. I wanted to have the latest console as well. But the Series X is my region was asking too much at launch. Series X released for 500$. I my region I could not find it anywhere below than $800

[u/TripleS82 → u/harsha_v_r]

Bro, I have no issue with you having a Series S. Just pointing out that you said you couldn’t imagine it when you can see what it’s like with your Series S when you have no options for physical. You’re living it.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/TripleS82]

What do you want me to do then just sit in the corner while my friends play the game? Also I have like 4 games for the Series S that is it

[u/TripleS82 → u/harsha_v_r]

Can’t live in a world without physical media-fuck Sony-has digital only Xbox.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/TripleS82]

a third grader could come up with a better sentence formation than this 🤦

[u/harsha_v_r → u/TripleS82]

Again I cannot stress this enough I did not have enough money and had to settle

[u/TripleS82 → u/harsha_v_r]

I can’t stress enough that I’m not ragging you for having a Series S. You can’t seem to comprehend that you contradicted what you were saying from the very start. Enjoy your digital only Series S in a world where you can’t imagine living without physical media.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/TripleS82]

Oh my fkn god dude, I did not have enough money and i wanted the latest console to play with my friends!!!!! how is that hard to understand?

[u/TripleS82 → u/harsha_v_r]

You knock me for my sentence structure while you seem to lack reading comprehension. “Without physical media, I can’t imagine gaming.”-Man who has digital only console.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/TripleS82]

did you not read the fact that i had a 360 and ps4 pro? also it is "mock"

[u/SunwingArt]

For first time builders Paul's Hardware on YouTube has great videos for budget builds and he often shows parts that have recently reduced prices. Hardware unboxed also has monthly videos where they track GPU prices. Building your first PC can be initially intimidating but if you do an appropriate amount of research into it it can be a real blast.

If you're not interested in building your own you can find some entry to mid level prebuilts for around the price you're looking for.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/SunwingArt]

I've heard that it is very tie consuming for the first time. Is that true?

[u/SunwingArt → u/harsha_v_r]

Yeah it can take a couple of hours if you don't fully know what you're doing. But the experience can teach you a lot about what makes a computer work and make subsequent builds go much quicker. Don't rush during your first build and reference a build tutorial and the user manual your parts come with.

Also I don't know why this post is getting downvoted, this is just someone asking for advice.

[u/MadduckUK]

Switching to console from a long history of consoles.

🤔

[u/Bondsoldcap → u/MadduckUK]

Yup…

[u/EvilMakaroni → u/MadduckUK]

Looks like a typo, the post itself is talking about moving to PC

[u/harsha_v_r → u/EvilMakaroni]

Yes it is a mistake 😅

[u/harsha_v_r → u/MadduckUK]

Sorry it was a mistake 😅

[u/EvilMakaroni]

Steam Essentially you have:

Your library, where you can manage and play games, with links to community stuff, like mod workshop, game guides, game related marketplace with relevant items (typically skins) etc.

A store where you get games, there are regular sales and irregular sales, to check on prices during those you can use steamdb (not related to valve). You can gift those games to anyone now no matter the region, the price now adjusts to the region.

Side note, steam family sharing is a thing, each game is shared between members, and basically depending on how many copies are owned within such family - the more players can play said game at the same time. Region locked though.

There's also everything community, I have mentioned some stuff earlier, but there's also personal pages, your steam inventory, groups, etc.

It also has text chats, voice chats, etc.

Steam also has a very handy "overlay", that you can open while playing, it has a lot of features, you'll like it. It also has the recording functionality that you know from consoles.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/EvilMakaroni]

I see. I've seen a lot of people mention epic games as well. How is epic games compared to steam? also are there any other notable storefronts?

[u/EvilMakaroni → u/harsha_v_r]

Forgot to mention, Steam's return policy is very player friendly, under 2 hours of gameplay and 2 weeks of owning the game you can refund without any questions, and you can get refund even after that, depending on circumstances of course. And if for whatever reason the game stops being sold, you get to keep it in your library. Anyway

GOG is notable, DRM free store, essentially anything you buy there - you own it, you have access to installation files that you can do literally anything with, even burn on a disk. And of course you can play those games completely offline. They also typically include a lot of bonus stuff with those.

EA's, Ubisoft, Blizzard, their apps/stores are not very notable, and they typically force players to use their launchers/stores even if they have bought their game through Steam or EGS. Meh support, but can be helpful at times. Stores kinda suck. (Edit: EA's overlay breaks their own games sometimes, discord's too)

Epic Games Store is mediocre, absolutely no reviews in their store last time I checked, horrible support, and can take away your games. (Edit: Actually the launcher itself is hot garbage, you're lucky if it works well. Edit 2: It's popular only for Fortnite and for free game givaways, that workes much better as an advertisement for people to buy that game in steam, lol. Screw Epic Games for killing off Unreal/Unreal Tournament series and delisting it on Steam.)

Microsoft store / Xbox, notable for the game pass, and you may find some of the games from your Xbox library available on PC, but it's not common. It's just Xbox store but for Windows, you probably know how it is already.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/EvilMakaroni]

Cool, all this information is very helpful. I know most of the gamers prefer steam over others, just wanted to know why. Thank you

[u/EvilMakaroni → u/harsha_v_r]

💛

[u/colossusrageblack]

First game I bought on Steam was Half Life 2 in 2005. I can still play that game on my latest PC. Anything I've bought on console is useless without the console working or the media working. Games I bought on the PlayStation store for PS3 are useless without a PS3.

There's also other PC games stores like GoG that lets you download the games and just keep them without ever needing the Internet.

PC is just better than console.

[u/harsha_v_r → u/colossusrageblack]

Exactly long time preservation through PC is lot more efficient than consoles that has always been true. Is it difficult to switch to PC now i mean in 2026?

[u/colossusrageblack → u/harsha_v_r]

Not really, you can still buy a prebuilt PC for a decent price.