This has been a long time coming, but I have made the decision to leave PC Gaming behind. I came for the benefits like the sales and the freedom to play what you want, but for me it is just adding too much friction to playing games.
The breaking points for me are actually two things, my biggest issue being all the extra steps required to just start playing. Shader cache, install scripts (DirectX is the bane of my existence), troubleshooting, messing with settings to get the game running how I want (even if I just stick to presets).
Then there is the Steam Deck in particular. Great piece of hardware and it can do so much. But I came back to it after spending a few weeks with the Switch 2 and Pokémon LeafGreen, and it just feels so bulky and heavy to me.
To be perfectly honest, I have been enjoying my time much more with the Switch 2 and PS4 Pro. Between the two they play pretty much everything I could want. And the lack of Steam sales doesn’t bother me as I have found, at least here in the UK, second hand prices for games tend to be pretty comparable to the average Steam Sale.
I think this whole thing has made me realise that it’s easy to get caught up in what works for other people. And that just because something looks like the best option in a list of pros and cons, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is best in practice.
Just wanted to get my thoughts out about this, thanks for reading.