Last year, we ran an article about ‘How to Improve Gaming Performance on Your PC’. It shared tips on everything for optimising bandwidth, to choosing the right graphics card, to upgrading your computer RAM. To many with more casual interest in the topic, these may seem like fairly involved, technical adjustments to consider. To a growing number of gamers though, upgrading PCs is becoming common practice.
This has always been the case among avid PC gamers, who will often invest quite heavily in equipment and customization. But lately, the number of people embracing PC gaming appears to be growing. The argument for the superiority of PCs to consoles is getting louder (Insider even discussed 12 reasons PCs are “better”), and a few surveys have indicated in recent years that significantly more gamers use PCs than any one console. Naturally, growing numbers of PC gamers also means more people taking steps to optimise performance.
The other aspect of all of this, however, is figuring out what actual games make all of this investment and optimisation worthwhile. In other words, those who are getting into PC gaming also need to know where they’re going to find the games that justify their efforts. And really, five options more or less define the PC gaming experience.
Steam (and Similar Platforms)
While Steam is not alone as a platform from which PC gamers can download games, it does set the tone for the medium at this point. For those who may not be familiar with it, it’s almost difficult to describe just how much variety gamers gain access to through this particular platform. However, Polygon’s write-up of the best games on Steam does a great job of showcasing just how many options there are. This write-up includes major, ambitious games with high-end graphics (like Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim); massive multiplayer hits (like Fortnite); and simpler but wonderful narrative experiences (like Return Of The Obra Dinn and Kentucky Route Zero). And that’s all to say nothing of the incredible catalogue of PC and arcade games from past eras. Not all of these games require particularly robust PCs to operate, mind you, but to play the best of them on a computer, some of the aforementioned optimisations are best.
Online Slots
We associate the phrase “PC gaming” most commonly with console-style game or multiplayer competition. However, it’s also worth noting that there are untold millions of people who play games at online casinos, and do so via their PCs. And among the actual games offered at casino sites, slot arcades are the most popular. In the past, this might not have presented much demand for advanced gaming capability. However, slots have evolved of late to feature far more ambitious graphics and audio elements. As a result, playing these games on an inferior machine can now result in stalled or slowed gameplay. Thus, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that good online slot sites also justify common PC upgrades.
Online Bingo
Online bingo may seem more obscure to some than slots, but this too is an up-and-coming online casino gaming genre that’s been revamped over the years. Today it’s a category in which the best games — much like we see with slots — have bright and ambitious visuals, and move at a fairly quick pace. Additionally though, the most sought-after games in the bingo category now involve real-time multiplayer components. Foxy Bingo is a top platform and trendsetter in this particular category, and if you read through its own descriptions of games and services you’ll find a lot of talk of rooms, and buddies, and even a game called “FRIENDS Bingo.” It’s a communal activity rather than just some stale, automated one, and as such it requires reliable equipment and connections. PC gamers joining in on modern bingo sites will be glad to have capable machines.
Emulator Platforms
A lot o PC gamers nowadays also have an appreciation of retro material. Some of this material can be accessed via Steam and other download platforms. In other cases though, it is best accessed through any of a handful of emulator platforms across the web. These platforms make it possible to play anything from original Pokémon games, to arcade fighting classics, to Nintendo 64 classics all through a browser window. But they are best by far on computers that have been optimised for gameplay.
MMORPG Sites
A lot of PC gamers also enjoy MMORPGs, which are still often accessed simply through browsers. They are effectively their own websites, and while they’re typically just fine running on the average laptop or computer, a PC that’s been built up a little bit for more robust gaming will still produce a smoother experience. Visuals may be sharper, and there will be less chance of issues with lag.
Together, these categories cover much of the breadth of computer-based gaming. They also represent the best chances for PC gamers to take full advantage of any investments they may make in building up and customising their machines.
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