Computer gamers will be quick to point out the fact that PC gaming is the superior form of play.  They’ll quickly argue that the gameplay has a better flow, controls are easier and more customizable, even saying that the graphics are better, the systems load faster, and multiplayer gaming is supremely exciting.

While all of that may be true, why is it that console games continue to outsell computer games by a 5:1 ratio year in and year out?  Not only that, the console market is growing at a faster rate.  So with all of the technical facts stacked against them, there has to be at least one good reason for consoles to continually outsell PC games.

To put it plainly, there are many good reasons.  The first main reason console games so vastly outsell computer games is the uniformity of the system itself.  While new PC games are released that constantly challenge the maximum outputs of a user's computer, console games will always run relatively well as they are based on a platform designed for one system construct.  As someone who originally designed a computer to play Half-Life: Counter-Strike, I know all too well the pains of playing a game like Half-Life 2 or other newer, high-end games.  However, with the release of new console games, developers simply worked to push the Xbox 360 and Playstation 2 to their absolute limits.

While some will argue this point as a downfall of consoles, I contend that it is a major strength.  The ability to have a level playing field with gamers makes things more interesting and takes out the argument of a better graphics card deciding the fate of a gamer.

Another strength that allows consoles to continue to hold their favor among gamers is the group atmosphere consoles generate.  A collection of PCs LAN’ed together in a basement or in the lobby of a dorm building is often seen as a batch of nerdy kids with poor hygiene.  However, four friends sitting around one TV screen and battling in Halo 2 or Madden 2007 has more of a social feel.  Society often views these gamers as interacting socially, while computer gamers are viewed, albeit incorrectly, as introverts with social phobias.

Furthermore, another aspect that facilitates the success of consoles is the simplicity of the setup.  Nintendo's Wii has received mixed reviews for its control format which will use a simple controller and track movements of users to interact with the games.  However, picking up a controller with only a few buttons is much less daunting to new gamers than a full set of keys and a mouse.

How deep is the rabbit hole?

Consoles have also generated a huge customer base over time.  Computer gaming was behind from day one as consoles were relatively cheap to begin with (NES, Atari, Sega Genesis), compared to the computers of old.  The average gamer has been playing games for 12 years, meaning that the vast majority started playing on consoles, and not on computers.

The last major reason I’ll discuss for the console's continued domination is the forward thinking industry. Currently the PlayStation 2 costs roughly $350 to produce but sells for only $199**.  It seems odd that a company would intentionally sell its product while knowing it would be taking a huge loss with every unit that it sold.  However, because games are so cheap to produce, developers like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are able to cheaply release their consoles to the market.

Because the PC market is not exclusively built for gaming, the same strategy cannot be used.  It would not be cost effective for Dell to release a gaming PC for $500 in the hopes that they would recap the money in game sales.  That same PC can easily be used to write term papers, buy and sell on eBay, or to play movies and music.

By pricing themselves into the market by short-selling their consoles cheaply, producers are able to keep the demand for new systems high and generate enormous buzz at each new release.

While PC gamers touted the speed of their systems, frame rates of their graphics cards, and power of their processors, consoles still outsold PC games by 152 million units in 2005*.  Console gamers will be quick to remind those “PC people” that it’s not the size of the tower, but how many people play with it.

*Statistics taken from Entertainment Software Association research, 2004-2005.
**PlayStation 2 production cost taken from a Japanese press release through Merrill Lynch as reported by Gamespot.