Hmmmm, I think I'll join this debate.
Lets start with my stance. The Personal Computer (PC) is my best friend. Allso, Get the game and it's required hardware 2 or 3 years after it's initial release.
Lets move on.
The primary reason to enjoy a Gaming Console over a Gaming PC, Especially with an internet game, are the total and absolute lack of Viruses.
Viruses destroy computers, and about half of them are made by employees of Sony or Microsoft or any other company you care to name.
Lets move on again.
Media (read, music)
On a PC, your computer scans the disc for a program. When it finds one, it runs it. (this caused a very big problem with Recent SONY music discs, as the discs installed things nobody wanted, and you couldn't remove it)
On an X-box, the only thing looked for, is the music itself. Which means, you'd have to really try to make it screw up.
Moving on again, Controls now.
On a PC, you have more control choices. For example, I'll use an old game (Descent)
On the PC, the game was good, and you could use a mouse and Keyboard. But the besty way to enjoy that game, was with a Joystick. Preferably one with 6 or 7 buttons. And cheap, can't forget cheap.
On the Playstation, (yes, the game is that old) The game was only slightly worse. The biggest gripe, was the inability to Save anywhere in game. The game was perfectly suited to the controller. (which, I'll admit, was revolutionary back then) And despite the inability to use anything else, (due to not having anything else) it worked beautifully.
The twin sticks worked better than a single Joystick. As the one stick, you had to hold a button to do half of your movement. You'd just use the second stick (on the Playstation controller) for the up and down and side to side movement.
Again, controllers.
The PC, you can find a controller made to look and feel like a controller from most well known consoles.
The consoles, I don't care what you want, nobody will ever make a controller for them that isn't merely a bigger, smaller, or better arranged version of the controller that was first designed for the console. (as in, even if you Have a flight sim for a console, you'll never have a Joystick)
The only know exception, is if a Game requires a different controller. (Anyone remember that monster controller sold with Steel Battallion, required to play the game?)
Next, Price.
PC. A decent PC can be gained for something around $1,200 to $1,400 dollars. This includes the innards, the Screen, the Operating System, and the Keyboard/Mouse controls, and basic speakers (sound). Then around $40 to $50 a game, lets say 3 games. No, I'm not gonna say which ones. (and I'm ignoring the constant clearances for old games, like Diablo II)
For a Console. Around $200 to maybe $600, depending on what tech level, and what company. (not gonna mention the bundles) This gets you the innards, and a controller. And maybe a memory card, if your Console of choice supports or needs it.
Then you have to factor in that a decent Screen (read, Television) costs around $600. Yes, this is about a low-to-midrange TV. For a really good TV, its about twice as much. And Hi-Def, around $1500 for a midrange unit (this price is probably wrong.)
Then you need the games themselves. Around $50 to $60 each, for 3 games.
PC total: $1,550. Sorta expensive, And only slightly more than, ...
Console total, X-box 360, standard TV: $1,380. Mind you, this is only a standard TV, all those HI-def graphics you Console nuts are so proud of cost a lot of money, and isn't in this count.
Console Total. X-Box 360, Hi-def Tv: Around $2,400. This still isn't counting a decent Speaker system, but then, I do fine with just headphones. As in, those cheap ones that come with most CD players. About eh, $5 more to the PC price. and not added to the Consoles, because I can't find a TV with a Headphone jack anymore.
I apologize to any I have offended, and for likely price inconsistencies.
I allso apologize for the sheer size of this post. (it just seems really long)
