PC Gaming – A Tale of Many Adventures.
With the gaming industry continuously booming and its reach spanning worldwide, it is undeniable that people of all ages and from all walks of life are partaking in the joys of gaming. From the casual family gaming session, to the lone console gamer exploring a new world, and everything in between, gaming is increasingly becoming a major attraction for many people. Today, PC gaming provides a unique gaming experience unlike any other. This ever-evolving form of gaming has provided gamers the freedom to accomplish their gaming goals and dreams, whilst giving them access to the technologies used by their most favourite titles. In order to appreciate the expansive tale of PC gaming, it is important to understand its complex past, current features, and the role it plays in the future of the gaming industry.
The Beginning – The Rise of PC Gaming
The tale of PC gaming can be traced back to its early roots as one of the very first gaming platforms. Its popularity was due to its accessibility and usage in homes, as well as its affordability relative to other gaming platforms at the time. One of the initial releases that embraced gaming on the PC was the classic Pong in 1972, followed by the smash hit Space Invaders in 1978. These early titles set the foundations for what would become the industry standard for gaming on the PC and the industry has since only continued to grow.
The dawn of the 1980s marked a significant shift for PC gamers. As the technology not only became more affordable, but commercially available to the public, the Atari launched its breakthrough title ‘Adventure’ which drew people in droves and sparked the beginnings of the computer gaming boom. By the early 90s, the PC had become the premier platform for gaming on and dominated the industry in terms of both its hardware and software, creating an array of genres to experience such as the first-person shooter, sports, strategy and many more.
The Golden Era & the Proliferation of PC Gaming
The early 2000s marked the golden age for PC gaming which saw a surge in innovation, pushing the limits of what could be done and what could be achieved. First-person shooters were a big hit at this time, with the Counter Strike, Quake and Unreal Tournament series leading the market in terms of both popularity and newsworthiness. This era is also known for producing some of the most iconic and beloved games such as Age of Empires II and the iconic World of Warcraft.
The PC gaming market only flourished over the following few years, with the introduction of high-end graphics cards, powerful processors and more affordable memory. This meant that PC gamers could now experience graphics, game content, and game speeds that had never been seen before. Now, games began to be released in more realistic levels of quality, with far more detailed visuals, more intricate story driven campaign modes, and more in-depth competitive modes with far more intricate systems. The ease of modding and user-created content gave gamers countless additional hours of entertainment and pushed the limits of the genre in terms of what could be achieved.
The Maturation of PC Gaming
Fast forward to 2020, and PC gaming is still going strong with its continuously maturing breadth of hardware and software innovations that have made it a popular choice for many gamers. On the hardware side, PCs are now able to run on even faster processors and graphics cards, with huge numbers of RAM allowing for incredibly intricate detail and extremely large open-world environments. On the software side, streaming services such as Steam and GoG Galaxy allow PC gamers to purchase and instantly be able to play their favourite titles with absolute ease and convenience.
In addition to this, the options for customizing a PC are more abundant than ever, giving gamers the freedom to tailor their PCs to the games they play, giving them the full advantage possible. From customised settings to multi-monitor setup with ultra-high settings, gamers are given the power and freedom to experience their favourite genres in a far more immersive way.
Looking to the Future of PC Gaming
The future of PC gaming looks bright with even more technological advancements on the horizon. With the advent of virtual reality and other emerging technologies, there are undoubtedly a number of possibilities for the PC gaming market to explore and become a part of. In addition, titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Microsoft Flight Simulator and Baldur’s Gate III are just a few of the many highly anticipated titles that are in line to be released in 2020, with more on the horizon in 2021 and beyond.
PC gaming has always been and will always be a source of entertainment and fun for gamers around the world. Its history, current features and the industry’s eye towards the future all make it the go-to destination for gamers looking for a unique, immersive and liberating gaming experience. With the gaming industry continuously expanding and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, the tale of PC gaming is just beginning and is sure to bring tremendous adventures for years to come.