20 million PC gamers could defect from PCs to consoles by 2022

By Georgina Torbet April 28, 2019

Image used with permission by copyright holder

An estimated 20 million PC gamers could defect from their trusty PCs to consoles by 2022, according to a report from technology marketing and management consulting firm Jon Peddie Research.

The report suggests that low-end users (defined as those with builds costing less than $1000) are the most likely to make the switch to consoles. But as TV displays become better, consoles become more powerful, and more titles are available exclusively on consoles, mid- and high-end PC gamers might start to switch too.

Jon Peddie, President of Jon Peddie Research, shared his thoughts about the development of the PC market: “The PC market continues to decline because the innovation that took place in the past providing speed ups and clever new things has all but stopped, plus the product introduction times are stretching out to four years,” he said.

But he was not entirely pessimistic about the future of PC hardware. “This is not a panic situation and the GPU market still generates incredible volume. However, there are forces at work that we predict will drive some of this business toward TV displays and associated gaming services,” he said.

A senior gaming analyst at Jon Peddie, Ted Pollak, pointed to the importance of customization in the future of PC hardware. He described “the ultimate use model of the PC” as “a desktop ergonomic gaming/computing environment that embraces user choice and customization.” He also pointed out that those leaving PC gaming could be absorbed into other categories with a similar setup, such as a TV display which streams a cloud-based gaming system.

Although this sounds like dire news for PC gamers, the fact is that games are not going anywhere. Even as the rise of mobile gaming has siphoned users away from a desktop gaming setup, new avenues like cloud gaming and the availability of powerful gaming laptops have led more people to a desktop-like gaming experience.

Also, as consoles become more powerful and finally support keyboard and mouse, the distance between “console” and “PC” is shrinking anyway. If only console makers would make their products easier to fix and to upgrade with new hardware, PC gamers might make the switch to a console more happily.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Georgina Torbet

Space Writer

Georgina is the Digital Trends space writer, covering human space exploration, planetary science, and cosmology. She…

Gaming

What’s free on the Epic Games Store right now?

A player shoots an arrow in Orcs Must Die! 3.

Checking in on the Epic Games Store is one of the easiest ways to grow your gaming library. Epic gives out a free game or two every week, ranging from darling indies to AAA titles. All you have to do is jump on the Epic Games Store to claim the free games and they'll be added to your library to keep forever.

Keeping track of all the free titles and gaming deals can be a pain, so we're monitoring the Epic Games Store for you. We'll update this article every time a new game is made available!
What's free on the Epic Games Store right now?
These games can be picked up on the Epic Games store right now for free. Scroll down to the Free Games section of the app's Discover tab or find the individual title using the search bar. Just find and select the Get button to claim your free game. You do not have to download or install it right away.

Gaming

The best accessories to use with Delta game emulator

A table holding a DualSense controller, a DualSense Backbone, a regular Backbone, and an Xbox Series X controller.

Once Apple opened the floodgates and allowed emulators onto the App Store, Delta was one of the first on the scene. This Nintendo emulator allows you to load up your ROMs for all the classic systems, from the NES and Game Boy to the N64 and DS. With so much nostalgia suddenly available right on your phone, it's no wonder that Delta has become one of the most downloaded apps on the store. And while the emulator itself is fantastic, none of these games were intended to be played on your iPhone -- and more specifically, with the touchpad. Even the old Game Boy games can feel cramped and cluttered when you are blocking parts of the screen with your thumbs, but there are plenty of handy accessories to make your iPhone the perfect platform for Delta games.
Backbone Controller

The Backbone controller has been around for a few years and is the perfect combination of convenience and quality. It easily slides onto your iPhone and adds two thumbsticks, a D-pad, four face buttons, and two pairs of triggers. It's more than enough for any game you could emulate with Delta. The best part is that it allows you to view your screen with no obstructions so you can fully enjoy your gaming experience.
Razor Kishi Ultra

Gaming

Call of Duty competitor XDefiant is finally coming out this month

A character in XDefiant

Ubisoft's XDefiant, a first-person shooter meant to take on the likes of Call of Duty, will finally get a wide release and enter its Preseason on May 21.

Ubisoft San Francisco announced XDefiant in July 2021 and has held several rounds of testing for the game since then. It's a 6v6 competitive shooter being worked on by former Call of Duty developers, where the main hook is that each faction is based on a Ubisoft franchise. Series like Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, The Division, Far Cry, and Watch Dogs are all represented here. After years of testing, Ubisoft initially promised a wide release for XDefiant sometime around September or October of 2023, but delayed the game after a public test session.