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Close to the Metal Ep. 24: What can you do about a bad console-to-PC port?

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Close to the Metal Ep. 24: What can you do about a bad console-to-PC port?
‘Tis the season to game. The past few months have been packed with high-profile releases, from Battlefield 1 to FIFA 2017. Many of these major games will be available on not only multiple consoles but also the PC. And that…can cause a problem.

Technically, even a modest gaming PC should be able to outperform at least the Xbox One S and PlayStation 4, if not the PS4 Pro. Yet that doesn’t always end up proving true. Differences between the consoles and the PC can hold the latter version back, sometimes with abysmal results. In the worst cases, even gamers who’ve spent thousands on a gaming computer can’t run a title at the proper settings.

That’s obviously frustrating, especially given that modern PC games usually sell for the same $60 price-tag as on consoles. And many gamers are wondering if there’s anything that can be done about it. Will certain upgrades mitigate the chance of a bug, glitch, or poor optimization dragging down performance? And even if so, would the upgrade be worth the trouble?

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We take a close look at the issue on this week’s Close to the Metal, drawing on not only classic examples like Batman Arkham Knight, but also on new games with questionable performance, such as Dishonored 2. These games are beautiful, and look great on the PC — but poor performance, numerous glitches, and lackluster patching has sullied the reputation of these titles on the computer. Which is a shame, because these franchises are favorites among gamers on every platform.

Close to the Metalis a podcast from Digital Trends that focuses on the geekier side of life. It tackles the topics PC enthusiasts argue over in language everyone can understand. Please subscribe, share, and send your questions to podcast@digitaltrends.com. We broadcast the show live on YouTube every Tuesday at 1pm EST/10am PST.

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Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…
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