Ah, the console vs. computer war. As old as consoles themselves, I imagine. Some think consoles are outdated and irrelevant in today’s PC culture. Others look at the shoddy PC port of Marvel Ultimate Alliance and say, “LOL, no.”

From my experience, PCs are the dominant force of “hardcore gamers.” Console lovers appear to be a minority, at least among those who pick one over the other. I say this because every time someone says they like consoles more, they inevitably have to explain why.

So I present to you an infallible argument for the console–the Playstation, the Xbox, the Nintendo this-or-that, whichever you choose in lieu of a desktop:

The best reason to prefer consoles over PCs…is because you prefer consoles over PCs.

That’s it. That’s why you should choose a console over a PC: because you want to.

You do not have to explain yourself to haters. Some people are genuinely curious why you make your choice, but most–in my experience–are only asking because they have a slideshow in the wings to prove you wrong because they like PCs. Like what you like. This isn’t some humanity-altering political decision. It’s a personal, stylistic choice.

You don’t have to defend why you like apples over oranges. You don’t have to defend why you like Burger King over McDonald’s. You don’t have to defend why you prefer rock to classical music or vice-versa. And you don’t have to defend why you like console gaming over PC. You just do.

When someone constantly badgers you on why you’re wrong to enjoy something (whether it’s better or inferior), they’re enforcing an elitist stance that only one type of gaming is “true gaming.” On the other hand, when we console-lovers go up in arms over defending our systems, we, too enforce an elitist stance that our way is right and theirs is wrong.

So don’t try to defend yourself. Don’t widen the gap between PC and console gamers by letting them prove they’re better than you or trying to prove you’re better than them. Simply say, “I like it that way.” That one little phrase says not only that you are firm in your opinion, but that you respect theirs, too. 

Honestly, that’s what the gaming culture needs: more respect for entertainment styles.

I’m a staunch believer in good art, and I know PCs and consoles have their differences. However, the biggest difference between them is each individual gamer. We have our own memories and experiences that we shouldn’t force on others, nor should we want to.

We like what we like. This isn’t choosing a presidential candidate; it’s choosing coffee or tea.

Don’t be ashamed to be different from someone else.