Someone with a PlayStation but not a PC would probably prefer Sony to buy the studio.

Only because the PlayStation is artificially locked down. There is no technical reason why the PlayStation (or XBOX) can't "dual boot" as a full blown PC into Windows, or Linux (it could run SteamOS like the Steam Deck)

Different strokes for different folks.

The console experience is still much easier. My Xbox Series S controller won't even sync to my PC right now.

I even brought the USB controller adapter since Bluetooth wasn't working. I have to find my old Xbox One controller.

On my PS4 I turn the controller on. Select the game, I'm done

It just works.

I prefer PC gaming , but lately I just want to chill on my coach, playing Crash 4.

I guess it's possible via unholy levels of customization to get a PC to wake on input via gamepad. And then open a GUI with full gamepad support.

* BUT STEAM DECK*

Great, PC gaming without Gamepass or official support for anything not on Steam.

A quick search indicates this not to be true. Playstations are just hardware you can't fix yourself when they break.

For example: https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/how-to-fix-bricking-on-ps5-17...

That's not what we're talking about . I'm taking about UX.

You said "the console experience". Surely that covers all aspects of using a console, not just the ones you find satisfying?

What are we even talking about here?

How about Macs , you can't really do anything to fix a MacBook Air if it just doesn't want to turn on the next day.

Same thing with gaming laptops. Do we really need to have a true Scotsman argument, is real PC gaming only done on a tower desktop PC that you built yourself. And for the HN crowd of course this needs to be running a customized installation of Arch Linux.

Yeah, but this is the reason why PlayStation is the most popular console.

Console gaming is more popular than PC gaming.

Since Sony is known for having high quality exclusives more people are going to buy a PlayStation than an Xbox because they don't want to miss out on possible exclusive.

This is literally the reason why you are seeing Microsoft buying up some of the most loved game franchises like Skyrim and making them Xbox/Windows exclusives.

It's costing them massive amounts of money compared to what Sony has spent on buying some of the best game studios in the world.

I wouldn't. Sony has a track record of fostering creative excellence with their studio purchases. Microsoft can barely get their studios to release anything within a reasonable timeframe, and most releases tend to be good-but-not-great. Something about the Redmond management just doesn't deliver here despite the exorbitant budgets.

Of course, my perspective is a bit different because I own both consoles.

Sony has been doing PC releases recently of many former exclusives from studios they own, like with Horizon: Zero Dawn and God of War.

That comes with 3+ year delay, which is definitely a bummer.

Plus a full price tag