Gaming is one of the most popular hobbies in the world right now. The medium has grown incredibly fast, since the late 70s and early 80s, when gaming consoles like the NES and the SEGA first came out. Back then, games were considered little more than children’s entertainment. However, today, children, teens, adults, and even the elderly play games without shame.
In Canada, gaming is a pretty popular hobby. Different people choose to play on different devices though. In this article, we would like to talk about what the best gaming device or console is for a Canadian audience, based on popularity, availability of games, and more. Without further ado, let us delve into the nitty gritty.
Smartphone
Technology sure has come a long way since the Nintendo Entertainment System. Nowadays, we have small computers that we can carry in our back pockets, which have the capacity to play games much more powerful than those early platformers. Of course, we are talking about smartphones. It may surprise some to learn that smartphones are the most popular gaming device in Canada.
That is because a lot of people don’t consider playing games on their phones “gaming.” However, these games are developed by professionals in the gaming industry; they can be enjoyed competitively or not, and they have some form of progression. Indeed, most smartphone games are no different than console or PC games. The same could be said for online casinos.
Once again, many people don’t consider online gambling a form of gaming. To be fair, online casinos fall under a different industry – iGaming. However, they do share a lot of similarities with video games. Nowadays, you have a lot of options for gambling online, such as online casinos that accept interac, mobile casinos, and more. It is for these reasons that the smartphone is Canada’s favorite gaming device.
PC
Computer vs. console is an argument that gamers have had since the industry broke through to the mainstream. Fans of consoles have their own arguments as to which is better, but PC fans come back with rebuttals just as strong. At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference. We can’t really say that one is better than the other.
What we can say, as far as Canadians are concerned, is that PC gaming is more popular. According to studies, 32% of Canadian gamers use PCs or laptops to play games, whereas 29% use consoles. The difference isn’t that great, but it is there. Some may argue that maintaining a gaming PC is a lot costlier. However, it doesn’t always have to be.
Nowadays, gamers are finding new and exciting ways to cut down on costs for purchasing, building, or maintaining a top-quality PC. For example, they may look for used laptops, or finding the deals regarding both PCs and laptops. The question is, why do a lot of Canadians prefer computers over consoles?
One of the main reasons is that most people believe PC graphics are better than console graphics. A lot of gamers say they don’t care about graphics, but the truth is, we like our games to look nice. The PC can make them look nicer. But, the top argument certainly has to do with the mechanics and controls. For some games, it is simply easier to manage with a keyboard and mouse (FPS games being a prime example).
Play Station
We mentioned before that 29% of Canadians are console fans, and consoles are their main platform for gambling. However, not all consoles are the same. Just as passionately as some argue PC vs. Console, there are those who argue Play Station vs. Xbox. Right now, in 2024, it seems that the Play Station is winning in Canada.
Out of the 13 territories in which Canada is divided, eight prefer the Play Station, and it is a top-selling item in those provinces or territories. There could be a lot of reasons for this, but the primary one probably has to do with the availability, affordability, and gaming library. Even if the Xbox One was cheaper, the Play Station has a lot more exclusive games (and more popular) that most people want to play.
There is also a lot of debate regarding the overall quality of the consoles, with most people seemingly agreeing that the Play Station is overall better than the Xbox. Of course, brand loyalty and history with the consoles that came before also impacts people’s decision to purchase the PS over the Xbox.
Xbox
Though eight of the 13 territories preferred Play Station, the remaining five did go for the Xbox. Why that is, we can only speculate, but again, it must’ve had something to do with the affordability, availability, and gaming libraries in those regions. For example, in Saskatchewan, most people would say it is easier to get the Xbox Series S, then it is to get a PS5.
That being said, it could also be a matter of personal preference. Though the PS5 does have more exclusive games available, there may be some people who simply prefer the games that you can play on the Xbox Series S. There are also those who prefer how the Xbox handles the hardware, such as the joystick shape, button-placement, and hand-feel.
There are plenty of reasons why a Canadian might choose to purchase an Xbox console over a PlayStation console. However, it doesn’t seem that most of Canada prefers the Xbox. Still, there are those that do, and the Xbox is the second most popular console in Canada and the fourth most popular gaming device overall.
Some Things to Note
The four devices listed in this article are simply the top four in Canada. That doesn’t mean that Canadians don’t enjoy gaming on other devices or handheld consoles. The statistics show that mobile consoles, tablets, and even smart TVs are all pretty popular choices. In other words, Canadian gamers have a lot of options to choose from when deciding how they want to game.