The video game industry has leaped boundaries since the day of the arcade systems. What was once a play-per-cents weekend fun has now broken through the doors and has planted its feet inside all homes. Be it the mainstream consoles like the PlayStation and Xbox, the handheld devices like Nintendo Switch, or the latest revolution with mobile gaming, games are made for every class worldwide.
Long before the games were made for pocket-friendly devices, competition between console and PC gamers was at its peak, and several games made for the consoles quickly found their way into the PC realm. But it wasn't as easy as it sounds.
Updated May 8, 2023, by Saad Tahir: The awful release state of PC ports persists even in 2023, effectively ruining some of the most highly anticipated games for PC players, while console players get to enjoy the better versions. PC Gamers are now wondering if it is even at all worth it to buy a game directly upon release. Although the developers have continued to provide patches and fixes for the PC versions of their games after the uproar by the PC community, it still is not enough to justify the bad release state of the year's best games on PCs.
Great Games That Received Bad PC Ports In 2023
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn followed the journey of an outcast named Alloy, as she ventured across forbidden lands to fight machines and save her world. The Launch of Horizon Zero Dawn on PC was supposed to mark a new milestone for PlayStation Studios and gamers alike, as it meant that more PlayStation exclusives would be coming to PC. Guerrilla Games' star IP was one of the best open-world games of the last console generation, boasting spectacular visuals and gameplay, which naturally meant that porting it onto PC was going to be no easy task.
At launch, the game was terribly broken with constant optimization and frame rate issues. Something as simple as movement was problematic, while some skills did not even work at all. However, the game has received many patches since launch and is now reportedly running great on PC. That said, the sour after-taste of the initial launch has made many fans question the dedication of developers when it comes to porting games on PC.
Hogwarts Legacy
Harry Potter fans were truly ecstatic to witness the release of arguably the best Wizarding game ever in the form of Hogwarts Legacy. Being able to play as a student at Hogwarts meant players could live their Harry Potter fantasies to the fullest. While the console version of the game met solid reception upon launch, the PC version left fans wondering what they had done wrong to be robbed of that perfect Wizarding World experience.
The PC port of the game was brimming with constant frame rate issues, stuttering amidst cut scenes, and glitches while roaming the Hogwarts castle which effectively ruined the immersion of the gameplay. Though Avalanche Software released some patches to improve the game, it is still far from being perfect given the capabilities of high-end PCs.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor (2023)
Star Wars Jedi Survivor was a highly anticipated sequel that was meant to build upon its predecessor in every way. The game followed Jedi Knight Cal Kestis 5 years after the events of the first game, as he worked to stay one step ahead of the Empire. The console version of the game became an instant hit with many reviewers praising it for its gameplay and scope, however, the PC version of the game was another story entirely.
PC gamers took to Steam and Metacritic to review bomb the game, following its disappointing performance on PCs. Developers at Respawn Entertainment issued an official apology following the backlash. While console players got to enjoy a true Star Wars experience, PC players were left to deal with multiple bugs, crashes, texture stutter, and frame rate issues. Beneath all the bugs, however, lies a truly wonderful Jedi adventure that needs to be played to be appreciated.
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
The Arkham Series has been close to the hearts of every Batman-loving gamer out there until the series decided to rip apart and self-destruct with the 2015's Arkham Knight. In comparison with its earlier installments, Arkham Knight was more extensive in terms of the graphics, combat, and the array of characters it boasted.
Leaving that aside, gamers playing the game on the PC were dealing with a different type of disappointment. The disappointing storyline aside, most couldn't even play the game. The game was riddled with bugs, constant crashes, missing or broken textures, and an unplayable frame rate stutter. Things got so severe that the game had to be removed from Steam. Unfortunately, the damage was already done when the game got a minor relaunch.
Metal Gear Solid 2 (2001)
The Metal Gear Solid franchise was and still is Hideo Kojima's favorite baby. When Metal Gear Solid 2 came out, it utilized the PS2's control mechanics in every possible way. As a result, the game was hugely successful thanks to the narrative and the gameplay experience.
However, on the PC side, picking up the game from GameStop was as crazy as a casino night gamble. Some worked flawlessly, while some had flaws that could break a Windows PC. Unfortunately, the fundamental flaw was never addressed. Still, exchanges were made available at a few outlets for unlucky fans who experienced a broken game.
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
The fourth installment of the Resident Evil franchise came out in 2005 and was initially intended as a GameCube exclusive. The game became an outstanding success and won numerous Game of the Year awards. Fans were crazy about it, and the PC gamers were stoked to find out about the PC port of the same game, and that's when the bad things came pouring on all corners.
The approach used for the PC version of the game was questionable. Firstly, the game did not have mouse support, and mastering the key bindings was as tricky as playing Twister or a spelling bee challenge. The worst part was that the game did not let the players tweak the keybindings, and even if they did, the tutorials and hints did not match the custom keybindings.
GTA 4 (2008)
Before GTA 5 took the world by storm, Rockstar's fourth franchise installment was the biggest-selling game of that time across all platforms. The game was better, more extensive, and had a very rusty color palette which might break the fan base into two. However, the game was lauded for its narrative and a more grounded cinematic approach to its gameplay.
However, when the game launched on PC, GTA 4 was massive and poorly ported. The game took a significant toll on the system configurations, even on high-end configs. It had constant crashes, and some even labeled it impossible to run on a PC. However, the studios did the fans good with GTA 5, which helped the PC players forget about Rockstar's blunder and celebrate the new offerings of the studios.
Mortal Kombat X (2015)
WB Games have been having a rough patch lately regarding PC gaming. From Arkham Knight to the more recent Gotham Knights, their games haven't been buttery smooth from the get-go. However, the most unforgivable one dates to 2015's Mortal Kombat X.
The game was making a comeback of sorts, and Mortal Kombat X was the first game for the then New Gen PS4 and Xbox One and promised to be a stellar arcade-like experience boasting multiplayer modes and tournaments. Unfortunately, although all of its promises were kept up, the game's developers had specific difficulties in keeping the quality of the promises. The PC port was bugged with weird keybindings, and the most intolerable issue of all was the whacky multiplayer connectivity. Players experienced frequent lags in the multiplayer mode or, even worse, disconnects during a mid-fight. Although it was patched up, players had completely moved on from the PC version, and the console versions found more love.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
The gaming world went bonkers when Sony announced that its PlayStation exclusives would soon be ported to the PC. With so many Sony IPs going on to become massive hits, yet the forbidden fruits to PC players, this news was the most welcomed since word of Leo finally winning an Oscar. One of the much-awaited games for the PC port was Naughty Dog's grand finale - Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
However, upon release, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection was met with more heartbroken fans than joyous ones. Despite the game working buttery smooth, it had a particular twist. Although players had system configs that could crush Crysis 3 (in a parallel world), the game would not work unless the CPU had AVX2 support. A few months later, a patch was provided to lift the AVX2 restraint, but the disappointment during the launch was not easily forgotten.