Living-room gaming
PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems offer a straightforward experience built around a controller, television, and digital storefront.
Accessible Technology
Games Today
Gaming is no longer tied to a cartridge, disc, or even one type of machine. Today you can buy games digitally, subscribe to large game libraries, play on a phone, stream games from the cloud, or step inside a virtual world with a headset. The technology that delivers games has changed almost as much as the games themselves.
Choose How You Want to Play
There is no single way to get into modern gaming. The easiest route may depend on the technology you already own and how you prefer to access games.
Large libraries and flexibility
PC gaming offers enormous game libraries, frequent sales, indie titles, community tools, mods, and a wide range of hardware choices.
Use the device you already have
Phones and tablets have become capable gaming devices, making games accessible without purchasing dedicated gaming hardware.
Stream instead of install
With cloud gaming, the game can run on remote hardware and stream to a supported phone, computer, television, or other device.
Access a rotating library
Services such as Game Pass let players access a catalog of games for a recurring fee instead of purchasing every title separately.
Step inside the game
Virtual- and mixed-reality headsets use head tracking, motion controllers, spatial audio, and passthrough cameras to create a more immersive experience.
From Discs and Cartridges to Digital Games
Physical games are still part of gaming, but digital distribution has become increasingly important. A game can now be purchased, downloaded, updated, and associated with an online account without ever visiting a store.
Physical mediaBuy a cartridge or disc and use it with compatible hardware.
Digital purchaseBuy a game online and download it directly to the system.
Subscription libraryPay for access to a rotating catalog rather than buying every game.
Cloud gamingStream supported games while much of the computing happens somewhere else.
Popular Digital Platforms
These services show how different the digital gaming experience can be. Some focus on huge libraries, some on independent creators, some on subscriptions, and some on games you can download without traditional DRM.
Steam
Why people use it: A huge PC library, frequent sales, user reviews, community features, automatic updates, and social tools.
Visit SteamEpic Games Store
Why people use it: A major PC storefront known for regular free-game promotions and a growing catalog.
Visit Epic Games StoreGOG
Why people use it: Strong focus on DRM-free downloads, classic games, and installers that can be stored for later use.
Visit GOGXbox Game Pass
Why people use it: Subscription access to a rotating library across supported Xbox, PC, handheld, and cloud-enabled devices.
Visit Xbox Game Passitch.io
Why people use it: A major home for independent games, game-jam projects, prototypes, and experimental releases.
Visit itch.ioHumble Bundle
Why people use it: Bundles and discounted game keys, often combined with charitable giving.
Visit Humble BundleConsole & Mobile Ecosystems
Digital storefronts are now built directly into consoles, phones, and tablets, making it possible to discover and download games without physical media.
PlayStation Store
Digital games, downloadable content, demos, and subscription services for PlayStation hardware.
Visit PlayStation StoreNintendo eShop
Digital distribution for Nintendo systems, including downloadable games and add-on content.
Visit NintendoApp Store & Apple Arcade
Games for iPhone and iPad, plus a subscription catalog through Apple Arcade.
Explore Apple ArcadeGoogle Play Games
A huge mobile gaming ecosystem spanning free-to-play, premium games, and cross-device experiences.
Visit Google Play GamesYou Don't Always Have to Buy a Game
Free-to-play
Many modern games can be downloaded and played without an upfront purchase. They may instead offer optional cosmetic items, expansions, or other purchases.
Free game promotions
Some digital stores regularly give away games for a limited time. Once claimed, the game may remain attached to your account.
Subscription catalogs
Subscriptions can provide access to many games for one recurring fee, although the available catalog can change over time.
Cloud Gaming: The Computer Can Be Somewhere Else
Cloud gaming changes one of the oldest assumptions about video games: the machine doing the hard work does not always have to be sitting in front of you. A supported game can run on remote servers while video and audio are streamed to your screen and your controller input is sent back over the internet.
That can make demanding games accessible on devices that would not normally have enough processing power to run them locally, although performance still depends heavily on internet speed, latency, service availability, and the game being supported.
VR & Mixed Reality
Gaming can now extend beyond a flat screen. Headsets such as Meta Quest and PlayStation VR2 use motion tracking and immersive displays, while mixed-reality experiences can blend digital objects with the room around you.
Meta Quest
Standalone headsets can run many VR and mixed-reality experiences without requiring a gaming PC.
Explore Meta QuestPlayStation VR2
A virtual-reality system designed for immersive gaming with PlayStation hardware.
Explore PlayStation VR2Other Launchers You May Encounter on PC
Some publishers use their own software to sell, install, update, or authenticate their games. You may encounter these even if you purchased the game through another PC storefront.
Battle.net
Used for Blizzard and related titles.
EA app
EA's PC application for its game library and account services.
Ubisoft Connect
Ubisoft's PC launcher, store, and account system.