{"id":1179301,"date":"2026-02-14T20:35:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T20:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/L9vJELrYMrxouWCuqYswJ"},"modified":"2026-02-14T20:35:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T20:35:24","slug":"this-subreddit-dedicated-to-the-worst-computer-setups-on-earth-makes-me-weirdly-proud-to-be-a-pc-gamer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/this-subreddit-dedicated-to-the-worst-computer-setups-on-earth-makes-me-weirdly-proud-to-be-a-pc-gamer\/","title":{"rendered":"This subreddit dedicated to the worst computer setups on Earth makes me weirdly proud to be a PC gamer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

PC gaming can be an expensive hobby, so it’s understandable that many players want to give their big black graphics machine a surrounding setup it deserves. I get the appeal of having the neatest, smartest desk, or colour-coordinating your room with your peripherals’ RGB settings. I totally see why you might want all your merch neatly arranged in glass display cases behind you, or have a perfectly aligned triptych of screens to envelop you in Elite Dangerous or Farming Simulator.<\/p>\n

I, however, am not one of these people.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"Big<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Getty Images | mikkelwilliam)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My setup is a memorial to my time-poor existence and inability to plan. It’s cluttered with coins, notebooks, stationary, plug adapters, and random parts from toys my daughter has brought through to my office.<\/p>\n

My webcam sits atop a box folder, height-adjusted with three paperback books (two Stephen Kings and a Bob Mortimer, thanks for asking). Somehow, my headphones actually have their own stand. But I did not buy the stand, have no memory of where it came from, and the headphones themselves are held together with electrician’s tape. Oh yes, the rolls of electrician’s tape are also on the desk, because I haven\u2019t bothered to put them away.<\/p>\n

Does the state of my desk bother me? Well, it’s a little embarrassing to write about, though clearly not enough to stop me from doing so. And like a raccoon, I am generally content amid my filth. Indeed, there are only two occasions when it starts to get on my nerves: when I’m trying to find something and can’t, and when I see another gaming setup that’s far nicer than mine.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"A<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Future)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because of the way the modern internet works, the latter happens quite a lot. My social media feeds are often bombarded by Twitch streamers, game developers, and just regular gamers who have setups more elaborate than the bridge from the starship Enterprise. Expertly matched furniture, carefully selected wall art, maybe a few (well looked after) plants, and of course, all their Kirby plushies and Tifa figurines perfectly arranged behind them.<\/p>\n

When I witness setups like these, I worry that I’m the grubbiest gamer on the planet. But in such moments of existential crisis, I turn to the comforting swamp that is r\/ShittyBattleStations<\/a>. Created in 2011, this subreddit is dedicated to freaks like me, all proudly posting images of their mucky, messy, or outright bizarre gaming setups. You won’t see any magenta backlights or IKEA Kallax units here. Often you\u2019re lucky if the person posting owns a chair.<\/p>\n

There are three things I love about r\/ShittyBattleStations. The first I’ve already mentioned: the simple reassurance that I’m not alone. The second is the sheer diversity of dire gaming setups on show. At the least remarkable level are extreme versions of my own scenario, gamers who play surrounded by a dragon\u2019s hoard of detritus. Some have desks so jam-packed with stuff it\u2019s impressive they can play games at all, as a rogue twitch of the mouse would surely trigger a domino effect of cascading clutter.<\/p>\n

My lived in crap station I come home to every 12 hour shift.<\/a> from r\/shittybattlestations<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n