Two disclaimers before this thread:

1) I don't consider gimmicks as a bad thing. From what I've seen, people usually consider gimmicks as innovations that failed to become an standard on the industry. I think there are just innovations (remember, the analogue stick was a gimmick once): the totality of all these add-ons, special controllers and other devices and little tweaks that fundamentally affect the way a game is played.

2) I don't want to fuel the flames of Console VS PC. I'm just proposing a topic of discussion.

With the new VR trend getting more and more attention, both in the media and in people's minds. I've been thinking of the sales of other add-ons through history. From all the NES-Master System-SNES-Genesis zappers and other plastic toys, the original rumble packs, the motion sensors like Eye Toy or Kinekt, the musical instruments like the plastic Guitar Hero or Rock Band, the health related stuff, the explosion of motion controll gaming... Videogame consoles have always had a particular attachment to these kind of devices.  Some have become staple of gaming, like force feedback or touch controlls, but others came and went, lingering with some niche audiences, like light guns in modern consoles.

Considering even our current gen consoles have them in abundance, and the new VR tech seems to be really popular now, and this trend won't slow down any time soon. Compare this with PC gaming. Granted, most of this devices were made by the console manufacturers themselves (or were made with one game in mind), but the fact is there has been add-ons and other gimmicks on the PC space too: wheels and joysticks for racing games have been popular with PC gamers too, but not at the extent other devices succeed on consoles. Some techs are not very compatible with PC (considering the settings of most PCs, motion controlls would have never been as successful on PC like it was on the Wii or the 360).But the question still remains. Even with the recent VR tech, where the Vive and the Occulus seem like the more powerful and capable devices, it's the PS VR set the one selling out in stores before even being out on the market.

Are console gamers more attracted to gimmicks than PC gamers? And if they are, what could be the main reason?

If I were to take an uneducated, totally not quotable guess, I'd say it's because console gamers, since they don't have to update tech, are more akin to try new gimmicks that enhance the vanilla experience provided by the non-updateable console they own. Considering PC gamers do make full revisions of their machines may not find enticing doing certain changes to accomodate these gimmicks, since they have other accomodations in their sights first.

Since when is VR a gimmick?

OP explained it.

I think having a connection to a brand such as playstation or Nintendo gets all those highly invested in said brand more interested. PC doesn't really have that brand connection for its products as any parts can come from any company.

I'm sure if apple came out with vr tech instead of oculus it would be far more prominent simply due to its brand

No. To put it shortly console gamers span a wide variety of people. So, you are bound to have some that will like Guitar Hero, EyeToy, Kinect, etc. I also think that console gamers, in general, have more disposable income since, usually, 1 console is related to one household. I think PC gamers are divided into 2 categories - the niche enthusiasts, who are very set in their ways, and will play only games in a certain manner and the rest, who have machines that are not very powerful and play mainstream games like LoL, Facebook games or some Asian MMO. The latter category either does not have the means or the interest in playing anything other than the one or two games that they usually play.

I don't think any millatry force or brain chirurgy used Kinect for simulation like they use VR now.

Also how are steering wheels considered gimmicks???

Because if it looks like a duck, quacks likes a duck, waddles like a duck, if it hangs out with other ducks, it's a duck.

Here', re-read this part:

OP also referred to that part of yours as "gimmicks and other add-ons" or something like that. He's trying to establish similarities in order to create some discussion.

Depends on the kind of PC gamer.

There are many PC gamers that gleefully go after high-end specialty add-ons that quite honestly are unnecessary. They have an open checkbook for Titan Xs, a full racing-sim set up, multiple speakers, fancy keyboards/mice, custom painted/lit towers, gaming chairs etc.