Windows Anyone else notice the lack of pc games in the shops?

hi all just wondering if anyone else has noticed the lack of pc games in the shops as i look in a few 'GAME' stores, and gamestation, and they hardy even got any pc games on display not even some of the new ones out, it gets so annoying, no wonder they think pc gaming is dying, you cant even buy them in shops lol, only place is the internet to get those hard to find ones, it quite sad though as pc gaming is just great

 

It's because PC gaming is dead, duh.

 

I think you may have it a little backwards

PC gaming isn't dying because games aren't available in stores and people are forced online, it's because the online sales have got so good hardly anyone buys at shops anymore...
and since many charts are retail-only, appearance is pc gaming is dying.

It's extremely rare for a person to have a gaming PC with broadband not linked up to it, so online sales makes sense

This is the quote to remember for PC gaming:

*replace with other pc distribution platforms as necessary, but steam has the lions share

 

My local 'game' has the games but their all at the RRP, so if i want a game, i buy it online.

It's video game shops that are dying !!

 

Do online stores such as Play, Gameplay, Amazon etc count towards these charts or is it strictly physical retail stores?

 

I'd say its a combination of direct 2 drive services and the fact that alot of the game shops like to deal in second hand stuff but pc games alot of the time don't really work like that anymore especially if they're steam activated/copy protected etc.

 

HMV in Poole had 0 PC games, as in zilch. GAME in Dorchester had a few PC games, mostly new titles at RRP. I can't see a future for PC games at retail stores.

 

Places around my towncentre, namely Blockbusters or Chips used to have a large PC game section about 3 years ago. Since then its died and has been replaced by the Wii (Shudder..) and Xbox 3 break-down-next-to-your-tv-in-a-pile-of-smoke 60. Yes I hate consoles but they're taking over shops one by one.

 

im surprised console games can be found in game shops, so much cheaper online now.

 

GAME in lincoln near me, always have a fairly good selection. I quite often pick up some of the 3 for £15 classics.

As a games shop though, they have to cater for the larger audience hence more shelf space for the consoles.

 

Our local game has a few, a few at Tesco but yeh not many. As mentioned online distribution is the way forward plus plenty of great deals from the various websites such as Amazon etc.

 

There are street stores that sell PC games..? WOAHHHHH no way?





I buy all my stuff from Steam anyways

 

Hardly surprising when you read this answer from Activisions "support"


.................................................. .............................................
My question (as I am unable to play COD4 or COD WaW, due to anti-piracy "technology")


What are the minimum system requirements?

Answer


Minimum System Requirements
Call of Duty 4® Modern Warfare ™ Minimum System Requirements

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS


English version of Microsoft® Windows® XP/Vista (Windows 95/98/ME/2000 are unsupported) Microsoft DirectX® 9.0c (included)

3D hardware Accelerator Card Required - 100% DirectX® 9.0c Compatible 128MB Hardware Accelerator video card and the latest drivers*

100% Windows® XP/Vista compatible mouse, keyboard and latest drivers

6X DVD-ROM Drive

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

CPU: Intel® Pentium® 4 2.4 Ghz / AMD® 64™ 2800+ / Intel® and AMD® 1.8 Ghz Dual Core Processor or better supported

RAM: 512MB RAM ((Windows® XP), 768MB RAM Vista®)

VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA Geforce 6600 or better or ATI Radeon® 9800Pro or better

SOUND CARD: 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatible sound card

HDD SPACE: 8GB of uncompressed free hard disk space (plus 600MB for Windows® XP/Vista swap file)

Multiplayer Requirements:

Internet (TCP/IP) and LAN (TCP/IP) play supported

Internet play requires broadband connection and latest drivers

LAN play requires network interface card and latest drivers

Important Note: Some 3D accelerator cards with the chipsets listed here may not be compatible with the 3D acceleration features utilized by Call of Duty® 4 Modern Warfare™. Please refer to your hardware manufacturer for 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatibility.

NOTICE: This game contains technology intended to prevent copying that may conflict with some disc and virtual drives...

..................................................................................................................................................

BTW this is also on Ubisoft Rainbow Six Vegas 1 + 2. is also afflicted with same "Technology"

The result of this "Technology?" ..You want to play the game...insert the disk that you bought and installed the game...and you get this message..

..."Please insert the correct CD in the DVD Drive, press ok and restart the application"..

Reinstalling does not work with this "Technology"


So what is the use of buying any games from Activision or Ubisoft, if you are unable to play the very game you paid them for?

 

They stock quite a few locally to me. The budget, two for £15 and two for £10 ranges mean older PC games also have longer shelf lives than the console equivalents.

Of more concern is that I spotted music CDs in Game the other day.

 

Has anyone thought that this may just be for Christmas? I mean, how many kids want a PC game? This time of year the market for 360, PS3, DS, Wii games is through the roof. If you were running a company such as GAME, you wouldn't want to devote time and space to a platform that's dying from a store point of view (as opposed to dying totally), would you? It's called business, and at Christmas, business is good. So you put out what will sell the most of.

Bet it will go back to how it was before after the January sales are over.

 

Online or from Game etc, I tried asking which games would load and run on WIn7 64bit!

Most of the answers were along the lines of, "Its up to the buyer to ensure that the game they purchase will run on their system as if you open it to try, you cannot get a refund"!

GAme, Gamestation, EIdos, Ubisoft just wont admit that they have not really prepared for most new systems coming with WIn7 64 bit pre loaded.

They must assume that 32 bit will last forever.

I am seriousley thinking of going back to 32 bit or buying an Xbox!!

Perhaps Bit-Tech, CPC and all the other MAgs should be persuaded to lobby the software/gaming companies for 64 bit compatibility if not 64 bit only as this is supposed to be the future!

Why buy a high spec system just to load an obsolescent OS? I could have saved 50% on my system and happily played all the games available adding to the delay in the move to 64bit.

Lets have all game reviews done on 64bit systems as well thus showing up those software companies who are refusing to move foreward.

Any comments?

.

 

Can't say I've had any issues running new games under Win 7 64bit.

 

Indeed, the only games that are likely to have any issues running in a 64bit OS are extremely old ones.

i'm not aware of there being any issues with current games

 

When they say that, I'm assuming they're talking about your hardware. IMO, I doubt many of the employees are that 'tech savvy'. Most likely be console/WoW players, so aren't really in a position to recommend.

As for the reviews, they probably are tested on x64 machines.

 

I'm on 32bit because i only have 2 gig memory, but i think most people are on 64bit certainly most of the gamers, custom-pc and bit-tech crew.

Also it's not the responsibility of 'game' to ensure 64bit compatibility they just sell the product.