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Gaming Is PC gaming dying?

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Sifter3000, 1 Sep 2009.

  1. dreamhunk

    dreamhunk What's a Dremel?

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    I say boycott hardware companies that support console gaming. If you want a console game rent it or buy it used. Better yet boycott game devs that turn on you. The recession will claim alot of companies and alot game devs will lose their jobs. The cost of consoles will sky rocket. Hardware companies that support consoles will know they will not have any support from pc gamers.

    I also think console gamer do not relise that when pc gamers like to hack things. Them consoles look so hackable.
     
  2. s1n1s

    s1n1s What's a Dremel?

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    I'm not trying to smack down pc gaming or I wouldn’t have invested in a custom built gaming pc plus I was more talking about the gamers and not the pc gaming as a whole.

    I think it’s how I see what a pc gamer is I mean you should at least be able to run games at medium spec with good FPS to considered a pc gamer would you agree, where as when I played RTS games before on a pc I would only be able to play them at the lowest spec and still have average fps and really long loading times until I actually realised it was a lot cheaper to get a decent pc which I owe to this website and my friend constantly beating down on consoles as a platform. And I fail to see how gaming with your thumbs make it dumbed down (especially since the our thumbs are opposable thumbs which have helped us to evolve like we have).

    People have to invest time in finding out how to get the most for there money with pc and a lot of people would not know where to start I would't say it's hard to do it but that's because I know how to do it.

    To me it seems most pc gamers are like if it's not pc it's dumb.

    reason I brought up my friend was because why be so competetive when there was no need to be I could understand if you were in a gaming league or Tournament but for a game when you just want to play what's the point.
     
    Last edited: 2 Sep 2009
  3. aussiebear

    aussiebear What's a Dremel?

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    Gaming is pretty much dead to me...Haven't touched a game in over 3 years. (Console or PC).
     
  4. Nature

    Nature Minimodder

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    [/QUOTE]
    as far as i've seen my cousin, china's gaming market largely consist of crappy machines running what i regard as mini-games, mostly downloaded through QQ.

    and that, i don't think can be called proper PC gaming. gaming with proper hardware such as Crysis is where PC gaming should be at, offering better experience than consoles.
    [/QUOTE]

    Well there is cs source, WOW, wc3, a huge anticipation for sc2 and diablo 3, COD4, and nb2k9 gamer community with a unique net bar culture as the acronym "pc" doesn't work... more like "cc" community computer.

    Everything is low end dual core with around 50-100$ video cards being purchased for each machine... As time goes by we see performance trickle down to the masses and the more capable machines get the more well see less mini games and more Hardcore titles become playble for all....

    Though the mini game culture is played by girls and the legions of androgynis boys and will always have a strong market/demographic.
     
  5. zr_ox

    zr_ox Whooolapoook

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    Fantastic article Joe, and at just the right time!

    This topic will be debated until the end of time, or electricity, which will run out in the UK in 2015. Probably due to the amount of people running Folding @ Home.

    I dont see PC gaming dying as such though, it probably never will. Gaming in general however does appear to be going full circle.

    If we look back to when video games first became comercially available then it becomes obvious that they were more or less console based. Amiga, Commodore & Amstrad were my first encounter with PC's, but if I remember correctly then it was not really until around the time of the original Wolfenstein & Doom games, that PC gaming started growing in popularity. Due to advances in technology PC gaming seems to have peaked just prior to the current generation of Xbox, and PS3.

    The Xbox & PS3 have had the biggest impact on PC gaming since they do provide excellant value for money. There is no installation to worry about, fewer hardware problems and graphically are still quite good.

    Consoles will NEVER be able to compete graphically with PC's however thats not what people want. Its the rise of the casual gamer thats causing problems for the PC gaming market. Casual gamers cant be arsed with continual hardware upgrades, installation CD's, viruses, trojans, spyware, BSOD's and continual hardware upgrades. For the cost of a CPU and motherboard you get a console which will last 5 years +. More and more people are buying a laptop for their computing needs, and a console for gaming.

    Laptop sales are continuing to outstrip desktops, both in in private & business markets. They are cheaper, smaller and more energy efficient. We are becoming more energy conscious (those no longer living at home with Mum & Dad) and rethinking the need for high end desktops, because for 99% of people they are just not necessary.

    As far as concumerism goes we are at a higher level than ever before, which console makers realise. When did you ever see an advert for anything related to PC gaming in offline sales channels? I see Xbox and PS3 advertising daily!

    It's not the game developers that need to fix this, it's the hardware developers! If the PC platform is simplified, becomes more stable, hardware cycles slow down reducing the need for frequent upgrades then maybe PC gaming will reclaim some territory...that's a big MAYBE.

    You also need to consider the times that we are living in so see how PC gaming is at threat. We are busier than ever, more stressed at work and at home. People are trying to achieve more with less time. When we game it's casually, and often with friends. Gaming has/is becoming more social, try inviting your mates over to play Crysis and you'll see instantly why consoles are a more attractive gaming option. Consoles connect and engage people on a different level socially.

    I've always favored the PC because I think it's a superior platform for the games I play. FPS & RTS on consoles are horrible, however Project Natal may just redefine this. My current gaming PC is my last gaming PC for many of the resons stated here.

    PC gaming has also always been a little geeky. If you play online with your friends or at LAN's then Joe Bloggs labels you a geek. Whip out your Wii and he'll ask you to try, or whip your arse at Wii sports because he plays it with his grandson!

    PC gaming is not dying, but has lost it's footing because those behind consoles are supplying what the times demand.

    The way I see it, PC gaming will wane in popularity for a few years only to make a resurgance due to further advances in hardware technology, by that time though I believe that consoles will have solidifed their position at the top, not because they are superior gaming platform but because consoles are a brand, a brand is something you can market...Try doing that with PC gaming!
     
  6. tron

    tron What's a Dremel?

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    Hehe, you make PC gaming sound like hell. :) In my (long) experience of console and PC gaming since long before the TI and Commodore 64 (all the way back to pong games, and later, TRON), I haven’t had any bad experiences with PC gaming. In fact, most of my console-only gaming friends seem to have all the problems such as the infamous Xbox red ring of death and the DVD drives failing. Recently, I know two people who have had their PS3s experience an epic fail soon after their 12-month warranty expired (just in time for the PS3 slim).

    It’s an interesting point you made about PC hardware cycles needing to be slowed down, because I actually would prefer for this hardware cycle to speed up some. Tbh, I don’t think the hardware upgrade cycle is the problem due to the following factors:

    First, you don’t need to keep on upgrading, especially if your PC is more powerful than the consoles to begin with. Upgrading every year is only an option if you are like me and always want extra power. However, considering that most games are actually ‘multiplatform’ titles, then you only really need your PC to be as powerful as the consoles. If you then say that a console benefits from allowing you to avoid upgrading every year, then you could easily buy a PC more powerful than the consoles and then DON’T upgrade it for 5 years and you can keep your resolutions, anti-aliasing and texture settings at the same level or a bit more than you would have had with the stagnant 5 year console. But you would still also have many other benefits of gaming on the PC platform. You don’t have to play your PC games at up to 100 frames per second. If you hate upgrading, then you can just aim for a console friendly lower frame rate just as you would have gotten on the console. Upgradeability is one of the PC gaming strengths, and taking it away, or slowing it down would help to kill off one of the main attractive benefits of PC gaming.

    Second point, most high street consumers who walk into a high street store and consider getting into a new generation of AAA gaming do not think to themselves “oh, which platform should I choose to go with? Xbox, PS3 or PC?” They are more likely to say xbox or PS3. In fact, ‘PC’ wouldn’t even enter the discussion at all because of the lack of public awareness. Most people ONLY know about the Xbox versus the PS3 options for AAA level gaming. So the issue (or ‘benefit‘, in my opinion) of having to upgrade your PC isn’t even a concern that most consumers have, because they don’t even know that they had the PC option to begin with.

    If you know anyone who works in a high street game retail outlet, ask them for customer feedback and you will understand what I am talking about.

    Us PC enthusiasts are different. The ‘general public’ only know about the TV ads that they see. So they will be bombarded with Wii ads and the hardcore AAA gaming ads for the Xbox and PS3. But nothing for PC except the odd advert for World Of Warcraft. They don’t see ANYTHING on TV that informs the public about the possibility of playing graphically intense hardcore AAA games on the PC platform. They definitely don’t know that the best graphics crown belongs to the PC.

    Most people think that the only games that exist on the PC are games like solitaire (which comes packaged free with Windows). It’s not that PC gaming is being ’reduced’ by more people moving away from desktops and getting laptops, because most of those consumers did not factor in the existence of hardcore PC gaming in the first place. So they did not think “Should I get a power hungry high end gaming desktop or a low powered laptop for the home, even tho the laptop may struggle with modern hardcore games.” Some of us may have this kind of debate, but most consumers don’t, because all they know about is solitaire on the PC and they relate hardcore gaming to consoles.

    Even in a fictitious world where PC gaming gets equal advertising on TV, there will always be some consumers who prefer consoles for one reason or another. However, you would see a significant change in the ratio of console to ’Gaming PC’ owners. Could you imagine if PC games where advertised on TV. The funny thing is that most console games on TV are also available as ’multiplatform’ titles for the PC. But the ad will have a voice telling you that the new fantastic game is now available on Xbox and you must get the game now on the Xbox or PS3. Then they will show you an image of the console. This is due to the failed console business plan which requires an extremely high number of hardware sales in order to encourage software (game) sales to subsidise the loss-making consoles. The average PS3 owner has 3 games. So if Sony and Microsoft don’t see a big enough game sale per console owner, then they need to push an even higher amount of consoles into every home. This then reduces manufacturing costs and increases game sales.

    The XBOX CONTROLLER FOR WINDOWS is a great controller. I use it on the PC. But I also realize that the ONLY reason Microsoft actively supported the controller on Windows PCs is to ‘promote’ the XBOX. They could have simply called the controller a ‘Microsoft Gaming’ controller or the ‘Official Windows Controller‘. But they want to be able to say: “you can use YOUR Xbox controller on your PC as well as on your Xbox.

    Microsoft’s ‘GAMES FOR WINDOWS’ initiative ONLY exists to add an extra benefit in favour of Windows over Apple. So hardcore gamers know that the only option is to buy a Microsoft operating system if they want the best PC gaming experience. The only reason Microsoft continues to support PC gaming at all on Windows is because it would be stupid to relax and allow Apple to have the opportunity to eventually position itself as the gaming platform for hardcore gamers.

    Otherwise, if Apple did not exist, Microsoft would completely remove all support or AAA gaming on the Windows platform with immediate effect already.
     
    Last edited: 3 Sep 2009
  7. thEcat

    thEcat What's a Dremel?

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    You raise some good points zr_ox and I'm 100% behind your idea that advertising, honest advertising, would raise awareness and help promote the PC as a gaming platform. Some other thoughts as I was reading through your post:

    High end gaming PCs, while nice to have, are not necessity. This not only reduces overall cost, it also reduces power consumption, a power budget of 150w or less as measured at the wall, not derived from outlandish specs. should be adequate ?

    People buy laptops, people buy netbooks, people buy the cheaper Linux systems. I know some people, total computer illiterates, who are more than happy with their little Linux netbook, still market figures report a large proportion of Linux units are returned. Similar research shows a large number of netbooks are returned. I wonder if an honest poll of laptop users would show a significant level of dissatisfaction with regards to underpowered, though admittedly stylish, laptops? The simple fact is the vast majority of computer owners don't have a clue as to what they've bought, or should that be what they have been sold?

    Cost is an interesting one. The PC/ Console cost differential depends on where we are in the console cycle but this is just the beginning. Console games always seem to cost more than their PC equivalents, £10 looks common for new titles. £10 a game, say you buy 6 games a year this equates to a brand new video card every two years. Add the fact that many homes will have a PC anyway and it would appear the on cost of consoles is far from insignificant.

    Compatibility, problems etc. Thinking about this, Microsoft could, if they wanted, cure a large proportion of these problems in a single stroke. How? By including a dedicated 'games' mode, a start up option perhaps. In 'game' mode a limited sub set of the windows OS would boot, limited so only essential, and easily verifiable, drivers and services would be required. A second alternative would be virtualisation, a third would be the inclusion of all but the very low level drivers on a each game boot dvd. All that's lacking is the will.

    The social aspect of gaming is down to individual taste, and software support of course. As for the impact of modern life style I stick to the philosophy that if you want to make time for something, not just gaming, you will make the time available. If your duties and responsibilities make this impossible then I suggest to one and all that they examine the way they live their lives, you only get one bite at the cherry, you may as well make allowances for those things you enjoy.
     
  8. Krayzie_B.o.n.e.

    Krayzie_B.o.n.e. What's a Dremel?

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    I've been playing video games since PONG (yeh I'm old) and I have to say that "Gaming period is dying, not the P.C." The P.C. is ever evolving and is the originator of video games therefore consoles "in my opinion" will die way before P.C. gaming. Most video games on any system flat out suck. Thank you developers for your movie tie in games that are a complete waste of money and time. Thank you developers for your cross platform ports that are weak because they don't truly harness the power of each individual system. Like the Music industry "Piracy" is a small problem. Let's be honest, most albums released suck, they have one or two good songs and the other 10 tracks are horrible. Bad quality or value equals poor sales not piracy. Movies are pirated way more than video games but Hollywood isn't going broke anytime soon. The Dark Knight great value + great quality = $1 Billion dollars. The music industry is realizing it's short comings so that's why they now push Itunes or the 99 cent per song format. The movie industry is heavily pirated but they manage to to turn huge profits because seeing a quality movie in a theater is an experience that can't be beat no matter how great your home theater set up is. This brings me back to the P.C. and gaming..... for one make better games that will push our minds and hardware.Games on the P.C. have become dull and mundane. Developers need to realize that these kids and adults have the intelligence to build, customize, and overclock their computers, that Video games need to be more complicated and involving. Most games are exactly what we have been playing since Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo but with sometimes better graphics and better A.I.. The P.C. and gaming isn't dead or dying. The P.C. is just waiting for developers to stop being lazy and make games that will really bring out it's potential and push gamers imagination and hardware to it's "OPTIMIZED" limits. I play on all systems, The Wii is great because of the innovative games, fun of the controller and interacting with drunk adults while playing. I love the Xbox360 for a quick game of COD modern Combat online. The Playstation 3 graphical is awesome, MGS4 and Killzone2 immerse me into another world but at the end of of the day the P.C. is King and it's where I have the most fun because great P.C. games WOW, Stalker Clear Sky, Half Life, etc encompass all those qualities on one platform. If someone spends $300 for a monitor $300 for a graphics card $300 for a cpu plus other parts then money obviously isn't an issue for a $49.99 computer game. Now I'm not shelling out $49.99 for a piece of crap and most games are crap and thats why sales are low not piracy. Oh and bring back that quality seal of approval like Nintendo did back in the day when we went through this game recession before. People stop buying games because of poor quality so Nintendo made sure every developer made a quality product before being release on the NES "insert E.T. reference here". So stop blaming poor game sales on the P.C. due to Piracy because you devs make crappy games. I got my $49.99 right here waiting for HL2 Episode 3 and Stalker Call Of Pripyat no matter how buggy it is. Now I must get get back to my PS3 emulator hahaha
     
  9. devdevil85

    devdevil85 What's a Dremel?

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    First off, great article Joe. I thought you brought up some great points. Idk if anyone has brought up situations like this or not but here is one that I think applies to a lot of PC gamers out there:

    I've noticed how many of my friends have purchased brand new rigs ($600-$1200), spending every ounce of budget on their hardware only to be left with none at the end leading them to (un)-justifyingly pirate their games (in order to utilize their current investment). Can anyone else relate to this situation? Of course, the key for PC's success will be Digital Distribution (authentication). But wouldn't you agree that PC hardware companies (i.e. AMD/Nvidia) have too much stake in PC gaming to let it die that they will need to start rewarding developers more for utilizing their latest hardware or else there is no reason to purchase the newest PC hardware (thus making the console seem like the best ROI)? I mean, it has to be a win-win for both parties and right now it seems that the HW companies are the ones making the most $$$ based on the situation I explained above.
     
  10. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

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    Digital distribution is an easy thing to suggest, but the reality is that big companies like Activision, Ubisoft and EA simply won't let Valve and D2D control the space for long. There'll come in and try to do it themselves, meaning you'll suddenly need a hundred different log-ins and have to cope with all these different programs on your PC doing whatever.

    Imagine having a different digital distribution platform for each publisher. Brr.
     
  11. dreamhunk

    dreamhunk What's a Dremel?

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    At the end of the day facts are game devs are going bankuprt because of consoles. microsoft and sony lost billions on consoles.

    I am sure their share holder are not too happy. At the end of the day people are still buying pc games. At the end of the day the world still buys pc games. At the end of the day pc gaming is still a 60 billion dallor Industry. By the way the sales of pc may have went down, However pc gamers buy parts not whole computer and that market is doing fine. In fact the recssion is not impacting pc gaming that much.

    Oh by the way pc gaming has free games and are cheaper. If people buy laptops even better it means the mass market will be beay on the pc than on the consoles.

    then there is the fact pc gaming has stuff like onlive coming. console days are now numbered for good.

    here is the state of them consoles

    http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/05/e3-predictions/

    http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle6628517.ece

    http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/06/pachter/

    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ducts-playfish

    http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/0...rs-seeing-red/

    http://www.istockanalyst.com/article...icleid/3277020


    I just you jump to page to find more links there
     
    Last edited: 3 Sep 2009
  12. devdevil85

    devdevil85 What's a Dremel?

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    Isn't that the reason for the PC Gaming Alliance? to come up with a standard method/delivery system that all publishers/game developers can agree on, or is that asking too much?
     
  13. dreamhunk

    dreamhunk What's a Dremel?

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  14. Altron

    Altron Minimodder

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    It's a lot easier to justify $50 for the purchase of a circuit board and some chips - a physical product - than it is to justify that same amount for an electronic product.

    They've done studies, and people spending cash ALWAYS spend less money than people spending credit cards. The reason for this is that mentally, when you take the money out of your wallet, you have a visceral feeling of losing something of value to you. When you swipe your credit card, it doesn't even matter.

    I think the converse applies to this case. People feel comfortable spending big bucks on hardware, because they get a touchable, usable object to justify the cost. When you buy software, however, there is no object - just a small disc that cost $0.10 to produce in China, with lines of code worth $49.90 on it. That's harder for people to justify, which is IMO one of the multitude of issues leading to online piracy of games, music, movies, and software.
     
  15. Kovoet

    Kovoet What's a Dremel?

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    What I do see in the future is that all multiplayer games we will have to pay so much a month to play on certain servers as in some games already do

    But is there a future in games, yes there is but as much as there used to be as there will be a lor more made made by them selling console games.

    Unfortunately there is not many people out there that now much about which PC to purchase or even putting one together for gaming purposes, hence why FB manager does so well because it works with almost any PC.
     
  16. dreamhunk

    dreamhunk What's a Dremel?

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    the world does not play on the consoles they play on the pc. you can now enjoy what maybe the last generation of consoles.
     
  17. Kovoet

    Kovoet What's a Dremel?

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    I so hope that is true, damn my private time would be lost without gaming.
     
  18. dreamhunk

    dreamhunk What's a Dremel?

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    pc gaming will always be there, take a look at page 2 from this thread.

    here I am going to give you some links to look at

    http://www.vg247.com/2009/09/03/onlive-closed-beta-begins/

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/03/onlive_public_beta_opens/


    here is a list of games every pc gamer should know about

    http://adrianwerner.wordpress.com/games-of-2009/

    http://pc.ign.com/index/release.html


    here what is coming

    http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/54024

    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-larrabee-graphics,2253.html

    pc gaming will be beyond consoles and next gen
     
    Last edited: 3 Sep 2009
  19. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

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    I really doubt that very, very much. It'll be a long generation, but no longer than was ever projected at the start of all this and any attempt to speculate beyond that is pure crazy-talk IMHO.
     
  20. dreamhunk

    dreamhunk What's a Dremel?

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    don't even get me started the only countries that play on consoles are usa, japan, some countires in the EU. The rest of the world pc gaming is popular. china,india,germeny,sweeden,russia play mustly pd games that is just some companies

    you think wow is the only big tittle on the pc your mistaken.

    it is why EA when they put their hands into pc gaming they had to say that pc gaming is the biggest platform in the world ever

    http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/58497



    http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/pcs-the-top-choice-for-gamers/



    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7960498.stm




    pc gaming is so big the recssion has not even affected it much
    http://www.businesswire.com/portal/...d=news_view&newsId=20090527005416&newsLang=en

    http://www.gamespot.com/news/6210424.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;5
     
    Last edited: 3 Sep 2009
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