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Blog: Gadgets Three Perspectives on the State of PC Gaming
Brandon Hill (Blog) - September 11, 2006 5:17 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 17 comment(s) - last by GooeyKat.. on Sep 21 at 11:26 AM
Where does PC gaming go from here?

Whenever a new gaming console is released, the old "Console vs PC" debate is waged once again. It happened when the XBOX 360 was released and it's happening again with the PlayStation 3's upcoming release. We've seen some rather outspoken comments on the matter from Epic's Mark Rein who blames Intel’s embrace of underperforming integrated graphics solutions on desktops and notebooks for the decline in PC gaming sales. Rein followed up by saying that retail outlets are putting more focus on selling console games while relegating PC games to second-tier status.

The folks at Gamasutra wanted to get some analyst insights on the current state of PC gaming and gathered commentary from Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter, Screen Digest's Ed Barton, and DFC Intelligence's David Cole. When asked about the current state of the PC games market, this is what Michael Pachter had to say:

"The PC games market is becoming a niche, substantial in size, but a niche nonetheless. There will always be PC games, and the MMOs are likely going to remain PC-based because of the required Internet connection. There are also games that just make sense on a PC, like RPG, RTS and certain puzzle games…the relatively high costs of developing console games could keep a steady supply of PC games coming as a low-cost alternative (to produce). The digital distribution model is probably going to be extremely limited and packaged products will likely rule for a long time.”

David Cole had a slightly different perspective on the matter:

"The PC game business more than ever is an essential part of the overall game industry. It is at the cutting edge of new trends and has a very diversified consumer base. Unfortunately, being at the cutting edge is not always the most profitable place to be.”

Gamasutra also takes the time to ask the analysts their thoughts on piracy with PC-based games as well as Microsoft’s role in PC gaming with Windows Vista. With the increasing popularity of online-based console gaming and the thriving community as witnessed by Microsoft’s XBOX Live and forthcoming free online services from Nintendo and Sony, many PC gamers are jumping ship.  

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By rushfan2006 on 9/12/2006 2:48:02 PM , Rating: 5
I can fully understand why consoles are so attractive today and likewise why they have dominated videogame stores and pushed PC titles to the "dark lonely corner" in exile.

Most people just want to play games - they don't want to fuss with drivers/configuring an OS, etc. Then of course you look at the price tag for a nice gaming rig to produce sweet graphics, sound and Internet play and you compare it to say an Xbox 360. Hmmm..drop $2,000 or drop $500-600? Obviously most people just opt for the "cheaper" console option.

I however, am different. After 20+ years of being a computer gamer first and foremost, my liking for PC games hasn't weakened at all. First I enjoy tinkering with PCs, I actually have "FUN" building a new gaming rig every other year. I like the control of options I have that consoles don't give me...I can add increasing better graphics, sound, storage or processing capiblities through the useful life of my PC - doing the same with a console basically means you wait for the 3-5 years between console generations to get increased abilities.

But most importantly I use my PC for many things, not just gaming, finances, research, booking trips online, keeping in touch with friends who live across the country from me, some minor video editing work and a light hobby of music mixing. This stuff can't be done on a console. Not to mention consoles, still have a very very long road to tread before they offer the variety and shear quantities of mods, maps and the like for various games. I was laughing once when I had a similar debate with a console diehard, they said "Dude are you stupid...Xbox has Internet and you can get maps and levels for games ".....

Not that a console has a version of World of Warcraft, but for example purposes....go online and look at all the add-ons you can download for that game....there is simply no comparison in the console world.




By tuteja1986 on 9/13/2006 10:36:09 AM , Rating: 1
XBOX has done some real Innovation in Live but i think Microsoft is about to screw it all if they go ahead with a new buying scam where if your stuck in a level in game ... you could resume and buy extra health or amour or ammo or god mod for that level with real money.

But currently I prefer XBOX live system, its heck of a lot easier to use and I would love it when its out on PC because getting everyone together to do a clan raid in world of War craft is hard and you find all the goons, that are doing something else on the computer or playing different games. one Xbox live at least i can send them a message and they will receive while they are playing their game.

Well anyways i will see this service when they release Windows Vista Live anywhere.


By hughlle on 9/13/2006 12:25:57 PM , Rating: 2
its called x-fire dude :D


By rushfan2006 on 9/14/2006 10:05:06 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
But currently I prefer XBOX live system, its heck of a lot easier to use and I would love it when its out on PC because getting everyone together to do a clan raid in world of War craft is hard and you find all the goons, that are doing something else on the computer or playing different games. one Xbox live at least i can send them a message and they will receive while they are playing their game.


I was following you until you used the WoW raid example. That's where you confused me and lost me. Unless you aren't in a guild or your guild is inept (in which case why do you put up with it and stay?) -- its cake to form a guild raid. Our guild for example has a signup process posted at least 2-3 days prior to each raid, folks interested sign up ahead of time...come raid day...got a full raid group, no muss, no fuss...just fun. ;)



if MS wanted the 360 to kill the gaming pc . . .
By SurreDeth on 9/12/2006 2:40:54 PM , Rating: 2
why didn't they let us use a mouse/kb for fps?




RE: if MS wanted the 360 to kill the gaming pc . . .
By Alpha4 on 9/12/2006 4:28:31 PM , Rating: 2
Thats a great question. It seemed to work well enough for the Dreamcast, and that console required a proprietary mouse & keyboard bundle. The Xbox 360 is equipped to use Legacy Mouse & Keyboards. Maybe they don't want to lose profits from controllers to generic PC equipment.


By tuteja1986 on 9/13/2006 10:26:23 AM , Rating: 2
Microsoft has no plans to kill PC gaming... Instead they have started to Spend some cash in PC gaming. They are launching a Official Games for Windows Magazine, Started a program called Games for Windows and they are getting partners on board that will have some sort of unified box game retail box , new PC gaming stands at your local EB/bestbuy/ect , Windows Vista will launch with Live any where which will loads of online feature and PC game under games for window will have achievement points just like on XBOX 360. Also Microsoft has more little surprise at XO6.


Hmm...
By Enoch2001 on 9/12/2006 11:43:30 AM , Rating: 1
Honestly, I used to be a die-hard PC gamer through in through, simply because of the upper-hand in graphics and the preference of keyboard/mouse in first-person-shooters, which tends to be my preference.

However, now that the 360 and soon-to-be-released PS3 will offer hi-def gaming and comparable graphics of even the most expensive PC graphics card, I'm finding myself hard pressed not to embrace the leading consoles.

*shrugs*




RE: Hmm...
By Garreye on 9/13/2006 11:34:11 AM , Rating: 2
The problem with this is that it wont last. PC graphics are already pulling ahead of 360 and PS3 graphics. In another year PC graphics will again be way better than all the consoles.

However, the price for the graphics on 360 and PS3 are good compared to PCs as you would probably have to pay around $400 for equivalent PC graphics and an entire gaming console cost $500-600.

You could also argue that graphics should be second to gameplay, so if a console has better games than who cares about graphics really, wii anyone?


RE: Hmm...
By GooeyKat on 9/21/2006 11:02:30 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Text
PC graphics are already pulling ahead of 360
quote:
Text


Exactly, PC Graphics are already ahead of the 360 and that platform was just released in December '05 (and most people, due to the short supply didn't actually get one until the end of March). Between Nvidia and ATI, there are probably 10 video cards on the market right now for the PC that perform at or better than the 360. The PS3 will probably take a bit longer but I have no doubt that within a matter of months PC graphics will overtake it as well.


pc vs console
By omegamordred on 9/13/2006 5:23:35 AM , Rating: 1
How can a console EVER be better than a pc?
Face it..............im looking at 1680x1050 Res on a 20inch widescreen, if u guys with a TV set wanna get ever that high in resolution you're looking at twice the screensize........
U dont need calculations to see which will display finer graphics.
Without the pc market there wouldnt even have been a console market.
Not to mention that console is arcade gameplay all the way, and it arent alwyas teenagers who play games.

-M-




RE: pc vs console
By ajfink on 9/14/2006 7:48:07 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, talk about bias.

I play both console and PC games, and I enjoy both. That being said, I do play them a lot more on my Xbox 360 than on my PC, because there are simply more console games out now that entertain me more than PC games. Of course, RPG and RTS games really don't have decent counterparts on consoles, so in that area, there is no substitute for a PC. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing my Xbox 360 pick up more features similar to a PC.

Once Vista comes out and ATI and nVidia release their next big generation of graphics cards, there very well may be a noticeable difference between a high-end PC and a console, but that doesn't mean there won't still be good console-only games. I am really excited for the Wii.

Apples and oranges, mates.


RE: pc vs console
By GooeyKat on 9/21/2006 11:26:29 AM , Rating: 2
"Apples and oranges"

I'm not so sure, I'm looking at the top rated 360 games right now and most of them you can get for the PC as well. While the reverse is not true, many of the very best PC games don't appear on the 360 (HL2, WoW, FEAR, Civ4, BF2, Guild Wars). Here is the reality, consoles do really well with FPS and action oriented games but not so well with RTS, RPG or MMOs. While a PC doesn't have this limitation. Don't like a mouse and keyboard while your playing your favorite FPS? Last time I checked they sell controllers for the PC as well.


...
By RandomFool on 9/13/2006 5:00:56 PM , Rating: 2
As a former hardcore gamer I have to say I was shocked when I went into EB Games the other week and saw they had only one tiny little rack of PC games availible and the rest of the store was PS2, GC, and XBOX. I remember going there almost weekly to buy games and half the store was just PC games.

PC games got boring for me and became to focused on being the next greatest thing and focused less on great stories and gameplay. I'm sure there are exceptions but not enough to keep me interested in buying them. Now I find it's more fun to play older console games. I'm even considering getting a Wii if it manages to live up to all the hype about making games fun again.




RE: ...
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 9/14/2006 6:58:07 AM , Rating: 2
The main difference is that with PC Games, if you do it right (like most modern FPS games), the community around the game will mod it and make it a more desireably product, if only you release the tools and whatnot for it.

Can't do that with consoles. Best game to make an example with is Oblivion. Check out what mods/add-ins you can get for PC, and then with Xbox Live. No contest.

Case in point however, yes for good gaming and less headaches, console gaming is the way to go, unless your pretty handy with a computer, in which case you built your own rig, or bought one because you were lazy :P and you can keep it in good working order. Not to sound like a douchebag or anything, but I would prefer more people hit the PC gaming arena, rather than the Console gaming arena, simply because the technical skills needed to keep that PC running in good working order, give people a little bit of troubleshooting/analytical thinking, and we don't see that enough in the workforce =/


Meh
By shamgar03 on 9/12/2006 12:49:34 PM , Rating: 2
"The digital distribution model is probably going to be extremely limited and packaged products will likely rule for a long time.”
/writeoff
As soon as he said that I wrote him off. Digital distribution systems are going to become more and more prevalent. With the continuing debacle of drm for both users and distributers (pain in the ass for users, doesn't work well enough for distributers) I think distribution like steam will get much bigger. The developement tools for the Xbox360 are great news for both microsoft platforms (windows and 360) because now developers can make games on 2 platforms with much more ease. People have been declaring PC gaming dead/niche since the nintendo.




I couldnt afford
By Merry on 9/17/2006 6:32:47 AM , Rating: 1
A decent graphics card, so i bought a PS2.


I think that sums it up for most people really.




"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken












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