SimCity Studio Stands Behind the PC

[Andy Chalk]

SimCity Studio Stands Behind the PC

Just in case there was any doubt, EA Maxis wants you all to know that PC gaming isn't dead.

Is there any doubt? There was a time, maybe a couple of years ago, when the debate over the future of PC gaming was lively and relevant, but does it really need to be said at this point that the ol' mouse-and-keyboard is alive and well and really rather bored with the whole conversation? The answer is a firm and slightly exasperated "no," but EA Maxis, the studio behind the upcoming SimCity, said it anyway.

"We're still seeing the PC market is not dead, it's very much alive," SimCity Lead Producer Kip Katsarelis told GamesIndustry. "Blizzard's shown quite a bit of success with their recent Diablo launch, The Sims is highly successful, so there's a market there, we've got an audience there that wants games on that platform, and we are still a PC house and will continue to be so."

Katsarelis said that while the SimCity engine is portable and could run on many different platforms, the PC is "where our market is." The current generation of gamers is aware of the SimCity franchise and has maybe played it on the iPhone, he added, "but they haven't really experienced that true experience on the PC."

It's always nice to hear an industry type come out in support of the PC (even if he is from EA) and while I'm certainly not inclined to tell anyone to tone it down, I really don't think it's necessary to keep flogging this particular horse, either. In many ways, the PC is the platform of both innovation and stability; it leads the way in areas like digital distribution and indie game development, but it's not subject to the wild fluctuations of the generational console market. It's great to be loved, but it's also probably safe at this point to stop worrying quite so much.

The new SimCity [http://www.amazon.com/SimCity-Limited-Edition-Windows/dp/B007FTE2VW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346264525&sr=8-1&keywords=SimCity], by the way, is scheduled to come out in February 2013 for the PC and Mac.

Source: GamesIndustry [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-08-29-ea-maxis-pc-isnt-dead]


Permalink

 

[nodlimax]

There is a market here but not for companies like EA.

As long as they keep Origin mandatory for their games, I wont by anything from them...

 

[Delicious Anathema]

Yep, Origin is a deal breaker for me too.

They should make a 3DS game, the DS Sim City games were nice.

 

[John the Gamer]

In response to the title; 'You're supposed to sit in front of it, stupid.'

I'm just hoping it's going to be better than Societies.

 

[Weaver]

So, about that always online DRM for the new Sim City...

 

[FEichinger]

Blizzard's shown quite a bit of success with their recent Diablo launch

... You have to be fucking kidding me. As "successful" as it was, I surely hope you aren't taking too much from them ... OH WAIT What's that? Always-On DRM? Exclusivity? Go to hell.

 

[thethird0611]

Im not sure why there is the whole "-insert popular gaming platform here- is dying!".

PC, Xbox, PS, and maybe the Wii are alive and well, and its a good thing.

 

[piinyouri]

The very last group PC gamers want backing them, is sounding the warcry for them.


I have nothing else to say except they should just be working on "Spore 2: Will Wrights Initial Version Before It was Destroyed By EA".

 

[frobalt]

Yep, Origin is a deal breaker for me too.

And for me.

I tried Origin for BF3, but I certainly won't be doing it again.

Before Origin, I would have chosen the Battlefield franchise over the Call of Duty one. I'd choose neither now, but would certainly be more inclined towards COD due to it being on steam.


Anyway, don't want to derail the thread, so: From what I've heard about Sim City requiring you to play on-line all the time I won't be buying it.

PC gaming will die quicker if developers feel the need to force the user on-line all the time, or have intrusive DRM.

 

[Falterfire]

ME3 was what brought me to Origin and the reason I'm no longer interested in Origin. There's several EA games that are on my peripheral 'eh, if it's on sale I'll pick it up' radar, but if they're not on Steam it's not happening.

 

[Griffolion]

You want to stand behind the PC? Get rid of your horrible DRM and stop forcing me to play with others.

 

[Johnson McGee]

If they really want the PC market to be more robust they should stop encouraging people to 'privateer' their games by making them Origin exclusive and always online.

 

[Allthingsspectacular]

The days of "PC gaming is dead!" are long gone.

 

[Vie]

The days of "PC gaming is dead!" are long gone.

Nah, they will come back after the sales figures for the next SimCity game come in. It'll release to much fanfare and advertising, but on top of the always online bull excretum it'll have some horrible bugs or have the depth of SimCity Societies.

Then they will blame pirates and tell us "PC gaming is dead!" again.

Cynical? Moi?


[Capcha: Which city is in New York? Seriously?]

 

[Groenteman]

PC gaming will die quicker if developers feel the need to force the user on-line all the time, or have intrusive DRM.

If that realy goes through, only EA, Ubisoft and the like would go to hell whilst making indy/non-orwellian games look better.

Cant wait.

 

[Traun]

Not while it's on Origin(and I love city builders).

I just don't trust EA with a service like that.

 

[Atrocious Joystick]

What's so bad about origin anyway? People talk about it like it will rape your daughter but so far it's done nothing that steam doesn't do, for better or worse. It's annoying having to use two rather than one digital distribution service but frankly my computer isn't from 1980 it can handle an extra program running.