id Software Moves To Consoles

[Andy Chalk]

id Software Moves To Consoles

Despite being known as a PC developer, id Software [http://www.idsoftware.com] says it no longer builds its decisions around the PC market.

In an interview with Tom's Games, id co-founder John Carmack said that despite its roots, the company has been affected by the emerging dominance of videogame consoles, and is no longer a PC-first developer. "We still think the PC is a market worth supporting, but we're not making decisions around the PC," he said. "It's probably more of a junior partner in the cross-platform strategy, although obviously, our day-to-day development is predominately on the PC."

While Carmack recognizes that the PC gaming demographic is shrinking, he's not convinced by oft-repeated arguments that piracy is the primary cause. "It's hard to second-guess exactly what the reasons are," he continued. "You can say piracy. You can say user migration. But the ground truth is just that the sales numbers on the PC are not what they used to be and are not what they are on the consoles."

Despite that, id won't be turning its back on the PC faithful anytime soon. "We certainly expect Rage [http://ragegame.net/] and the Doom project on the PC," he said. "We're contractually obligated to have Rage on the PC, and I would be stunned if we did not do Doom 4 for the PC."

"It would just be wrong,"he added. "Even if it was a marginal business case, we would still do it because it's the right thing to do."

Source: Tom's Games [http://www.tomshardware.com/news/john-carmack-rage,6074.html]


Permalink

 

[the_tramp]

When are they going to realise that console games can be pirated too, the sooner they realise that the sooner they will not take the 'easy' route out and focus on the platform that made them famous in the first place.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

When are they going to realise that console games can be pirated too, the sooner they realise that the sooner they will not take the 'easy' route out and focus on the platform that made them famous in the first place.

Um, that's not the point. The point is that if you release a title across multiple platforms, you'll sell more to each of the consoles than you will to PCs. Developers have to eat... if they can make more money by switching platforms, it's tough for them to *not* switch.

-- Steve

 

[Lt. Sera]

Any business who can tap into a wider audience, with not so much effort, is a fool not to. PC games to console and vise versa is a great thing for all gamers and profitable for developers/publishers.
And I'm glad that for once, they don't lay the blame on losing revenue on PC games solely on piracy. I don't think anyone here can deny that it's a factor, but how large a factor it exactly is, is highly debatable and nigh on impossible to prove.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Erm, so they are still making games for PC?

OK...good - I see no problem except your usual "consolization" and such, it's just what it's like this generation.

Almost everything is going multi-plat if a huge company isn't able to pay the dev. to stay exclusive, should I be shocked that id is making multi-plat games?

 

[stompy]

He's still supporting PCs. He's not blaming piracy for the move. Hey, at least he's better than quite a few other devs...

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Well, on the plus side we all won't have to run out to supe up our rigs to run Doom 4. Of course you didn't if you held out for the Xbox release of 3.

Still seems a shame though.

 

[Arbre]

So are we going to play games on PC with a mouse hampered by control mechanics designed for consoles?

 

[Joeshie]

Well, looks like I will have to wary of future id games being consolefied.

 

[XT]

i just vomited in my mouth.

 

[rougeknife]

Goodbye ID, so long and thanks for all the fish!

Oh, and don't forget to lube up with your new console buddies.

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

So are we going to play games on PC with a mouse hampered by control mechanics designed for consoles?

Well, looks like I will have to wary of future id games being consolefied.

i just vomited in my mouth.

Goodbye ID, so long and thanks for all the fish!

Oh, and don't forget to lube up with your new console buddies.

I'm amazed we got 7 posts in (sorry, six, the article is 1) that this parroted stupidity started.
A GOOD GAME WILL NOT HAMPER ITS CONTROLS JUST BECAUSE IT IS BEING MADE FOR A CONSOLE. A GOOD GAME DOES NOT NEED TO USE EVERY LAST KEYBOARD KEY. A GOOD CONSOLE FPS WILL USE A MODICUM OF AUTO-AIMING OR INTELLIGENT SENSITIVITY SETTINGS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LACK OF MOUSE.

*breathes*

Please. It's id. They may not be the Best Company Ever when it comes to decisions, but please halt the announcements of shark-jumping until they actually develop and release a game for a console in parallel with a PC version.

 

[Joeshie]

A GOOD GAME WILL NOT HAMPER ITS CONTROLS JUST BECAUSE IT IS BEING MADE FOR A CONSOLE. A GOOD GAME DOES NOT NEED TO USE EVERY LAST KEYBOARD KEY. A GOOD CONSOLE FPS WILL USE A MODICUM OF AUTO-AIMING OR INTELLIGENT SENSITIVITY SETTINGS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LACK OF MOUSE.

So basically a good console FPS is dumbed down for it's audience?

Gee, thanks for stating the obvious.

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

So basically a good console FPS is dumbed down for it's audience?

Gee, thanks for stating the obvious.

It's not dumbed down for the audience. For the last time.
It's calibrated to the control scheme. You cannot reach the same level of precision with a thumbstick that you can with a mouse. However, I would like I see accurate analogue MOVEMENT in a PC FPS game that goes beyond WASD.

Different input devices. Different software mappings. This does not affect the intelligence of either audience, nor the design of the GAMEPLAY. Some things are easier in one format, some are easier in the other. I would like see a good console 4X game, and a good PC platformer, or maybe a driving game? Since we're discussing the merits of a gamepad over a keyboard and mouse, of course, not peripherals.

id Software will not "dumb down" Doom or this new game. They may not be Valve or Blizzard, but they know what they're doing.

 

[Giftmacher]

It's a shame to think id will shift over to a more console led plan... but not unexpected or foolish. Ok so PC gamers like me will lament loosing attention, but really will it make any difference? Id excel in making FPSes; games that function happily on any platform. Ok so console gamers will have auto aim etc. but they can be switched off for PC releases so no great loss to anyone there.

To be honest, I find id more interesting for the graphics engines cf. games these days anyway, so long as they keep improving and licensing the tech to PC developers (or cross-platform devs) then I'm happy. (After all Doom 3 wasn't really that good.)

Gift.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Didn't they already move to consoles with the advent of doom 3? I mean it was a nice watered down game,perfect for the konsole kiddies =^^=.

So basically a good console FPS is dumbed down for it's audience?

Gee, thanks for stating the obvious.

It's not dumbed down for the audience. For the last time.
It's calibrated to the control scheme. You cannot reach the same level of precision with a thumbstick that you can with a mouse. However, I would like I see accurate analogue MOVEMENT in a PC FPS game that goes beyond WASD.

Different input devices. Different software mappings. This does not affect the intelligence of either audience, nor the design of the GAMEPLAY. Some things are easier in one format, some are easier in the other. I would like see a good console 4X game, and a good PC platformer, or maybe a driving game? Since we're discussing the merits of a gamepad over a keyboard and mouse, of course, not peripherals.

id Software will not "dumb down" Doom or this new game. They may not be Valve or Blizzard, but they know what they're doing.

you can say that with how bad Doom 3was made?