Crytek: PC Gamers Shouldn't Fear Next-Gen Consoles

[Doom972]

The main reason I don't like free to play is that it really only works well with multi player games, it is hard to justify a free to play single player game and make it the kind of thing that is possible to win without paying a cent.

What about the old shareware model? Divide the game into a small number of episodes, each with a beginning and an end, and give the first episode for free. The rest of the episodes can be sold as DLC. With digital distribution being what it is, this model could be much more successful than in the 90s.

OT: I don't see what there's to be afraid of for PC gamers. If I was a current-gen console owner I might be afraid about what will happen to my XBLA/PSN games or my DLC.

Given how short most games are nowadays a shareware version would hardly be more than a 30 minute demo.

You make a good point. I do hope developers would stop wasting too much time on graphics and animation, and make AAA games at least 20 hours long.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I like playing the odd F2P game but unfortunately more often than not free to play really means yeah its free to play but gets hard as fuck to do anything with after an hour unless you pay also you can pay for better equipment.

 

[Worgen]

The main reason I don't like free to play is that it really only works well with multi player games, it is hard to justify a free to play single player game and make it the kind of thing that is possible to win without paying a cent.

What about the old shareware model? Divide the game into a small number of episodes, each with a beginning and an end, and give the first episode for free. The rest of the episodes can be sold as DLC. With digital distribution being what it is, this model could be much more successful than in the 90s.

OT: I don't see what there's to be afraid of for PC gamers. If I was a current-gen console owner I might be afraid about what will happen to my XBLA/PSN games or my DLC.

Given how short most games are nowadays a shareware version would hardly be more than a 30 minute demo.

You make a good point. I do hope developers would stop wasting too much time on graphics and animation, and make AAA games at least 20 hours long.

It would be nice, the last fps game I played that had a nice length single player campaign was Serious Sam BFE and it was fuckawesome.

 

[octafish]

I hold out hope for Planetside 2, I do. I think the F2P model could well work for most Multi-Player FPSs if they get the balance right. Lets face a multi-player FPS is what most devs/pubs think of when they think AAA game. Hell they're just thinking of COD and all that money it makes.

I don't see what any of this has to do with a new generation of consoles. I can't wait to see some games stretch their legs on my PC that don't come from DICE or Eastern Europe.

 

[ResonanceSD]

I don't know. I'm iffy about the current "free to play" model being established to AAA games.

Suddenly EA's whole jab about "purchasing bullets" starts looking like a scary reality.

All G, it's not like EA publish Crys- oh fuck.

PC gamers have nothing to fear from consoles because PC hardware is aeons ahead of the shit they put in consoles.

 

[LordFish]

Snip"

I was coming into the thread thinking the exact same thing.

You and me both. The one thing I like about a new console release is to take the price of the console, say £350, and use that as a budget to build a hypothetical computer. Then feel smug at how much more powerful and versatile it would be... However that MIGHT be a stretch with this next generation, we shall see....

(The PS3's launch price just made that game too easy)

 

[MrBoBo]

When Crysis 2 has a message asking me if I want to change the display of my "tv" while playing on the pc. Has a total design change that screams "console port". It's difficult to take him with any amount of respect. Just like ID, Epic, Monolith and many other developers, he sold out for console money.

On the topic of leading "aaa" free2play titles. That would be games like Tribes, Team Fortress 2 and LOL.

 

[Kargathia]

Given how short most games are nowadays a shareware version would hardly be more than a 30 minute demo.

That wouldn't neccessarily be a bad thing - if priced accordingly.

 

[bobajob]

Fear? Consoles??

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It is the consoles who should fear the PC gaming master race. They tried to emulate us this gen & failed miserably. All of the drawbacks & none of the advantages.

Plus they're seriously holding back our game engines with their 7 YEAR OLD technology, grrrrrrrrrr

K, rant over

 

[Mr Companion]

I hear what they are saying but all I hear is "Crysis 2 Crysis 2 terrible port Crysis 2"

 

[getoffmycloud]

When Crysis 2 has a message asking me if I want to change the display of my "tv" while playing on the pc. Has a total design change that screams "console port". It's difficult to take him with any amount of respect. Just like ID, Epic, Monolith and many other developers, he sold out for console money.

On the topic of leading "aaa" free2play titles. That would be games like Tribes, Team Fortress 2 and LOL.

Actually he stopped developing for PC when the original Crysis was the most pirated game of the year.

 

[drosalion]

I'm genuinely unsure what PC gamers not fearing nextgen consoles has anything to do with free-to-play titles.. :S

I agree with both things he's saying, they just seem completely unrelated and like someone turned over 2 pages at once or something.

 

[drosalion]

"I went to Korea in 2006 and I was blown away by the way people play games - online, connection and social... that's their lifestyle ... So when I came back I said, 'I want that kind of business model in the Western world with the quality of a Crysis.'"

That's impossible and he knows it. This is just marketing.

How is it impossible?

 

[drosalion]

"I went to Korea in 2006 and I was blown away by the way people play games - online, connection and social... that's their lifestyle ... So when I came back I said, 'I want that kind of business model in the Western world with the quality of a Crysis.'"

That's impossible and he knows it. This is just marketing.

How is it impossible?

Well, it's not impossible, but no company in their right mind would do that. No exceptions.

What.. make an AAA game free to play and have similar business models to games in the East? Am I missing something? Because this already happens, and will only continue to happen more in the future

 

[WaysideMaze]

I've never seen a gamer 'fear' next gen consoles. Usually they're just wishing the consoles would actually catch up.

 

[Worgen]

Given how short most games are nowadays a shareware version would hardly be more than a 30 minute demo.

That wouldn't neccessarily be a bad thing - if priced accordingly.

That wouldn't happen, I mean we are starting to see more and more pc games even go the $60 route, damn cod. Publishers will charge as much as they can even while saying games cost too much.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

I want that kind of business model in the Western world with the quality of a Crysis.

This guys is hilarious.
And I hope that future f2p games are like TF2 and not like Tribes: Ascend.

Tribes is getting closer to pay to win with every patch. Adding overpowered weapon for 100k exp. and needing to farm 20 days for 1 weapon is just ridiculous.

Actually he stopped developing for PC when the original Crysis was the most pirated game of the year.

Crysis was the most pirated game because there was no proper demo and people wanted to know if they can even run the game.

I know at least 30 people who pirated Crysis just to test it and everyone who could run it, bought the game because the original was awesome. I'm one of those 30 and I bought Crysis the same day I downloaded it and did a test run.

Other people pirated it just to test their PC's. Lots of no gamer did that because Crysis, at the time of release was a fucking beast. Even for today's graphics Crysis looks great.

So yeah, the number of pirated copies (someone tell me how they even know the numbers?) means nothing in the case of Crysis and he knows it. It's just pure greed that made the move to the consoles.

And don't get me wrong. Everyone wants money and they create games because of the money. So them moving to a bigger market is not a bad thing. The bad thing is that they sell crappy ports at the full price and then act all high and mighty.

 

[Kroxile]

Why should we fear the next gen consoles?

PC gamers already have better tech than they do anyway; we're merely held back by the medium.

 

[DSK-]

Afraid? Why would any PC player be afraid of the next generation of consoles? I have no issue or problem with my fellow gamers who choose to play on consoles.

The only thing that makes me worry is that PC gamers have, arguably, had to deal with more and more console ports that often lacks quality and polish.

Hardware wise, the consoles will probably be outmoded my the majority of current PC hardware - and even if they do incorporate the latest and greatest hardware it will be outdated within 6 months.

/me shrugs

 

[RagTagBand]

I don't fear next gen consoles, I fear the death of single player and the free-to-play model you're talking about heralds in just that.

Crytek's free to play game? Multiplayer only

Biowares supposed future free to play game? MMO (multiplayer only)

Valves free to play game? Multiplayer only.


So thanks, Yerli, but no thanks. I'd rather pay my £40 and get an awesome single player game than have a free to play multiplayer game.