I Am Alive Producer Dismisses "Bitching" PC Gamers

[rapidoud]

Riddle me this, Ubi: How many people, because of your attitude towards PC gamers, will now not buy Revelations either, even if we intended to? If you added the revenue from PC gamers buying any of your games because they actually respect you, then would it be "worth it?"

Unless this is more PC gamer bitching. We're such a whiny bunch, wanting to pay you to play games you make, as is the exchange when marketing video games. A whiny bunch indeed.

You kind of just proved his point. Oh, and the poster above me, you know nothing about piracy, so let the big kids talk. If your console's chipped then you won't be playing online, will have a much bigger download than a PC rip, and it will cost you more.

 

[Polyg0n]

I never even cared for that game, but that guy is really being and idiot and has single-handedly stopped me from buying any Ubisoft games for some time. Or that was my initial reaction until I thought about it a little more and realized that they haven't released/aren't releasing any interesting games in quite a while, so I guess I'll just keep on not giving a shit about them.

 

[rapidoud]

I never even cared for that game, but that guy is really being and idiot and has single-handedly stopped me from buying any Ubisoft games for some time. Or that's what I thought until I thought about and realized that they haven't released and aren't releasing any interesting games in quite a while, so I guess I'll just keep on not giving a shit about them.

He's an idiot that can spell.

 

[Xanadu84]

If the guy said that it didn't make business sense, fine. I'm not happy about it but hey, buisness is buisness. Have to respect that, and hey, maybe a port down the road. No hard feelings.

But to blatantly just shit on your consumers like that? To take a shot at people who have given you money, not for personal gain, but just to be an asshole? And then go on to make all these passive aggressive finger points at the "inferior" platform users? And ignore how there are plenty of console players who might buy the game who like PC games as well, not to mention the console players who just don't like people being assholes?

Also I call bullshit. It would be worth it. PC gamers would buy it. Sales could be justified. Well, maybe not now...

I mean seriously, this guy should get fired for this.

 

[m72_ar]

How can an idiot like that work in PR

Protip for Ubisoft's PR: Saying "There are currently no plans for PC Version of (game name)" is always an option.

But because of this guy I would never buy another Ubisoft's title again.

 

[boag]

... Yeah, that pretty much explains ubisoft right there.

Anyone checked piracy figures recently? Notice that some of the most pirated games are actually 360 & PS3 titles?

Eh. It's not even worth discussing anymore at this point. You put in crippling DRM then blame the poor sales on piracy, and insult your potential customers...

Nope, clearly though, it's the piracy that's killing you. >_<

Could you provide a link for those figures?

It would be very educational.

 

[Treblaine]

Where did I get them from? I figured them out when Ubisoft said 12 programmers working for 3 months would do the port, and that the average wage for a lower level programmer (such as on porting duty) would earn a $75'000 annual salary (x12 divide by 4). I mentioned this in a previous post:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.325816.13315757

I can also make conservative estimates that Ubisoft would make one million dollars.

$30 price (VERY low estimate, towards lower returns)
30% Steam cut (VERY high estimate, towards lower returns) = $21 profit margin per sale
50'000 sales (VERY low estimate, towards lower returns) = $1'100'000 to ubisoft

"And how many people pirate for 360 as opposed to PC?"

There are no exact figures for either, but there ARE more seeds for Gears of War 3 than for Witcher 2. Draw from that what you will.

sucks to be you, but there's nothing you can do about it.

How very mature of you.[/sarc]
I could still get it on 360. It's not like PC gaming is a religion, as if I have to choose between Christmas or Hanukkah. I'd just rather buy it on PC.

stop giving companies reason to mistrust you as a collective

I'm sorry but do you mean piracy? but when did PC gamers become The Borg who act with one mind, with one purpose, no element doing anything without the approval of the rest? I most certainly am not pirating, just because I looked on Pirate bay's search results. I have never pirated a single game in my life, I don't even trade in consoles games!

Console players don't ***** when there are exclusives for opposing consoles

Sorry I didn't read that post about where those numbers came from. I was wrong and I apologize.

http://www.tweakguides.com/Piracy_6.html
I don't claim to be an expert by any means but I do know it is significantly harder, or at least more of a hassle to pirate for the consoles, and you often face much harsher punishments for doing so.

I mean it isn't the most eloquent way to put it but if you wanted it then it does suck to be you, but there isn't anything you can do about it. If anyone was offended by that then I'm sorry, not my intention.

I'm not saying that PC gamers are a collective or that they all pirate. But companies (or at least Ubisoft) are treating you as such and obviously view the pirates as a majority. Again, I don't think yall are but that is the image that many people draw.

And consoles have been getting shafted with exclusives for decades and many of those exclusive from both consoles have had ports on PC, therefore making exclusives not as big an issue. Now PC gamers are seeing the other side of the coin.

EDIT: snipped for size

We can still SAY that we don't like it? Right? I know we can't do anything, but Ubisoft have reversed decisions before.

For example Assassin's Creed had consistently been a year delayed on PC till Revelations will get a day and Date same release and it seems with more lenient DRM.

Activision went back on the trend agaisnt dedicated servers after the fuss over MW2. I'd say shit can get done.

You know what I also heard. Transformers 3 was leaked on pirate bay!

I guess it's only a matter of time before the movie studios go back to the good old days before DVD and home video and you can only watch movies in the cinema.[/sarc]

Except that isn't going to happen. Piracy is a problem for Ubisoft in the same way air-resistance contributed to the sinking of the titanic.

I assume your point is that Ubisoft won't abandon the PC because "they're all bloody pirates" exactly like Epic Games did somewhere back in 2007? I'm not of the opinion that piracy is going to kill every game publisher in existence, but the game has supposedly been leaked a week or so before its release which, combined with their apparent attitude toward PC gamers shown in this article, definitely paints a picture of Ubisoft not caring about developing or publishing for the PC anymore.

I don't know how reputable the source is, but this is where I found it from:
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/assassins-creed-revelations-pc-leaked-a-week-before-official-release/#more-12045

Epic Games aren't even a publisher, they are developers. Publishers decide the platform.

Anyways, if they abandoned PC in 2007:

2007: Unreal Tournament 3 on PC (a year before 360) was crap
2011: Bulletstorm on PC (same date as 360/PS3) was also crap

Microsoft owns Gears of War, they have say on a PC release and just like Halo they kept that shit on 360. Cliff Belzinski... well he's fucking Cliffy B, he's no Gaben.

their apparent attitude toward PC gamers shown in this article, definitely paints a picture of Ubisoft not caring about developing or publishing for the PC anymore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anno_2070 = PC exclusive from Ubisoft
http://uk.pc.ign.com/objects/142/14290327.html = confirmed for PC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_in_Arms:_Furious_4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Cry_3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Clancy%27s_Rainbow_Six:_Patriots

Alarmist statements from a few churlish developers aside, Ubisoft ain't going to pull the plug on PC.

From your own source:
"We also don?t buy Ubisoft?s claims about PC piracy. Dear devs and publishers, you can?t blame piracy for your idiotic choices. If you really wanted the PC version to sell, you wouldn?t delay it in purpose to boost the console sales."

 

[MarlonBlazed]

There's something I never understood. These games are all made on PC's are they not? Then why is this even an issue? Why are games made on PC's ported to PC's?

This is all very confusing, I understand they make these games with consoles in mind but how different are consoles from PC's, from what I know the current consoles are basically just 6 year old PC's that only play video games.

I don't care about pirating... It's not even an issue, and where not cheapskates, if we where we wouldn't have a computer that could play said games in the first place. What I want to know is why can't all games be released on PC? We got touch screens, game-pads, microphones, PC to T.V. hook-ups anything you want.

Why are they so afraid of PC gaming, when the dust finally settles on the console wars there wont be any consoles any more it will just be PC so why not set-up a library of PC games now...(moment of clarity) Maybe it's not about being afraid at all, maybe they all want to re-release there games on PC when the consoles die out, because it's not like people can't hack consoles and play pirated games on there so I doubt pirating is the reason.

 

[Trull]

Man... If this guy was a character in Skyrim....

OT(ish): People are going to pirate it on 360/ps3 anyway so this guy is basically lying to himself.

 

[MadeinHell]

Oh so despite the fact that I have not pirated a single game in 10 years (when I was 10 I didn't exactly "know" it's bad) Ubisoft is going to call me an asshole just because I don't care about straight up console gaming?

Well than you know what Ubi? Go fuc* yourself. I'm not going to buy a game from you again.

I didn't even like Assasins Creed 2.

 

[shrekfan246]

Epic Games aren't even a publisher, they are developers. Publishers decide the platform.

Anyways, if they abandoned PC in 2007:

2007: Unreal Tournament 3 on PC (a year before 360) was crap
2011: Bulletstorm on PC (same date as 360/PS3) was also crap

Microsoft owns Gears of War, they have say on a PC release and just like Halo they kept that shit on 360. Cliff Belzinski... well he's fucking Cliffy B, he's no Gaben.

their apparent attitude toward PC gamers shown in this article, definitely paints a picture of Ubisoft not caring about developing or publishing for the PC anymore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anno_2070 = PC exclusive from Ubisoft
http://uk.pc.ign.com/objects/142/14290327.html = confirmed for PC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_in_Arms:_Furious_4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Cry_3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Clancy%27s_Rainbow_Six:_Patriots

Alarmist statements from a few churlish developers aside, Ubisoft ain't going to pull the plug on PC.

From your own source:
"We also don?t buy Ubisoft?s claims about PC piracy. Dear devs and publishers, you can?t blame piracy for your idiotic choices. If you really wanted the PC version to sell, you wouldn?t delay it in purpose to boost the console sales."

Bulletstorm was co-developed by People Can Fly. (I'm saying that my personal opinion is, had it been developed solely by Epic, it would not have had a PC version. I could be wrong.)

Anyway.

I'm not really against your argument. I'm saying that there is a chance Assassin's Creed III may not reach PCs. There's also a chance it will be released on the exact same day as the console versions for once. Okay, I concede that saying Ubisoft will completely abandon the PC is wrong and alarmist, but seeing as Revelations has just recently been released and no information about III other than "it's being made" has been confirmed, it's fair game for hopeful people and pessimists alike to make assumptions.

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

There's something I never understood. These games are all made on PC's are they not? Then why is this even an issue? Why are games made on PC's ported to PC's?

This is all very confusing, I understand they make these games with consoles in mind but how different are consoles from PC's, from what I know the current consoles are basically just 6 year old PC's that only play video games.

I don't care about pirating... It's not even an issue, and where not cheapskates, if we where we wouldn't have a computer that could play said games in the first place. What I want to know is why can't all games be released on PC? We got touch screens, game-pads, microphones, PC to T.V. hook-ups anything you want.

Why are they so afraid of PC gaming, when the dust finally settles on the console wars there wont be any consoles any more it will just be PC so why not set-up a library of PC games now...(moment of clarity) Maybe it's not about being afraid at all, maybe they all want to re-release there games on PC when the consoles die out, because it's not like people can't hack consoles and play pirated games on there so I doubt pirating is the reason.

Easy to answer, code that is compiled for a certain architecture/OS won't run on another as easy. And most game coders use C/C++ which if you use libraries only for X system will only work for that system. I can code a android app on a computer that uses java but it won't run outside of a emulator on a computer that has a JRE. Xbox is a different story since it uses (if i remember right) Direct X like window machines use, and XNA for C# can work on both the 360 and PC and even a windows phone because it was compiled from libraries all three systems use. I wouldn't expect a XNA game to run on the Wii right off the bat without changing code to work on the Wii. From a business stand point to be honest I can agree with them, because how do you know people complaining about not getting on PC really want it, or just trying to argue because they feel PC is better? I know you guys are pissed about their stand point, but to be honest I've heard worst reasons for a company doing something *glares at Nintendo for no Mother 3 out side of JP, and Namco-Bandi for Tales of Verperia*. Also I'm kinda against every system having the same games because to be fair it just destroys it's identity later on down the road.

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

"We're not making a PC version because we're arfaid you wouldn't want to buy it."

Did he just admit that the game is a stinkin piece of shit that no PC gamer would buy? I think he just did that.

Not really. I think he was saying that PC gamers obsessively ***** about Ubisoft and constantly yell about boycotting their products, so why the fuck should they bother releasing it on PC.

ding ding ding, that is the reason I think Ubisoft said what they said. It's funny when people whine and moan and yell boycott and get made when they don't get a game from a company they are boycotting. Kinda like the Left 4 Dead 2/Modern Warfare 2 boycott.

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

Well, that's the problem with the gaming industry right there, it's not about making a profit, it's wanting to make monster profits. A "mere" $700k isn't worth their time and that's why people like me are up in their face. I understand te logic but it's what's destroying gaming, especially seeing as it's just about ports of games, but even whether games are made. A few million dollars in profits is something that the industry is increasingly willing to turn it's nose up at because they realize they can make more money by churning out games for the casual crowd as opposed to ones for serious gamers or that advance the medium.

It's not actually 700k, they have to pay the team to port it over three months then they have to pay everyone in between the developer to the art designers for their work plus alot of different expenses. After all that they'll be lucky to squeeze 200k out of the project which isn't even going to be explainable to the shareholders why they spent so much of their money and made less than a dollar per shareholder.

Anyway, he probably just hears the constant bitching and moaning of 10% of PC gamers that seem to think they're better than anyone who has a console.

 

[Kwik won]

What a pathetic attempt to gain publicity for their crap game, Ubisoft are so awful that they even make EA look good.

No. nothing can make EA look good, there the publishers that make others look good.

 

[ph0b0s123]

People still don't realize that it's an unwanted headache to make games for PC?

Oh well, sooner or later they will get the picture. PC gaming rigs have millions of hardware differences, in case this fact confuses you.

EDIT: Holy shit that sounded mean, don't reply to me if my post made you angry. The truth hurts, but I don't want to add more salt to your wounds.

Unfortunately you are the one confused. A million combinations, please. Two CPU makers, two GPU makers and one API, Directx (the same API as the 360). Yeah, sooo complicated. Not like in years past, with the 5 CPU makers, 6 GPU makers all with their own API's. The PC has never been so consolidated from a programming point of view. The only complication is some extra Q&A testing which most companies don't even seem to bother with seeing what they let out the door. ID did their testing with video drivers they made themselves, that's not testing.

Please keep your uninformed comments to yourself. And yes, the truth hurts.....