I hate to admit it...

[Assassin Xaero]

But in my eyes, PC gaming is now dying. Yeah, sure, people will come post that "PC Gaming, happily dying since..." picture, but that doesn't change the fact that more and more games are being bumped up to $60 instead of $50 (Skyrim, Rage, Assassin's Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, Dead Space 2, Crysis 2), while, at the same times, were getting more and more shitty console ports. Console games have to pay $60 to cover the game and licensing fees, but what do we have to pay more for on PC? Pay for them to port it over and not even bother to even change the controls for easier use with a keyboard (Singularity)?

Sad to say, but considering that I can't afford to pay this much for the lower quality of games we are getting, and the fact that I can't aim for shit with analog sticks, it was nice knowing you gaming. Hopefully more indie games come out for PC so we still have something of quality to play.

 

[Defense]

As a console only gamer, I'll say that the PC is superior to the console in many manners. The precision of a mouse will always be better than an analog stick, and RTSes/FPSes are almost always the games of choice on PC.
The PC isn't dying in any way, especially when things like Steam exist.

 

[Reaper195]

PC gaming isn't dying, it's just not so much the massive statue in the middle of the desert it once was. A lot more people would now rather spend half a grand on a console for the next couple of years until the next console comes out and then down to a decent price. Whereas PCs now, you probably need to upgrade it every six or so months.

In the end, it simply comes down to personal preference. That, and a lot more parents are buying little Jimmy a console for his birthday instead of a PC, then all his friends want one, so their parents buy them the same console, except one whose parents buy a different one, and another friend who has never liked consoles...and there lies where PC vs Console and Console Wars came from.

 

[shootthebandit]

there's some decent games coming out. BF3 despite being multiplayer platform is primarily made for PC. homefront is also got a specific team dedicated to the PC port

 

[loc978]

PC gaming is now more mainstream and more popular than ever. We had a growth spurt, and that growth spurt is over. We've always had tons of indie market stuff with the occasional big name AAA title. Now we get almost every AAA title. Not too much room left to grow. Growing slowly is only dying from the perspective of the insanely greedy.

As for PCs needing to be upgraded every six months... I built the PC I'm typing this on in February 2007. I upgraded something graphics rendering-related (added a PPU) in 2008 (don't remember specifically when). Aside from that, I've added hard drives to hold files that I download/rip. Nearly four years with only one gaming-specific upgrade, it can still run anything on the market, and do so prettier than the PS3 can dream of.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the biggest system bottleneck in PC gaming is software related. If you're running a Microsoft Operating System that "came with your new PC", you're doing it wrong.

 

[BanthaFodder]

PC gaming isn't dying. TF2. L4D2. that is all

 

[lacktheknack]

It's not dying, and won't die for a long while (if ever). It has too much niche appeal (modding, indie-friendliness, etc...) to ever die entirely.

Just because it's not better than everything else doesn't mean it's dead. No one accuses the Wii of dying now that it isn't alone in the Motion Control Universe.

 

[Fooz]

I wouldn't agree but it doesn't generate as much revenue as consoles do. In terms of games like MW2 it will make much more money on the console then on the PC. I just don't like it when PC gamers act like their shit doesn't stink because they have better graphics lol. And modding communities and blah blah blah i know.

haha that "shit dont stink" part made me laugh so hard, as for PC gaming dying, its not imo, its so appealing in fact that me being a console gamer, has just purchased a £900 Gaming PC.

so thats +1 to the PC community

 

[WanderingFool]

Once I played BLack OPs on PC, I can truely see where the "Kb/M better than Sticks" rguement is coming from (which is funny, as I played CS on the PC a while back, and I hated it... though it could be I just hate the game period, but I digress.) However, I view my PC gaming as a option only for as long as it takes to get a PS3. Once that is done, I will still play PC games, but in much short bursts of time.

As for the PC gaming dying arguement you put forth... dont really have a comment.

 

[EllEzDee]

PC gaming isn't dying. TF2. L4D2. that is all

That's an oxymoron.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

So what if big-name developers eventually (or inevitably) stop PC ports--we still have indie developers.

 

[FalloutJack]

Okay, okay... This is a thread about PC gaming dying. WHERE'S THE SIGN? (You know the one.)

 

[SovietSecrets]

Not every PC port is shitty. Black Ops was probably the worst one that I can remember since ever, but even that got patches. If they are bad, we get patches anyways. Yet most PC ports are pretty good and as for price, meh. Console games are $60, no surprise that PC games are going to $60 now too. If anything can't you just wait a couple of months until they are cheaper?

 

[MisterShine]

... but that doesn't change the fact that more and more games are being bumped up to $60 instead of $50 (Skyrim, Rage, Assassin's Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, Dead Space 2, Crysis 2),

Hmm, I'd say massive piracy coupled with the fact that console versions of games sell a heck of a lot more than their pc counterparts do, for the most part? Plus they've been 50 dollars for like 20 years now, we've been lucky to last this long.

while, at the same times, were getting more and more shitty console ports. Console games have to pay $60 to cover the game and licensing fees, but what do we have to pay more for on PC? Pay for them to port it over and not even bother to even change the controls for easier use with a keyboard (Singularity)?

This is indeed a sad trend, which is why I usually wait a few days to read reviews from people who bought it and gaming sites, usually shitty optimization is one of the first things to be pointed out. We just need to start voting with our wallets that bullcrap like that just won't be tolerated.

However, you have to weigh what we have over console users: we have mods. Poor, poor console community..

edit:

Not every PC port is shitty. Black Ops was probably the worst one that I can remember since ever, but even that got patches.

I read this a lot, and I just don't know where it comes from. I got Blops on launch day (30 bucks at amazon! WOO!), it took me two days to beat the single player campaign without getting any patches and I thought it worked fine. It didn't run as well as Modern Warfare did but I assume its because it was more graphically intensive anyway. I've played some shitty PC ports in my day but blops just wasn't one of them.

 

[Wolfram23]

PC gaming isn't dying. TF2. L4D2. that is all

I play tons of PC games and I NEVER play either of those, so...


OP: I agree that there are shitty ports and that definitely sucks but they aren't all doing that. And in fact, even of some of the ports that aren't really optimized on PC, they still are better on PC. There's not many games I would have rather played on a console.

Plus, Skyrim... are you kidding? Have you seen the amount of FREE mods for Oblivion and Morrowind? Sure you might have to pay as much as a consoler gamer but you will eventually have WAAAAAYYYYY more content.

Not to mention how obsurd it is to say something like that about games that aren't out yet - Skyrim, Rage, Dead Space 2, Crysis 2. Especially Crysis 2. Do you think CryTek is going to let go of their "uber graphics, PC eating spectacularness" title? No way, the PC version will have all the goodies. And Rage I've heard similar things. It's meant to be on PC, it'll have all the bells and whistles on PC.

There's actually not that many truely terrible ports. AC2 maybe. Last one I played that was actually bad was Transformers: WfC. Mafia 2 was alright, could have been better on PC but it was still fine. And the PhysX was nice.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

... but that doesn't change the fact that more and more games are being bumped up to $60 instead of $50 (Skyrim, Rage, Assassin's Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, Dead Space 2, Crysis 2),

Hmm, I'd say massive piracy coupled with the fact that console versions of games sell a heck of a lot more than their pc counterparts do, for the most part? Plus they've been 50 dollars for like 20 years now, we've been lucky to last this long.

That I have a hard time understanding. PC games get pirated more than console version, so they punish those of us that actually by the game instead of pirating them with higher prices? If anything, I think that would cause more piracy then prevent it.

Mods are nice, but how many games really have mods now days? Seems mostly like the RPG's do (and they also tend to be the only genre with campaigns that break the 10 hour mark now).

Not every PC port is shitty. Black Ops was probably the worst one that I can remember since ever, but even that got patches. If they are bad, we get patches anyways. Yet most PC ports are pretty good and as for price, meh. Console games are $60, no surprise that PC games are going to $60 now too. If anything can't you just wait a couple of months until they are cheaper?

I haven't played either MW2 or BLops on PC (rented MW2 for PS3 once), but I heard MW2 was a lot worse than BLops was. As for patches and ports, BioShock 2. That game has been out nearly a year and it still crashes like crazy. Waiting a couple months for a lower price, again, MW2. It is still at $60. $54 on Newegg, which is surprising since Black Ops is $45 there.

 

[DanDeFool]

This brings to mind the news article I read yesterday regarding how developers don't want console makers to release new hardware any time soon, specifically referring to the PS3 and X360, because they're just starting to get the hang of developing for those platforms.

Maybe putting out console ports for PC is a good way to offset the costs of developing on new platforms.

Then again, if they can't even be bothered to port their damn games properly (e.g. Saints Row 2), then they might as well not even bother.

Personally, I like console ports, if for no other reason than that I wouldn't get to play a lot of really good games otherwise. Of course, the reality that the PC platform isn't being taken as seriously anymore is troubling.

 

[BanthaFodder]

PC gaming isn't dying. TF2. L4D2. that is all

I play tons of PC games and I NEVER play either of those, so...


OP: I agree that there are shitty ports and that definitely sucks but they aren't all doing that. And in fact, even of some of the ports that aren't really optimized on PC, they still are better on PC. There's not many games I would have rather played on a console.

Plus, Skyrim... are you kidding? Have you seen the amount of FREE mods for Oblivion and Morrowind? Sure you might have to pay as much as a consoler gamer but you will eventually have WAAAAAYYYYY more content.

Not to mention how obsurd it is to say something like that about games that aren't out yet - Skyrim, Rage, Dead Space 2, Crysis 2. Especially Crysis 2. Do you think CryTek is going to let go of their "uber graphics, PC eating spectacularness" title? No way, the PC version will have all the goodies. And Rage I've heard similar things. It's meant to be on PC, it'll have all the bells and whistles on PC.

There's actually not that many truely terrible ports. AC2 maybe. Last one I played that was actually bad was Transformers: WfC. Mafia 2 was alright, could have been better on PC but it was still fine. And the PhysX was nice.

dude, SERIOUSLY? GO PLAY TF2 NAO!!!

 

[BanthaFodder]

PC gaming isn't dying. TF2. L4D2. that is all

That's an oxymoron.

how so? I just mentioned two of the most popular games on PC (well, Steam). seriously, they're both great fun and have great communities and support (L4D2=mutations, mods, TF2=contributions, player made maps, mods, groups, fun nights)

 

[Cronq]

The only people who think PC gaming is expensive are wannabe console converts who buy a pre-made $600 PC for $2k. Upgrade every 6 months? My 4 year old PC is doing just fine keeping up with the 5 year old consoles and their game ports. There isn't a game made today that a $150 card can't max out at 1080p.