Microsoft and Nvidia Quit PC Gaming Alliance - UPDATED

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Microsoft and Nvidia Quit PC Gaming Alliance - UPDATED


It would seem that the first order of business for the newly loud-and-proud PC Gaming Alliance [http://www.pcgamingalliance.org] is to announce that Microsoft and Nvidia have quit the PC Gaming Alliance.

Newly-installed PC Gaming Alliance President Matt Ployhar said Nvidia [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107858-PC-Gaming-Alliance-Will-Bring-the-Noise-in-2011], two of the biggest players in the industry, are no longer in the club.

Ployhar confirmed with Intel blog [http://news.bigdownload.com/2011/02/18/update-on-pc-gaming-alliance-and-departures-of-microsoft-and-nvi/], "to flesh out the PCGA's technical expertise while simultaneously addressing perceived gaps in membership."

Microsoft and Nvidia aren't the first heavy-hitters to bail out on the PCGA; Activision pulled out [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90930-Activision-Leaves-PC-Gaming-Alliance-UPDATED] out of the alliance in April 2009. Its member roll is still impressive, including companies like Intel, GameStop, Epic Games, the Entertainment Merchants Association and Sony DADC, but without those three on the list it's hard to imagine that the group's relevance won't become increasingly questionable.

UPDATE: A Microsoft spokesperson says the company's decision to leave the PC Gaming Alliance is not an indictment of the group but rather a sign of the PC's strength as a gaming platform.

"At the time we joined the PC Gaming Alliance, the primary purpose was to change the false perception that PC gaming was dying. With that perception successfully changed, we have decided to not continue our membership and instead focus that energy on our own internal efforts, including the return of our flagship PC franchises Age of Empires and Microsoft Flight," the rep said. "We made this decision so that we could put more time and energy into our own PC gaming efforts. And we will continue to work with our partners to drive the continued growth of Windows as a game platform."

So there you have it. All is well!


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JediMB

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Oct 25, 2008
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I guess it makes sense for Microsoft to leave, since they only really care about their Xboxes for gaming.
 

TheBluesader

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Why do I get the feeling this probably has something to do with the PCGA wanting to triple membership dues so they can pay for all that "fleshing out" of "technical expertise"?
 

ASnogarD

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Jul 2, 2009
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Microsoft loudly announcing thier support for the PC platform yet again :p

... then again this alliance has been pretty weak, gaming on the PC is in decline in many ways and yet these guys havent tried anything... least not to my knowledge.
Like most of these high moral value, but do nothing , hand wringer charities... many words , little action.
 

5t3v0

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Well nVidia is no biggie... as long as ATI is in there/hasnt left... but yeah,

HankMan said:
It's official: PCGA has gone the way of the League of Nations.
What next? The United PC gamers that is *Slightly* more successful?
 

LondonBeer

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Rational would be very interesting but I suspect

TheBluesader said:
Why do I get the feeling this probably has something to do with the PCGA wanting to triple membership dues so they can pay for all that "fleshing out" of "technical expertise"?
Kinda hit the nail on the head.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
has the pcga even done anything aside from announce people joining it or leaving from it?
 

carpathic

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Xzi said:
How the hell does Nvidia bail on the PCGA when they're the biggest manufacturer of desktop graphics cards? I guess the PCGA isn't very representative of PC gaming as a whole, eh?
Likely not, especially given that all I have ever seen them do is basically talk about how awesome anti-pirating measures that invade your computer, potentially compromise your personal information and bog down your computer by eating system resources can be.

Meh. I guess I just don't feel the love.
 

Woodsey

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MS have left something to do with PC gaming?! And right when Fable 3 is about to be relea-

Oh, yeah.

Seriously though, this group seems pointless. If anything, I'd rather just get along with the likes of Valve, BioWare, and CD Projekt speaking for us.

raxiv said:
No Mass Effect 3 for PC I reckon?
Huh?
 

Jumwa

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Jun 21, 2010
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Losing Microsoft is no big deal. Ignoring the loss of Nvidia, Microsoft leaving might've just been an indication of the positive, seeing as their goals seem to be in sabotaging the PC gaming market in favour of their games console.