PC Games Will Outsell Consoles by 2014

[CannibalCorpses]

Sounds good until the next generation of consoles come out and then it's back to the old scenario...

 

[Zom-B]

There is a standardized PC platform, its called a Mac. The last time i looked the game market for Macs was horrible. My friend just recently was totally excited to finally play Call of Duty on his Mac, Call of Duty 2 that is.

There is no "future of console gaming".

As is, we do not have a next nextgen console generation on the horizon. We just don't.
The WiiU is 4 year old hardware, it still runs DX10.

The future of console gaming is having more of the same. Instead of an open-world Dragon Age, instanced corridor missions with re-used assets. Because theres only so much you can cram on a DVD and just so much processing power available to display it.

The next generation of consoles will need to go with DX11 at minimum, meaning it is only -now- being developed with current-gen PC chipsets, you won't see one for at least 2 years if its even developed at all.

The future might still release faulty hardware, all systems have glitches, even Macs. The console stability myth is as flawed as the Mac stability myth.

AFAIK Fallout 3 is one of the buggiest games on Xbox. There is no "better" or "more stable".

Consoles are just really good at one thing: Plug and Play

I.E. convenience

Perhaps a bit of exaggeration, but I would think mostly on the ball. However...

What do you mean "no future of console gaming"? Sure there is. There's tomorrow, the next two weeks, the next six months and whatever Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft do in the next couple of years. It may not be the same console we're used to seeing, but it won't be a desktop computer or a laptop either, I'm betting.

Not all consoles use DVDs. PS3, as you well know, uses Blurays that hold far more data than DVDs. Current consoles will continue to use discs, but as we skew more and more towards full digital, storage capacity of discs won't matter. On top of that, I wouldn't be surprised to see games eventually showing up on solid state storage devices with massive amounts of memory. I've got a 500gb drive in my PS3. In a few years they'll be able to cram that memory into something the size of a PSP memory stick.

Console and Mac stability are definitely overrated, but that being said, I've had far, far less problems with a Mac and a PS3 than I ever had with a Windows based PC. Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal, but I've not got any complaints about my PS3 (the Mac yes, but for entirely different, unrelated reasons). I gave up PC gaming years ago, because I found it was becoming impossible for me to play newer games without investing money- money I didn't have at the time. I don't have that issue with my console.

Fallout: New Vegas is the buggiest game I've encountered on my PS3. Almost unplayable at this point. Fallout 3, oddly enough, hardly gave me any problems. Go figure.

I'm not saying you are, but people seem to look down on "convenience" like it's a bad thing. Why is that? What's wrong with making something easy? That's why Macs and iPhones had such a popularity surge. The closed systems of those, and consoles too, make it much easier for more people to just use a device. As neat as it is to know how and why things work and be able to tinker with them to your liking, there's also much to be said for products that just work. Work as advertised, work when you want them to and work throughout the products lifetime. I'm not saying PCs don't, but they do have a reputation for a reason. It's why we have IT departments and computer techs and, yes, Mac stores too. Shit happens and not everyone can or even wants to know how to fix it. Just like cars. How many people know how to fix their own cars? Not most people. They just want a nice, reliable, comfortable car, and that's sort of what a console is. PCs are like racing cars- you need a bit more knowledge, time and money to drive them, but when you get it running right, the Fords and Toyotas just don't compare. But there's nothing wrong with Fords and Toyotas and, in fact, some of them are quite nice, go pretty darn fast and look good too. But nobody is bitching that cars are "convenient". No one cares, because in the end, they mostly work for most people.

Personally, I think both PCs and consoles have their benefits and their downsides and that each person should be free to choose one or the other without someone else calling them an "elitist" or being looked down upon because they don't want a gaming computer.

 

[JET1971]

But then Steam raises a new problem. I can't hand cash to steam. I have 0 ways of paying for anything on steam. I know many other people like this. Plus downloading an entire game can take awhile. Where as walking to the store and handing someone money is easier then setting up a paypal and getting the info needed to connect it to my bank or getting a credit card and then connecting it to the account to buy things.

Prepaid credit cards. Have a rite aid in town? they carry them. Walmart in town? they also carry them. not having anyway to buy games through steam is just an excuse this day and age. You should look into it just for the sales Steam has.

 

[Ashley Blalock]

Wal-Mart is further away then best buy lol. No Rite Aids. Another reason I don't use steam is because I like having the Disk.

Perhaps people just aren't looking at the advantages a disk can have.

You can give an old disk to a friend or relative that can't afford new games. You can trade the game in at some store for credit. You can trade around games with friends so you don't have to buy all the new games if you have friends to trade with. If you want to play on a different machine and that machine doesn't have an internet connection you can still play if you have the disk.

Steam is great but there are still some things you can do with a disk that you just can't do with Steam.

 

[Radelaide]

The reason I prefer console gaming over PC gaming? Because you don't have to worry about minimum specs every time you buy a game.

Case in point: I've got a 4-year-old Dell XPS M1530 gaming laptop and it's run most of the games I've installed on it. The game I've noticed it hates the most currently is the Sims 3 and Dead Island. My boyfriend is actually building me a new PC because my laptop has had everything in it replaced (under warranty, love that) and it's on it's way out.

If I played either of those on my 6-year-old Xbox, I wouldn't have a drama.

PC gaming is more about who has the bigger E-Peen these days instead of actually enjoying the game as proven in the OP.

 

[Danceofmasks]

This MIGHT be the case, if there aren't new versions of consoles by then.

'cos one of the main reasons people are playing PC games more is 'cos consoles are DINOSAURS right now, and their PCs, which are toasters compared to top tier PCs mind you, will still run them better than the console versions.

I mean, I sold my i7 recently 'cos a customer really needed one urgently, and I'm back to using a grossly outdated core2quad 2.67, and it still shits over my PS3 so hard it's not even worth considering a PS3 version of a game if I have a choice.

That, and PC titles are cheaper (when new; and buying from a sensible store like dungeon crawl), although prices might level out somewhat if online passes become the norm on consoles.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

This is all fair and well, but I get the feeling that the figures are somewhat screwed up by the fact there hasn't been a new console generation in..... ages.

This is what I was thinking, the console cycle is (hopefully) nearing it's end, and with that people aren't buying them, instead they settle for PC's which are more than just a gaming platform.

Plus with the release and popularity of MineCraft, people are drawn into the PC gaming side of things, (I know I was).

We need some more great and accessible PC exclusives!

 

[Danceofmasks]

Wal-Mart is further away then best buy lol. No Rite Aids. Another reason I don't use steam is because I like having the Disk.

Perhaps people just aren't looking at the advantages a disk can have.

You can give an old disk to a friend or relative that can't afford new games. You can trade the game in at some store for credit. You can trade around games with friends so you don't have to buy all the new games if you have friends to trade with. If you want to play on a different machine and that machine doesn't have an internet connection you can still play if you have the disk.

Steam is great but there are still some things you can do with a disk that you just can't do with Steam.

The internet Connection is my biggest concern. With many titles having the whole "Online Always" problem what happens if the internet goes down? There are people who still play games without internet connections. I don't know if you need a net connection to play steam always but if you do to me that is a negative point to it.

You can play most steam titles in offline mode, BUT, you need an internet connection in order to tell steam to go into offline mode. -_-
Meaning, if you know you're going on the road, or if you have a connection but it's not altogether stable, it's an option.
But if your connection suddenly cuts out, no steam for you.

 

[lacktheknack]

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

...I walked past six today at my local computer part shop.

Are you interested yet? Or does your definition of "cheap" mean less than $300?

 

[Mr. Omega]

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

...I walked past six today at my local computer part shop.

Are you interested yet? Or does your definition of "cheap" mean less than $300?

Ok, does said shop deliver/ship out or something? How about a link for this place? Preferable one that WORKS, unlike the last one I was given. I keep getting these claims of "oooh, well I can find one! I see them all the time!"

And then when I ask "Cool, where can I get one?" or "Care to back that claim up?" they say one of three things:

1: "Oh, google it, you lazy fuckwit!" You made the claim, you back it up.
2: "I made it myself!" Well, so much for the 'accessible' part...
3: "I wouldn't expect a console-tard like you to know where to shop for a good gaming PC. *insert snarky comment on how I should stick to CoD*" Not that common on this site (but still common, don't get me wrong.), but it just goes to them dodging the question.

I've gotten ONE legit response in my entire time questioning PC Gamers about this, and that one time, the link didn't work.

So to put it bluntly:
I'm very skeptical of your statement. Link or I don't believe you. If your answer is going to be one of the three above, don't bother responding.

 

[lacktheknack]

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

...I walked past six today at my local computer part shop.

Are you interested yet? Or does your definition of "cheap" mean less than $300?

Ok, does said shop deliver/ship out or something? How about a link for this place? Preferable one that WORKS, unlike the last one I was given. I keep getting these claims of "oooh, well I can find one! I see them all the time!"

And then when I ask "Cool, where can I get one?" or "Care to back that claim up?" they say one of three things:

1: "Oh, google it, you lazy fuckwit!" You made the claim, you back it up.
2: "I made it myself!" Well, so much for the 'accessible' part...
3: "I wouldn't expect a console-tard like you to know where to shop for a good gaming PC. *insert snarky comment on how I should stick to CoD*" Not that common on this site (but still common, don't get me wrong.), but it just goes to them dodging the question.

I've gotten ONE legit response in my entire time questioning PC Gamers about this, and that one time, the link didn't work.

So to put it bluntly:
I'm very skeptical of your statement. Link or I don't believe you. If your answer is going to be one of the three above, don't bother responding.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834107079

Not the highest quality, I'll admit, but it'll run pretty much anything up to the first bit of this generation.

Alternatively, you could look at this, which'll do better.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834157822

Now if you want to run games from the last year at high res, stop trying to do it on a laptop (I have a laptop that DOES run Mirror's Edge at everything maximized, but it overheats really badly, which is expected for something so compact). If you're looking to get Just Cause 2 going at 32x antialiasing and full effects, then accept that you need a desktop with a big cooling system. If you're satisfied with, say, a smattering of indies along with some strategy titles and Blizzard's easy-to-run stuff (which is generally the PC's strong suit anyways), then those two laptops should do it.

(Note: I'm not 100% sure about those two, actually, I'm a bit rusty on my computer parts. I DO know that powerful laptops are really cheap, though. For instance, the laptop I mentioned that outperforms the Xbox in every way except cooling on Mirror's Edge cost me $650.)

Edit: I realized that my original claim of "six" laptops isn't really correct, as your definition of "cheap" isn't mine. For instance, I think this is a real bargain:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834246156

...partly because Lenovo is awesome, partly because it includes a freaking Geforce 500 series GPU, and partly because it doubles as, say, a work computer for university. Of course, many people who aren't up on their computers probably just stop at "$630". I can't really do anything about that. My personal definition of "cheap" stops around the $1000 mark.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834150180

The above link is not cheap.

 

[LordZ]

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

...I walked past six today at my local computer part shop.

Are you interested yet? Or does your definition of "cheap" mean less than $300?

Ok, does said shop deliver/ship out or something? How about a link for this place? Preferable one that WORKS, unlike the last one I was given. I keep getting these claims of "oooh, well I can find one! I see them all the time!"

And then when I ask "Cool, where can I get one?" or "Care to back that claim up?" they say one of three things:

1: "Oh, google it, you lazy fuckwit!" You made the claim, you back it up.
2: "I made it myself!" Well, so much for the 'accessible' part...
3: "I wouldn't expect a console-tard like you to know where to shop for a good gaming PC. *insert snarky comment on how I should stick to CoD*" Not that common on this site (but still common, don't get me wrong.), but it just goes to them dodging the question.

I've gotten ONE legit response in my entire time questioning PC Gamers about this, and that one time, the link didn't work.

So to put it bluntly:
I'm very skeptical of your statement. Link or I don't believe you. If your answer is going to be one of the three above, don't bother responding.

Cheap and gaming laptop don't exactly go together. If you had some realistic expectations like a cheap gaming desktop, you might actually find a reason to play on a PC.

This is what I would call entry level for a gaming laptop. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834157822

Of course, a gaming desktop would be cheaper and could handle every game under the sun.

Cherry picking the requirement of laptop on why PCs would lose a PC vs Console debate seems a bit like trolling since I don't remember a PS3, Wii or 360 being portable either. It's not that hard to hide a desktop PC inside the same cabinet as a console. The lack of needing to insert discs means you can even hide them completely from view.

If you really want to argue that PCs lose against portable consoles like a Nintendo DS then I really have no interest in even arguing with that apples and oranges type comparison. It's already rather apples and oranges comparing a PC to a console since consoles are basically stripped down PCs with a fixed/restricted part configuration. Besides, one of the best parts of a gaming PC is they tend to be unique creations that are tailored to the needs of the gamer and not tailored to the needs of the game manufacturer.

 

[lacktheknack]

At least i don't need a degree in computer engineering to upgrade my system every year.

Besides they fixed the Red Ring of Death, and my 'box never crapped out once in the four years I've owned it.

Consoles have always been a more economical for me.

And when's the last time you saw a used computer game?

*three or four years

Also, "Degree in computer engineering"

Step one: Look up parts (two hours)
Step two: Buy parts (~$300, one hour)
Step three: Place parts in computer using a manual (three minutes to half an hour)
Step four: Boot up, install drivers off disks (five to twenty minutes)
Step five (optional): Download the latest drivers off the internet (three to ten minutes)

Hyperbole is not your friend.

Also, I don't see how the presence of used PC games is relevant. I typically only buy games I know I'll like, so I never have to return them. And if I do, it's called "eBay".

 

[Mr. Omega]

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

...I walked past six today at my local computer part shop.

Are you interested yet? Or does your definition of "cheap" mean less than $300?

Ok, does said shop deliver/ship out or something? How about a link for this place? Preferable one that WORKS, unlike the last one I was given. I keep getting these claims of "oooh, well I can find one! I see them all the time!"

And then when I ask "Cool, where can I get one?" or "Care to back that claim up?" they say one of three things:

1: "Oh, google it, you lazy fuckwit!" You made the claim, you back it up.
2: "I made it myself!" Well, so much for the 'accessible' part...
3: "I wouldn't expect a console-tard like you to know where to shop for a good gaming PC. *insert snarky comment on how I should stick to CoD*" Not that common on this site (but still common, don't get me wrong.), but it just goes to them dodging the question.

I've gotten ONE legit response in my entire time questioning PC Gamers about this, and that one time, the link didn't work.

So to put it bluntly:
I'm very skeptical of your statement. Link or I don't believe you. If your answer is going to be one of the three above, don't bother responding.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834107079

Not the highest quality, I'll admit, but it'll run pretty much anything up to the first bit of this generation.

Alternatively, you could look at this, which'll do better.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834157822

Now if you want to run games from the last year at high res, stop trying to do it on a laptop (I have a laptop that DOES run Mirror's Edge at everything maximized, but it overheats really badly, which is expected for something so compact). If you're looking to get Just Cause 2 going at 32x antialiasing and full effects, then accept that you need a desktop with a big cooling system. If you're satisfied with, say, a smattering of indies along with some strategy titles and Blizzard's easy-to-run stuff (which is generally the PC's strong suit anyways), then those two laptops should do it.

(Note: I'm not 100% sure about those two, actually, I'm a bit rusty on my computer parts. I DO know that powerful laptops are really cheap, though. For instance, the laptop I mentioned that outperforms the Xbox in every way except cooling on Mirror's Edge cost me $650.)

Thank you. I'm not expecting it to run Deus Ex or anything like that, the most recent title I'll probably end up using is TF2, so that's fine.

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

...I walked past six today at my local computer part shop.

Are you interested yet? Or does your definition of "cheap" mean less than $300?

Ok, does said shop deliver/ship out or something? How about a link for this place? Preferable one that WORKS, unlike the last one I was given. I keep getting these claims of "oooh, well I can find one! I see them all the time!"

And then when I ask "Cool, where can I get one?" or "Care to back that claim up?" they say one of three things:

1: "Oh, google it, you lazy fuckwit!" You made the claim, you back it up.
2: "I made it myself!" Well, so much for the 'accessible' part...
3: "I wouldn't expect a console-tard like you to know where to shop for a good gaming PC. *insert snarky comment on how I should stick to CoD*" Not that common on this site (but still common, don't get me wrong.), but it just goes to them dodging the question.

I've gotten ONE legit response in my entire time questioning PC Gamers about this, and that one time, the link didn't work.

So to put it bluntly:
I'm very skeptical of your statement. Link or I don't believe you. If your answer is going to be one of the three above, don't bother responding.

Cheap and gaming laptop don't exactly go together. If you had some realistic expectations like a cheap gaming desktop, you might actually find a reason to play on a PC.

This is what I would call entry level for a gaming laptop. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834157822

Of course, a gaming desktop would be cheaper and could handle every game under the sun.

Cherry picking the requirement of laptop on why PCs would lose a PC vs Console debate seems a bit like trolling since I don't remember a PS3, Wii or 360 being portable either. It's not that hard to hide a desktop PC inside the same cabinet as a console. The lack of needing to insert discs means you can even hide them completely from view.

If you really want to argue that PCs lose against portable consoles like a Nintendo DS then I really have no interest in even arguing with that apples and oranges type comparison. It's already rather apples and oranges comparing a PC to a console since consoles are basically stripped down PCs with a fixed/restricted part configuration. Besides, one of the best parts of a gaming PC is they tend to be unique creations that are tailored to the needs of the gamer and not tailored to the needs of the game manufacturer.

Thing is, I need the laptop for uses other than gaming. The gaming aspect is SECONDARY. I've had a console for a while, I use it with my TV, and it's used purely for entertainment purposes. I need to do WORK on my computer, and my situation makes it a lot more convenient for me to have a computer that I can move around. Being able to play TF2 on it is a nice BONUS.

Furthermore, I never said PC would lose, I said I wasn't interested.

 

[Sneaklemming]

I see two paragraphs of the news actual report, and 4 paragraphs of gushing over how amazing PC Gaming is and how it's sooooo much better than console gaming.

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

Is $400 cheap enuff for you?

 

[Mr. Omega]

I see two paragraphs of the news actual report, and 4 paragraphs of gushing over how amazing PC Gaming is and how it's sooooo much better than console gaming.

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

Is $400 cheap enuff for you?

It's pricey, but I could do a lot worse.

 

[Sneaklemming]

I see two paragraphs of the news actual report, and 4 paragraphs of gushing over how amazing PC Gaming is and how it's sooooo much better than console gaming.

OT: Well that's all well and good. Here's me not giving a damn. Now when they make an actually decent, cheap and accessable gaming laptop, then I'll interested in PC Gaming.

Is $400 cheap enuff for you?

It's pricey, but I could do a lot worse.

Pricey?!

You must be mad.