Poll: Do major developers hate the PC?

[artanis_neravar]

It seems the only time a game on a PC is better or equal to the console version, is when it was originally developed for PC, or utilizes the extra resources higher end PCs have to offer(Fallout: New Vegas

Not true, every game I own on PC that has a console version as well runs and plays better than the console version. Personal experience obviously.

Not to mention the greater variety of controls, and the ability to customize which button does what

 

[Waaghpowa]

It seems the only time a game on a PC is better or equal to the console version, is when it was originally developed for PC, or utilizes the extra resources higher end PCs have to offer(Fallout: New Vegas

Not true, every game I own on PC that has a console version as well runs and plays better than the console version. Personal experience obviously.

Not to mention the greater variety of controls, and the ability to customize which button does what

Really the only time I can say where the console version was better is 1) Dead space 1 where they did nothing to change the controls and 2) you pull a Treyarch and expect hardware to compensate for a poor port.

 

[tokae]

1. Steam has made PC gaming more profitable than consoles.
2. The hardware has stagnated for 7 years now.
3. PC gaming has grown, and will surpass console gaming in the next couple of years.

1. Well, I'll give you that one, but steam is just that, steam. For it to be really profitable there need to be more market-options.
2. Ehm, no it hasn't? Just last week I got myself a better processor, new graphics card and a SSD-hdd. It hasn't stagnated at all, it's just too bloody expensive for many to bother.
3. It hasn't really grown.. Sure it has, but consoles has in the same time raced past it and gets further away all the time.
But yes, with hardware prices steadily going down (slowly but surely), and numerous other reasons (like personal economy improving in general, and consoles hitting their peak because appearantly the companys making them are more-or-less clueless) computers will become the greater force in gaming again.
Then we're back to the arcades again! (Atleast I hope. ^^)



And yes, you will need to repeat it for quite along time I think. Because no-matter how many "sources" you have, it won't be accepted until it's about to happen.

 

[Akiraacecombat]

Developers don't hate PC,Publisher do

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Developers think with the mindset of building game's for console then working up, but I like how DICE said it best, build from the best then work down.

Downscaling is easier than upscaling. Always eaasier to remove or simplify things that are there than it is to add things that aren't there.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

And yes, you will need to repeat it for quite along time I think. Because no-matter how many "sources" you have, it won't be accepted until it's about to happen.

It won't be accepted until 6 months after it happened and will be downplayed regardless. Too many companies with a vested interest in perpetuating the idea that PC gaming is dying.

 

[player3141]

While not quite disagreeing with your point, for the bugs their are normally mods which can fix it to a very high standard, and while that may not seem acceptable as you having to track down these mods and bare the arduous task of pressing download its still a solution although it certainly is not from big game developers but from people themselves so this point may seem obsolete.

The solution of downloading mods that fix bugs in single player games works great (fallout), but in multiplayer games, the modified client version will not always work.

 

[Waaghpowa]

2. Yes it has. The tech required to run games now has stayed the same due to multiplatform games.

3. Actually console gaming isn't growing. Its stagnant, which means troubles for the AAA developers.

2) Which is why games like The Witcher 2 exist to push technical limits, the thought of them making it for console actually seems funny.

3) Do you mean the constant repetition with sequels and genres?

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

I think they focus on console because more money is to be made on it. People are more willing to buy lower quality games and they can release often without repercussions (at least for a while.)

 

[WorldFree55]

As other people have said already, it's much cheaper to own a console then it is to keep up with the tech requirements to play a triple A PC game or most PC games these days. I would know since i paid $2,000+ dollars on the parts to build my gaming PC XD.

There is also a issue with pirating games on the PC as well. Consoles have that issue as well but it's not even close to that issue with the PC. Seriously all i have to do is go to piratebay.org or something and i can get the latest Witcher sequel on the PC.

So add to the fact that as hard as it is to believe, not too many people have the capabilities or have the money to get a more powerful computer and the pirating issue, there's almost no reason to make games for the PC beside MMOs. Nothing new from what anybody else has said, just it's true.

It really really isn't that expensive to build a PC and I'm sorry to say but you probably paid more than you had to

Here's an easy way of refuting it... found this on the net:

Spoiler

The issue with pirating is there, but it is blown out of proportion, it also exists on the consoles (especially handheld ones), e.g. Ok first of all, could you message me the links to that list you have there. Because now all of a sudden i feel like screaming and crying at the same time. That and is that list updated to this year...this month...this week by any chance? XD.

 

[starhaven]

Nope they don't hate the Pc at all I am quite sure, they just love the money from consoles a lot more, sadly.

winner you get 4 internets

 

[Jonabob87]

They don't hate the PC, they just recognise that it's a greatly reduced source of income.

Computers cost more than consoles, need to be maintained and upgraded every now and then, and are the easiest platform to use for pirating software. It's just not viable anymore to stick to PC only.

My advice is to blame pirates, the PC gaming crowd are a dedicated bunch but these people are ruining it for them. First Epic decided to ditch the PC because of the damage piracy is doing, who next?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Hate has nothing to do with it. It's the fact that the PC is very expensive to develop for, and Q&A is much more difficult for PCs because the hardware is never consistent from PC to PC.

 

[teh_Canape]

I don't think that they hate PC, but rather lost respect for it

 

[player3141]

They don't hate the PC, they just recognise that it's a greatly reduced source of income.

Computers cost more than consoles, need to be maintained and upgraded every now and then, and are the easiest platform to use for pirating software. It's just not viable anymore to stick to PC only.

My advice is to blame pirates, the PC gaming crowd are a dedicated bunch but these people are ruining it for them. First Epic decided to ditch the PC because of the damage piracy is doing, who next?

People who pirate don't even know what they are causing. Some believe that they should have a game and not pay for it because the big developers are already rich. Others just don't want to pay, and I think there are more of those people because indie games also have extremely high piracy rates. This is ashame because I like indie developers, until they become successful and evil.

However, one could argue that someone pirating a game isn't really a loss of a sale, since they probably wouldn't buy the game anyway. I agree with Notch's view for the most part on piracy.

http://notch.tumblr.com/post/1121596044/how-piracy-works

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

First Epic decided to ditch the PC because of the damage piracy is doing

Epic can go fuck themselves.

They were pissing and moaning about poor Gears of War sales when PC ports that launch months (if not years) after the console version almost invariably have poor sales... that's not because of some piracy bogeyman, that's because most people interested in said games usually go with the much earlier released console version, especially so when the PC version isn't even announced until after the console versions' peak sales period (first month) is over.

Besides, if Epic abandoned the PC, how do they explain Bulletstorm's PC version? Was it something their co-devs at People Can Fly insisted on? Also, fuck Epic for acting as if they were sole devs on Bulletstorm.

Epic 'ditched' the PC because they're whores for Microsoft. Nothing wrong with whoring out your business per se, but let's all be honest about, huh, Epic?

 

[Katana314]

What's this about PC gaming being dead?

PC gaming just doesn't have its advocates. Sony makes sure the PS3 is in the news all the time, Microsoft does the same for the 360. No one does that for the PC - but trust me, it's an active scene if you're looking around a bit. I see a lot of things I would never find on consoles.

 

[Waaghpowa]

What's this about PC gaming being dead?

PC gaming just doesn't have its advocates. Sony makes sure the PS3 is in the news all the time, Microsoft does the same for the 360. No one does that for the PC - but trust me, it's an active scene if you're looking around a bit. I see a lot of things I would never find on consoles.

Exactly, just because something isn't advertised to death doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Anyone who says that there's nothing worthwhile on PC needs to seriously shut up and look and not rely on the media to tell them.

 

[NickCaligo42]

Nope they don't hate the Pc at all I am quite sure, they just love the money from consoles a lot more, sadly.

The ironic thing being that console developers spend most of their time being jealous/afraid of mobile games and facebook games.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I,personally,don't think that developers hate the PC,but they sure refuse to give us PC gamers so many reasons to hate them in return by not porting console games.

There are very few developers that have a plan for the PC platform when working on a game.Here are a few reasons:

*It's cheaper to just make it console only,due to the fact that they already know the limitations of the consoles and try to work around that.

*Proper optimizations to make it run on decent computers(not everyone owns an Alienware).

*Piracy(obviously this being one of the main reasons),the fear of losing customers.The fact they don't know is that the console games usually get "cracked" by pirates a few days before their own release so there that.

*The simplified design of the gamepad making it easy to assign the controls of the game,compared to the PC where you have a mouse and keyboard(one of the many reasons why console ports on PC's suck,because they don't bother with it).

And then some more,but I think I've given a few examples.

I've been rooting for CDProjekt ever since the first Witcher and I was amazed of their determination to keep at it,trying to ignite a flame that has been long extinguished.What I am reffering to,of course,is working on a game that is PC exclusive and putting all their time and effort into making a good product and then,if they want,they can make a console port as well.I highly respect them for this.

Every other major developer does the exact opposite,leaving the "old" PC to rot and decay.The funny part of all this is that PC's can handle everything that a console can and even more(performance wise).

This is my take on the subject.

As a conclusion? Do developers hate the PC? No,but they sure are assholes and a bunch of liars(I'm looking at you Rockstar with you're LA Noire).