Return of the PC

[Dupeo]

It's no secret that PC gaming has gone downhill in the last few years because of how successful the Xbox 360 and PS3 have become. There are almost no big popular exclusive PC games anymore. Think back to the franchises of the 90s and early 00's; there was Diablo, Starcraft, Warcraft, Guild Wars, Age of Empires, Half Life, Quake, Dawn of War, etc. Hell, even the first CoD was a PC exclusive (if we just call Macs PCs for simplicity's sake). Now console gaming has taken over cause its simpler, no need to worry about replacing graphics cards every few years and stuff. Also it is cheaper.

I think this will change soon for two reasons:
Reason No. 1: Sony and Microsoft are about to make the same mistake Nintendo made with the Wii by trying to change the tried and true console controller. If it ain't broke don't fix it and the double analogue controller sure as shit ain't broke. The Kinect and whatever Sony is putting out will likely be a flop. I could be wrong though.
Reason No. 2: Starcraft 2. 'Nuff said.

Thoughts? Comments? If you're going to disagree with me make sure you do it like an aggressive internet asshole.

 

[SturmDolch]

My thoughts exactly. The gaming console will turn into casual systems. Gamers will look for the h-core games which will be on the PC. They will drift.

Eventually the consoles will go back to the hardcore games with a ton of marketing and stuff... "Xbox 1080: The Console for Hardcore Gamers"
"PS5: Bringing the Hardcore Back" blabla...

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

If PC gaming returns, it will be because greedy companies will make it more expensive and bothersome to play online on consoles where the money is now. I thought I had it good playing CoD4 on Xboxlive until I tried it out on the computer. I can barely even play WaW now because I get kicked every other match as I refused to download their shitty map packs.

The only reason to even use a console remaining right now is that you at least know every game that's going to be released for it is going to work on the console's hardware. Unless they pull another rumble pack out of their ass.

 

[Kapol]

I disagree, mainly because I doubt either the gimmick will really take over for the controller. For example, The Kenetic or however it's spelled will never be good for playing Halo on, period. The same can be said of all shooters really. And since the 360 is built on shooters, that means that the controller will stay.

Also, your second reason is invalid, as some people do not like Starcraft, such as myself. While you'll get all the people who are likely still playing Starcraft 1 into it, I doubt one game or even a handful of games will bring a lot of people back to PC.

 

[Pegghead]

Oh well, whatever happens I'm set up for both. Though I think you're right,while pc gaming's mostly been about the casual games lately and the consoles have mostly been for hardcore titles it seems like the consoles are set to switch this around. So for the next few years us gamers who like a bit of substance to our games will retreat to the pcs until the storm of motion controls, casual games and family friendliness passes over.

 

[Brian Piccolomini]

Eh. We've been in a bit of a rut, sure, but that's a bit hyperbolic (especially for RPG fans). Sure, there haven't been a lot of PC exclusives in the last six, maybe seven, years. Who cares? Console gaming has come a long way, but PC gaming remains just as good as it was. Hell, maybe even better with faster internet connections. How long does it (usually) take for a game-breaking bug to be fixed these days? To this day, I have yet to beat Baldur's Gate because my save file was lost during an error.

Gaming is evolving just fine. Go tend to your Zerglings.

 

[Lem0nade Inlay]

I sincerely hope you're right. I'm sick of hearing all my console only playing friends saying how the PS3 will always be better than the PC for reasons like "The screen is bigger" -_-

Gaming has become so mainstream on the consoles now, people are astounded when I tell them I play MW2 on the PC...

 

[cynikles]

Well to be fair, there's still a few franchises that are exclusive to PC, not many mind you, but for example, the entire RTS genre is more or less all on PC bar a few titles. Starcraft 2 will boost sales and the like, and Diablo III is around the corner.

I'd also add that games like Elder Scrolls, Fallout and the like will always be more suited to a PC anyway. Besides, if you're anything like me, you've had a PC most of your life and not really done much with consoles. I mean, the most recent console I own is an N64, before that a Sega Master System, so I've never been much of a console gamer.

I don't neccessarily agree that the Motion Plus crap will prove to be a bad move, quite the opposite really. I think it'll open up a larger market for both companies. It might dilute the quality of some games, but I don't think they'll alienate their gamer fans, after all, they want as much money as they can get. Besides, these motion sensor things are just add ons whereas the Wii was completely centred around the Wii Motion concept. Nintendo failed to bother with improving upon graphics quality and the like hoping to sell on the gimmick factor. They've done well, and as first movers in the market they've still got the advantage over Sony and Microsoft, but I don't think the motion sensor phenomenon is going to drive people back to PC gaming.

 

[Ertol]

I think the PC needs a company to create some PC only games, but I also have all three consoles. They are just as much fun to use as my PC is. I think the PC is more suited to a certain type of game then the consoles are. Just trying playing an RTS on a console, it's not very fun.

 

[Skorpyo]

I found that I have most often been disappointed by the console release of a multi-platformer.

F.E.A.R. on the PS3 is a good example, because the graphics were so fucked-up you could see all the pixels in the walls and such, and the frames NEVER synced up.

Also, Half-Life 2 on the Xbox. It was like watching the console try and give birth to a cinder-block.

 

[The Madman]

PC gaming never went downhill, all the franchises that started on the PC are still there, only now they're also on consoles. If anything I feel that what the Xbox and PS3 have done is give PC gaming ideals to the masses.

Console gaming is dying, long live the PC!... Let me explain:

Once upon a time there was a vast, vast difference between whether you played console or PC games. One person would be playing Mario, the other Ultima. As different as you could get! And there was little to no crossover at that point, it was literally one or the other. And so as gaming 'evolved' it essentially developed into two branches according to whether you played one platform or another. Ideas would only bled over very, very slowly from one side to the other. And so playing one platform over another, well, it meant something. I had an NES, Genesis and a PC growing up myself, but then most people weren't nearly as fortunate as I was and ultimately the double whammy of Mechwarrior 2 and Age of Empires made me a fan of the PC side of things.

It was the PS2 and Dreamcast started the trend of PC gaming ideals being ported over to consoles, but it was only with the latest generation that things really got crazy. Now you're hard pressed to find a game that hasn't been PCified on consoles. Hell, half the famous console developers are studio that made it big on the PC from Epic to Bungie and beyond. You say that means they're being taken away from PC gaming but we still get games. Console games though, beyond Nintendo, have done a 360 (hur hur) and there are few authentic console games remaining, and even they are being transformed over time.

I've still got my PC games, now you've got them too. You're just playing them on a console! Well... some of them. I'm a huge strategy game fan. Massive. Strategy and rpg are beyond doubt my favorite genre and both are genre which are dominant on the PC today, strategy moreso than rpg. You never have and at this rate never will get games like Galactic Civilizations on consoles, nor Dawn of War or Sins of a Solar Empire.

Erm... what was the question again? Oh yeah, PC making a resurgence? It does that from time to time. I remember when the N64 came out everyone thought it was the end of PC gaming. Then the PS. I can't think of a single time where people haven't been either decrying the death of PC gaming or boasting about its comeback.

 

[Zing]

Not just Starcraft II. The Old Republic early '11, Cataclysm late '10, Guild Wars 2 late '10-early '11, I'm also sure New Vegas and Dragon Age 2 will contribute with good modding communities.

Also Nintendo never made a mistake, as much as I hate it, the Wii is the highest selling console and is extremely popular among casual gamers.

 

[Dupeo]

The Madman, I loved Sins of a Solar Empire and played hours and hours of it. I was also severely disappointed at how few people knew about and played it. A symptom of a console centered gaming industry. Now to defend my point that PC Gaming used to be the focus of the industry: while the N64 put out RPGs like Banjo Kazooie or Super Mario, Baldur's Gate was on the Computer, a game vastly deeper, larger and more enjoyable for a mature person. It came on six CDs! not one cartridge.

 

[CrustyOatmeal]

i just think consoles are for simpler games like shooters and certain rpg's but complex games like rts's and certain rpg's can only be played on a pc because of all of the keys a computer has. it has always been true that pc gamers are (for the most part) better at the games they play. it just depends on the game, it's just esier to make less complicated games and it takes less user knowledge to play on a console than a pc because you dont need to know your specs, the developers custom make games for your consoles specs

PS and this is commin from a console gamer

 

[Blemontea]

someday i shall join the bi curious tribe of both console and pc gamers, once i get a computer than can play something other than pong, i got steam on this computer and i first got G-mod and Team fortress 2, i already had dragon age which ran somewhat well, but it seems now that the 40 day return policy has expired my computer has completely gone bat shit bad, i digress i get the same satisfaction from gaming on my laptop and now that i got Oblivion i have been getting tons of mods for it. Once i get my a new computer i am going to waste so much time on it, i can see it now.

 

[The Madman]

The Madman, I loved Sins of a Solar Empire and played hours and hours of it. I was also severely disappointed at how few people knew about and played it. A symptom of a console centered gaming industry. Now to defend my point that PC Gaming used to be the focus of the industry: while the N64 put out RPGs like Banjo Kazooie or Super Mario, Baldur's Gate was on the Computer, a game vastly deeper, larger and more enjoyable for a mature person. It came on six CDs! not one cartridge.

I know. So what? Baldur's Gate 2 is easily my favorite game of all time, ever, from when it was released till the dawn of time, but I still don't see what you're trying to say. Are you saying console gaming was simplistic? Or that it's dumbing down PC gaming? What?

And Sins of a Solar Empire sold extremely well actually. Just because it's not a blockbuster multi-million hit doesn't mean the game wasn't successful.

 

[Flying-Emu]

PC Gaming has not been going downhill.

 

[ENKC]

The same mistake Nintendo made? I don't think their multinational company can hear you over the sound of the enormous amounts of money they're raking in as a result of their successful business strategy.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

I'm sorry but those reasons are stupid.

1 game, no matter how popular, isn't going to bring back a whole system.

and PS move and kinect are just gimmicks. after 4 months they'll drop the both of them and go back to normal. and you act as if their dropping everything for move. devs will continue to make normal games, and this will all blow over by the time KZ3 comes out.

i don't think PC gaming is dead, though honestly i kinda wish it would. PC gaming is a cesspool or system requirements and mandatory patches, not too mention the fact that cheating si ten times easier on PC.

Patches aren't mandatory you fool, unless you're playing online, which you have to do on console anyway. Plus, think of the mods!

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

So is moding and combating cheating. I have a 10 year old PC and it runs Metro 2033 and crysis (low with physics at medium). Im getting a new PC though... Also you can have not only a mouse and a keyboard, but a controller too.

I don't believe you. No way a PC from 2000 can even think about running Crysis.