Update: Firefall CEO Clarifies "Consoles Are Dead" Statement

[Signa]

While this conversation has become another PC vs Console dickwaving contest, I'll chime in.

Back in 2009, I bought a Xbox because I thought the PC was really on its way out. The majority of notable games were coming out on the consoles, and anything that did reach the PC usually was a shoddy port. As a PC gamer, it was starting to feel like the games I bought were more of a bone being tossed at me instead of a genuine effort to sell me a product that a company could be proud of.

Fastforward to 2012, and the outlook has reversed completely (I attribute Steam to this turnaround). While consoles are hardly on the ropes like I felt PC gaming was in '09, their outlook seems even bleaker than PCs ever were. They are all tied to companies that control every aspect of your experience, and in many cases (particularly on the Xbox) the focus has changed from gamers to literally everyone on the planet, leaving games out of the equation. This forum alone has shown a lot of staunch console gamers getting fed up with the consoles, or just needing to go out an experiment with a new expereince on the PC. That does not bode well for the consoles. I hardly think that consoles are going to die, but their need in the market is waning, or becoming something entirely different, and that does make them seem dead.

 

[DirgeNovak]

What the fuck is a Firefall?

 

[nexus]

To be perfectly frank, console is not your best choice for an introductory title, or anything that isn't on an annual hype-machine. Console gamers are not willing to try new things or "experiment" as much as PC gamers either, so console games are almost all identical. Console exclusives that I consider "worth playing" are so rare now, that it's kind of surprising. These are typically Rockstar titles, because Rockstar is just fucking ace.

Going back to PC though? I literally cannot keep up with games coming out on the PC that I'm interested in. Not just first-party titles, but all the indie games as well. It's awesome. Hundreds of titles on Steam alone that are worth Greenlighting.

Consoles, especially Microsoft, seem to be going the "Map Pack/DLC - Social Club - Subscription Service Rape-fest" instead of doing anything remotely interesting. If all I had was an Xbox, I would be a depressed gamer.

 

[lacktheknack]

Battlefield 3:

Crysis 3 (looks and plays WAY better on PC):

The above are multiplayer stats, hence they obviously include PC digital sales.

Isn't Firefall a multiplayer shooter-esque game, just like the above two games?

Sorry what was the CEO saying again?

I couldn't hear him over the sound of consoles dying.

Oh yeah choose ORIGIN EXCLUSIVE games.

a platform NO ONE uses because origin is shit compared to steam, and gives you less freedom than North Korea being led by Steve Jobs.

45,000 online?

1,000 in Crysis 3?

That's cute. 45,000 is team Fortress's minimum. Come back with a real number.

Cool, you chose the one game with a shoddy Xbox port and a PS3 port no one gives a damn about. That's even worse cherry-picking than he did.

Those in glass houses...

 

[Yuuki]

Cool, you chose the one game with a shoddy Xbox port and a PS3 port no one gives a damn about. That's even worse cherry-picking than he did.

Those in glass houses...

Firstly it's SHE, and hey I tried not to cherry-pick...if I had shown Call of Duty's stats then that would be cherry picking :S

I tried my best to find the most "PC-esque" games - both Battlefield and Crysis started off as PC exclusives, and both BF3 and C3 handle excellently on PC...but console populations still vastly overtake PC's in those games.

Anyway my point was that consoles are far from dead, a point which Ultratwinkie missed.

 

[Comrade Richard]

So far the responses in this thread have been pretty reasonable with a single exception, ranging from funny, and I agree with most of them. I'm not myself a PC gamer but I can respect it's efficiency over console gaming when done correctly - and the access to mods is certainly appealing, as well as unofficial fixes in the case of certain buggy games (I'm looking at you Bethesda). That said I think I'm going to remain a console gamer, just as a personal preference, and I just want to say I'm totally not invested in the next generation of gaming at all - not even slightly - partly because I'm burnt out on all the terrible business practices of the previous gen and partly because I'm going to puke if I have to sit through more business posturing.

 

[Something Amyss]

Consoles are dead, and so is the PC!

Long live the zombified gaming industry! Hail! Hail!

OT: PC gaming is less than 10% of the market. If you want to double down on that, that's fine. But seriously, some people need perspective.

 

[nexus]

This is what Firefall's CEO has been saying.

Consoles don't take risks. They are a dead art form, and businessmen killed it with monopolies.

Not that the Escapist cares about facts, anyway.

Consoles have definitely been taking hits.. Integrity is a resulting casualty from all the madness, so is originality and risk-taking.

Definitely not dead though, just sort of limping along. I wouldn't even say it's dying, just rather it's something you look on with pity sometimes and hope it has a brighter future. But let's face it, it does have a future, because gamers gonna game and even the COD fanatics will get sick of COD one day, with a disposable income to go along with it.

 

[FalloutJack]

Firefall CEO Says "Consoles Are Dead"

That's funny. Consoles say that Firefall is dead.

Can I get a "BUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRNNN!!!" from the audience, please?

 

[Some_weirdGuy]

hazabaza1 says "Firefall CEO is a fucking idiot."
Make a news story outta that.

Escapist user starts one-sided feud with Firefall CEO [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.404087-Firefall-CEO-Says-Consoles-Are-Dead#16721854]

After hearing a statement from the CEO of the company behind the MMO Firefall, one Escapist user in particular has taken umbrage with Mark Kern's view that "Consoles are dead".

hazabaza1, a relatively well recognised Escapist forum user (at least by this writer's standards) has decided to potentially start a war of words with Mr Kern, by launching a foul-mouthed volley in his direction.

"Firefall CEO is a fucking idiot" the man with the QI avatar (seen rather fuzzily to the right) said. This is the first time in particular that hazabaza has levelled such an outburst specifically at Mr Kern, but with the Firefall CEO's continued existence, and therefore possibility of making a statement, this may not be the last we hear about these two.

Whilst we here on The Escapist forums have no idea as to whether Mr. Kern will respond to these curse-ridden comments, we will, as always keep you up with any developments in this engrossing story.

hazabaza1 is exclusive to PC. As is Firefall apparently.

Permalink [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.404087-Firefall-CEO-Says-Consoles-Are-Dead#16722030]

You sir, win this thread... no, this whole site. Infact, you need to approach escapist with a business proposition, you do more of that, and they treat it the same as all the other official articles.

It would be awesome.

 

[Signa]

So far the responses in this thread have been pretty reasonable with a single exception, ranging from funny, and I agree with most of them. I'm not myself a PC gamer but I can respect it's efficiency over console gaming when done correctly - and the access to mods is certainly appealing, as well as unofficial fixes in the case of certain buggy games (I'm looking at you Bethesda). That said I think I'm going to remain a console gamer, just as a personal preference, and I just want to say I'm totally not invested in the next generation of gaming at all - not even slightly - partly because I'm burnt out on all the terrible business practices of the previous gen and partly because I'm going to puke if I have to sit through more business posturing.

*obligatory PC master race recruiting post*

We'll be here to help you out when you're ready to give PC gaming a shot. It sounds like you've weighed the pros and cons already, and big business is trying to push you out the door. Besides, it's not like you can't do both. The division you see between consoles and PC is mostly because PC gamers find there to be no going back. I still play consoles, but they are at least a generation old, before all the stuff you complained about became a detrimental factor.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Jesus people the guy made a joke, and then it's turned into news and then people flip their shit in the comments... this freak out hype machine you are creating is getting worse then Fox bloody News.

Bottom line they aren't porting to consoles, but you really aren't missing out because this game is about 10x less interesting then Borderlands.

 

[SacremPyrobolum]

Consoles have surpassed computers!

Consoles are only as good as a low end computer!

Consoles are dead!

I call shenanigans...

 

[XtDK]

This is coming from the same guy who thinks it's a good idea to reset all XP, equipment, and skills every time you upgrade up a tier in your chosen class. It's similar to starting over every 15 levels in WoW.

Firefall is already dead, consoles are going to be fine for a long time.

 

[IronMit]

What is dead may never die....

We are Iron-born!!

 

[AstylahAthrys]

Wait... if consoles are dead AND PC gaming is dead, is GAMING DEAD? *proceeds to shriek and faint from shock*

Now, if you excuse me, it's the weekend, and I gots some gaming to do on both my PC and my 360. So hah, Mr.Firefall CEO. I fart in your general direction.

 

[silver wolf009]

Consoles are dead, and so is the PC!

Everybody dies!!

OT: Good for you Firefall man sir. I don't care. Have fun with your life, and sod off ripping on certain entertainment machines. It accomplishes less than nothing.

 

[Frostbite3789]

Consoles are dead, and so is the PC!

Clanking rocks together primed to make huge comeback, invest in Builders League United today!

I'm already stocking up on Ball in a Cups.

 

[Giyguy]

...and Rumors say that the Next XBox needs to always be online.

oh holy shit, i hope not. that's just stupid.

 

[Frostbite3789]

Consoles are dead, and so is the PC!

Long live the zombified gaming industry! Hail! Hail!

OT: PC gaming is less than 10% of the market. If you want to double down on that, that's fine. But seriously, some people need perspective.

Isn't that only 10% of the retail market? Because if I recall, digital downloads aren't counted into statistics like that, and if someone can point me to a reliable place to get physical copies PC games these days (that aren't Blizzard games or Sims expansion packs) I'd appreciate if greatly.