Why are developers turning away from the PC?

[Sewblon]

Piracy.

The fact that every 360 (Any system but I need an example for this to work.) is equal in power.

The convenience of joystick control.

Affordability (Computers are affordable but you need a high end one to play newer games and those are pricey) means a larger market base.

Stop me any time here.

I find the Keyboard and mouse format much more convenient than using 2 analog sticks because my thumbs are weak.

 

[SimuLord]

EDIT: Not all publishers are turning away from the PC however. Microsoft have recently revamped Games for Windows Live and are looking to make it a much more useful service in the future, including anti-piracy measures. More details can be found here. [http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/interview-pc-is-the-cradle-of-innovation-says-microsoft/?biz=1]

The plain and simple of it is that Microsoft knows full well that the most compelling reason to choose a Windows-based PC over a Linux-based PC or a Mac is the gaming. If gamers are pushed away from the PC, then there's nothing at all to stop them from using Ubuntu with OpenOffice (for example) rather than having to pay the Microsoft Tax to use MSOffice on a system with hardware that's there primarily to prop up the bloated OS. A 2003-issue Pentium 4 can run a good Linux distro more efficiently than a 2007-issue Core 2 can run Vista at the same initial price point.

 

[Raven28256]

Piracy.

The fact that every 360 (Any system but I need an example for this to work.) is equal in power.

The convenience of joystick control.

Affordability (Computers are affordable but you need a high end one to play newer games and those are pricey) means a larger market base.

Stop me any time here.

Don't state an opinion as factual evidence as to why the consoles are superior. The debate of keyboard and mouse vs controller is a matter of opinion.

So, you only have three points why the consoles are superior: Cost/Dedication, the standardization, and piracy. HOWEVER! Consoles are still not piracy-proof. Granted, yes, it is more complicated and much less of an issue, but there is still some piracy on the consoles. So consoles are superior in the sense that piracy is far less common.

Also, I'd point out that when you first get into console gaming it can be just as expensive as building a good PC. You forget the simple fact that, to get the most out of your next-gen console, you will need an HDTV. That will up the price to similar levels as a good gaming PC, but in the long run, PC gaming is indeed more expensive and requires more dedication as new and better parts allow developers to continually push games further. At the same time, this is a disadvantage because, since people can't upgrade, you will eventually get to a peak where you can't make games any better in terms of graphics and what you can pull off.

 

[Altorin]

the simple fact of the matter is, if you have a console and a PC, you're more likely to buy for the Console.

For me, the reason for that, is mainly one of convenience. Being able to buy a game, and know when I buy it that that game will work with my system, and knowing that if i played it at a friends house on his console I can expect the exact same experience. Not having to tweak options to optimize my experience.

These are MY reasons for buying a game for a console rather then a PC. People who are REALLY into their PCs might see those as reasons to buy on PC - getting that better experience then you're friend's meager system, tweaking and modifying your game for the best experience.

I just value simplicity, and that's what console are - simple.

On topic, Consoles tend to sell more games then PCs (at least multiplatform), because a lot of console gamers feel the exact same way as I do, even if we have a PC. That's a big reason I would imagine developers would rather sell on a Console.

 

[Altorin]

if you're confused by the options in console games, you should probably hang up your gamer identity and just fade to black.

 

[Altorin]

if you're confused by the options in console games, you should probably hang up your gamer identity and just fade to black.

If you're also confused by the options in PC games, you should probably hang up your gamer identity and just fade to black

Unless mommy and daddy set up your computer to go on the internet, all the things involved in posting on this forum is infinitely more difficult than figuring out if you want to invert your Y axis controls.

I know it hurts to be tied to a sinking ship.

just let it all out

 

[Logan Westbrook]

if you're confused by the options in console games, you should probably hang up your gamer identity and just fade to black.

If you're also confused by the options in PC games, you should probably hang up your gamer identity and just fade to black

Unless mommy and daddy set up your computer to go on the internet, all the things involved in posting on this forum is infinitely more difficult than figuring out if you want to invert your Y axis controls.

I know it hurts to be tied to a sinking ship.

just let it all out

Actually, if you read the article I posted a link to, you'd see that PC gaming is far from being a sinking ship. It is in fact an industry worth around $10 billion.

 

[SimuLord]

The plain and simple of it is that Microsoft knows full well that the most compelling reason to choose a Windows-based PC over a Linux-based PC or a Mac is the gaming. If gamers are pushed away from the PC, then there's nothing at all to stop them from using Ubuntu with OpenOffice (for example) rather than having to pay the Microsoft Tax to use MSOffice on a system with hardware that's there primarily to prop up the bloated OS. A 2003-issue Pentium 4 can run a good Linux distro more efficiently than a 2007-issue Core 2 can run Vista at the same initial price point.

Even if we aren't talking about games, a good Linux distro doesn't run much of the multimedia content creation software that Vista can.

And if Microsoft was worried so much about PC gaming...Why did they release the Xbox 360?

Multimedia content creation is about the only compelling reason to own a Mac (besides "I r dum and need ez computor 4 no virus"), and those tools are better on Apple's machine than on the PC. Barring that, Linux can do everything a PC can except game.

Why did MS get into console gaming? They were probably hedging their bets, figuring "if PC gaming is doomed, we shouldn't let Sony and Nintendo have ALL the spoils..."

 

[Altorin]

I was being facetious, I'm sorry for my tone.

I don't dislike PC gaming (a lot of my favorite games are old PC games), I just prefer playing on my console. I hate it when people try and make me feel bad for enjoying my console.

 

[Signa]

Also, I'd point out that when you first get into console gaming it can be just as expensive as building a good PC. You forget the simple fact that, to get the most out of your next-gen console, you will need an HDTV. That will up the price to similar levels as a good gaming PC, but in the long run, PC gaming is indeed more expensive and requires more dedication as new and better parts allow developers to continually push games further. At the same time, this is a disadvantage because, since people can't upgrade, you will eventually get to a peak where you can't make games any better in terms of graphics and what you can pull off.

The more I hear this argument, the more I realize that people are just retarded and don't know how to run their computers. PC gaming has so much going for it still, and yet it's being cast aside with out any logical reason. I think all the jocks who want to play Halo and Madden are just scared of making their PC blow up.

One thing that pisses me off about PC gaming lately is dev's inability to take advantage of what I think is a better interface than the gamepads. Look at Oblivion: They actually have a worse interface than the consoles did, and it was a complete downgrade from the previous game Morrowind. Yes, an older title has a more thought out and better options for the interface than a current generation game. On the flip side, we have Mass Effect which had much of its UI altered to be more favorable to mice. It was refreshing until I found out about the DRM on that game. Ugh.

Yet another reason why PCs are going to hell.

 

[Altorin]

I was being facetious, I'm sorry for my tone.

I don't dislike PC gaming (a lot of my favorite games are old PC games), I just prefer playing on my console. I hate it when people try and make me feel bad for enjoying my console.

Yeah, and I just love it when people try and say idiotic things about enjoying any of my platforms as well.

fair enough, I won't comment on why I like my console when you may be in ear shot and get offended

 

[Jumplion]

Ungh, already the end of this thread is niegh. I'm surprised Nilcypher hasn't locked this already, I guess he's feeling hopefull of this thread.

But as for the OP;

ZEE PIRIATS DEED EET!!! ZEE PIRAITES DEED EEETTTT!@!!@#$@#

So yes, mainly piracy.

I so want to play devil's advocate on some of these forums posts, but I won't....but oh how I want to...but I won't!!....or will I?....no I won't!

 

[EzraPound]

Companies such as Epic games now view the console market as more important and lucrative than the PC market, Why is this. It perplexes me since FPSs, Strategy games and MMOGs remain PC centric.

Alot of PC developers jumped ship when the Xbox came out, because it had good development tools and a mandate of bringing PC-style games to the console (and thusly, to a broader audience). Development costs have increased, too, which means that if you're a company trying to field games that can compete in every aspect, it's difficult to derive revenues from only one platform.

PCs and consoles have also evened out: I remember in the early nineties, when there was a huge difference between PC and console graphics, and the gameplay styles were irreconcilable. That's a moot point now, and the only discernible difference to developers is often that consoles have larger user bases.

So yes, mainly piracy.

That's really oversimple. Piracy has always existed on PCs - remember when Doom II came out, and you didn't even need the disc to run the game? The shift of developers to consoles has more to do with ulterior factors such as rising development costs, the ascension of Microsoft as a console developer, and lessening disparities between the platforms. Though if gamers honestly believe that the PC's dwindling has "solely" or "mostly" to do with piracy, that can only help PC developers.

 

[searanox]

It's a smaller market and it's more difficult to develop for the PC. Unfortunately, calling it quits to PC development isn't going to help the problem. Raise your standards of quality and focus less on raw technical prowess and more on getting your games working well and properly for your users. Advertise them and market them to more than just the hardcore PC gaming demographic. There's a lot of PCs out there and PC gaming is huge (in terms of online/Flash/older games), but since most computers can't run the latest titles, everyone tends to ignore it. Hardcore PC gaming isn't going anywhere either, but exclusive games might become mostly indie fare within the next few years.

It's funny how a lot of people chalk this up entirely to poor PC game sales, but a lot of it actually has to do with the high cost of developing games these days, period. Players expect excellent graphics and audio, and that takes the most development time and effort by far, not to mention the most manpower. Publishers want to make as much money back as they possibly can, and along with limiting used sales and using downloadable content to bring in more money for comparatively much less effort are a couple of other ways they do this, too, but multi-platform development is practically a necessity these days to bring in a profit. When your game costs $20-50 million dollars to develop and promote, you'd damn well better believe it needs to sell well.

 

[Jumplion]

So yes, mainly piracy.

That's really oversimple. Piracy has always existed on PCs - remember when Doom II came out, and you didn't even need the disc to run the game? The shift of developers to consoles has more to do with ulterior factors such as rising development costs, the ascension of Microsoft as a console developer, and lessening disparities between the platforms. Though if gamers honestly believe that the PC's dwindling has "solely" or "mostly" to do with piracy, that can only help PC developers.

Yeah, you are right that was overly simple.

But piracy is at an all time high now! Everyone who has a PC pirates, it's proven!!! Every game is pirated and therefore the companies lose money, PIRACY IS OUT OF CONTROOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Or so the companies have us believe...

While piracy is a problem with PC gaming, it is no where near as epidemical as developers are making it out to be. Suck it up and atleast try to trust your consumers, kay?

 

[searanox]

Actually, I just checked and there's more than three times the number of people pirating Left 4 Dead for the Xbox 360 than the PC on that one torrent site. And in total, almost 2000 more people have downloaded the game for the Xbox 360 than the PC :lol:

Oh, of course. Console piracy is huge, but nobody likes to admit it. Plus, the market is at least sufficiently big that console game piracy does not hurt sales enough to make games unprofitable.

 

[Jumplion]

Actually, I just checked and there's more than three times the number of people pirating Left 4 Dead for the Xbox 360 than the PC on that one torrent site. And in total, almost 2000 more people have downloaded the game for the Xbox 360 than the PC :lol:

But....but....they said...they said that piracy is all PCs fault!!!

ZEE PIRAITES DIEEED IEEEETTTT!$!@$! ZEE PIRANTES DEED ITTTT!!!

This is all lies, you're nothing but a PC fan-tard!![/never existing denial]

But being somewhat less silly now, like I said, piracy is a problem with PC gaming (and fine, console gaming to ) but it's no where near as epidemical as developers are making it out to be.

Jeez, I edit my posts alot nowadays.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Personally I blame the PC graphics push, every time a new PC game comes out its got newer and shinier graphics that my system can never handle. I'm sure a lot of other people feel this way too

"I would PC game, but I can't run anything, besides, a console is cheaper than a PC(opinion)and will always run at optimum performance (opinion but hey, on a console I don't have to tweak settings)"

 

[Mr_Czar]

I dunno. Steam seems to work on the principle of downlkoaded games - without that it would just be a pain in the ass to have to keep your console connected to it at all times.

Steam still works offline though. And there aren't many places left in the developed world where people can afford to spend a thousand or more dollars on a video game console without having some sort of access to the internet.

So the real question is, can Internet download speeds keep up while the size of games balloons to massive proportions (I think we're going to see game sizes measured in Terrabytes within the next three console generations)? There is, after all, a practical limit upon which gaming and pirating movies will be the only things that will require faster internet.

The only way you'll see game sizes measured in terabytes within three console generations is if all those terabyte sized games, even for console, are digitally downloaded. It would simply be far too expensive to reliably distribute physical media which is measured in terabytes in large scale distribution.

And do you know how large a terabyte is? Seriously?

I know that a terabyte is 1028 Gigabytes - I'm basing that on the constant progression in Size that Sony have done every console generation, going from CD's to DVD's to Blu-Ray. By the third console generation, we will be up to the point where, if the current trends are an indicator, we have naturally progressed to a disc storage medium that is 216 times larger than the current (6^3). Its just pure speculation of course, and it doesn't take in the inherent limits of the gaming experience, but its still a possibility.

Well..Blu-Ray holds 50 gig and the only game to even get close to that was MGS4 ( likely because of the cut-scenes. The many..many cut scenes. ) I think its unlikely we will see blu-ray replaced for some time.

Also, third console generation?? Whaa? I assume you mean the next one, which would be the 8th.

 

[Aries_Split]

Actually, I just checked and there's more than three times the number of people pirating Left 4 Dead for the Xbox 360 than the PC on that one torrent site. And in total, almost 2000 more people have downloaded the game for the Xbox 360 than the PC :lol:

Eggo, I agree with you, really I do, but most of the people saying the stupid things aren't going to be assed with looking at facts.

Just be happy you and I are part of the Godly PC Gaming Master Race, and scoff at the console peasants.

In reality, Developers don't like the PC because with the PC they know they are expected to support their games.

They KNOW that PC gamers aren't stupid and won't pay for extra maps. They know that we expect patches at LEAST 1 a month, and most of all, they know that we expect quality.