Why PC gaming is about to become relevant again

Just wrote a little article about why PC gaming is about to become relevant again and might take the innovation / development lead from consoles for the next 5 years or so ... thought you guys might like it :) let me know what you think

http://bit.ly/2yBb5I

Yeah, I'm not clicking that...Michael-Smith

http://www.backhandofjustice.com/why-pc-gaming-is-poised-to-become-relevant-again/

Yeah, I'm not clicking that...Michael-Smith

Trick or treat!

[QUOTE="Michael-Smith"]Yeah, I'm not clicking that...Captain__Tripps

http://www.backhandofjustice.com/why-pc-gaming-is-poised-to-become-relevant-again/

Not clicking on that either!

[QUOTE="Captain__Tripps"]

[QUOTE="Michael-Smith"]Yeah, I'm not clicking that...Adrianstalker

http://www.backhandofjustice.com/why-pc-gaming-is-poised-to-become-relevant-again/

Not clicking on that either!

Ha sorry for those who think I'm a spammer trying to virus them ... I try not to give that impression but I certainly understand why many of you are wary ... if it didn't lose all the pictures etc. I'd just repost the text here so you could all take a look

Internet trust is hard to come by :) I don't take it personally.

Article summary: PCs have been losing graphical edge, are too fiddly etc. for most people, that's why consoles are dominant. While they're not going to take the lead in terms of sales, an extended console cycle is going to allow PCs to take back some of their advantages. Also - the way developers are going to get into the scene through modding is going to give more of them a strong PC background vs. growing up on consoles and that will influence their game design decisions.

Just wrote a little article about why PC gaming is about to become relevant again and might take the innovation / development lead from consoles for the next 5 years or so ... thought you guys might like it :) let me know what you think

http://bit.ly/2yBb5I

lstill01

why not post the article on the board or blog it in your account instead of asking us to click a very questionable looking link

Here you go then ... prepare for wall of text crit if the link freaks people out -

PC Games dominated the 1990s in terms of influence: DOOM and Half-Life for FPS, Starcraft for RTS and Baldur's Gate for RPGs among numerous others. Consoles were limited to pioneering in JRPGs, Platformers and racing games.

The past decade has seen the rise of the console, however, and we frequently hear about how the demise of the PC is nigh. Developers struggle to justify ambitious AAA titles for the PC alone as console sales are so much stronger, and it seems creative influence flows from consoles these days with the lowly PC lucky to see delayed and poorly supported ports.

I believe that while expanded console user bases force developers to release games simultaneously on consoles, innovation and creativity is about to take on a decidedly PC bias.

Why developers will come from PC backgrounds

There are three traditional ways to get hired in the industry besides the standard application through HR: QA, journalism and mod development. With the substantial growth in the industry over the past 15 years, however, QA teams are frequently larger than development teams, and it's no longer a reliable method of access.

Likewise, journalism in games is a dying breed and if recent articles are to be believed the journalism scene will soon be dominated by unpaid blogger fanboys (like myself).

This leaves mod development. Not only is this the most sensible method of finding talent (what good is a resume when there are people demonstrating what they can do) but it is fast becoming the most prominent as Valve blazes the trail and shows the rest of the industry what the results can be.

We recently saw Valve hiring the DoTA: Allstars developer, IceFrog, to lead a team and flesh out the DoTA game archetype. This is just the latest in a long history of Valve hiring modders, whether you're referring to DOOM and Half-Life level designer Dario Casali, partnering with Gearbox on OpFor, or hiring Nuclear Monkey software for Portal after seeing Narbacular Drop.

This isn't to say Valve is the only developer moving in this direction. Blizzard has made strides in this area with their initiative to allow mappers to sell their maps on Battle.net. They already are very modder friendly as the Starcraft and Warcraft communities have been some of the most prolific in the industry.

These are but a few of the more prominent examples, but examples like Battlefield: Bad Company hiring modders for their development team and many others show that the mod scene is a drafting ground for developer HR teams.

This is important for two reasons. First, a larger percentage of game developers will come from a PC background. If the mod scene is seeding personnel, those developers must be fond enough of their game to get involved in the editing scene, and therefore clearly enjoy PC gaming archetypes.

Secondly, mod developers can be more creative. This is mostly because they don't have the same financial incentives towards going with what is known to work. It also means that developers will start their careers with innovative game design concepts that they built up on the mod scene, and hopefully incorporate some version of those ideas in their professional games.

5-Year console cycles are a thing of the past

Console hardware refreshes historically have been five years apart. The current generation, however, is bucking that trend, with most of the consoles approaching their 5th birthdays and nowhere near retirement. Most analysts believe this console generation will extend at least 8 years and potentially ten. Some have even more drastic forecasts, such as this will be the last 'traditional' console generation with an online system like OnLive being the wave of the future.

Whatever the coming years hold, one thing is certain: PCs are going to widen the gap in terms of technical sophistication compared to their console counterparts. While five year hardware generations mean PCs cannot get too far ahead, PC hardware in 2013 will be far beyond any current consoles.

While games will have to be compatible with current consoles for financial reasons, concepts and tech demos that push boundaries will come from the PC scene. Some traditionally 'PC' genres such as RTS, RPG and MMORPG might see rapid advances in the coming years in contrast to the past few where we've mostly seen progress in music genres, platforming and brawlers.

Are PCs really that much different anymore?

Every time a publication speaks about the demise of PC gaming, I want to respond that PC gaming isn't dying, it's just moving to consoles. Many of the most popular console games of the past few years (Halo 3, Modern Warfare, Gears of War 2 etc.) have only recently been able to thrive on consoles.

PCs have historically had 3 advantages: better performance (at greater financial cost), internet access and the mouse. Recently we've seen console games that are equally technically impressive (Killzone 2) and have full internet access for multiplayer gaming. PCs are about to get the performance edge back and this will add value to that experience.

Some of my favorite games come from the 'golden age' of PC gaming: Half-Life, Baldur's Gate and System Shock 2. While a console game like Dragon Age can hopefully revive some of the old magic, I'm optimistic that a resurgence of the PC industry will further encourage developers to innovate on these game types.

If PC trained developers can incorporate some of the game design lessons of the past decade into new franchises, it should result in some of the best games of this generation.

I'm interested in your thoughts on the matter. Hit up the comments!

That article is very well-written and you basically have a very, very good point with the mod community coming from PC, getting hired and injecting some more creative juices into the industry, but that doesn't mean their new games aren't going to be part of the whole console trend. I truly hope PC gaming starts its recovery soon, and I do believe that digital distribution will play a big role in it. You already see an increase in PC sales since services such as Steam and D2D have surfaced, and according to some articles I've read, PC sales numbers aren't very high because some of those online services never share their numbers. I believe numbers are waaaaay higher than what is publicly known.

nice read, hopefully an influx of pc rooted programmers, especially advanced mod devs, into the industry will keep creativity and innovation a priority i just think that its too hard to predict what will happen regarding the future of gaming at the moment, especially pc gaming. console gaming is cheap, convenient, generally hassle free and is something all the family can participate in.

with the phenomenal success of the wii (with such antiquated hardware) and the new generation of gamers who havent been around like many of us in the 80s and 90s and so have different expectations and demands from their games, the priorities of developers will likewise change accordingly and of course they will follow wherever the money is, which right now is in console gaming. programming for a multitude of hardware combinations must be more tricky and time consuming than for consoles, and less of a priority especially when the likelihood is the pc sales will be much lower, as proven by some of the half arsed ports weve seen of late.

so many other factors can have a bearing on the future of gaming in general, not least the advent of cloud computing something not really mentioned on these boards which i think could prove to be quite significant, so all in all i think the future of gaming, in particular that of pc gaming, is incredibly hard to predict. but i like your optimism!

so PC gaming is currently irrelevant?

Thanks for the responses - I agree that digital distribution is going to do a lot for the industry but I think something like XboxLive / PSN doing just as much as Steam for that so I don't really see that skewing towards PC ... also games for windows live has been a bust in my mind and not really helped ease of use / compatibility ...

And yeah - sorry about the inflammatory title ... I'm obviously a huge PC gaming fan I'm not saying it's not relevant ... just not dominant. Because most people use Internet Explorer doesn't mean Firefox isn't important, just that it doesn't set the standard for web content despite having better support.

PC games will become more popular as future games will vastly outstrip the power of the console. ( All consoles) Neither Sony or Microsoft have any plans to create new consoles....only upgrades ( Sound familiar?)OgreB

I guess a few points - first I wasn't trying to argue that somehow PC sales would outstrip consoles ... I said that consoles would have to be developed for to be financially successful, more that some of the themes and design elements from PC games will flow into console games more and more ...

Also - I think it's pretty clear that the reason for which console makers aren't going to the 5 year cycle is because other than Nintendo it's financially not viable for them. Sony can barely break even given the lower component costs for the PS3 now, they can't go back to losing on every unit with the razor / blade model and must have at least 3 years of positive cash flow from the hardware division to make it viable.

Also I don't think that game developers just make whatever graphics they want and the hardware makers then make consoles to support them ... it's quite the opposite in my mind where developers work within the hardware framework they're given. Potentially some smaller amateur development teams will do something that can only be done with the processing power of the PCs that will soon massively outstrip that of consoles and this will inspire console developesr - this is more the situation I'm envisioning.

About to?...

Not going to read any of that, since it's boring to see facts interpreted in soo many ways every day, even if your way of saying it sounds great.

While I think it's an interesting article I also think it's flawed in a number of ways:

1) The assumption that PC Gaming is currently irrelevant.

It's really another way of repeating the same old tired 'pc gaming is daying'. I've heard hundreds of people say it but I've yet to see any actual evidence to support it. In spite of the issues brought about by piracy, by an industry adapting to multi-platform titles, to new sales models, the advent of DLC as a serious source of income, the growth of MMO's, persistent game play and so on. I've never once seen anything that indicates that PC gaming is daying or is irrelevant.

2) What you're predicting for the future is already the reality today.

All developers 'grew up' on the PC. Maybe they played more on a console in their younger years, but the skills needed as a games developer, a programmer, a 3d artist can only be learned while working on a PC (be it a windows based system or a Mac / Linux / something else). In addition the Mod scene has always been a source of new blood for the industry. It's only become really relevant because it's only in the last decade or so that the gap between a 'professional' and a 'modder' has grown to mean something more than a distinction between getting paid or not.

3) Entering the industry through QA

QA is still a viable way to get a foot inside. Nothing has changed in that regard. While teams have grown, that is true for both QA teams and for Designers / Programmers / Producers / Artists. It has never been a simple thing to move from QA to Design, nor has it ever been a forgone conclusion that you'd be able to make the move if that was what you wanted... again that holds true today as it did five years ago.

4) The flood of game designer educations.

You're also missing an important part in the 'entering the industry' puzzle. Over the last several years a flood of new educations aimed specifically at educating people to work in the games industry has appeared. People are now going to school to get a 'games design diploma' something new and unique in the industry.

5) Modder or not.. it doesn't make a difference

After arguing for modding being the one remaining path into the industry you then talk about how it will affect creativity in the industry. That since games will now be developed by modders (as opposed to what? Mindless corporate drones?), the industry will see a revival of new creative ideas and drive. that designers will again be passionate about making games.

The reality is that there's already plenty of creativity and passion among game developers. The people responsible for the lack of creativity and innovation in games are... YOU!!! (well not you personally, but the consumers who buy games). People are not buying the innovative games that get released. They buy the latest GTA or the latest Mass Effect or Call of Duty. That's why you're seeing less innovation.. You're less likely to sell the game to the consumers.

Best response so far ^

Good points

This is not the last "traditional" consoles gen. Cloud computing services like OnLive and the like are going to grow, but there's no way they will grow that much in that amount of time. And I'm not really sure if it will ever overtake consoles.

Just wrote a little article about why PC gaming is about to become relevant again and might take the innovation / development lead from consoles for the next 5 years or so ... thought you guys might like it :) let me know what you think

http://bit.ly/2yBb5I

lstill01

[QUOTE="lstill01"]

Just wrote a little article about why PC gaming is about to become relevant again and might take the innovation / development lead from consoles for the next 5 years or so ... thought you guys might like it :) let me know what you think

http://bit.ly/2yBb5I

haberman13

I haven't been to worried these last 6 years or so, because most franchises that leave the PC and go to the console become so dumbed down I never want to play them again. The PC has and will always have the edge.

I would have that article if someone could tell how and when PC became irrelevant again ... else no need

PC gaming has always been relevant. Always.

I seriously don't know who keeps saying that PC gaming is dying or some stupid crap like that ... but they must have spent their life hiding in a cave or something.

yay for gaming at 2560x1600!!!

PC Gaming needs a standard to build upon. We already have a standard controller (The 360 controller for PC), now we need hardware standards which devs build upon. k0r3aN_pR1d3

[QUOTE="OgreB"]PC games will become more popular as future games will vastly outstrip the power of the console. ( All consoles) Neither Sony or Microsoft have any plans to create new consoles....only upgrades ( Sound familiar?)polarwrath11

I would disagree with most of the points made in the article. First of all: developers usually come from a PC gaming background. It still doesn't help PC gaming's case. Today, the publisher plays a much bigger role in the release of games, and many publishers with the ability to release large AAA blockbusters generally see piracy as a big threat. Therefore, they are much less likely to give PC gamers the same treatment they give console gamers. The developers can love PC gaming all they want, but if they don't have the support of the publishers who favor consoles, then there is no game. That is, of course, assuming that all the developers who come with a PC background loves the PC platform, which is not true at all. The freedom akin with PC gaming often hinders development, as developers have to compensate for different hardware and software. It is much easier to just develop and optimize for one platform. Also, hiring modders with a PC gaming background isn't a new thing. It has been happening for a while now, and yet PC gamers are still given worst treatment than console gamers. Also, the loss of the 5 year console cycle doesn't help PC gaming at all. Yes, PC hardware will grow while the consoles languish hardware-wise. But the whole point of hardware is to play better looking games, and hardware becomes moot point if there are no better looking games out there. The reason why the consoles are losing their 5-year cycles is because the console makers don't see a need to stick to the cycle anymore. They can and will return to the 5-year cycle if they ever feel the need to, but right now there is no need to. What is the last game that pushes hardware? Crysis? Now there is a Crysis 2 for consoles, and other games on consoles are starting to catch up graphicwise. Yes, you are going to be playing at a higher resolution with more AA, but the laymen gamers are sufficiently happy with their console graphics and the publishers are going to withhold support as long as they don't have a need to expand their PC lineup. And no, PCs and PC games aren't that much different, but that is the whole reason why PC gaming is dying out. Consoles essentially are PCs, except for a unified platform, more support from the makers, and more convenient. Consoles now have many of PC gaming's positive points without many of PC gaming's negative points. As long as that is how publishers look at it, then they're definitely going to support consoles more than they support the PC.HOMIE_G64

Wow, you are WAY OFF on some of your points.

First of all, the developers who develop primarily for the PC treat PC gamers FAR BETTER and give FAR MORE support than ANY console developer does to console gamers. No console developer supports their userbase like Blizzard/Valve/Stardock. I really have no idea where you're coming up with this reasoning from. If anything console gamers get slapped in the face because they're force fed yearly sequels with very limited upgrades yet they still pay full price for each iteration.

Also, consoles do NOT have the advantages that PC games have, not even close. Hard drives and online capabilities are not even close to the PC's major advantage over consoles. PC being an open platform is the major advantage and consoles are nowhere near to matching what that has to offer.

Yes, PC's and PC games ARE that different and no PC gaming isn't dying out. Saying this pretty much nullifies anything you ever say about PC gaming. There are over 150 million online PC gamers, not exactly dying out. There's a reason the PC has the most highly rated titles, exclusives and otherwise. There's also a reason that PC gaming brings in FAR more money than any console. Here's a hint: it isn't because it's dying.

and please don't try to convince people on this forum that console graphics are 'catching up' to pc graphics. The gap is getting bigger, not smaller. Just because nothing has passes crysis doesn't mean consoles are catching up. The average PC game is looking better and better while the average console games looks the same as it did 2 years ago.

Two close tech-productions targeting the most consumers possibles. Both don't target the same consumers in general, so there's nothing to worry there about seeing the PC dying. We live in a time of fast consumptions, and so it is normal to see better technology. It is normal to see new products. As long the pc will have some purpose, it will not die. It will just get better and evolve like the rest of the products available. They were no such thing as D2D before because the needs was not there. It's a good sign to see as much digital media available on the pc. It means it is evolving and not dying. To become what??? I dunno, what we need. If you don't want pc gaming to go away, there's probably a lot's of people thinking the same thing than you and have nothing to be afraid of.

[QUOTE="lstill01"]

Just wrote a little article about why PC gaming is about to become relevant again and might take the innovation / development lead from consoles for the next 5 years or so ... thought you guys might like it :) let me know what you think

http://bit.ly/2yBb5I

Macutchi

why not post the article on the board or blog it in your account instead of asking us to click a very questionable looking link

[QUOTE="Macutchi"]

[QUOTE="lstill01"]

Just wrote a little article about why PC gaming is about to become relevant again and might take the innovation / development lead from consoles for the next 5 years or so ... thought you guys might like it :) let me know what you think

http://bit.ly/2yBb5I

Steameffekt

why not post the article on the board or blog it in your account instead of asking us to click a very questionable looking link

didnt know that

seen far too many low level posters post dodgy links to take the risk :)

That's not the point of the article, guys... *sigh*Ninja_Dog

so the title doesn't reflect what the article is really about, and the article doesn't say what the title means to say...whose problem is this? the author or the reader?

the author doesn't seem to mind since the *misleading* title is intact so far.

I would argue that the real tone of the article was somewhere inbetween ...

The title is 'why PC gaming is about to become relevant AGAIN' ... which does certainly imply that it became irrelevant in the past ... then in my article I say that it was sort of over the past 10 years that the PC LOST some relevance in terms of creative share in the entire industry ... this isn't so much because it's losing overall relevance but more because console influence grew faster than PCs and therefore took a greater proportion ...

I think what he was trying to say was that my article is Pro-PC and most of the backlash has been by Pro-PC posters so it seems a little misguided, but I must admit my title is somewhat hyperbolic and I think some of the responders just react to the title alone without seeing the article. That is my fault and part of my sharing my writing is to learn and improve ... so in that respect I think it was helpful.

On a different note - I think that id said their Rage engine was going to be automatically cross platform compatible and that sounded great, and then they backed off that comment which was too bad. Imagine the way developers would go about things if they could just program a game and plug and play on any system. Too bad that's not about to happen as we've seen with the PS3 version of Bayonetta for example being terrible and not even ported by the developer.

That's why long term I'm kind of excited for OnLive ... I realize it's voodoo magic at the moment and would never work with our current network infrastructure but maybe 2015-2020 window the speeds will be there and then there will just be a single platform ... that can only be good for gamers as it would be best to have zero hardware investment and all money could be spent on games.