PC gaming's golden age is over (no 56k)

In the past 10 years, PC gaming has been enjoying a golden age that started in the late 90s. It was an era that if you missed it, you're never going to see anything like it again.

You're never going to see a game so perfect in design and balance, that 100,000 specators will gather to watch two players play eachother competitvely.(Starcraft)


You're never gong to see an FPS have so much emphasis on controlling gun recoil, and still become the most widely played online shooter in the world.
(Counter Strike)

You're never going to see another epic RPG that's designed to be played with one button.
(Diablo 2)

You're never going to see modding communities create games more popular then the orginial itself.
(Half-Life mods)

Now, FPS is all about perks and priced DLC. Now, RPGs are all about cookie-cutter moral decisions. Now, MMOs and RTS are to be designed around gamepads.

note: i'm not actually this pessimiesstic about console gaming, it's all for effect =p

Baldur's Gate, Unreal Tournament, Black and White, Deus Ex, Civilization, Total War games, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, Battlefield, Tribes, Thief, Jedi Knight, Warcraft 3, The Witcher -- gone, never to be seen again (anything like them that is -- you will surely see the franchises continue).

PC's golden age is over.

but maybe.....I'm wrong?




Starcraft 2, not merely a sequel to a game, but a continuation of a culture (competitive gaming).



Diablo isn't finished



Thief returns

WoW continues to dominate all over the world, and Blizzard is working on the next MMO..

Half Life 3? New Counter-Strike?

BattleField 3?

More Deus Ex?

Who knows what's in store for PC gamers, maybe the true golden age is only beginning?

What? That's the only games you like?

What? That's the only games you like?

Bebi_vegeta

Blizzard are dev GODS..... I love almost everything they do..... played Starcraft for 5 years on a daily basis..... I just re-bought Diablo 2 and started playing again, yesterday actually.... man it looks ugly on my 24" WS monitor though.... (there is a patch coming though, *crosses fingers and hopes for an increase in Resolution*

I cannot wait for Starcraft II.... and Diablo III.... when those drop, the only games I'll play on consoles will probably be Mario & Halo. The rest of the time is going to perfect my Zerg Rush, and hunting for loot for whatever D3 character I'm playing.

For me... the golden age of PC gaming started with Baldur's Gate, and ended with Baldur's gate 2.

Frankly, I think the future of PC gaming lies in the (presently) small/Indie developers, and not in the franchises of the past. When I think about the promising PC games that I'll be playing 5 years from now, I'm thinking of games coming from CD Projekt, Katauri Interactive, TaleWorlds, etc. Valve, Crytek, and even Blizzard will probably be developing crossplatform from now on (maybe not Blizzard), so I don't really foresee them being major players in a second Golden Age. That's just how I see it though, so maybe I'll be completely wrong. :P

Frankly, I think the future of PC gaming lies in the (presently) small/Indie developers, and not in the franchises of the past. When I think about the promising PC games that I'll be playing 5 years from now, I'm thinking of games coming from CD Projekt, Katauri Interactive, TaleWorlds, etc. Valve, Crytek, and even Blizzard will probably be developing crossplatform from now on (maybe not Blizzard), so I don't really foresee them being major players in a second Golden Age. That's just how I see it though, so maybe I'll be completely wrong. :P

agentfred

You're never gong to see an FPS have so much emphasis on controlling gun recoil, and still become the most widely played online shooter in the world.
(Counter Strike)

You're never going to see another epic RPG that's designed to be played with one button.
(Diablo 2)

You're never going to see modding communities create games more popular then the orginial itself.
(Half-Life mods)

Now, FPS is all about perks and priced DLC. Now, RPGs are all about cookie-cutter moral decisions. Now, MMOs and RTS are to be designed around gamepads

HoldThePhone

Why the hell is WoW on the good list? Are you smoking crack? t_s_inquisition

And WoW is a bad game because...?

[QUOTE="t_s_inquisition"]Why the hell is WoW on the good list? Are you smoking crack? JangoWuzHere

And WoW is a bad game because...?

[QUOTE="HoldThePhone"]

You're never gong to see an FPS have so much emphasis on controlling gun recoil, and still become the most widely played online shooter in the world.
(Counter Strike)

You're never going to see another epic RPG that's designed to be played with one button.
(Diablo 2)

You're never going to see modding communities create games more popular then the orginial itself.
(Half-Life mods)

Now, FPS is all about perks and priced DLC. Now, RPGs are all about cookie-cutter moral decisions. Now, MMOs and RTS are to be designed around gamepads

Saturos3091

[QUOTE="JangoWuzHere"]

[QUOTE="t_s_inquisition"]Why the hell is WoW on the good list? Are you smoking crack? Saturos3091

And WoW is a bad game because...?

PC gaming is as popular and productive as ever. The indie scene is really taking off and we are seeing new games like never before. If you played more than just the mainstream stuff and Blizzard titles, you'd realize that PC gaming is going as strong as it has always been. Sure, gaming won't ever be like the late '90's again... but console gaming is nowhere near where PC gaming is right now... not even close.

PC gaming is as popular and productive as ever. The indie scene is really taking off and we are seeing new games like never before. If you played more than just the mainstream stuff and Blizzard titles, you'd realize that PC gaming is going as strong as it has always been. Sure, gaming won't ever be like the late '90's again... but console gaming is nowhere near where PC gaming is right now... not even close.

foxhound_fox

Can you recommend me any good "non-mainstream" games? I feel like I'm missing out on something.Lethalhazard

Works the same with consoles.

When will such greatness for a time period come about again?

Lets hope the next makes a dint, or perhaps excels.

Go figure.

Great read. But who says the new golden age will be in the hands of Valve and Blizzard ? Sure everything they release is amazing but maybe new developers will come up and do some really innovative stuff, for example: Crytek, when they released Far Cry in 2004 it amazed gamers everywhere.