Half Life 2 doesn't have amazing graphics anymore..
This thread needs some more Crysis! That'll teach them console lovers!
shoryuken_
Not the best of arguments if you ask me. A good gaming platform needs to have more low cost titles and less games like Crysis, that sounds odd but let me explain.
Crysis cost $22 million to make and that doesn't include whatever marketing they had. This high investment means they have to sell more copies before breaking even, with higher budget games having to sell even more copies. Eventually the high cost is going to result in a game having to sell a lot before they make a worthwhile return, this inevitably forcing the game cross platform; and it becomes limited by the lowest common denominators to ensure broad compatibility.
Something that set Crysis apart was its open environment, something achieved by loading the entire game level; allowing interactivity and AI activity to occur throughout the level regardless of the players location. Because Crysis aimed so high they ended up going cross platform, resulting in this feature being lost to accommodate console memory capacity. It's the same with any platform, both 360 and PS3 lose their individual merits when a game goes cross platform; as the core game design is made one size fits all.
Because of constantly aiming higher; consoles no longer have strong 3rd party exclusivity, the 3rd party have almost entirely abandoned console exclusivity. PC is the leading platform in 3rd party exclusivity because it is so cheap to work on, it has variable hardware; so technical expectation is not being dictated like it is on consoles. They can produce cheaper games on PC, so the games can stay exclusive and utilize the merits of the PC platform.
PC advantages aren't just graphics, there are things PC games can do that are simply not possible on consoles. Following the blockbuster budget rout just leads to cross platform games; and these platform unique advantages being negated in an effort to ensure broad platform compatibility. That really does put PC in a position were its only advantage is graphics, console limited games at 1080p with better filtering.
Consoles are on a self punishing rout right now, they are hurting their own ability to differentiate themselves by pushing costs so high everyone goes cross platform, leaving it up to them to fund their own exclusives. Why join them? PC is the number one platform for 3rd party development, all the developers who cannot afford going down the 360/PS3 rout will be jumping with PC/Wii/Handholds.
If consoles want to balloon costs then let them, just means more previously console exclusive games coming to PC. PC will still have a technical edge; because as we have seen hardware stakeholders upgrade games for PC to justify their newer hardware.
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