Why PC gaming's current state makes me angry. A look into the past.

Recent events have both raised and lowered my expectations for where pc gaming is going as a platform for enjoying games both multiplatform and exclusive. With the release of starcraft 2 I felt pc gaming once again had a champion it could call its own as it was developed specifically for pc and utilized its unique feature set with no compromise for consoles. This rare event though has been the proverbial needle in the haystack for many years as I have watched hopelessly as respectable pc classic franchises were ground into a console centric mind frame. From games such as battlefield and call of duty to supreme commander and deus ex (curse you invisible war!!!!) they all show that many developers have forgotten their roots and have chosen to make a quick buck off the console crowd instead of supporting some of the most loyal fans in gaming. Going forward I hope to bring to light just how far pc gaming has fallen from its golden age of gaming to what we have before us now.

What pc gaming was like before consoles took center stage was something of a modern day wonder that console only owners can only dream of. You had games such as half life, HL2 and UT2004 leading the mod scene where many imaginative creations were built and loved. Some even became full games(1) that would be enjoyed by millions. Games like il-2 strumovik made no compromises for its gameplay to create a dumbed down flight sim but instead kept its roots in realism. Games like system shock and deus ex brought us amazing stories and atmosphere that we could influence through our ingame actions and decisions. Games like call of duty and battlefield 1942 gave us insights to the past through honed gameplay and storytelling. Games like world of warcraft and the sims gave us ways to express ourselves outside of real life through alter egos and exploring exciting new worlds.

What pc gaming was like after the consoles took center stage was akin to setting off a bomb in a porta-potty. We have games like MW2 that take no benefit of pc gaming's features and give us instead a minuscule offering of a product(2). We have games like UT3 that do not have the glimmer of greatness that its predecessor had(3). We have games like Fear 2 that don't hold a candle to what a graphical powerhouse Fear was like on the pc(4a)(4b). We have games like Far Cry 2 that have none of the magic that the original had but instead carter to the console crowd. We have games that shake us down for every cent in order to be able to play the newest levels and gametypes.

This fall in quality among previously pc exclusive games reckons back to the growth of consoles worldwide during the xbox, ps2 and gamecube era (5). Game developers could no longer ignore the growing money maker that was/is console gaming. Because of this shift in resources pc gaming took second seat to console gaming and forever since has been there accepting the scraps that fall the table. Many development studios have abandoned their roots in pc gaming for the money rich fields of pc gaming. Studios such as DICE have moved away from what made the battlefield games great and instead carted to the hardware constricted console crowd and I fear we will never see another game of such scope as Battlefield 2 again. DICE is just one example of the many studios that once created great pc games and have seen moved on to the home console.

Is there hope for pc gaming? Yes I say! Some beacons of hope still exist in this seemingly bleak wasteland of pc gaming. Team Fortress 2 is a shining example of what pc gaming (and gaming in general) was all about instead of what we have now with paid dlc and map packs that once would have been given for free as a showing of thanks to the fans and customers that supported your company(6). Companies such as valve show pc gamers everyday why they are still #1 in their eyes with constant updates to pc games for free after their initial release with consoles having still having to pay (l4d2/l4d). Blizzard is another fine example as to showing what pc gaming has to offer. No matter what you think of WoW you cannot deny what blizzard has done some extremely great work on past games and even WoW being an immense accomplishment for mainstreaming the mmorpg genre which has not been toppled yet. In addition to these big developers we also have many Indie developers making their home on the PC where corporate big shots have little to no influence over the restrictions of their imagination. It is in my opinion that Indie developers have spawned some of the best games in recent history with titles such as Red Orchestra, Counterstrike, TF, Portal, Limbo and Torchlight(7).

To conclude, yes pc gaming has fallen from gaming grace but it does not need to wallow in its own self pity. PC gamers everywhere must make a choice either to follow the platform down into obscurity or to support efforts made by developers that are trying to give pc gamers back their legacy. Show your support of the platform by buying games such as torchlight which will support the developers directly and not corporate rats. Show your support by buying pc games that make the attempt to carter to the pc crowd. Show your support of pc exclusives such as Starcraft 2, Civilization 5 and many more that lie ahead. Show your support of multiplatform games that make use of the pc's features and future titles by studios that remain loyal to our platform. With these goals in mind we might just maybe be able to bring about a pc gaming resurgence that will rock the gaming world and bring about a new age of pc gaming where customers are no longer treated like a commodity but instead shown the respect we deserve for supporting our favourite hobby!

Long Live Pc Gaming!

TLDR: PC Gaming can be awesome once again with your help.

Citations:

1) Counterstrike, TF2, portal, red orchestra, etc.

2) http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/modernwarfare2?q=modern%20warfare

3) http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/unrealtournament2007

4) http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/fear/index.html?tag=result%3Btitle%3B1 - PC

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/fear2/index.html?tag=result%3Btitle%3B2 - PC

5) http://www.industrygamers.com/galleries/opinion-who-killed-pc-gaming/

6) http://www.teamfortress.com/119/

7) http://kotaku.com/5541338/torchlight-sells-half-a-million

No, let big budget PC gaming die. When the PC market was flooded with big budget titles, we got a whole lot less variety. But now that the big budget games are dying on PC, the smaller, more indipendent developers are having more success. There is a huge variety of PC exclusives you've never heard of coming out, and many of them are amazingly original. I'd take an entire industry of buggy small budget games over an industry full of Call of Dutys and Gears of Wars.

pc gaming was much better last gen

pc gaming was much better last gen

dontshackzmii

No, let big budget PC gaming die. When the PC market was flooded with big budget titles, we got a whole lot less variety. But now that the big budget games are dying on PC, the smaller, more indipendent developers are having more success. There is a huge variety of PC exclusives you've never heard of coming out, and many of them are amazingly original. I'd take an entire industry of buggy small budget games over an industry full of Call of Dutys and Gears of Wars.

organic_machine

I couldn't agree more.

Adventures, Simulators, Survival-Horrors, 4X Strategy games, City Builders, turn-based RPGs, Puzzle games, 2D platformers, FPS like S.T.A.L.K.E.R, The Precursors or E.Y.E... I prefer the variety of genres we have today than the big budget games we had 5 years ago.

[QUOTE="dontshackzmii"]

pc gaming was much better last gen

millerlight89

thats why top pc exclusive is 54th on game ranking lolz

PC gaming is alive and well, did you not read how much sales pc gaming did digitally last year?

IMO pc is doing great right now, might have the GOTY in Starcraft2, RPG of this gen in The Witcher and next year there is The Old Republic and Diablo3 exclusives.

Plus tons of underrated games like Dawn of Discovery, The Witcher, Stalker series, ARMA2 (most amazing realistic shooter ever with a HUGE onlien mod community making there own missionsTF2 (with all the updates), Total War games (Napoleon was wicked and Shogun2 looks amazing as well), Sims3 (if you like those types of games), Crysis and Crysis Warhead (Great gameplay in these two games), Kings Bounty, Drakensang, and so many more great games this gen.

PC has a HUGE selection of games from the past and present and more in the future. It might not be as front stage as it use to be, but its alive and well make no mistake about that.

I never ment to be too "pcgaming is dieing" in my writing and I agree with most of what everyone here is saying. I do love many of the games everyone is suggesting but I just wish the pc could get a new game built from the ground up with the pc in mind to really show what the platform has to offer :P. I was hoping bf3 would be able to give me something that no other game has like huge player count battles with airplanes, ground vehicles, ships, submarines, etc but that doesnt seem likely now if the consoles are included as well.

What has gotten PC gaming in its current state (eventhough it's still dominating)? Well I can tell you it's the same reasons that has gotten this entire industry in the state it currently is in, the state of mediocry.

CONTRIBUTOR 1: I think PC gamers are the first ones to blame. They're were always the ones that demanded more. More graphics, more physics, more this more that. And look where it has gotten us now? The increasingly higher development costs are the blame of everything that is currently wrong with our industry. Locked content on disc itself, expensive yet shallow DLC and developers are financially forced to develop multiple versions just to break even(multiplatform) to the point it even effected game design so it could appeal to a broader target demographic. Examples: removal of leaning, dodge strafing in FPS.

CONTRIBUTOR 2: Now, what lets them get away with this? Reviewers. Go take a look at imdb's top 250 list. There are only 5 movies that manage to score +9.0s and the highest score is a 9.1. Compare that to Gamespot, which has several hundred games scoring +9.0. In a sense, Games kinda remind me of thePara Olympics.

Sadly the above part isn't competely true because reviewers only have a marginal impact on sales. No, what really allowed most to get away with it is the console gamer which seems to be very prone to commercials, hype, pretty looking boxarts, pretty screenshots on the back of boxes, +9 review stickers on game boxes, bad ass looking main characters on steriods and chicks with oversized boobs. You can deny all you want but the fact is the majority of console gamers is comparable to an Apple fanboy, uninformed.

CONTRIBUTOR 3: The last contributor is the industry itself. Let's say I'd take someone for the first time of his life to a movie, for example Transformers 2. He'd probaly have a great time and claim it is the best movie he has ever seen (regardless if it was the ONLY movie he has ever seen). If I'd take that same person afterwards to Inception he'd have his mind blown and he would probaly spit on Optimus Prime. My point? There are no games out there that makes us realize that we're playing crap games and so we are under the impression that our industry is doing fairly well.

SUMMERY: Insane demands, low standards, mediocre offering.

[QUOTE="dontshackzmii"]

pc gaming was much better last gen

millerlight89

Neither in ratings or in software sales is it beating consoles.

I agree, consolization brought pc games down to console levels, a sad day. paullywog

Some of the best games ive played were console focused games i played on the PC. Many of these games i would not have been able to play last gen on PC as they would have never ever been ported. Infact i would say GOTY 2009 was Batman, a console focused game.

I don't see the complaint myself, i get to play PC exclusives that aren't possible on console like Total War, Sins, Stalker series, Starcraft, DoW, Cryostasis while getting the best of the console games as well.

I would say this is the best gen for PC gaming myself, and ive always been a PC gamer...

Some of the best games ive played were console focused games i played on the PC. Many of these games i would not have been able to play last gen on PC as they would have never ever been ported. Infact i would say GOTY 2009 was Batman, a console focused game.

I don't see the complaint myself, i get to playPC exclusives that aren'tpossible on consolelike Total War, Sins,Stalker series, Starcraft, DoW, Cryostasis while getting the best of the console games as well.

I would say this is the best gen for PC gaming myself, and ive always been a PC gamer...

[QUOTE="millerlight89"][QUOTE="dontshackzmii"]

pc gaming was much better last gen

SPYDER0416

Neither in ratings or in software sales is it beating consoles.

PC gaming is alive and well, did you not read how much sales pc gaming did digitally last year?

IMO pc is doing great right now, might have the GOTY in Starcraft2, RPG of this gen in The Witcher and next year there is The Old Republic and Diablo3 exclusives.

Plus tons of underrated games like Dawn of Discovery, The Witcher, Stalker series, ARMA2 (most amazing realistic shooter ever with a HUGE onlien mod community making there own missionsTF2 (with all the updates), Total War games (Napoleon was wicked and Shogun2 looks amazing as well), Sims3 (if you like those types of games), Crysis and Crysis Warhead (Great gameplay in these two games), Kings Bounty, Drakensang, and so many more great games this gen.

PC has a HUGE selection of games from the past and present and more in the future. It might not be as front stage as it use to be, but its alive and well make no mistake about that.

kozzy1234

The pc still has the best and widest selection of games.

I think the one thing that has hurt pc gaming is price. 199-299 compare to 600 to upwards of 1k plus. Just hurts and limits the market.

I still love the pc. But i'm limited to 08 and back games. Still the thing i love of pc gaming the most is the modding. Like for madden 08, mvp baseball 05 and a ton of other games. That have been modded with updates every year.

But pc gaming is no were close to dieing. Has it took the back seat to consoles yes. Has alot of major devs start just porting console games to pc yes.

Devs are in it for the money. Not to please everyone sadly. And until consoles drop in populirity. Console to pc ports are not going to stop.

My personal opinion is that PC gaming is slowly disappearing. This is bad news for the consoles because it is necessary for PC hardware to advance significantly to the point where the development for a new console is justified.

PC gaming is also getting some BS such as IWNet, as well as the anti-piracy models of Ubisoft (any PC game released after Assassin's Creed 2) and Capcom (SSF4 and RE5 Gold).

I just wish that Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura had enough respect for PC gaming to even care about our situation. My belief that people might start to respect PC gaming if it had a singleplayer Final Fantasy epic, or a Kingdom Hearts game.

Am i seriously the only one who thinks that the PC needs non-MMORPG Final Fantasy games?

My personal opinion is that PC gaming is slowly disappearing. This is bad news for the consoles because it is necessary for PC hardware to advance significantly to the point where the development for a new console is justified.

PC gaming is also getting some BS such as IWNet, as well as the anti-piracy models of Ubisoft (any PC game released after Assassin's Creed 2) and Capcom (SSF4 and RE5 Gold).

I just wish that Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura had enough respect for PC gaming to even care about our situation. My belief that people might start to respect PC gaming if it had a singleplayer Final Fantasy epic, or a Kingdom Hearts game.

flashn00b

2 things.

RE5 Gold and SSF4 as far as i know have not been even announced for PC, so what anti-piracy can they have? As far as i know Lost Planet 2 hasn't had any DRM announced for it either, can i have a link, this is something i may have missed.

I know many people who have bought the Ubisoft games with the "evil" DRM and had not a single issue, myself included, it even helped me out when i played it on another PC as it downloaded my saves for me. Now the thing is up and running it shouldn't be causing anyone else issues.

Can't speak for IWnet as i don't play MW2 online.

I think the issue is that those who have problems scream blood murder, while there is plenty of people having no problems, in some respects i feel its very blown out of proportion.

2 things.

RE5 Gold and SSF4 as far as i know have not been even announced for PC, so what anti-piracy can they have? As far as i know Lost Planet 2 hasn't had any DRM announced for it either, can i have a link, this is something i may have missed.

I know many people who have bought the Ubisoft games with the "evil" DRM and had not a single issue, myself included, it even helped me out when i played it on another PC as it downloaded my saves for me. Now the thing is up and running it shouldn't be causing anyone else issues.

Can't speak for IWnet as i don't play MW2 online.

I think the issue is that those who have problems scream blood murder, while there is plenty of people having no problems, in some respects i feel its very blown out of proportion.

Snagal123

Let me explain Capcom's alternative to digital rights management software.

1. Release a multiplatform game slated for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC
2. Announce an enhanced version of said game few months after the PC release. Do not make a PC version
3. Anger a bunch of PC gamers
4. ????
5. Profit.

[QUOTE="Snagal123"]

2 things.

RE5 Gold and SSF4 as far as i know have not been even announced for PC, so what anti-piracy can they have? As far as i know Lost Planet 2 hasn't had any DRM announced for it either, can i have a link, this is something i may have missed.

I know many people who have bought the Ubisoft games with the "evil" DRM and had not a single issue, myself included, it even helped me out when i played it on another PC as it downloaded my saves for me. Now the thing is up and running it shouldn't be causing anyone else issues.

Can't speak for IWnet as i don't play MW2 online.

I think the issue is that those who have problems scream blood murder, while there is plenty of people having no problems, in some respects i feel its very blown out of proportion.

flashn00b

Let me explain Capcom's alternative to digital rights management software.

1. Release a multiplatform game slated for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC
2. Announce an enhanced version of said game few months after the PC release. Do not make a PC version
3. Anger a bunch of PC gamers
4. ????
5. Profit.

They have not said they won't, just that it hasn't been announced. Maybe they know that PC gamers can't be milked like console gamers?

I have to say that i bought both RE5 and SF4 on release, and neither game would i buy again. End of the day its pure milkage, they aren't really "enhanced versions"I might be interested in the RE5 stuff if its was DLC, but not re-buying a game.

I care more about Dead Rising 2, which is coming to PC :)

To be honest, i wouldn't be surprised if we are to see Garry's Mod released for home consoles.

To be honest, i wouldn't be surprised if we are to see Garry's Mod released for home consoles.

flashn00b

[QUOTE="millerlight89"][QUOTE="dontshackzmii"]

pc gaming was much better last gen

SPYDER0416

Neither in ratings or in software sales is it beating consoles.

Actually the PC is booming in this parts.

GS ratings place the PC at the top and they don't even review a lot of the PC games.

I never understand these threads.

This thread has a very weak foundation. "Big budget titles from 3rd party developers are becoming more rare for the PC".

Well, you know what? They're pretty non-existant on the console front, and they're still going on the PC.

Seriously, what big budget exclusives have come out on the PS3/360 this year? Alan Wake (funded by MS), Heavy Rain (funded by Sony), and God of War 3 (funded by Sony). What's coming out for both of them in terms of big budget exclusives? Gears of War (backed by MS), LBP (funded by Sony), and GT5 (funded by Sony).

And yet on the PC for this year alone we got Napoleon Total War, Starcraft 2, ArmA 2, and upcoming titles such as SW: ToR, WoW: Casualclysm (oops :oops:), Shogun Total War, and I'm sure I'm missing one or two.

You guys just have to realize that the market today does not sustain 3rd party exclusives for big devs like EA, or Activision, or really any devs on the console front.

Seriously, the PC gets big budget exclusives without ANY INCENTIVES from any company (obviously), and also gets the most free content, has the most features, and a truck load of 3rd party games the consoles can only dream of having. You'd be in denial if you think the consoles are getting the "good" treatment.

PC isn't even close to dead, nor is the state it's in anything to be worried about.

I do not know if this is for the better, but one might notice that Steam is slowly replacing PC retail shelves.

I do not know if this is for the better, but one might notice that Steam is slowly replacing PC retail shelves.

flashn00b

It is for the better. Devs have stated they make far more $$$ by going through a digital outlet. They don't pay for packaging, shipping, or that $15-$20 charge for it to sit on the shelf at a store.

So rather than making $5-$10 per copy sold they instead make $20-$25 per copy sold, and if they are their own publisher then god damn they get nearly 100% of the $50 they sell it for.

Anything that benefits the devs is good in my book.

I think both PC gaming and Console gaming are going in the wrong directions and are in creative slumps. Console gaming looks to be going in the direction of motion control which is as pointless as it is impracticle and PC gaming looks to get more restrictive every year.

I think both PC gaming and Console gaming are going in the wrong directions and are in creative slumps. Console gaming looks to be going in the direction of motion control which is as pointless as it is impracticle and PC gaming looks to get more restrictive every year.

DarkGamer007

If PC gaming is currently in a creative slump then there has never been a creative game ever.

There's barrel full of PC games that are never even mentioned brought to light by mainstream websites like Gamespot.

Game developers could no longer ignore the growing money maker that was/is console gaming. Because of this shift in resources pc gaming took second seat to console gaming and forever since has been there accepting the scraps that fall the table. slink1357

My personal opinion is that PC gaming is slowly disappearing. This is bad news for the consoles because it is necessary for PC hardware to advance significantly to the point where the development for a new console is justified.

PC gaming is also getting some BS such as IWNet, as well as the anti-piracy models of Ubisoft (any PC game released after Assassin's Creed 2) and Capcom (SSF4 and RE5 Gold).

I just wish that Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura had enough respect for PC gaming to even care about our situation. My belief that people might start to respect PC gaming if it had a singleplayer Final Fantasy epic, or a Kingdom Hearts game.

flashn00b

[QUOTE="flashn00b"]

I do not know if this is for the better, but one might notice that Steam is slowly replacing PC retail shelves.

Raymundo_Manuel

It is for the better. Devs have stated they make far more $$$ by going through a digital outlet. They don't pay for packaging, shipping, or that $15-$20 charge for it to sit on the shelf at a store.

So rather than making $5-$10 per copy sold they instead make $20-$25 per copy sold, and if they are their own publisher then god damn they get nearly 100% of the $50 they sell it for.

Anything that benefits the devs is good in my book.

you do know that valve takes a 30% cut on steam sales right? so they only get 70% max

[QUOTE="flashn00b"]

My personal opinion is that PC gaming is slowly disappearing. This is bad news for the consoles because it is necessary for PC hardware to advance significantly to the point where the development for a new console is justified.

PC gaming is also getting some BS such as IWNet, as well as the anti-piracy models of Ubisoft (any PC game released after Assassin's Creed 2) and Capcom (SSF4 and RE5 Gold).

I just wish that Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura had enough respect for PC gaming to even care about our situation. My belief that people might start to respect PC gaming if it had a singleplayer Final Fantasy epic, or a Kingdom Hearts game.

KGB32

Im not sure what your complaint is.. a console RTS will never be as good as a PC because of the controls.. Controls would be the main reason for having a preference to a console/pc. This fanboyism attitude is sickening really. I don't ever complain about a game being released to a platform because everyone gets to enjoy the game. Why cant you be happy for the other millions of people who enjoy the game. Are you that blind and selfish that you just want to get the best. I cant be more happy with how things are going. Gaming is becoming for the masses and its a good thing.

[QUOTE="KGB32"][QUOTE="flashn00b"]

My personal opinion is that PC gaming is slowly disappearing. This is bad news for the consoles because it is necessary for PC hardware to advance significantly to the point where the development for a new console is justified.

PC gaming is also getting some BS such as IWNet, as well as the anti-piracy models of Ubisoft (any PC game released after Assassin's Creed 2) and Capcom (SSF4 and RE5 Gold).

I just wish that Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura had enough respect for PC gaming to even care about our situation. My belief that people might start to respect PC gaming if it had a singleplayer Final Fantasy epic, or a Kingdom Hearts game.

TheShadowLord07

Its only estimates so far, I dont think there are any official numbers yet. I know it was estimated at 3-4 million in Korea and 1.8 million or so in the rest of the world on day one. I expect it will break records and im looking forward to seeing the real numbers.

The world record is currently held by MW2 with roughtly 4.7 million copies sold on day one so it will be impressive for a PC game to beat a game thats on three platforms. PC gaming is dead though if I remember right.

I didnt read it all, but I think the developing cost for games has gone way up, and the revenue just isn't there anymore. So devs just dont take as many chances.

1995-2005 was amazing, but you also gotta remember that many of the titles we now look back at with nostalgia weren't big budget stuff compared to today. Many of them were actually made by small teams pretty cheap.

We still get those games, they just don't have the effect they used to have, because gaming as a whole has grown and those small uncompromising games now get dwarfed by the big mainstream monsters.

I'm personally liking PC gaming right now. There's tons of variety in the games and the hardware is cheaper than ever. I do miss some stuff like cRPGs, but times change and you gotta take the bad with the good.

We have games like Far Cry 2 that have none of the magic that the original had but instead carter to the console crowd.slink1357

I'm not really sure how Far Cry 2 carters the console crowd just because it's multiplat. It's a poorly designed game no matter on which platform you play it.

Seriously, am i the only one who thinks that we need to convince the developers of Final Fantasy to not hate the PC?