@XxCRAFTYxX Good point about the indie game developers, but I'm afraid its gonna take longer than 3-4 software generations for the empowerment of indie developers. You see, while the tech to make current graphically-supreme games becomes cheap, software developers aren't gonna sit around waiting for the indies to overthrow the big-guns, nor will the gamers. They WILL build better software for better game-graphics and gamers WILL buy those games. Give me one example of any indie developer from the times of Deus Ex who has gotten big than any big-budget company. Unless we reach a saturation point of software development, from where we cannot build anything more advanced, today's conditions will remain the same in the times to come. And let's face it, even if indie developers do make it big, they will just be another profit-seeking game developer company, like the ones we have today. BTW, loved your "politically correct" comment.

@Hellavation You're right. And I was pleased with EA's move to make NFS World free after selling a million copies or so. It "shows" that they know about the limitations of their customers and are willing to trade money for their loyalty. Of course there is a great chance that I'm wrong and they may not care about it at all, but hey, who knows? After all, its just good business (sarcasm intended). Also, I liked your ideas about different selling strategies for different types of games, and found them very plausible and applicable. After all, MMO game developers easily earn more profit from subscriptions than the sales of the game. If similar strategies are implemented by the developers, the PC gaming sector would be blooming economically in no time.

@comb5 Yes, but only 6 months later to the original release date. Not to mention the need of a game-pad/controller for proper gaming experience. Why not just make it mouse-compatible like Prince Of Persia? Ans. --> Greed. Like I said in my recent post.

@Hellavation Very well said. A fact that needed pointing out, and I'm very thankful to you for doing so. Greed is what is eating up the PC gaming industry, and it may lead to its eventual destruction.

@evilweav I'm not being pessimistic about PC gaming, and I love my PC too. I have developed this notion after seeing certain changes and new "innovations" brought in the games, by their producers who want more profit from each copy they sell. PC gaming is getting costlier by the minute, and the average casual gamer cannot afford these changes. For instance, take the World Of Warcraft series. First you have to buy the game, which is already costly for the average non-earning gamer, people like you and me. And you still have to pay extra to continue playing a game you bought just a month ago. Secondly, PC ports of good games frequently get cancelled or are released very late. Not to mention the system requirements needed to play the game, and newer games demand these to be very high. You need a rig good enough to play new games, which again is costly. That too becomes outdated in a matter of years. This costliness in-turn leads to piracy gaining popularity, which affects the sales of the game and the developers get annoyed. Its a vicious cycle. On the other hand, a PS2 you bought 5 yrs ago still plays all the games and many more that are being released for it. I have thought about this for a long time now, so I'm not saying what I'm saying without any rhyme or reason.

I have a completely different opinion. I feel the spectrum of PC games is getting thinner by the day, and I wouldn't be surprised if PC games became antique collectibles by the end of the century. PCs may have the technological advantage, but they lack the financial one. Take the example of the Halo series, 3 and beyond. Microsoft made it 360 exclusive on the sole ground that the profits from the PC versions were very less. I was very disappointed, as I could not fulfill my hardcore-gamer wish of completing the trilogy, only because I didn't have enough dough to get that unreliable piece of scrap-metal called the Xbox360. I am myself a PC gamer, and a hardcore one (in terms of dedication, not skills). So I get very disappointed when I see great games like DMC series, God Of War series, Gears Of War etc. that are only console exclusives. The profit-seeking world of business is not for us PC gamers.