They're such different games. True, III was this grand conceptual piece, but Oblivion was more playable. That's not to say it was dumbed down, but more polished for sure. IV is a great game, despite some of your protestations. It is fun and it's supposed to be a grand adventure, whereas III is more like a wandering with adventure thrown in. I enjoy wandering and the intricacies, but IV had them too and it was more fun.

It's the cool thing to like III better because that makes you a hardcore gamer, it makes you intellectually superior to others who disagree. It's the "I liked _____ better when it was underground" disease. Some people don't want to like IV because only the best and hardcorest (sic) played III. Just like movies and bands, games that allow someone to feel superior to others and elicit nostalgia will be remembered most fondly.

III was a great game, but not for everyone. Some people thought it just wasn't fun (and I'm sure that some of you think that makes those people "dumb." If that be the case, I may need to shoot your high horse.). IV was a great game and it was for a larger audience, though certainly no everyone. In you're wondering where I stand, I give you one answer - I liked Madden when it was underground.

PC gaming had branched to be primarily serving the tetris crowd. Those games don't make a ton of money, mostly donations and ads, but they do have a larger impact on the attitudes of individuals towards gaming as a whole, which is good (unless your boss catches you).

PC gaming doesn't make as much money because it doesn't have the brands. SC, Warcraft, Diablo... are all Blizzard IPs. Sim____. Half-Life. Quake. Unreal. The last three all overlap, as do the first three (though in a very different way). C&C isn't the brand it could have been and isn't just a PC game. I played GTA and GTA:London at my friend's house cause his older brother bought them for us. We loved them. They aren't PC games anymore. The PC version comes out, but its an afterthought. They can't make money because they need to create a brand. Consoles help because they have fanboys rooting for them and lauding any average game and because the console company actually advertises for them.

The new AI tinfo that's come out today has been sweeeeet. Teamvision will actually let us make moves in space and into space. IT would be beautiful to be able to actually make a move that, you know, gets you somewhere.

But where are my licensed teams? AAAAAAAa, more info!