Hardcore PC gamers are a strange breed. Not bad-strange, mind you. They’re, “I’m going to spend as much on a video card as you would on a 360 and PS3 combined, but still run Crysis at medium settings” strange.
Now, if you read that last statement and got angry at me, I urge you to read on. I don’t believe PC gaming is dying, I just think the actual systems and hardware are going to have to see a radical change some time in the near future before the next generation of consoles appeals more to the PC gamer than the PC itself.
Take the jump to see what I’m getting at.
When you look at what a PC gamer expects and enjoys from their games, what is it that you see? The first thing that comes to console gamers’ minds is the mouse and keyboard control set up. Every PC gamer who considers themselves “hardcore” swear by the idea that the controller is an inferior piece of hardware for FPS games. Sony has begun narrowing the gap in the controls by allowing use of the mouse and keyboard on the Playstation 3. It wouldn’t surprise me if more games started using that functionality, and I’ll bet my mom’s china collection that both Microsoft and Sony’s next platforms fully support the mouse from the get-go.
So what’s next on the talking points for PC gamer’s? I would guess that it would be the DLC and modding community that’s found for many titles. Seriously, would Half-Life still be so noted today if it weren’t for Counterstrike or Gary’s Mod? PC games are given extraordinary life by allowing the users to create and share their own personal content with no restrictions from the developers. This is one area that the consoles are still making up ground on, but once again, Sony has taken the torch further than Microsoft. While it’s still not done anywhere near as well on the PC, I once again feel that the next generation of consoles will open user created content up even further. Except for Nintendo, I think the Wii 2 will have a Friends list with a cap of 25. Just a step behind Microsoft and Sony, only done just a little worst.
On to the final point - hardware. It wasn’t long after the Xbox 360 hit store shelves that you could upgrade your PC exceed the Xbox 360 specs, but let me ask you: at what cost? This is an area where consoles will never be as good as the PC, but in some ways the constant upgrading of one’s computer could start to turn away even the most hardcore of PC players. After you get done buying the newest video card, a few gigs of ram, new sound card, cooling system - you could have easily bought and Xbox 360, 10 games, and an HDTV while paying for two years of Xbox Live, and had some change left over for a 12-pack and some Frito’s. Sure, your PC can run Crysis at near-full settings, but if the next-generation of consoles can do everything I mentioned above, would all that power be worth it?
If you could get the PC experience without the hassle of actually doing it on a PC, would you do it? Custom user mods, mouse & keyboard, maybe even free online play is a definite possibility for consoles in the near future. Sure, the console may be outdated compared to the technology that hits shelves a month after its release - but every single game you buy for the system will run at its optimum settings from start to finish, and you won’t even have to install any drivers.
Feel free to let me know how wrong I am in our forums. If you’re a PC player, maybe I’ll see you in Halo 4 on the Xbox 720.
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21 responses so far ↓
1 asd // May 29, 2008 at 1:01 pm
well i think you ave a valid point but there will always be people who will prefer the pc no matter what
2 andyg // May 29, 2008 at 1:12 pm
remember, more and more people are moving towards laptop computers as well… You can’t technically upgrade your video card as easily on a lappy as you can on a PC…
So then you have to ask yourself… whats the life-span of your laptop? Are you willing to drop another 1400 just to run the latest experience?
I say yes, only because the price it costs to upgrade your mobo/proc/vidcard/mem/cooling system/PS… you can spend an extra couple hundred for pure mobitliy…
3 A-poc // May 29, 2008 at 1:14 pm
If the next consoles have mouse+keyboard functionality done well (i.e. set custom controls) I will defiantly port over. The only reason I still play PC games is my friends. Also, WoW, I think it will be a while before consoles get on par with MMoRPGS.
4 Animathias // May 29, 2008 at 1:25 pm
@andyg: Are people really going to Laptops for hardcore gaming? If so, I can definitely see someone picking a laptop over a console simply for mobility.
5 Juncti // May 29, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I’ve already abandoned PC, I tried to hold on, but the limited releases and time frame issues (coming out months if not a year after console version) really made me stop.
Final nail was Gears of War, you think unreal engine would run great on a system that exceeds all recommended specs, nope. Tons of stutter.
At least with consoles, you put the disc in, and it plays. That’s it, no tweaking things, no trying to eliminate that last system process to squeeze out that little bit of performance.
Also, there’s way’s to simulate mouse and keyboard on both PS3 and 360. It’s not perfect, but the XIM comes damn close and works on both systems.
6 wolflive // May 29, 2008 at 1:55 pm
You don’t have to spend that much to upgrade a computer. They’re $500 systems that can play Crysis on near high settings. I feel that the “sending money for new parts every year” thing is a little over blown.
7 fleeps // May 29, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I paid £300 for my pc 2 years ago which is about the same as a ps3 is now and my computer can still run crysis on medium.
The people that think pc’s are too expensive fall into 3 categories;
1: Think that you need that £200 motherboard just to play games for the next 3 months before you upgrade.
2: People who count the monitor as a part of the pc. Yet some how consoles don’t receive the same treatment. Even though That £1000 lcd tv will work with either.
Yes when you include a monitor pc’s do become far more expensive but the exact same is true for consoles.
3: People that think everything must be run at ultra high with all the effects on. Just because the ultra high end is there DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO USE IT.
A little off topic: The crysis engine is fine, it will run on low end machines but it also can scale IF YOU WANT IT. You don’t need a computer draped in gold to play it.
I hate to say it but it’s usually a clear sign that a web site is trolling for site hit’s when they claim “pc gaming is dead”.
People have been saying that for atlest the last 5 years and each year they are proven wrong. Not unlike people who claim the world is going to end in 3 days.
8 irish boy90 // May 29, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I put the settings on all my games to Lowest.
Not because I have to they just run better,load faster etc.
I have so far been able to play any game I tried on it. Haven’t tried crysis on it though mainly because all I have ever heard about it is how you need a savage comp to run it, I don’t even know what the game is about but I hear so much about it….
Pc won’t die Its more useful than a console for everyday stuff.
9 dtcarson // May 29, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I definitely use a PC and laptop for many things–we have 4 at my home, and I have a laptop for work–but I do not use it as a gaming device, except for when I can’t play console games, and even then I’m playing ancient games (HoMM III or Diablo 2
anyone?)
The second to last sentence in the article is the big benefit as I see it. Programmers can code for a known quantity in a console; to make the game better, they have to learn how to use the tools and limitations better. Hence ‘fifth gen’ games being much better than launch games (generally speaking). With a PC, they can take the cheap way out–”Can’t make it work well with 1GB RAM? Make that the ‘required’ spec, and bump the Recommended up to 2GB.” Not all PC game makers do that, but that’s my perception–they program games for use on next week’s PC (which the user then has to upgrade to), wheres the console game is programmed for last week’s console.
The PC still has major advantages, of course–I couldn’t do my job without it–but for entertainment purposes, consoles are becoming much more attractive. Add a good web browser to the 360 and I might not need much else.
Ironically, the movement in consoles I’m resistant to is making them more like PCs; variable configurations, resident software, etc.
10 JDowdall // May 29, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Everyone seems to forget that it’s not really either or, i mean come on, if you have a 360 or ps3 you arent going to use this for everyday browsing, you will have a computer anyways, so you could add in a good graphics card for the same price as a 360, and upgrade a lil more for the price of a PS3, it all balances out in my opinion, the pc games have better longevity and are cheaper whereas the 360 is cheaper in upfront outlay
11 FlintSteelton // May 29, 2008 at 7:53 pm
PC Gaming won’t die, of course. but it does have some problems which need to be addressed. I’m an avid PC gamer as well as a console player, but recognizing and accepting the faults of a platform are the only ways that it’ll improve.
Most poeple don’t know enough about PCs to a.) get a good PC for a good price and b.) actually run the games properly at the appropriate settings. It’s much easier to buy a console, since it’s cheaper, easier, and they already have a TV to hook it up to.
PCs need to adjust their hardware marketing. AMD is doing their gaming PCs with a seal, similar to the Nintendo seal. to identify systems that are built for gaming with a good experience. This is on the right track, especially when Intel insists on putting their stupid integrated cards in systems, hurting the gaming performance and jacking up the price with unnecessary RAM and CPU speed.
Vista proves a problem at the moment, and since XP isn’t on very many computer, it’s a pain for new users to do things since every 5 seconds it bugs them about something. And no, they can’t turn it off becuase they don’t know HOW or what they are looking for.
Piracy is the third thing hurting PCs. Those with enough knowledge tend to just steal software, killing the own platform. This is rare on consoles, but common on PCs because of how open the platform is.
Consoles cannot support everything a PC does without becoming a PC themselves. You would have the same pirating issues and software complications if you did. Come to think of it, I believe they call those Mac Computers? (which are decent, just have no games).
All it really comes down to is consoles are easier to use, are equivalent hardware specs, cost less, and have a lot less piracy and software issues than PCs. Makes them an excellent gaming platform, but cannot replace the PC.
12 Animathias // May 29, 2008 at 8:34 pm
@fleeps: You seem to misread pretty much the entire article. Hell, in the title I said that PC gaming wasn’t dying, so I don’t know where you got that assumption. The PC game market is going strong, it’s the hardware I’m worried about.
You say you have a system about the same price as the PS3 that can run Crysis at medium spec. I don’t believe that you haven’t had any trouble with the game whatsoever, whether it be framerate drops, installation issues, anything. The PS3 on the other hand, can run games from the beginning of its lifespan to the very end of its lifespan, whether that be 5 years from now or 10 years. Can you honestly tell me that you believe your system will be able to run a game that comes out in 5 years on medium settings without a $100 or more upgrade? How about running a game that’s released a decade from now on even low settings?
No, I don’t think you need to run everything at high settings, I’m not an idiot. But from my -personal experience- the PC that I spent more on than my 360 has framerate issues and hiccups on the medium and preferred settings - if a 360 game has those issues, it’s not my fault, on the PC, it is in some way or another.
Why should you be expected to play a game on the medium or lowest settings with framerate issues unless you spend money to upgrade your system when you can buy a console for the same price? PC hardware is much too varied, developers never know anything about what your system is going to be running when they make the game. Even if you meet the full system requirements, the game might take issue with your video card and simply not work. That’s $50 on a game wasted and maybe another $100 or more for a new video card to play one game.
13 Typhoon // May 30, 2008 at 1:37 am
i have a complaint here .. crysis woopdy doo its not even that great oh yea the graphics have a little more detail. My computer with only a $160 graphics card (australian) can run it on very high settings im only running a 3ghz processor and all up with my 22″ lcd hi def monitor it cost $2,400 australian and thats because i didn’t build it myself (dont ever buy pre-built) my monitor is around $700 of that price probably more and all my other games i can run on there highest settings getting 96 fps standard and the internet game play is so much better then consoles i even own a ps3 and prefer to play online on the pc over the ps3 the option to choose which server you join is what drags me to the pc everytime. If your going to say pc systems are dieing read more about PC systems the only graphics card that is the cost of a ps3 or xbox is the 9800gx2 and that is after it has been overclocked and issured for a year and still only $680 a mother board top of the range is only $500 a cpu with a decent quad or duel core is $200-300 and ddr2 ram for 4 gigs is like $180 and a cooling system its 3x$20 fans graphics and mother board already have fans on them and the power supply comes with a case for $160 on top i do believe a pc that costs say $1200 can beat any ps3 or xbox in any form and it will last as long or longer then a console (exspecially the xbox 360 RRoD noobs). That is all i have to say and please before saying the pc is dead from costings do some more research.
14 Emperor90 // May 30, 2008 at 7:23 am
so true.
that’s why i play on consoles nowadays.
can’t afford to upgrade my pc on a regular basis nor do i want to.
15 Diortem // May 30, 2008 at 12:46 pm
1) If you are upgrading EVERY year, or spending over $300 on ANY upgrade, Im probably about to smack you for wasting cash. Seriously, that’s obsessive.
2) 5 years IS the average console (and for me, PC) life-span… so trying to argue 10 years from now was kinda dumb.
3) The moment enough good titles support keyboard/mouse or Wii-style FPS controls on a console, I will welcome it for that type of game as well. I wont abandon a platform that keeps me entertained, though…
and 4) I dont think games like Audiosurf would have made it if it wasnt for PC, and I dont think that will change for a good long while.
16 Animathias // May 30, 2008 at 4:26 pm
@Typhoon: Actually, cost was one of the last things I would say is hurting PC gaming. It’s more like:
1. The millions of configurations developers have to make sure their game works on.
2. Piracy runs rampant on the PC because it’s very easy.
3. If a developer doesn’t keep their game up-to-date on the PC to work with not only all the newest drivers that are released, but to work with the newest hardware - their community goes crazy.
The actual PC itself is making it hard on developers to make PC games. The actual PC system needs to become more standardized like the console or it’s going to degrade into a pool of confusion. On the other side, the Console makers are striving to make their system more like the PC to bring over customers.
As for pretty much every mention of money, of course it was exaggerated. The site is Sarcastic Gamer. I tried to exaggerate a little bit. If someone wants to pay over $2k for their system, I applaud them for it. But if you do that, I think every game known to mankind should work perfectly on that system, but it’s not the case because of incompatability issues that the PC is plagued with.
17 Lord Butters I // May 30, 2008 at 10:32 pm
People say that PC gaming is duying because of poor retail sales, yet they ignore the fact that digital distrubution, both [url=http://steampowered.com]legal[/url] and [url=http://thepiratebay.org/]not[/url] are VASTLY more popular for pc gaming enthusiasts then Best Buy or Gamespot are.
Hell, I have never bought a PC game at a retail store in my entire life. I download the .iso, mount it to a virtual DVD drive and load it onto my computer via MagicISO. PC gaming is only duying on store shelves, on the internet it’s just as popular if not more so then the consoles.
As for the price point, as someone said you don’t HAVE to run max settings. I have a computer that cost me approximately $600 start to finish (reusing an old monitor) that can run 90% of new games.
18 Kage // May 31, 2008 at 11:47 am
People think PC’s cost more than they atually do. You can build a PC that will run Crysis at max settings for about £700. Add a monitor and speakers ect to that and it won’t be more than about £1000.
Look, every single person who owns a console probably owns a PC as well, and even if it’s a budget model, I bet it still costed a few hundred quid. If you add the cost of your console and HTV onto that, you’ll probably be looking at the price of a high spec gaming PC. It’s really not much more expensive, the money is just spent in different ways.
19 Typhoon // Jun 1, 2008 at 2:53 am
@animathias. its not that hard on developers as the pc is the easyest thing to creat a game for its the exact same as a console they make it with the same details and textures and just add in the option to turn down the details and textures. piracy does run rampant but only in single player mode you cant go online with out a cd key where as consoles with the hacks for the system you can. And as for you final statement its doesnt matter if its pc ps3 xbox or wii everyone has a winge if the game doesnt work perfectly example gta 4 with freezing pc doesn’t have issues like freezing thats usually the systems fault not the game and it depends how u spend that 2 k if u go for a high end processor and low end graphics card of course it want run everything thats why you research your choices. plus one example of a game with very few patches that works perfectly fine CoD4 i has 5 patchs and they were minor tweeks with the server ladder and slow connection times. every game has a few issues with it no matter what its on console or pc
20 Platinum_Seet // Jun 2, 2008 at 2:09 am
Honestly I’m about to get a new PC right now to add on to my entertainment center. I have a 360 and the only reason I want a PS3 is for Blu-Ray. When looking at the costs it would be way more effective making a rig so I could watch HD movies and play a library of games I wasn’t able to play before…
21 MaxRabbit // Jun 2, 2008 at 7:39 am
Computer games used to be for kids and geeks (usually both). Adventure games, strategy games, dungeon crawlers and insane games that seemed to have been inspired by drugs (llamatron anyone?)
These days, the majority of games are aimed at the mainstream and the mainstream uses consoles. Even after bringing keyboards, mice, hard drives, user created content and everything else to consoles, if the games are still aimed at the mainstream, the geeks will remain on PC playing the games aimed at them. It’s not a matter of where the hardware is, but where the games are.
If all else fails, we still have The Sims with its sales figures that dwarf those of consoles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games). Your pitiful Halo sales are nothing compared to games aimed at small girls! Bwahaha.
-Max
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