Is PC gaming really dead?

[Admiral Huddy]

As per title..

Just picked up this months PC gamer.. it's as thin as bog roll.

Apart from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. , Oblivion and COH, there's been nothing decent for months. Sure there are a few games on the way but so what.. a few.

I think even Microsoft are trying to tell us something... Halo 2 comes out on the 18th May but it will be a few years old by then and certainly last Gen in the meantime console owners will most likely be blasting their way round number 3.. Talking of number 3.. No COD3 - if that isn't proof enough that developers/publishers have had it with the platform

Even the two games 'm playing at the moment are riddled with bugs and I’ve had to stop playing SCDA. It has to be said, that "out of the box" gaming now sounds quite an attractive idea after all especially after forking out for new kit. It all seems to have gone downhill since HL2..

Despite the fact that those in the know are saying that this isn’t the case and that the PC and console market is not comparable, when it comes to cost to both developer and consumer.. it’s a no brainner.

What do think?

[Daz]

I think the argument that PC and console gaming markets aren't comparable stands up to a degree, but with this current gen and whatever next gen consoles, the lines between PC and console are blurring - they're all being treated as computers more and more.

Speaking from a personal point of view, yes PC gaming is dead for me. Gaming on the 360 is hassle free, stunning to behold now it runs at resolutions seen only before on PC, and ties into online services seamlessly. Any sort of installation/driver update/patching process however streamlined now just seems like hassle since I've had the 360.

Will PC gaming die? Simply because the technical innovations need to be made there for the next generation of consoles. The upshot is that I reckon the focus of PC games will shift to technology showcases - pushing the boundaries of what can be done on hardware, rather than focussing on the gaming or online experiences.

[Belmit]

As long as they keep releasing Half-life 2 add-ons I won't give up on PC gaming. My three-year-old rig still plays them at full settings, it really is an amazing engine they use.

STALKER was the only thing I've been waiting for since FEAR, the latter of which ran like a dog anyway. Apart from HL: Episodes 2 and 3 I doubt I'll be getting anything else - the 360 has everything I'll need from now on.

That said, if they release any more decent point n click adventures I'll probably grab them.

[Daz]

If only. Well past their time though I guess, I genuinely don't believe they could top how they used to be (all the Lucas old stuff, Broken Sword etc). They had to make the gameplay excellent because they were against the wall graphics wise.

That said, old school point and click would be ideal for the Live Arcade/Wii Shop/Playstation store, if there was a mouse peripheral.

[Haly]

Admittedly I have no interest in PC gaming anymore. I'm already considering when it comes to my next PC upgrade that I'll most likely switch to a basic laptop because right now all I'm using my PC for is music, the internet, photoshop and some web design, all of which I'd love to be able to do on the move.

I'm not sure if PC gaming will die though, this debate always appears when a new load of consoles appear so it makes me wary. Then again like Daz said the lines are blurring so maybe this time round it's true.

[Zirax]

One of the things thats starting to make me wince a tad is the price of upgrading a pc. Its certainly gone up, especially the bespoke enthusiast market. Around Nov 2005 I went top of the range with a Socket 939 opteron, 2gig of ram, x1900xtx and 2*300gb hdds. That setup must of been getting near 1200 ish.

Now its worth bugger all. Most of the time i've been watching films. The games that have come out haven't been drawing me that much. I think I am in the middle of a non-gaming time. Really I need an injection of a good online fps shooter ala a new UT. For me nothing gets close to a game of high speed UT with pro players

Recent games have been disappointing, for instance C&C3 has some nice effects.... but it literally feels like a patched version of generals with some engine tweaks.

HL2 is taking faaaar too long with its episodes, they really are crawling now. I am a confessed fps junkie. What would actually seriously make me consider ditching the pc would be if ut came to the xbox with a keyboard / mouse add-on. Surely thats an area of the market they have missed so far......

Then strategy games would be good on them, and even fps games.

So in summary none of the games currently out even make me want to consider upgrading my rig. When I do it will be another £1200 bill for a machine that I mostly watch films on.... that will be hard to swallow. UT will make me upgrade really

[Daz]

Originally Posted by Zirax

HL2 is taking faaaar too long with its episodes, they really are crawling now. I am a confessed fps junkie. What would actually seriously make me consider ditching the pc would be if ut came to the xbox with a keyboard / mouse add-on. Surely thats an area of the market they have missed so far......

It's a perception thing. MS marketing are arguing that the 360 is a games centric console, and that the PS3 is trying to be a PC too much. A keyboard and mouse combo doesn't fit with that image. You can already plug in any USB keyboard to the 360, but it's not a well advertised fact, and it only work on the dashboard - any input from it simply isnt passed to running games.

[Vaultingslinky]

Maybe within the next generation or two of consoles, where we start seeing more media functionality, web browsers and workable keyboard/mouse combos for use in the games then I think consoles will start to overtake PC gaming especially if there is more oppotunity for a mod community ala how Counterstrike came into being.

But as it stands, for FPS RTS and MMO type games with the all the mods etc, PCs win hands down.

All the 'big' development goes into consoles though, so as far as blockbuster titles go for PCs, its either going to be cross platform or console exclusive imo.

[Haly]

Originally Posted by Daz

A keyboard and mouse combo doesn't fit with that image. You can already plug in any USB keyboard to the 360, but it's not a well advertised fact, and it only work on the dashboard - any input from it simply isnt passed to running games.

Imo it would make things unbalanced. As it stands, I don't think any accessory for the 360 gives anyone an advantage within a game. Allowing players to use either a keyboard/mouse or a controller in an FPS game for the 360 would do that if you ask me.

[Daz]

Originally Posted by Vaultingslinky

But as it stands, for FPS RTS and MMO type games with the all the mods etc, PCs win hands down.

While that may be true, the market is unfortunately diminishing - the mass market play their games in their living rooms, on their TV's, with their consoles. And with a level playing field like standard controllers, the argument for keyboards and mice in games doesn't really matter so much.

[edit]What Haly said