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PCs Losing Out as a Gaming Platform?

Posted by michael on from the linux-gamers-out-in-the-cold dept.

Snibor Eoj writes "The Boston Globe Online has an article by Hiawatha Bray discussing the state of gaming on PCs and consoles. He points out that PC users now suffer the same fate as Mac users have for years, that of waiting for a great game that's already out on another platform. Consoles continue to gain market share, and software companies are noticing that and writing more and earlier for consoles than for PCs."

3 of 639 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Piracy a factor?? by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 5, Interesting
    In Latin America, piracy of both PC games and console games is rampant (and reasonably so - a typical game costs the same as a week's salary; this is a fact after recent economic crises, which means that some people have PC's or consoles that they could afford before their currencies devalued, but now cannot afford to purchase games for them legally). The selling of pirated games is completely tolerated at this point - many stores in malls sell obviously pirated Playstation, PS/2, and GameCube games openly, in window displays. However, PC games are still more popular. Largely this is because many people game at LAN cafes, and because it's easier to justify buying a computer than a console when under budgetary duress.

    I'm told that South Korea is almost all PC-based gaming, because of both the institution of PC cafes that act as a nexus of social life (in fact, I think I read that on /.) as well the fact that consoles are associated with the hated Japan.

  2. Apples and Oranges by Lejade · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Of course there are more games on consoles than on PCs: the market for console games is much bigger, it's easier to target a game for a console and there's a less piracy going on.

    However it doesn't make sense to say that because there are more games being done for consoles therefore the PC as a gaming platform is obsolete.

    Console games are more action driven and can be consumed in short sessions: such as racing, fighting, or platform games.
    PC games are geared towards longer sessions and complex interaction: such as simulation, strategy or online games.
    It's apples and oranges really...

    It's going to be interesting to see how consoles perform online, but my guess is that to significantly take online gaming out of the hands of the PC, consoles will have to absorb some of the PC attributes. They've already started with the network adapter and the HD but eventually they'll have to go all the way to the keyboard. Unless some kind of revolutionnary input method comes along first but I don't think that's going to happen.

    Anyway, PC games will be there as long as the PC itself.
    Let's not forget that from a developper standpoint, the console is to the PC what proprietary software is to Free Software...

    But in the end, there's no reason why both plateform couldn't co-exist peacefully.
    And you know what? That's exactly what's going to happen...

  3. Mod parent to 5; pretend this story doesn't exist by startled · · Score: 4, Interesting

    No kidding. With quotes like this, too: "'There's still plenty of good revenue and good growth in PCs. If anybody wants to quit making PC games, Electronic Arts is more than happy to take the business from them.' So says Jeff Brown, spokesman for Electronic Arts, the world's largest maker of computer games."

    And now we get a bunch of fucking posts about how PC gaming isn't dying, the article is all wrong. No, it is dying, and here's why, I can get a console for $200, video cards are $200, console games are better, PC games suck, Donkey Kong sucks, you suck!

    I know, I know. I should just pretend this story doesn't exist, and not read any of the horribly inane comments. But it's like watching a fucking train wreck. Come witness, as the level of discourse on /. plummets to the insightfulness of your