Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

PC Gaming On The Comeback Trail

Posted by Zonk on from the move-em-out-little-doggies dept.

The Chicago Tribune reports on efforts from the PC gaming sector to revive what many have considered to be a failing part of the industry. From the article: "Many [Gamespot] stores have demo kiosks for consoles such as the PlayStation 2 or Nintendo DS so gamers can try before they buy. Testing a PC game has been impossible. Not anymore. In a trial collaboration announced a few weeks ago, GameStop and Round Rock, Texas-based Dell have rolled out computer game kiosks in 25 GameStop stores. Customers can test a handful of the best PC games the same way they test-drive the latest PS2 release. The kiosks will be powered by Dell's revamped and supercharged XPS computers, coupled with 42-inch Dell high-definition plasma monitors."

6 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. Say what? by Seumas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just last week, Slashdot was posting articles about the demise of PC gaming.

    PC gaming is neither demising or making a comeback. It's as popular as it has ever been. More people own more computers than ever before and more people are gaming on them than ever before. There are a lot of gaming experiences you simply can't get off another instrument.

    1. Re:Say what? by FidelCatsro · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Every year we will have 5 PC gaming is dying story , 5 PC gaming is on a comeback stories , 5 Console gaming is dying stories and 5 Console gaming is on a comeback stories .
      Eventually we will realise that both will suffer ups and downs

      --
      The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  2. The Comeback Trail by game+kid · · Score: 4, Funny

    There really should be a (registration/bypass required) warning near that link.

    That said, damn. 42-inch monitors. I gotta go to one of these GameStop thingies again (I went once to get my presshhiouss). I just hope they don't burn out, during an intense corridor shootout or a motion-blur-filled demonstration of the Staff of Whacking.

    PC Gaming on The Comeback Trail

    So we can only carry 200 pounds of buffalo on the wagon?

    --
    You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
  3. So sad... by MagicDude · · Score: 5, Funny

    Computer gaming was on the comback trail, but it died of dysentery right before reaching Fort Bridger.

  4. A Good Thing, IMHO by petrus4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    People can call me anachronistic if they want, but the desktop is still king in my book.

    Not only can people perform all of the other usual computer-related tasks with a desktop without having to switch machines, TV really sucks for gaming, resolution wise. Also, the average PC is still usually a lot more powerful than the average console, as well. Plus if you already have a PC and use it for gaming, you don't need to spend an extra $300-$700 on an Xbox...The first generation Xbox was a glorified doorstop even when it first came out, IMHO. if you still have that money spare, you can use it on a ram, processor, or video card upgrade, which will not only improve your gaming experience, but let you do other things more effectively as well. A new GeForce 6800 video card will render graphics better than any console, as well.

    There was a point to consoles back when they were 8 bit, and earlier, (mainly because back then the average PC was only as powerful as the console itself, or less so) but these days they're nothing but a expensive gimmick. The only real reason why they're viable at all now IMHO is because of the overhead normally incurred by Windows on a PC. It's possible to strip XP though, (I stop all unnecessary services and actually kill/restart explorer before/after loading a game, and can get XP down to 60 or so MB RAM this way, which leaves over 400 for the game for me) or use Linux, and with X have the game set as the window manager itself. That works great for UT at least.

    Although it's true I don't have sufficient money for a console as well as a PC, if I did have it, I still wouldn't buy one. They're completely redundant.

    1. Re:A Good Thing, IMHO by drsquare · · Score: 3, Interesting

      TV really sucks for gaming, resolution wise.

      Who cares about resolution, other than geeks who fuss about framerates and things like that? TVs are generally bigger than computer monitors as well. Who wants to play games at the computer rather than in the living room anyway? Other than hardcore geeks I mean.

      Plus if you already have a PC and use it for gaming, you don't need to spend an extra $300-$700 on an Xbox.

      It'd probably cost more to upgrade a computer to play games than to get a console. Especially as every year the hardware requirements for the latest games go up. You can buy a console every few years, or get on the PC upgrade treadmill every 6 months...

      A new GeForce 6800 video card will render graphics better than any console, as well.

      And will cost more than most consoles. Again only an issue to hardcore geeks who want 700fps at 10000x40000 resolution. Most of us are interested in the game, not how fancy the light effect look in some grim, dark, derivative FPS.

      It's possible to strip XP though, (I stop all unnecessary services and actually kill/restart explorer before/after loading a game, and can get XP down to 60 or so MB RAM this way, which leaves over 400 for the game for me) or use Linux, and with X have the game set as the window manager itself.

      Well, that's easier and more user-friendly than just putting a CD in the console. In the time it takes to get Linux going you could probably COMPLETE most games.