eSports and Livestreaming Buoy PC Gaming (hopesandfears.com)

An anonymous reader writes: PC gaming seems to have fended off the threat from consoles, and it's due in no small part to livestreaming services and eSports. The PC gaming hardware industry is undergoing a resurgence, contrary to the predictions of even five years ago. The community that has sprung up around livestreaming self-promotes far better than any individual gaming company could hope. It's gotten to the point where developers are starting to think about the "streamability" of their game as they're building it. "There are plenty of things to avoid when building a game for livestreaming as well—specifically, anything that slows down the action. ... A good streaming game can't waste too much time in confusing menus or with difficult setup, either." One of the big questions now is whether VR technology will fit into this growing niche. A spectator mode that uses VR could be as much of a killer app as a great VR game.

Comments

Re:On Streamability

[ganjadude]

when superficial things like this are on the top of the list of must haves in a game, it really does hurt the end product.

Always the same nonsensical "reporting"

[gweihir]

PC gaming does not need to be propped up and it never has needed it. Consoles are still limited special-purpose devices that do not do most things a PC or do them badly. PCs can not only be gaming machines, they are still general-purpose computers with general-purpose OSes. And they can be much more powerful than consoles, just as desired by the owner. They have a far better user interface. And the time where consoles have been programmed to fit the raw hardware are long over. It does make sense these days to develop for Console and PC at the same time. It can also make sense to develop PC-only to get around the limitations consoles have and always will have. But it makes no sense at all with regards to technology to develop console-only.

The nature of the PC appeals to enough people that PC gaming will stay around until some really fundamental change (not what the press calls "fundamental" these days, but a real game-changer), and consoles will not be what replaces the PC.

Re:Always the same nonsensical "reporting"

[kamapuaa]

PCs are general purpose, but who buys an expensive desktop with a graphics card any besides a gamer? Gaming computers are essentially specialized devices that happen to be able to do Windows. They don't run Office or browse the web any better than a cheap laptop, and they're loud, expensive, and bulky.

Re:Always the same nonsensical "reporting"

[CronoCloud]

How I love slashdot, first we have guys like you who say:

Consoles are still limited special-purpose devices that do not do most things a PC or do them badly Consoles are still limited special-purpose devices that do not do most things a PC or do them badly. PCs can not only be gaming machines, they are still general-purpose computers with general-purpose OSes.

Then we have other guys who say things like:

"The average user is too stupid to maintain a general purpose Windows computer, they are better off using tablets, iDevices, and locked down Linux boxes."

Windows, is a general purpose OS, it is NOT designed for gaming. While you "can" game on it, that doesn't mean you "should" Sure, a Windows machine can run Office, Adobefoo or even Bonzi Buddy and a PS4 can't, but that's partly the point. The PS4 doesn't have to worry about "Windows Messenger", a virus scanner, or a print spool, or a dozen applications each running their own "check for updates" service. The PS4 does games, the OS is configured specifically for their needs, not the needs of Excel, Quickbooks, or Photoshop It doesn't NEED to do things PC needs to do, that is a good thing.

They have a far better user interface.

Really? Nothing, not even those silly steam machines does ease of use and 10ft UI like any console does.

and consoles will not be what replaces the PC.

Considering console dating predates PC gaming, I think you need to rethink what you're stating. Consoles have always had their own market. They've been doing well for how many decades now? They are their own thing and they exist for many reasons, no matter what the PC Master Race guys think. They aren't trying to replace the PC, hell they were around BEFORE, they are simply dedicated machines for playing games without the negatives of a general purpose PC.

Re:Always the same nonsensical "reporting"

[Mashiki]

Sure there ya go. Oh and you can get Windows for about $15, legally. I should have said $400, but it's close enough, since the price of PC hardware has been going up the last 5 months or so. Not much, but enough to make a difference.

Sorry, you wanted something else? Even at $400 it's enough to bury both consoles into the ground. And most sales for both consoles start at $399, maybe with one game if you're lucky. Where as you could start up on a PC with an internet connection and find a few thousand abandonware titles to start off with, and then go onto the free MMO's.

Right trend, wrong conclusion

[blue9steel]

Streaming and eSports have little to do with it, the resurgence is due to the broad availability of games at reasonable prices from services like Steam & GOG.

Consoles suck in many ways long term pc guy / game

[Joe_Dragon]

Consoles suck in many ways long term pc guy / gamer.

Lack of mods

Lack of / limited user maps

To many things censored

Re:On Streamability

[mister_playboy]

I still don't understand why someone would comment on Slashdot about people watching other people playing games rather than just playing the games themselves?

Oh wait...