The Death of PC gaming...

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Obi_Kwiet

2[H]4U
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Dec 25, 2004
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This is a future often conjectured these days. Feasible? Not really. Imagine a world where PC gaming died out after the release of the first Xbox. Who would go out of business? Well, first Nvidia and ATI would either go down or reorganize to provide low cost Integrated solutions akin to Intel's "Extreme Graphics" line. What work would be done on GPU's? None. Sure a bit would be done for workstation use, the demand would be no where near big enough to fund the massive amount of R&D necessary to survive in the the GPU industry today. Come time for the Xbox 360 what would GPU manufactures have to offer? It would only be an incremental upgrade up from a Geforce 3. Is that good enough to convince people to buy a new console? Only PC gaming fanatics would be able to see a difference there. Consoles depend on games for sales. The hardware is sold at a loss. It would be impossible to push a new console that offers mediocre improvements over the old system in addition to building up a new game library (Hardware would not be nearly powerful enough to do emulation).

It's the PC gamers that push the industry to it's limit. With out that push the concept of better graphics will be only a memory. In the end MS could never have funded the years of research needed to build the R500 and it's underling tech. The PC gamers did. Companies need to remember that it's us buying 500$ video cards every six months that keep them going. I think we deserve more respect and fewer half baked console ports.

My two cents.
 
I was wondering when another thread about "the death of PC gaming" would pop up.

I think we were overdue.
 
It's trying to end all that. Hopefully if people read it they won't be so gung ho PC vs. Console either.

This is a post on the industry not the end user. I think companies need to do a better job of remembering who they stand on. It's not in their best interest to ignore PC gaming or try to let it die.
 
B. W. said:
I was wondering when another thread about "the death of PC gaming" would pop up.

I think we were overdue.
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Agreed and add me to the "did not read" group.
 
I thought the same but it's not as bad as you think. It's not about PC gaming dying because consoles are leet. It's about the people that go on about it almost as if it doesn't matter or dance on it's grave. I wouldn't have started a thread on it, but I think about it. Not for too long. Because it's true what would happen. Just that I don't see the death of PC. But now everyone is using a PC gpu manufacturer. Because they are the best. If it ever did happen no soup for us. Figuring out Sony's cell is enough for the devs to lose hair over.
 
ClearM4 said:
Agreed and add me to the "did not read" group.
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I got two lines in.......
Consoles are good for the first year..... but they have a life span of 3-5 (or longer)
PC hardware is a never ending upgrade cycle, It might be disadvantaged for a while, but not for long.
 
I would be interested in seeing a breakdown for ATI and nVidia about how much of their profits come from the different market segments. From what I have read so far, it isn't the x1900xtx and 7900gtx that make up the bulk of the profits for these companies, it is the x1600s, the 7300s, and the integrated solutions, just like GM doesn't make most of it's money off of H1s, Corvettes, and STSs.

The halo cards, just like halo cars, are important for the image of the company, but so few of those high end cards are sold compared to the mid and low range products, they are probably just a drop in the bucket when it comes to being in the black vs. the red. I'm not saying the high end cards aren't important, they do a lot for PR and image, but that is their main function. Also, just look at Matrox, they played in the high end game for a while, then jumped out of it just because it wasn't profitable.

As long as their are people playing games, there will be a push for better products. If ATI and nVidia stopped making high end gaming cards, the console makers themselves would step in and do it. Sony made the graphics chips themselves for the PS1 and PS2, and both were very succesful and graphically powerful for their generation.

Of course, the more players there are in the field, the more competition, the more drive to outdo each other, and everyone wins. There is no way innovation would just stop if PC gaming died off however. Then again, I don't see much a chance of that happening, some people just like gaming on a PC better, and both PCs and consoles have certain advantages and disadvantages when compared next to each other.
 
The death of PC gaming has been happening for some time and people are just ignoring it. I used to run a store in a national chain that had 16 feet (horizontal) of PC wall space. That same PC section now fits into 4. EB/Gamestop dont even buy used PC games anymore.

It's been coming and people are ignoring it. I can't say it bothers me. The pc games industry is so incredibly stagnant I can't say I would miss PC gaming in general.

FPS after FPS, MMORPGs causing people to waste their lives to "level up". Ageia PPUs as "the next big thing" because you'll have *even more boxes on screen!*, *even better rag doll effects!*. Blah, blah, and blah.

I would love to see any number of console-style games being done on the PC. I dont understand where the market leaders have faultered in this respect, but they have. Sure, that might not be what everyone wants, but why cant we have at least a decent bit of diversity?
 
the flood of MMOS killed PC gaming. Heck I remember it was like a dark secret you kept that you played an MMORPG at the time. Now its cool to boast " yeah dude i play wow, what server you on?" Now every single company is trying to bank on them.

Starcraft 2 could revive the RTS market, hell I'd even set my nintendo DS and xbox360 down to play that if it was done right. I haven't bought an RTS since Warcraft 3, and I didnt much care for that.
 
aznpxdd said:
Didn't read.
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Maybe the death of the PC Gaming Industry will be from the staggering amount of lobotomy patients with PCs.
 
Obi_Kwiet said:
Companies need to remember that it's us buying 500$ video cards every six months that keep them going.
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Actually its more Dell, HP etc buying miriads of low end video cards, mobile video chipsets and system chipsets that keeps them going, high-end cards are just for bragging rights and publicity. Don't forget the millions of gfx processors in consoles round the world too.

Most 'gamers' are on middle-of-the-range gfx cards anyway, just look at the results of the steam surveys, they're all on fx5200s or 6600gts. Companies want money, they dont care about who 'deserves' better games, its all down to where the largest market share is.

Basically, they don't owe you anything so stop whinging.
 
finalgt said:
aznpxdd said:
Didn't read.
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Maybe the death of the PC Gaming Industry will be from the staggering amount of lobotomy patients with PCs.
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hahahaha, but seriously-- why post if you didn't read? Post count doens't mean shit, give it up aznpxdd.
 
So what if PC gaming dies? So what if gaming dies all together? I mean, really, what if it did actually happen?

We'd all still be alive, and the sun would still rise tomorrow. We'd find something else.

Basically, not much would change.


So I ask, why do these threads come up?

*This could be applied to a lot of things in life so everyone needs to calm down, including me :D *
 
ZOMGWTFBBQ said:
Actually its more Dell, HP etc buying miriads of low end video cards, mobile video chipsets and system chipsets that keeps them going, high-end cards are just for bragging rights and publicity. Don't forget the millions of gfx processors in consoles round the world too.

Most 'gamers' are on middle-of-the-range gfx cards anyway, just look at the results of the steam surveys, they're all on fx5200s or 6600gts. Companies want money, they dont care about who 'deserves' better games, its all down to where the largest market share is.

Basically, they don't owe you anything so stop whinging.
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Wow, I didn't know that. I thought I was a poser running my x1600! I mean, I'm still a poser, but at least its new poser gear and not, "it was top of the line 3 years ago" poser gear.
 
ZOMGWTFBBQ said:
Actually its more Dell, HP etc buying miriads of low end video cards, mobile video chipsets and system chipsets that keeps them going, high-end cards are just for bragging rights and publicity. Don't forget the millions of gfx processors in consoles round the world too.

Most 'gamers' are on middle-of-the-range gfx cards anyway, just look at the results of the steam surveys, they're all on fx5200s or 6600gts. Companies want money, they dont care about who 'deserves' better games, its all down to where the largest market share is.

Basically, they don't owe you anything so stop whinging.
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The OP was saying that companies like nVidia and ATi make top of the line graphics cards first for use in PCs and they keep pushing the bar for better graphics. When it comes time for Nintendo, Sony, and MS to release a new console guess who they get their GPUs from? nVidia and ATi. All those millions of GPUs in consoles round the world wouldn't have been as good without the advances made on the PC front.
 
When PC gaming dies it's because of a new virtual in-the-game simulation. NOT until then.
 
PC Gaming will die when I tell it too. :eek:

What do you guys think will happen when the topic of "The Death of PC gaming" will finally die? Will it happen when PC gaming dies or just before or after a wicked bender of gambling, malt liquor and pez?

Gods-speed PC gaming death thread....Gods speed.
 
Bop said:
The OP was saying that companies like nVidia and ATi make top of the line graphics cards first for use in PCs and they keep pushing the bar for better graphics.
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I know that, PCs will always be the testbed for new technologies because the turn-around time for new technology is so short on PCs as opposed to a console which cant change for multiple years. The demand for new graphics technologies however isnt limited to that of the gaming sector, yes it did contribute alot, but many other areas have helped push the innovation along. That always has and always will be how it works, same thing with racing and street cars really.

I was mainly referring to the part where he said the companies would go out of business if it wasnt for the few people who buy $500 gfx cards and that those few are the ones forcing innovation. Like i said before, making faster cards is about publicity and marketing more than anything else and is funded by lower end sales.
 
Yeah I saw that car too, man it's.... *looks around* oops wrong thread...
 
If people would read this they would find out that it's not really on the death of PC gaming. Go spam somewhere else.

ZOMGWTFBBQ said:
Actually its more Dell, HP etc buying miriads of low end video cards, mobile video chipsets and system chipsets that keeps them going, high-end cards are just for bragging rights and publicity. Don't forget the millions of gfx processors in consoles round the world too.

Most 'gamers' are on middle-of-the-range gfx cards anyway, just look at the results of the steam surveys, they're all on fx5200s or 6600gts. Companies want money, they dont care about who 'deserves' better games, its all down to where the largest market share is.

Basically, they don't owe you anything so stop whinging.
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Actually companies often take a loss on low end chip sets. Remember what happened to Nvidia's stock during the FX debacle? And then during the 6xxx series. Also, just because they'd make money with out PC gamers would not mean they'd be doing any research.
 
Tutelary said:
EB/Gamestop dont even buy used PC games anymore.
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That might have to do with... oh, you know:

Purchases HL2
Registers with Steam
Sells game back to EB, Gamestop, ect.
Next person buys game
"Already registered"

If I'm wrong....
 
PC vs. Console

The camps dividing the great chasm between console and PC gamers have never been this far apart. With the console market looking to expand to $8 billion in the next four years, and the PC market looking to decline to a measly $1 billion, one would naturally ask if PC gaming will survive against the frenzy of console development.

Even though billions are at stake in this matter, the fact is that PC gaming will always exist because computers will always be around. The only reason this is even being discussed is because console gaming is enjoying new heights of popularity and a market penetration that is deeper than the entire movie industry in America.

Hardcore computer game enthusiasts have historically looked down on console systems for their static inflexibility, weaker system specifications, simple interface, and horrible television screen resolution. Only in the last four years have console systems managed reached a comparable level of graphics and performance. Despite this, console systems will always be the weaker performers simply because it’s the computer industry that drives the components within a console gaming system. Once a developer begins working on a new generation of console, it’s unlikely that they’ll change their plans four years down the road to reflect new developments in computer technology. As such, consoles will always trail behind by at least a few years in terms of performance.

That won’t stop people from buying them, and hence it will never stop developers from pouring in millions of dollars in development for what could return ten times that amount. The main reason why people like console games is because they’re economical. Once you buy the system, it will be used as the primary base for all games related to the developer and its franchises and licensees for the next four years. You don’t need to undertake any costly upgrades, nor do you have to fool around with making sure your console is in tiptop condition. It’s this static aspect of a console that is both the greatest feature of a console and its greatest drawback.

PC games, on the other hand, will always enjoy superior graphics and sound quality. The biggest difference here is the use of a computer screen that sports resolutions well beyond that of a normal television set. With the advent of HDTV and the next generation of console systems promising connectivity to computer screens as well, this advantage will soon be nullified.

So what makes PC games good? For one thing, it’s a sort of niche community that hard-core game enthusiasts truly love and respect. There’s always ample dialogue between developers and fans via countless online forums that the developers frequent. There’s also the interface. A mouse and keyboard provide far better control (considering a controller only has about eight buttons) when it comes to certain genres like the First-Person Shooter (FPS). PCs are truly on the opposite end of the spectrum because specs and requirements are always changing. You’ll have to continuously upgrade your system components throughout the years and likely have to overhaul the whole thing within four. In this respect, it’s a good thing because you’ll always be on the forefront of new developments and no game is truly a copycat of another. However, costly upgrades, compatibility issues, and a whole slew of other complicated factors mean that PC gaming is more suited for the technologically adept. If you just want to go to Wal-Mart, buy a game, pop it into your system, and start playing, consoles are your best bet. If you enjoy the challenge of installation, tweaking, and generally customizing you gaming experience, PC games offer far better flexibility.

It’s really the customizability of PC games that sets them apart. Changing your controls, views, and options on the fly is a standard for all PC games. Console programming is regarded by PC enthusiasts as rudimentary, cookie cutter, and extremely limited.

There’s truth to that of course. PC games often promise many more hours of gameplay compared to a normal console game. Most PC developers strive to provide a complete game experience and will strive to correct problems encountered after the release with patches that users can download. Console games are ’as is’ and will never change once released, so if there are annoying problems with difficulty, bugs, or annoying bells and whistles that can’t be turned off, you’re up the creek without a paddle. Console gaming can also be seen as repetitive and restricted due to pressure from distributors to produce a cash cow quickly. It’s a rarity these days to see a console game that has undergone thorough play testing and quality assurance.

I suppose I’ve been rambling a bit here, but this is a rather sticky problem that has many factors that balance out each other. I guess the bottom line is that console games are doing far better than their PC counterparts in terms of sales. I, for one, am an ardent fan of the PC game simply because many of them never make it to console, whereas the most popular console games usually receive a PC port at some point. Suffice to say that whether you believe in PCs or consoles, there’s enough in each to keep you occupied for a long, long time.
 
Wow, most of you are making complete jackasses out of yourselves. Everyone saying they didn't read the post missed the point entirely, the OP is saying that it will never happen, and to stop predicting that it will, which I completely agree with. I am sick of those threads, the ones predicting the death of PC gaming, but this is not one of those. How about reading something before commenting on it for gods sake :rolleyes:
 
CodeX said:
Wow, most of you are making complete jackasses out of yourselves. Everyone saying they didn't read the post missed the point entirely, the OP is saying that it will never happen, and to stop predicting that it will, which I completely agree with. I am sick of those threads, the ones predicting the death of PC gaming, but this is not one of those. How about reading something before commenting on it for gods sake :rolleyes:
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QFT - The OP just should have named the title of his thread differently. But it's cool to see how many people missed the point. :D

Here's my take: I'll do whatever I want. I'll buy whatever I want, I'll do whatever I want and I'll just go with the flow as the markets go. Brilliant, huh? *sigh* :rolleyes:
 
I'll give you one "view" and raise you one "reply". :D

and yeah, a different title would of worked better.
 
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