Sega doubling down on pc, possibly shifting to new game releases also on PC at same time as consoles!

SnowBeast said:
Now where is the usual end of the year "PC Gaming is dying or dead" story?
Click to expand...
I believe that after 2008 the gaming industry wasn't as immune to the recession as people would like you to believe, and a lot of gamers went to PC because it's cheaper. This may sound strange as PC gaming has always been synonymous to expensive in the community but I know a lot of people who game on really old PCs and are happy. Gamer Nexus even admited that his home gaming PC runs a FX 8370 which is old by todays standards. Even some of the staff at Linus Tech Tips is running really old PCs. PC's don't age as badly as they used to and people can get away with using older machines to play modern games. No monthly fee to play games online and lots of sources to get discount games would make PC gaming the best platform for cheap gaming.

The past 10 years hasn't been kind to console gaming either. If we look at the history of console sales we can see this generation hasn't done as well as the previous. Xbox is currently a dead brand when Microsoft stopped reporting hardware sales at 40 million. It's estimated that the Xbox One has sold 50 million, but no official numbers from Microsoft. Nintendo flopped hard with the Wii U but rebounded with the Switch. While the Switch is a successful console, it hasn't been very successful for Nintendo. Remember the DS has sold 150 million units with the Wii selling 100 million back in the 2000's. With the discontinuation of the 3DS which sold 75 million units, Nintendo has no portable console either. The Switch has to do the job of both and while 62 million units is a lot, just not as much as Wii + DS units sold. The only truly successful console this generation is the PS4, which is actually catching up to the sales of the PS2.

So it's no wonder why so much focus is being put onto PC gaming this generation. The Witcher 3 has sold 53% on PC, leaving the XB1 and PS4 the remaining sales. It's no mistake that the PS5 and Xbox Series X share a lot in common with PC's, because they wanna copy the more successful platform. It's also why Sony is releasing games like Horizon Zero Dawn and soon Bloodborne onto PC. There's just a lot of money to be made on PC.

EVGKm0yXYAMer7U?format=jpg&name=small.jpg
 
I'm kinda shocked it took them this long to realize that they could just port EVERYTHING to PC considering how big of a presence Sega has had on PC the past decade. Football Manager and the Total War series have been HUGE for them, Relic and Amplitude are also huge PC only brands.
I've bought every Yakuza game that comes to PC.

Anyway, I'm all for it, port all the Atlus titles to PC. ALL OF THEM. YES, even that super fucking weird GBA RPG that like 3 people played.

Also every Persona game and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE give me a Skies of Arcadia port or remake.

Edit/update: Fuck SEGA has a lot of studios.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_development_studios
 
Looks like a 30-40% of Witcher 3 sales were on PC, which is impressive. Though keep in mind a few things:

- Witcher 1/2 were not on consoles, so it was an established IP on PC but not on consoles. I'm sure sales on consoles would have been even higher if people played the first games in the series.
- Witcher and the developer has an abnormally strong standing in the PC community which translates into more sales within that demographic. We see this occur with games that are traditionally seen as "Playstation games" as well.
- The PC sales started to outpace consoles when discounted to huge levels, largely on GOG (very low selling fees). A $60 sale, even with higher selling fees, is worth more than two $15 sales.

Witcher 3 is certainly an interesting case to look at, but it is definitely as best case scenario type of situation.

As for Sega, I can't even tell you what games they do these days. Just Total War...? But good on them.
 
DukenukemX said:
I believe that after 2008 the gaming industry wasn't as immune to the recession as people would like you to believe, and a lot of gamers went to PC because it's cheaper. This may sound strange as PC gaming has always been synonymous to expensive in the community but I know a lot of people who game on really old PCs and are happy. Gamer Nexus even admited that his home gaming PC runs a FX 8370 which is old by todays standards. Even some of the staff at Linus Tech Tips is running really old PCs. PC's don't age as badly as they used to and people can get away with using older machines to play modern games. No monthly fee to play games online and lots of sources to get discount games would make PC gaming the best platform for cheap gaming.

The past 10 years hasn't been kind to console gaming either. If we look at the history of console sales we can see this generation hasn't done as well as the previous. Xbox is currently a dead brand when Microsoft stopped reporting hardware sales at 40 million. It's estimated that the Xbox One has sold 50 million, but no official numbers from Microsoft. Nintendo flopped hard with the Wii U but rebounded with the Switch. While the Switch is a successful console, it hasn't been very successful for Nintendo. Remember the DS has sold 150 million units with the Wii selling 100 million back in the 2000's. With the discontinuation of the 3DS which sold 75 million units, Nintendo has no portable console either. The Switch has to do the job of both and while 62 million units is a lot, just not as much as Wii + DS units sold. The only truly successful console this generation is the PS4, which is actually catching up to the sales of the PS2.

So it's no wonder why so much focus is being put onto PC gaming this generation. The Witcher 3 has sold 53% on PC, leaving the XB1 and PS4 the remaining sales. It's no mistake that the PS5 and Xbox Series X share a lot in common with PC's, because they wanna copy the more successful platform. It's also why Sony is releasing games like Horizon Zero Dawn and soon Bloodborne onto PC. There's just a lot of money to be made on PC.

View attachment 271507
Click to expand...


I believe the Switch Lite has sold extremely well.
 
DukenukemX said:
While the Switch is a successful console, it hasn't been very successful for Nintendo. Remember the DS has sold 150 million units with the Wii selling 100 million back in the 2000's. With the discontinuation of the 3DS which sold 75 million units, Nintendo has no portable console either. The Switch has to do the job of both and while 62 million units is a lot, just not as much as Wii + DS units sold. The only truly successful console this generation is the PS4, which is actually catching up to the sales of the PS2.
Click to expand...

While I agree Nintendo still not at a level of peak years during Wii+DS era, Switch has been extremely successful. Remember, Switch is only on the 4th year of its lifecycle, while PS4 have been out for 7 years.
 
Sega is one of the few Japanese companies who have seemingly come over to support the PC pretty well. I'm very pleased to see this trend continue. I'm also glad that Sega finally pushed Atlus (a publisher/dev under their control) to allow the release of Persona 4 Golden, when the company has been notoriously anti-PC . Hopefully its success will ensure that future Atlus titles (its a travesty that Persona 5 Royal isn't also given a PC release, for instance, and how Catherine Classic's lack of sales despite the fact players were waiting for the enhanced Catherine Full Body was used as justification not to bring the latter to PC from Atlus. ), and those from other subsidiaries like Vanillaware (I particularly want a revamped updated version of Dragon's Crown Pro to come to PC, along with Muramasa Rebirth and many more; now's the time to push for a PC release of the yet-to-be-Western-launched PS4 title "13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim" coming in September!) .

As for SEGA direct, we've already seen that the upcoming Yakuza 7th title "Like a Dragon" is launching on PC as well! Earlier Yakuza titles like Yakuza 0, Kiwami, and Kiwami 2 have done very well indeed on PC, but I hope to see the rest of the saga be released on PC before 7's arrival. This means that the PS3 era Yakuza 3, 4, 5 Remaster (also scheduled for PS4 release) should come to PC ASAP, and then a port of Yakuza 6 (PS4 native) as well as the side-story "Judgment" (and possibly the remastered Sengoku era Yakuza knockoffs) are all that is needed. I'm very glad that I bought some of Sega's titles on PC - I still consider the sleeper hit from years ago "Valkyria Chronicles" - which came to PC very similar to Persona 4 Golden in that it was inexpensive, the best version, had all the DLC, and was a pretty solid port - is worth playing for anyone who likes tactical RPGs and doesn't hate anime. Its follow up Valkyria Chronicles 4 was similarly well done and launched on PC alongside others, but likely didn't sell as well given the 4 in its name making many believe they wouldn't buy since they haven't played 2 or 3 - a falsehood; 4 should have been named differently. . I'd love for them to remake Valkyria Chronicles 2 and Valkyria Chronicles 3 Extra Edition (formerly PSP only titles) and bring them to PC .

Lets hope to see more companies commit to bringing their older titles to PC via Steam and releasing new ones concurrently or better than other platforms.
 
I'll hear no more from Sega until they give us a proper sequel to Alien: Isolation.
 
JasonLD said:
While I agree Nintendo still not at a level of peak years during Wii+DS era, Switch has been extremely successful. Remember, Switch is only on the 4th year of its lifecycle, while PS4 have been out for 7 years.
Click to expand...
The Switch is successful in it's own right, but Nintendo made a lot of money in the portable market historically. The Switch is a good idea in that Nintendo can focus on one console for game development while also putting a lot more focus onto the mobile market. Nintendo isn't exactly reaching DS levels of sales, which is not including the Wii. That's why I believe that Nintendo will make a more powerful home console that is also compatible with Switch games. The Switch Lite being portable shows to me that this is the direction Nintendo wants to go with the Switch. Nintendo can have Nvidia develop a more powerful SoC with Ray-Tracing and use that for their next home console. Basically Nintendo's version of the Nvidia Shield.
 
vegeta535 said:
Sega hasn't been relevant for nearly 20 years. Ever since the Dreamcast they been going down hill. Idk how they still in business.
Click to expand...
Phantasy Star Online 2 launched outside of Japan in late May and is celebrating one million accounts this month. Nevermind the Japanese release (2012) which got two and a half anime series and they are doing all sorts of goofy collaborations. It's a pretty big deal.
 
I stopped reading this thread when it seemed every post is connecting console sale numbers to success. The number of consoles sold is nothing if the attachment rate/software purchases are super low... AKA the Wii. The only metric that would show "success" is money made. If the average Xbox user buys more first party accessories and more games, then it's more successful.
 
I just haven't been imuch nterested in Sega in the last two decades. I've been bored with real-time strategy games since 2000 (Total War = Total Yawn). Yakuza is juts another generic 3d fighter with a decent storytelling(boring).

They managed to reimagine their Shining force Series into Valkyrie chronicles, a game that changes your mission goals every time you reache a major plot-point(i.e cutscene) (what's the point of trying not to get damaged/or take out alternative targerts , when they reset everthing when you take this fort, eve though it wasn't the FINAL objective?) They also insist that you get through "protect this important team member built like glass, " but then in later missions they-turn On the Meatgrinder, and want you to kill half your platoon.

Th e excellent cur scenes just can't make up for thee clumsy missions.

They ruined Phantasy Star by turning into an MMO,.. NOT EVERYONE wants to play an MMO-style game (tons of grinding, with no real engame)

About the only game I'm somewhat interested in is the new turn-based Yakuza. Real-time brawlers nee variety for me t get into them.
 
Last edited:
DukenukemX said:
The Switch is successful in it's own right, but Nintendo made a lot of money in the portable market historically. The Switch is a good idea in that Nintendo can focus on one console for game development while also putting a lot more focus onto the mobile market. Nintendo isn't exactly reaching DS levels of sales, which is not including the Wii. That's why I believe that Nintendo will make a more powerful home console that is also compatible with Switch games. The Switch Lite being portable shows to me that this is the direction Nintendo wants to go with the Switch. Nintendo can have Nvidia develop a more powerful SoC with Ray-Tracing and use that for their next home console. Basically Nintendo's version of the Nvidia Shield.
Click to expand...

I'd love if they simply made the first one a proper Nvidia Shield tablet. The Switch is a great idea and Nintendo's peripherals, notably the JoyCon system and the Dock, are excellent. The worst thing about the Switch is its operating system, a hampered proprietary derivative from the 3DS but even more locked down. When I first heard about the Switch I hoped that Nintendo would have learned from past mistakes and actually would run the admirable Android focused platform on a Nintendo-skinned version of Android.

This would have made it possible to easily do normal Android tablet things plus play Nintendo games and the like. Alas, it was not to be but what made matters worse was Nintendo was uninterested in supporting the hardware with any sort of non-game software (and even games themselves had rather basic versions of online play and communication integrations). The Dock system practically begs for the ability to run something like Kodi or any number of streaming media applications, and there are myriad other programs that could be of use but since Nintendo didn't do it themselves, it isn't getting done. Users must risk a console ban and/or keep it offline with custom firmware hacks if they wish to make use of the rather comprehensive assortment of homebrewed/ported software, which is disappointing; had Nintendo themselves done even a portion of it they'd get even more acclaim for the platform. Likewise, the complete restriction on software did little in order to prevent piracy and the like, which is a foolish goal in the first place.

I'd love to see Nintendo offer an upgraded, Switch compatible next-gen console akin to a NV Shield device, but sadly they're likely to miss some of the most important elements of the Shield TV running an Android OS (and users can even dual boot to something like LibreELEC or CoreELEC without worrying that the primary OS will "punish" them). I wish Nintendo (and for that matter other console platforms, but I have to say at very least they try to offer more comprehensive application support) would put an end to proprietary platforms and OSes, as they'd still sell their hardware based on their excellent peripheral designs and the like while continuing to sell their software as a major draw. Then again I've also advocated they should go the "other direction" and sell their software not just on their own devices but also on other Android (mobile) and PC (desktop) marketplaces which would further their expansion. SEGA has learned to embrace open platforms like the PC and/or Android (I'd love to see Sega release their games on Linux as well but hey, one step at a time) , it would be nice if Nintendo would do the same while continuing to offer their hardware/peripherals.
 
RanceJustice said:
I'd love if they simply made the first one a proper Nvidia Shield tablet. The Switch is a great idea and Nintendo's peripherals, notably the JoyCon system and the Dock, are excellent. The worst thing about the Switch is its operating system, a hampered proprietary derivative from the 3DS but even more locked down. When I first heard about the Switch I hoped that Nintendo would have learned from past mistakes and actually would run the admirable Android focused platform on a Nintendo-skinned version of Android.

This would have made it possible to easily do normal Android tablet things plus play Nintendo games and the like. Alas, it was not to be but what made matters worse was Nintendo was uninterested in supporting the hardware with any sort of non-game software (and even games themselves had rather basic versions of online play and communication integrations). The Dock system practically begs for the ability to run something like Kodi or any number of streaming media applications, and there are myriad other programs that could be of use but since Nintendo didn't do it themselves, it isn't getting done. Users must risk a console ban and/or keep it offline with custom firmware hacks if they wish to make use of the rather comprehensive assortment of homebrewed/ported software, which is disappointing; had Nintendo themselves done even a portion of it they'd get even more acclaim for the platform. Likewise, the complete restriction on software did little in order to prevent piracy and the like, which is a foolish goal in the first place.

I'd love to see Nintendo offer an upgraded, Switch compatible next-gen console akin to a NV Shield device, but sadly they're likely to miss some of the most important elements of the Shield TV running an Android OS (and users can even dual boot to something like LibreELEC or CoreELEC without worrying that the primary OS will "punish" them). I wish Nintendo (and for that matter other console platforms, but I have to say at very least they try to offer more comprehensive application support) would put an end to proprietary platforms and OSes, as they'd still sell their hardware based on their excellent peripheral designs and the like while continuing to sell their software as a major draw. Then again I've also advocated they should go the "other direction" and sell their software not just on their own devices but also on other Android (mobile) and PC (desktop) marketplaces which would further their expansion. SEGA has learned to embrace open platforms like the PC and/or Android (I'd love to see Sega release their games on Linux as well but hey, one step at a time) , it would be nice if Nintendo would do the same while continuing to offer their hardware/peripherals.
Click to expand...

Nintendo would NEVER run a standard OS on their devices. Have you seen how much they hate piracy of any kind? They are the most actively anti-pirate, anti-back up, anti-archival studio on the planet. They're legal team goes after anything that even looks like piracy, including fan projects. If you were expecting them to do anything but use a proprietary OS then you were setting yourself up for disappointment.
 
I wish I could still enjoy Nintendo, but what they've done in general over the last 10 years has made me completely walk away.
I just don't like them as a company. I wouldn't say "their games aren't fun." I just don't have any interest in them as a company. They don't fill me with joy or interest due to all the things they've done, that I'm sure you're aware of.
 
I absolutely love my Switch, it gets more play than my PC does right now.
Hell I'm literally watching Gamers Nexus on my Switch on my hotel room TV right now, once i'm done catching up online I'm gonna get right back to Xenoblade Chronicles: DE.

But that's off topic. (I'd be absolutely fine with Persona and all Atlus titles coming to Switch, same with Skies of Arcadia. Hell, Yakuza would fit really well.)
 
DukenukemX said:
I believe that after 2008 the gaming industry wasn't as immune to the recession as people would like you to believe, and a lot of gamers went to PC because it's cheaper. This may sound strange as PC gaming has always been synonymous to expensive in the community but I know a lot of people who game on really old PCs and are happy. Gamer Nexus even admited that his home gaming PC runs a FX 8370 which is old by todays standards. Even some of the staff at Linus Tech Tips is running really old PCs. PC's don't age as badly as they used to and people can get away with using older machines to play modern games. No monthly fee to play games online and lots of sources to get discount games would make PC gaming the best platform for cheap gaming.

The past 10 years hasn't been kind to console gaming either. If we look at the history of console sales we can see this generation hasn't done as well as the previous. Xbox is currently a dead brand when Microsoft stopped reporting hardware sales at 40 million. It's estimated that the Xbox One has sold 50 million, but no official numbers from Microsoft. Nintendo flopped hard with the Wii U but rebounded with the Switch. While the Switch is a successful console, it hasn't been very successful for Nintendo. Remember the DS has sold 150 million units with the Wii selling 100 million back in the 2000's. With the discontinuation of the 3DS which sold 75 million units, Nintendo has no portable console either. The Switch has to do the job of both and while 62 million units is a lot, just not as much as Wii + DS units sold. The only truly successful console this generation is the PS4, which is actually catching up to the sales of the PS2.

So it's no wonder why so much focus is being put onto PC gaming this generation. The Witcher 3 has sold 53% on PC, leaving the XB1 and PS4 the remaining sales. It's no mistake that the PS5 and Xbox Series X share a lot in common with PC's, because they wanna copy the more successful platform. It's also why Sony is releasing games like Horizon Zero Dawn and soon Bloodborne onto PC. There's just a lot of money to be made on PC.

View attachment 271507
Click to expand...

I love PC gaming as much as the next guy, but you can't draw conclusions about PC gaming from The Witcher 3 anymore than you could draw conclusions based on say, Diablo III which is available everywhere also. Probably better to look at something like Shadow of the Tomb Raider (no Switch version though) or maybe even more basic like Overwatch (which is available on 3 consoles and PC IIRC).

Actually, Nintendo's strategy is to have one console for both home and handheld, hence you have the Switch Lite along side the regular Switch. The 3DS wasn't particularly successful at launch. It wasn't until they slashed the price that it started catching on. If you had a $149.99 Switch Lite, and great availability, it would be more popular. Personally, I like the idea as you can play your same games with your handheld or at home on your TV.
 
Derangel said:
Nintendo would NEVER run a standard OS on their devices. Have you seen how much they hate piracy of any kind? They are the most actively anti-pirate, anti-back up, anti-archival studio on the planet. They're legal team goes after anything that even looks like piracy, including fan projects. If you were expecting them to do anything but use a proprietary OS then you were setting yourself up for disappointment.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'd say that its piracy so much as as anything having to do with their IP or platform - that's why they go after fan projects and the like. This is in no way to defend them, but up until the Switch they didn't engage in the kind of piracy related "console bans" for modding/CFW that Microsoft/Sony have been doing since the X360/PS3 days; you could mod and pirate on the Wii, WiiU, and DS / 3DS and so long as you didn't actually try and cheat online (which would lead to a game account ban, not a hardware-based console ban), you'd be okay. This motivated lots of sales of the hardware and even software among the CFW-adept, ,much in the way that PC gaming pirates often purchase more games as well. Its disappointing to see how they "caught up" to the others when it came to the Switch, but it makes sense not just in trying to prevent piracy but also their complete lockdown on other software support.

Regardless, their position seems rather foolish especially when it comes to piracy. There is copious amounts of piracy on the Switch after all and their policy of console bans makes it so that players who are using CFW either A) stay offline/block Nintendo's servers all the time while on CFW only occasionally booting into "standard" OFW to play online with legit software or B) end up banned and have no reason to ever go online or buy legit software ever again. Its just a pity to continually watch Nintendo lock things down and fail to learn that they could be making far more money if they just used standard open OSes for their hardware and also sold their software independent of hardware exclusivity. Their backward appeal to overt control and treating everything as an "appliance/toy" they must control top to bottom is antiquated and limiting.
 
RanceJustice said:
I'm not sure I'd say that its piracy so much as as anything having to do with their IP or platform - that's why they go after fan projects and the like. This is in no way to defend them, but up until the Switch they didn't engage in the kind of piracy related "console bans" for modding/CFW that Microsoft/Sony have been doing since the X360/PS3 days; you could mod and pirate on the Wii, WiiU, and DS / 3DS and so long as you didn't actually try and cheat online (which would lead to a game account ban, not a hardware-based console ban), you'd be okay. This motivated lots of sales of the hardware and even software among the CFW-adept, ,much in the way that PC gaming pirates often purchase more games as well. Its disappointing to see how they "caught up" to the others when it came to the Switch, but it makes sense not just in trying to prevent piracy but also their complete lockdown on other software support.

Regardless, their position seems rather foolish especially when it comes to piracy. There is copious amounts of piracy on the Switch after all and their policy of console bans makes it so that players who are using CFW either A) stay offline/block Nintendo's servers all the time while on CFW only occasionally booting into "standard" OFW to play online with legit software or B) end up banned and have no reason to ever go online or buy legit software ever again. Its just a pity to continually watch Nintendo lock things down and fail to learn that they could be making far more money if they just used standard open OSes for their hardware and also sold their software independent of hardware exclusivity. Their backward appeal to overt control and treating everything as an "appliance/toy" they must control top to bottom is antiquated and limiting.
Click to expand...

Nintendo would very much issue hardware bans on previous systems. They released firmware updates for the 3DS specifically designed to detect R4 cards and ban people using them. They've been doing this since the DSi. They also did it for the Wii.
 
kirbyrj said:
I love PC gaming as much as the next guy, but you can't draw conclusions about PC gaming from The Witcher 3 anymore than you could draw conclusions based on say, Diablo III which is available everywhere also.
Click to expand...
I mention the Witcher 3 because I believe it to be the biggest game of the past 10 years. It's also been ported to every console out. The PC version didn't get any special treatment other than it got released on PC.
Probably better to look at something like Shadow of the Tomb Raider (no Switch version though) or maybe even more basic like Overwatch (which is available on 3 consoles and PC IIRC).
Click to expand...
Not many companies are willing to tell you which platform sold how much of their game. I can't find any official info on Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Same goes for OverWatch, though you can extrapolate that in 2018 Overwatch had 40 million players and PS4 had 10 million of those players. Even Borderlands 3 which is said to have sold very well on PC doesn't have any official numbers. Feel free to find some but this is the best I can do.
 
Derangel said:
Nintendo would NEVER run a standard OS on their devices. Have you seen how much they hate piracy of any kind? They are the most actively anti-pirate, anti-back up, anti-archival studio on the planet. They're legal team goes after anything that even looks like piracy, including fan projects. If you were expecting them to do anything but use a proprietary OS then you were setting yourself up for disappointment.
Click to expand...
Nintendo is pretty good at enabling piracy because of the choices they've made since N64. No CD for the N64 was to prevent piracy but Nintendo didn't anticipate emulation, which made it easy to pirate N64 games during the era of 56k modems. Gamecube had the mini disc and that console was emulated quickly. Wii is just an overclocked GameCube, which got emulated even quicker. Wii U was emulated to the point that when Breath of the Wild was released on Wii U, it was working on PC a week later. The Switch has been emulated a year later after it was launched. Nintendo hasn't had great success at stopping piracy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top