Are consoles PC's worst enemy? |
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PC gaming reached its peak back in 1999 following the release of Half-Life. The game actually sold around 2.5 million copies, boosting the overall sales of PC games at US$ 1.9 billion just for the American market alone. Unfortunately for the business, everything followed a downhill trend after that. Last year, records show that revenues connected to PC gaming barely broke the one billion mark.Now, the big question is why. Is it a case of the PC being overshadowed by consoles? Admittedly, even we here at QJ just opened a PC blog as opposed to the long running sections for PSP, Xbox 360, PS3 and even the new Wii. So what really happened? Amusingly, it can be traced back to the day Microsoft challenged the gaming world with its Xbox.
Before you get jumpy, we very well know that there are other factors as well such as piracy. To be quite precise, it could even be PC Gaming's worst enemy given the fact that protection for PC games are much easier to bypass as compared to any console. Next is the rise of handhelds DS and PSP. Of course, it is reckless to combine sales of all console platforms then compare it with PC gaming sales. But the point is, there has been a most noticeable decline.
Going back now to Microsoft, the corporation needless to say, takes care of both the Xbox consoles and operating system Windows. Over the last few years, Microsoft has been focusing on console-related services with nothing new for gaming on the Windows platform. Of course there is Vista, but aren't young people more interested with its connectivity with the X360 over its own merits?
Also, there is no denying that console games are more versatile, most especially now with the industry triumvirate (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) all out for backwards compatibility. Gamers can still play their age-old titles with the new consoles without any complication. Plug and play, or so they say. On the other hand, PC games need installations, setting configurations, patches and the long list of to-do-first goes on.And so in the end, the song "Video Killed the Radio Star" comes to mind:
Rewritten by machine and new technology,
and now I understand the problems you can see (Oh, oh!)
Consoles killed the PC Game star.
Actually, we don't think it would come to that. While we're seeing it now in a rather low point of its career, PC gaming will bounce back. It will evolve, metamorphose and become attractive and lucrative once more. Linux when it entered the scene, shook Windows to its very foundation. Hmm, now Linux Games definitely sounds good...
Via Playfuls
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Comments
PC > xbox 360 > wii > ps3........
Consoles are made to play games (switch on, insert disc, play). Most PC's come with onboard graphics chips that are not up to the task of playing the newest games. Most people are unaware they can upgrade graphics capabilities of a machine, or if they are aware it can be done then they don't know how to go about it. Graphics cards are not cheap and some people find it hard to justify the price, or how to decide from the overwhelming choice available. If the PC is still under warranty then you can't even put the card in without invalidating it. Most people are also scared by the prospect of opening the PC to insert the new graphics card. They are just not (generally) designed with games in mind. Those PC's that are sold as games machines are generally expensive in comparison to consoles (no hardware subsidy to gain profit from games). Now a games console that can also be used as a computer..... that is appealing!
Console (games) are the the better choice for me imho Buy a console and you will receive support, games,accesoires etc for at least five years Plus on all new console you have compability with older games, this means you have a library of games over 10 years old and there is in most cases no problem to play them PC however evolve very quickly, and you need to buy a new one every 2 years, it's seriously a pain in the ass especially if you give out over 1000 euros everytime For Gaming console own pc anytime for general tasks on the contrary pc owns console anyway
If you all actually followed the news you would know about microsofts new games for windows campaign that is coming up soon.
Ps3 sucks fan boy..
You cant innovate much on the console. Controls are too restrictive and assisted aim seems to be a standard in console shooters. The graphics on a console will never be comparable to PC games. Look at all the ports. At the launch of the XBox360, all the PC ports looks like garbage compared to the PC version and they were both using the same game data. GoW is so far he only game coming close to PC games but GoW sacrifices alot of needed detail for better looks. Not to mention the fact that PC gaming will always be 2 generations ahead of console gaming, there isn't even a contest to which system is better between the XBox360 and a PC for online gaming. Games like Counter-Strike prove that, having more people in its "low" then Xbox Live has at its peak. And its a game thats almost a decade old now. Other types of games will be better on consoles. Like racing games. Nothing beats playing a racer on your couch on a good TV. NFS:Carbon for example is much more enjoyable on a console then on a PC. In terms of RPGs, console games have yet to touch the character customizations that PC games offer. Oblivion does it nicely but the fact remains, the game is still better played on a PC. Games like FF and Fable are better for consoles because they are designed to be played on consoles. They don't have the complexity of PC RPGs and most probably never will. In terms of RPGs the battle can go both ways. PCs may cost alot of money to keep playing games, but its well worth the enjoyment. As far as it goes, there isnt one game on the Xbox360, PS3, Wii thats better then Counter-strike. Lots of shooters try to copy it, but nothing beats it.
Microsoft creating a console means that PC is a dying breed. Why else would microsoft enter the console fray? Playstation's vision has always been the 'one all-purpose device' for the home...M$ hears that, and goes, 'Oh *****, that means PC as well...Over my dead 83 billion dollar body!'. Point is, Microsoft obviously didn't get into console gaming to make money, (lol) they did so to have market sway. Unfortunately, Halo has allowed them to harvest the 7 year old population...And the evil M$ empire rolls on. Oh, and I hate M$ but Zune > iPod
will die to the PC if they try taking it on. PCs evolve and adapt, consoles can't.
Well What I can say is that To buy the latest PC game you need to keep updating your machine which is a bit anoying, sometimes its now cheaper to throw your old pc away and get a new one!. Also the PC also looks like well a PC still unless you get a APPLE MAC!!!!! now thats a cool looking machine. I have a PC and a xbox 360 but I perfer my 360 for games anyway. Even if I did upgrade...
PC games get "dumbed down" to accomodate to console-style playing these days. You see, for example - it is still easier to aim in shooters with the mouse console for example. When a shooter is brought over to console games *from* the PC it'll usually be made both more accessible and easier to play through. But the trend shows that games are now developed simultanously. And the complexity on this parralel developing now usually forgets about the possibilities the PC has to offer. Games - when they're created - are usually console oriented these days. No more point'n click adventures of grand scale. The masses of good real time strategy games have ebbed down considerably. No *new* or risky and yet still high profile high budget games enter the PC market except for those that get announced for years before release - like STALKER. A lot less sleeper hits are released for the PC, even in the low-budget sector. But that simply because the "masses" of games have moved on. The PC is left with the creme de la creme - with most of them also coming out on consoles - and most of those as mentioned - marketed and made mostly for console play. Roleplaying games are dead in the water. At first Bioware started to port over their better games like Knights of the old Republic to the consoles. And today they're published on consoles first. The PC versions offer a lot less choice than a large number of western style roleplaying games of the past, like Fallout, Wizardry or Ultima. And still - they're celebrated and met with frenetic applause. Why? There are exceptions to this rule. The new Rainbow Six console game will have a PC side that promises to live up to the roots of the PC gaming series. There are more examples - but it's as simple as this: The PC gaming audience doesn't matter much these days anymore. Support the gaming studios out there that do not treat the PC as just another console with few buttons. Buy Bioshock when its out for the PC, for example. And sell your Oblivion with it's clunkly console interface.
Being former CAL-P I would like to agree with you. I have since turned in my Keyboard and Mouse for the 360 controller. CS would own every FPS on any console if it wasn't for the hacking. You can't even get a legit scrim if you begged. There comes a time when you have to say enough is enough.
Microsoft entered the console market before it was to late, also, Why would MS kill pcs? They're releasing a new operating system for god sakes!
World of Warcraft, Starcraft and Warcraft series, Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Battlefield 1942( 2, 2142 ), FEAR, Crysis, Farcry, Sims series, black and white series, doom series. Not to mention the gigantic PC game mod community. PC is not a dieing breed, its for the hardcore gamer and PC builder. Not Care Bears who need their games to help them aim at the enemies head. As for Microsoft, the console market is microscopic compared to Windows and its Software.
Consoles are picking up fast now. They are also getting more and more powerfull. The 360 is already more powerfull that 60% of computers out there. U can use your mouse and keyboard on your console if that is an issue. Its just so much easier to play with a console not to mention that they are getting more and more like PC's anyway (web browsers ext). I used to be a big PC supporter and if you ask me a couple of years ago I would of told you that it would never happen, but its a fact consoles are getting better and better (core cell, Tripple core IBM Processers, ext) and soon they will be superior!!!
Can do so many more things than a console. And they aren't DRMed up the ass. And they aren't proprietary. Consoles have their place, but they *can't* replace a PC.
Well i must agree that consoles are the hot thing to talk abt right now but this doomsday prediction for the PC does its round whenever a new console enters the market. Now when we compare a console to a PC i think there are some things one has to keep in mind. The consoles cannot evolve. The next gen graphics etc are good now but till the next console comes out it will remain the same. On the PC front it is continuesly adapting and changing. SO i guess the graphic capabilities of the console will vane in comparison to the PC in a few months. However i agree that this is valid only for those with a deep pocket like some say but this is where i would like to make a point. In order to get the full next gen capabilties you need a HDTV. So when we are actuallly comparing the cost we must compare the cost of PC with console + HDTV. Now this is just a thought. I have not calculated the cost myself .So there is a chance that this cost would be below the cost of a good PC. its just that nobody has mentioned abt the combined cost. ANother thing is time. If I get this right then most of the consoles are connected to a family tv. So i guess its not the same as having your own device. SO the hours that you can play is effected. Now if you have your own TV the this point does not hold. One thing that we have to keep in mind is that playing the next gen games on an ordinary TV is going to give you the same effect as playing on a ordinary system with a mid level card. Another thing that must be thought about is your situation. 1> Suppose you already have a HDTV and your only interest is games. You do not have a PC. Then it would be better to buy a console. 2> Suppose that you already have a HDTV and a PC then it depends. If the PC is new then you can go for the console or a good graphics card as your PC will be able to handle it. But if the PC is old then console is better as otherwise you will have to upgrade your system. 3> Suppose that you only have a regular TV.Buying a console alone wont give you the eyecandy. So the cost that must be considered is that of HDTV + console. If you have a PC then you have to look at the card cost or upgradation cost. which ever is cheaper go for it. 4> Now say you do not have a TV or PC. say that you already have decided that you want a PC( modelling, encoding etc etc) do you go and buy a pC and a console or would it be not better to put in a lil bit extra and buy a gaming rig.( A tuner card will alove you to watch TV as well). So you see that most important thing that one must look into before buying a PC or a console is your circumstance. A console is cheap but a console+HDTV............. I do not think so
haha..dude...are you on crack?! consoles would "die" if pc took them on?!?!? ok...ya..ur freakin bonkers. there is no way for pc to "take on" consoles for the simple reason that pc's cost THOUSANDS more than even the PS3...which is getting all this crap for being to expensive....dude....come on...
PC will bounce back not doubt. With the G80 series already out and R600 series from ATI on the horizon. PC will grow once again. Dont also forget about directX 10 for PC which is going to make games look amazing. All in all yeah PC didnt have the best year but it had a couple of AAAE's which is pretty good for the drout of good game. xbox360>PC>PS3 (for right now).
YOU ARE A *****ING *****GOT I BANG YOUR MOM AND EAT YOUR SISTER WHILE YOU SLEEP MOTHER*****ER
If Microsoft gets Vista right, and it really does take the hassle out of playing games on a PC (makes it like console), PC will be bigger than ever
The PlayStation 3 is the new PC replacer cuzz u can use a mouse, keyboard, camera, printer, headset, a full cool web browser is easy to use, no viruses, no needing to upgrade to play a game that means no intallation hassle u can also watch blue-ray movies upload and download anything use linux. The PC is dying just like the Xbox legacy of crappyness MS know jack.
you have made a slight mistake ... If Ps3 can do what you described then it cannot be considered as a console. It has become a PC. Moreover you cant customize it to your requirment.Besides using a mouse and keyboard with a TV will be weird. Can it rip songs encode music, photo manipulate run softwares or modell (MAya autocad) etc..... If you feel that a PC only use is to watch movies or browse the web then i am sorry to tell you that you are mistaken. You program build softwares the list could be long. PS3 can never replace a PC. as a digital entertainment device maybe but never as a PC. Simply because if the ps3 wants to beat a pc it will have to do so many things that it will become a pc. Non customizable just like a branded PC. It will never replace it... period.
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