PC games sales were heavily outnumbered by console game sales ... because the gamers are sick of this dumb patching, of dumb copy protection systems. They want to play and not make a degree in advanced pc engineering.

I've felt for a long time that Consoles are one step away from completely replacing the computer as far as an entertainment peice. Consoles use your existing TV/Sound system and can be installed really easily. Computers on teh other hand require thousands of dollars to get going and then you have to worry about upgrading and compatibility.

Frankly the only reason I don't switch over the consoles is the games. Computer games are a lot more complex and a keyboard and mouse give a lot more control to a player than a 10 button joystick ever will. Games like Half-Life, Battlefield 1942, and most of the groundbreaking stuff is done on the pc, and that is what i want to play. Consoles have yet to impress me with their games. (Cept golden eye, man that game was amazing)

Those were some extremely intelligent and mature points, Exitium. I am in awe of your mental prowess. Perhaps you should keep your "two pence" to yourself, child.

Fact 1: Piracy on the PC is an enormous problem /piracy on consoles is virtually non-existent

Fact 2: There are no hardware compatibility issues with consoles

Fact 3: Console games are finished before they are shipped; not through patches

Fact 4: PC gamers are hardcore; i.e. grumpy old bastards who complain about every little thing and do so very loudly, usually after they pirated the game they are bitching about.

(Okay, so No. 4 is a bit of an exaggeration)

Conclusion: PC games are not nor will they ever be in the same league as console games. They will always be a distant second. I say this as an unapologetic PC gamer, but truth is truth.

Fact 1: You are a moron

Fact 2: You are a moron

Fact 3: You are a moron

Fact 4: You are a moron

(Okay, so No. 4 is a bit of an exaggeration. You're only 3 times the moron I said you were.)

Conclusion: You are not, nor will you ever be in the same league as intelligent people. You will always be a distant second, or perhaps a distant 5920535th. I say this as an unapologetic human being, but truth is truth.

My two pence.

This comment was edited on May 6, 08:38.

Nin Herzog Zwei was freaking awsome. There was also another RTS on the Genesis I think it was called Warsong (could be wrong).


I think the barrier to entry was lower back in them days for consoles devs. Just like now the barrier to entry is alot lower for PC game Devs. I think most of the best concepts have come on the PC because of this. Thats not to say that some of best games/concepts (Herzog Zwei) dont/wont come from console devs. But I think the costs of doing console games is going alot more then doing PC games.

I fell for that one.

You're forgiven.

JK

Parallax Abstraction
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Founder of StateOfGaming.org
Commentary & Discussion About the Video Game Industry and Its Future
Coming Soon

I challenge you to find ONE console game whose concept wasn't done first - and better - on the PC.

Herzog Zwei on the Sega Genesis. It was the beginning of RTS games...and a damn good game, too!



May 3rd, 2005 - "We are preparing to destroy you." http://www.nin.com

I challenge you to find ONE console game whose concept wasn't done first - and better - on the PC.

Katamari Damashi

Of course thats just the most recent title I can think of. Please dont be so fucking dumb and actually ask people to list inovative console titles compared to pc. You will look dumb as any retard lists 5 console games for every pc game.

I highly doubt you will see original efforts like Mount and Blade or Operation Flashpoint on consoles.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA please tell me you are joking

How fucking dumb can you get, what a joke.

It's clear you have no idea of whats avaialble on consoles currenty. If anything PC games need to catch up with consoles in terms of innovation.

If by "innovative" you mean the endless deluge of music and fighting games, then yeah, I guess PCs are lagging. Outside of that, I challenge you to find ONE console game whose concept wasn't done first - and better - on the PC. And beyond that, the PC still has a lot of innovation to offer - I highly doubt you will see original efforts like Mount and Blade or Operation Flashpoint on consoles. Everything on a console has to be easy to pick up and understand, and as a result every console game is lacking depth. And I say this as an owner of a PS2, Xbox, and Dreamcast (which, coincidentally, had some of the most innovative titles for a console in a long time).

But guess what, you people continue to buy it, so they'll keep putting it out. Who's fault is it? Stop buying shit console games and maybe they'll start to listen!

Cheers. Problem is that gamers sent their message loud and clear with Halo 2.

I fell for that one.

I fell for that one.

Do a search for roms and isos...

True. That's why I said 'virtually' non-existent. Look, if you are determined to copy and play games, and you are the least bit technically competent, you WILL be able to pirate any game. But the ease of pirating a PC games ("ooh look, KAZAA has 41 versions of Tribes Vengeance for download!") will always make it a huge issue. I for one am not going to tool around inside my Xbox or solder some chip in my PS2. But the only thing keeping me from pirating every PC game out there is my conscience.

Fact 1: Piracy on the PC is an enormous problem /piracy on consoles is virtually non-existent

I know a guy here in Ottawa who does PS2 and Xbox mods. He's doing dozens a week. Trust me, there are a lot of technically minded people out there who are pirating console games. Maybe it isn't as bad as PCs, but it is still there.

Fact 2: There are no hardware compatibility issues with consoles

OK, well I will give you this one. Consoles are "closed platforms" and that does make development and testing easier.

Fact 3: Console games are finished before they are shipped; not through patches

Everyone's beloved Xbox Live is changing this though. Now that games can be patched, many Xbox games are shipping with show stopper bugs. Did you hear about the latest Wrestlemania game from THQ that shipped with broken online play? You had to login to Live and get a patch to play online. Morrowind I have been told also shipped with a number of bugs. In the next generation when every console is online out of the box, you watch.

Fact 4: PC gamers are hardcore; i.e. grumpy old bastards who complain about every little thing and do so very loudly, usually after they pirated the game they are bitching about.

Yes, that's true, but honestly I think it is gamers in general who are like that. I've seen enough forums for console games that are just as filled with whiners. Many gamers are still young kids who feel they are owed the universe and will use their computer as a shielf to complain in ways they wouldn't have the balls to do in person. PC gamers do tend to be more vocal, but I think the mentality is with gamers in general.

Parallax Abstraction
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Founder of StateOfGaming.org
Commentary & Discussion About the Video Game Industry and Its Future
Coming Soon

piracy on consoles is virtually non-existent

I have to respectfully call BS on that one...

Do a search for roms and isos...

May 3rd, 2005 - "We are preparing to destroy you." http://www.nin.com

Prez, good points but you forget one key thing:

5) PCs are a necessity.

Why? They set the tone for technology in consoles. I forget who made the quote, but a few years back someone in the industry said that PCs will always have a place because while they're continuously improving, consoles are only a snapshot in time of the best hardware. They cannot be any better than that.

Some of the best console developers came from making PC games. (This is a source of angst for me when they stop supporting the PC, but nonetheless) The development platform for anything is the PC. FPS's are inherently better. RPGs tend to have more depth on the PC. Overall, memory and graphics advantages on the PC make it (at least in view of sheer prowess) a natural choice for gaming.

You think Valve will stop making games for the PC with the sales of HL2? We will continue to see more cross-platform games, as is the trend, and we'll continue to see the occasional defection like this Ghost Recon bullshit but making sure games hit the PC is a natural choice for anyone wanting to maximize their profit.

Fact 1: Piracy on the PC is an enormous problem /piracy on consoles is virtually non-existent

1. Piracy isn't a problem at all for the gaming industry (or any other media content industry), it's only an excuse for incompetent managers and ...

2. Console games are also easily to download and to play.

(Okay, so No. 4 is a bit of an exaggeration)

Oh really? Im not so sure

Four good points. Every time people moan about a game someone suggests (quite rightly) that the right course of action is to vote with your wallet. Well, the success of consoles are the result of millions voting with their wallet. And the vast majority of people care much more about sitting on their sofa in the living room with a few beers playing games on their big TV than they care about being at the bleeding edge of gaming and technology.

Speaking of wallets, Fact 5: Consoles cost less than a quarter of a decent gaming computer. Simply put, a lot of people can't afford PC gaming.

I wonder if you add all the causal/kids type games up together, if the PC really lags that far behind.

Fact 1: Piracy on the PC is an enormous problem /piracy on consoles is virtually non-existent

Fact 2: There are no hardware compatibility issues with consoles

Fact 3: Console games are finished before they are shipped; not through patches

Fact 4: PC gamers are hardcore; i.e. grumpy old bastards who complain about every little thing and do so very loudly, usually after they pirated the game they are bitching about.

(Okay, so No. 4 is a bit of an exaggeration)

Conclusion: PC games are not nor will they ever be in the same league as console games. They will always be a distant second. I say this as an unapologetic PC gamer, but truth is truth.

I would just like to say The Sims and Myst are 2 of the best selling games of all times and both are PC games. I think The Sims with all the add-on has sold more games then any other game something over 20 million games sold for PC. I wonder if you add all the causal/kids type games up together, if the PC really lags that far behind.

I think there are more PC users then consoles users by far, but hardcore PC users are not alot. I think gaming budgets are getting so big that they have to try to appel to lager gaming groups to justify there budget. How many small time devs make it anymore?

Also my last point is I think mods have killed PC gaming somewhat. Look at how many mods are out for half-life alone. When your make FPS your not just competing against other games your also got to compete against the mods. Heck just look at half-life 2, how many people still play half-life 1 even though half-life 2 is out.

But guess what, you people continue to buy it, so they'll keep putting it out. Who's fault is it? Stop buying shit console games and maybe they'll start to listen!

Cheers. Problem is that gamers sent their message loud and clear with Halo 2.

Parallax Abstraction
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Founder of StateOfGaming.org
Commentary & Discussion About the Video Game Industry and Its Future
Coming Soon

I do have to say, btw, that Microsoft is doing a good job with the Xbox and Live. There are some excellent games out for that thing, and apparently Live works very very well. (Can't say for sure 'cause I don't have it).

Yes, but the PS2 online play is free, as will be the wireless online play with Nintendo DS and Revolution. I think it is insane that people are willing to pay just to have a fancy matchmaking service. And when micro-transactions get here, well be prepared to pay multiple times over for one game.

Btw, Hump, Publishers make plenty on games. Where do you think EA gets its 2+ billion dollars per year from? It's the developers that in general don't make very much. Mostly because the publisher takes quite a chunk.

EA makes most of their money by getting many lemmings to pay another $50 for the same football game with one new feature and updated team rosters (something that you paid about 20% for an expansion disk back in the day.) They are very good at convincing people they aren't getting milked. Kind of like M$...

Parallax Abstraction
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Founder of StateOfGaming.org
Commentary & Discussion About the Video Game Industry and Its Future
Coming Soon