PC gaming? Dead? I doubt it

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**Palindrome**

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/28/pc-gaming-in-still-not-dead-shocker/

I’ll start this by saying that, to date, I’ve not been at all impressed by the PC Gaming Alliance, an organisation which seems to have been charging its members large sums to do God only knows what in near-silence, while PC gaming has busily got on with resurging dramatically all by itself. So I’m not entirely inclined to take their report on the current state of PC gamingland at face value, especially given that Steam famously doesn’t share sales figures, but at the same time it’s always nice to hear a big, positive number. By their and their analysts’ reckoning, PC gaming is now a “$20 billion global market with record revenues of $6.8 billion,” up 8% from last year.

At a complete guesstimation, I’d actually be surprised if the growth wasn’t higher. But I’m no analyst, I have no sales figures and I’m terrible at keeping tabs on my own money, let alone someone else’s.

Another claim is that there are over 1 billion PC gamers planet-wide, some 250 million of which are core gamers – i.e. the sort that would buy a BioShock, rather than the sort that would play FarmVille or perhaps even Minecraft (which is very much its own grey area these days).

The largest market is claimed to be China, but then again China’s the largest market for pretty much everything these days. PC gaming audiences in Korea, Japan, the US, Britain and Germany all grew last year too. all showed growth in 2012. Together these markets also increased revenue by percent in 2012, to $8.4 billion. Take all those numbers with a pinch of salt, but right now we don’t have a lot else to go on.

The PCGA are still on about trying to improve their PC Gaming Certification and Logo Program, and acknowledge “that much work remains to be done.” It’s never going to take off, let’s be honest, but hopefully not too many organisations are paying the PCGA’s eye-watering membership fees in the hope it will.

Meanwhile the console gaming industry is in a right old flap about declining sales. Does that mean we win? Don’t be silly, there was never any war.

Read the whole report here, if you like. There are a few more not entirely substantiated numbers in it.

a $20 billion global market which grew 8% last year.....and thats without taking into account Steam.

**LordofHats**

I doubt it too. At least, not in the sense a lot of people think of it.

**Melissia**

PC gaming isn't dead, and hasn't even been close to dying.

Compared to the monotony and blandness of many console games, which are often clones, sequels, or ports, PC gaming has been practically thriving, with huge amounts of independent releases and tons of innovation.

Meh?

**nomotog**

PC gaming use to be dead, but that was a quite few years ago. The indy market has really reinvigorated things.

**Ratius**

Die hard and probably outdated PC geek here but can I ask:

a $20 billion global market which grew 8% last year.

Any console figures to run in parallel? Comparitively?

PC gaming audiences in Korea,

PC gaming or PCs themselves? Obvious difference, my old lad will buy a PC to do his spreadsheets on, I'm buying one to blow T72s apart.

Meanwhile the console gaming industry is in a right old flap about declining sales

Source and and/or statistics?

Don’t be silly, there was never any war.

Defensive!
There was never a war, all there was - from a strictly PC gaming point of view - was a dumbing down of games, franchises and titles.
"oh look another yellow arrow to tell me where to go" or a mash the spacebar to escape this fiend event " zzzz

The more I think about it, the more I think its actually generational i.e. age related rather than Console Vs PC.

I grew up games where death was just around the corner, the loot chest was hidden beyond reason and jumping across chasms was certain death.

#shrug

**Tannhauser42**

I'm not surprised. I've already seen several reports from various developers who have basically looked at the WiiU, and upcoming PS4, and many of them basically said that the nextgen consoles won't be as good as PCs.
This is just coming out of my butt here, so I could be wrong, but I don't think any one console game can beat the sales figures of World of Warcraft or Minecraft. Indie games are thriving on PCs, Steam is an unstoppable juggernaut, Kickstarters for new (admittedly retro) PC games are raking in millions, and so on.

**Brother Captain Alexander**

Tannhauser42 wrote:
I'm not surprised. I've already seen several reports from various developers who have basically looked at the WiiU, and upcoming PS4, and many of them basically said that the nextgen consoles won't be as good as PCs.

This, no console will ever be as strong as strongest PC. Ot have nearly good graphics.

While consoles are better for some games ( football, sport games, arcade adventures etc... ) PC is champion when it comes to MMORPG's, FPS, RPG's, Simulations, Strategies, Builders etc...

**easysauce**

actually, console gamings is what is "dead"

all the latest consoles are becoming much more like computers,

they have internet access, more peripherals, hard drives ect...

if anything the "console" is dead because its just a computer dedicated to a particular brand of games,

where as the computer can play nintento and sega alike with equal ease

no to mention the controls are soo much better on a computer, full qwerty keyboard, + mouse has soo many options, plus you can just plug in a gamepad/joystick

that plus computers can do all this non gaming stuff as well, its a no brainer .

**Sigvatr**

easysauce wrote:
actually, console gamings is what is "dead"

all the latest consoles are becoming much more like computers,

they have internet access, more peripherals, hard drives ect...

This, pretty much. Not "dead", but I don't see any point in buying a console anymore as they are inferior pcs.

**Blackcrusader**

PC gaming is quite the opposite of dead, it seem to be just getting better and better. I.E. plantside 2, starcraft 2 wings of liberty and heart of the swarm. need i continue?

**nomotog**

Brother Captain Alexander wrote:
Tannhauser42 wrote:
I'm not surprised. I've already seen several reports from various developers who have basically looked at the WiiU, and upcoming PS4, and many of them basically said that the nextgen consoles won't be as good as PCs.

This, no console will ever be as strong as strongest PC. Ot have nearly good graphics.

While consoles are better for some games ( football, sport games, arcade adventures etc... ) PC is champion when it comes to MMORPG's, FPS, RPG's, Simulations, Strategies, Builders etc...

It's not the graphics. It's the other way around. Most of the PC games that are pushing PC gameing have rather simple graphics. I think the reason we are seeing more PC sales is because the graphics race has settled and you can be PC gammer without updating every year. PC's real advantage is the openness of the platform that lets it do things like minecraft.

**Melissia**

Last time I upgraded my computer (excepting the upgrades I've been starting on this year) was late 2006/early 2007 when I built it. It was only recently, with games like planetside 2 and mechwarrior online that I even had any desire to upgrade.

People exaggerate on how much you need to upgrade you computer. It's stupid.

**Maelstrom808**

Feth minecraft. For me, the strength of PC gaming is games like the DCS series. You'll never get that kind of depth on a console.

Spoiler:

**Squigsquasher**

Meh. I'm the proud owner of a £1200 PC, and I still love my PS3 and my old Xbox. I don't see why we can't like both.

As for PC gaming being dead...no. In fact, it's never been more alive. I wouldn't agree that console gaming is dying though, or that it will become obsolete, for the simple reason that, for your average Joe, it's just more accessible. PCs are of course technically superior, but consoles will always have a place.

**Melissia**

Squigsquasher wrote:
Meh. I'm the proud owner of a £1200 PC, and I still love my PS3 and my old Xbox. I don't see why we can't like both.

As for PC gaming being dead...no. In fact, it's never been more alive. I wouldn't agree that console gaming is dying though, or that it will become obsolete, for the simple reason that, for your average Joe, it's just more accessible. PCs are of course technically superior, but consoles will always have a place.

I own a PC and a Wii, and play both.

But owning a PC apparently makes you an elitist for a dead platform or something.

**Squigsquasher**

Melissia wrote:
Squigsquasher wrote:
Meh. I'm the proud owner of a £1200 PC, and I still love my PS3 and my old Xbox. I don't see why we can't like both.

As for PC gaming being dead...no. In fact, it's never been more alive. I wouldn't agree that console gaming is dying though, or that it will become obsolete, for the simple reason that, for your average Joe, it's just more accessible. PCs are of course technically superior, but consoles will always have a place.
I own a PC and a Wii, and play both.

But owning a PC apparently makes you an elitist for a dead platform or something.

Yeah. System war idiocy really gets on my tits. It seems that nobody can just enjoy their gaming system without bashing everybody else's.

It doesn't matter whether you play on a PC, Wii, Gamecube, PS1, Mega Drive, Atari 7800, TurboGraphX 16 or any other system, someone is going to complain that you're on the wrong platform.

For instance, I have had people telling me that I'm a neanderthal for using a PS3 instead of a PC, then when I explain that I have a PC, and a thumpin' good one at that, the same person then tells me I should be using a Mac.

Jesus, I think I'm gonna get a Game Boy Advance off eBay and stick to that.

**Melissia**

Then they'll be complaining that you should have gotten a 3DS.

Mind you, no one says you should get a PSP.

**Squigsquasher**

Melissia wrote:
Then they'll be complaining that you should have gotten a 3DS.

Mind you, no one says you should get a PSP.

I must admit, I quite liked the PSP, and I'm very fond of my PS Vita...

But then I have very strange tastes in games and systems. For example, I am convinced that LittleBIGplanet 2 is the best game ever made.

**Tannhauser42**

Meh, the whole console vs console vs PC war isn't really caused by the gamers, but by the corporations with their "system exclusive games". If all games were available on all platforms, I think things would be a lot better for the gamers (maybe not so much for the console makers, though).

**Melissia**

I'd also be better for the gamemakers as well, I think.

**sarpedons-right-hand**

PC gaming is, and has always been big. There are games that I cannot play on a PC or Mac, but thats why I have a PS3. *shrugs*

I can't understand system bias, just get the systems you like and get on with it.

**Alpharius**

I recently (yesterday!) got back into PC gaming.

But from what I can remember, we've pretty much been hearing that the PC is a dead platform for gaming for about... the last...15 years or so?

Clearly, that hasn't ever really been the case, so...

...wait, what are we talking about again?

**Swan-of-War**

What drove me away from PC gaming was that it was always a crapshoot if a game was going to work on my system or not. That and the "no returns on opened software" policy at most retailers. A $50 game turned into a $150 purchase after needing a new graphics card, more RAM, etc. and it always turned out to not be worth the cost.

There's something to be said about the plug-n-play aspect of a console. You know that a PS3 game is going to work in your PS3 and a 3DS game will work on a 3DS. Makes buying presents easy too.

Plus, I like relaxing on my couch in front of a giant LCD instead of a computer monitor. I play with friends and family over a lot too.

**Ouze**

Swan-of-War wrote:
What drove me away from PC gaming was that it was always a crapshoot if a game was going to work on my system or not.

This is simply not a problem for the vast majority of PC gamers. Being incapable of reading the minimum specs on the side of a box is not a technical problem. I agree that the simpleness of console games has it's appeal, and some games are just better on a TV - but pretending that you're rolling the dice on whether or not "a game will work" on your computer is factually deficient.

**Swan-of-War**

Bully for you Ouze - I enjoy the convenience of reading just one spec - Wii U, XBox 360, PS3, etc. Plus, I don't have to call other people up when I give them with a birthday / holiday gift to see if their computer can run it.

**Manchu**

Agree with Swan-of-War. Understanding minimum requirements used to be easy when it was a matter of Pentium II or Pentium III. IME, it currently implies a greater understanding of the underlying tech, which many people simply don't have. And looking down on people who don't have that understanding is quite simply an elitist attitude.

**Melissia**

Understanding the graphics card part of minimum requirements these days requires you to have a fething degree in bullgakonomics.

And this is coming from someone who plays PC games 85% of the time.

**Manchu**

Yeah, I saw your post about that in the BioShock thread.

**nomotog**

I find requirements to be a crap shoot too. It's the biggest negative with PC gaming. I never know for sure if a game will play oh and I can't return it.

**Perkustin**

I've always thought of ('true') PC gaming as a little too much of an investment. PC gaming is for the serious 'hobbyist', one who is prepared to sink alot more time and money into their hobby. PC gaming is the difference between taking your car to a track day once a month and taking part in sponsored pro-am races with a dedicated car.

Also, for me, the 'net gain' of the PC's increased power is not really worth it; sub-surface scattering, ambient occlusion, texture tesselation, 120fps etc/whatever and all the other DX11 effects, are drool inducing but aren't crucial to the experience. I'm used to 30fps and below, screen tearing, texture pop-in, vaseline smears of motion blur and smaller player caps. Finally the real games in PC gamer's library hold little interest for me, RTS, MMORPG, DotA-games basically anything that requires the QWERTY's breadth of input, they're, imo, too much like hard work!

I have and always will be a console gamer.

Discussion:

Tannhauser42 wrote:
Meh, the whole console vs console vs PC war isn't really caused by the gamers, but by the corporations with their "system exclusive games". If all games were available on all platforms, I think things would be a lot better for the gamers (maybe not so much for the console makers, though).

This is a ill-informed and naive viewpoint, although it's clear you meant well so no hard feelings. If we followed the reasoning above we would have even blander risk-averse titles than currently due to a stagnation of creative innovation, they'd also look like garbage to boot, due to a stagnation of technical innovation.