Is high end PC gaming slowly dieing?

4979 Views 71 Replies 24 Participants Last post by makotech222, Sep 25, 2009

PCXL-Fan

Discussion Starter · Sep 22, 2009 (Edited)

Is discrete highend videocard gaming slowly dieing? Or will it start seeing a revival?

To me it seems that console for various reasons are slowly heading towards becoming single high end gaming platform whether we like it or not.

Probably should have added a few more opinion poll options, such as that high end discrete videocard pc gaming may remain, but be a strong and loyal minority or remain around its current strength.

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Cid Highwind

· #2 · Sep 22, 2009

The industry has been poisoning and crippling itself with DRM and bugged releases while the console gamer has been comfortably popping in the disc and playing the game. I've been trying to get GRID to work on my PC now for 3 hours and feel like throwing the frisbee out of the window from pure frustration. These problems make me regret having bought a videocard in the first place. I should've gone with a PS3 instead, honestly.

Anyway, PC gaming won't die, there's always different markets and an audience that can't be moved away. But right now I've become more and more hesistant with purchasing games. Both reasons above are reasons for me to not invest into expensive games anymore, but to find alternative ways to get to play them. At least when a game doesn't work when I've downloaded it I don't have to feel sorry for myself. Ironically, downloaded games also have a much lower chance of not working nowadays. You do the math.

makotech222

· #3 · Sep 22, 2009

Just as there are games that dont work well on pc's, there are games that dont work well on consoles.
Last remnant works amazingly on PC but horribly on xbox360. But if a game doesnt work on the PC, theres a better chance of getting a patch, or you can upgrade your hardware.
Usually if it doesnt work on the console, it wont ever change.

Personally Pc gaming and Pc building are a hobby of mine, and they will probably never die for me.

DRM is never a problem for me at all. as soon as i get a game i always crack it, and never see DRM ever again.

Videocards have always been overpriced in my opinion. They cost about as much as a console alone. My Gtx260 cost me $320 when it came out, and i couldve bought a 360 for that much.

PCXL-Fan

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 22, 2009 (Edited)

Cid Highwind said:
The industry has been poisoning and crippling itself with DRM and bugged releases while the console gamer has been comfortably popping in the disc and playing the game. I've been trying to get GRID to work on my PC now for 3 hours and feel like throwing the frisbee out of the window from pure frustration. These problems make me regret having bought a videocard in the first place. I should've gone with a PS3 instead, honestly.

Anyway, PC gaming won't die, there's always different markets and an audience that can't be moved away. But right now I've become more and more hesistant with purchasing games. Both reasons above are reasons for me to not invest into expensive games anymore, but to find alternative ways to get to play them. At least when a game doesn't work when I've downloaded it I don't have to feel sorry for myself. Ironically, downloaded games also have a much lower chance of not working nowadays. You do the math.

Yeah your make a good point. Having to insert 2 passwords to get Dawn of War working is awful. And i have to be logged onto LIVE and Steam at the same time to play itin single player. For streetfighter IV i had to do 3 or 4 install attempts to get it to stop freezing during installation. Plus you have to be logged onto steam and the net to run both of these apps properly. Its quite a headache.

For the average joe if they run into driver or hardware or virus scanner interfering issues because of their lack of knowledge, they'll go through tons of headache. Much easier for them to plop down on their comfy couch and play on their nice 40 inch tv.

Then there is the economic side. Middle class isn't getting any richer. And its quite annoying having to constantly upgrade to play a game that should run on ones existing hardware, such as gtaIV for example. And the average pc knowledge limited joe schmoe makes up the majority of the gamers, and they are going to go with consoles, which are looking more and more attractive, and that is where the devs and the games are going to go; making this a continuous spiralling loop towards further console dominance.

On the flip side there is mod-ability though, no way i want to give up that privilege of pc gaming.

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Cheesus

· #5 · Sep 22, 2009

I think its slowly decaying.

PC gaming isn't going to remain the same. It is possible a drastic change will come along and sweep everything up on its toes, but by then, the whole 'console vs PC' game would've changed so drastically, PC gaming would hardly be the same thing. ****, by then, Consoles won't be the same.

Honestly, I see a future in something like OnLive or AMD's Fusion technology. A bright, manufacturer controlled future.

We'll give up privileges for more options, at less of a cost.

I know I would.

-StrikE-

· #6 · Sep 22, 2009

I don't think PC gaming is going down just the presence of capcom on the scene and it makes it seem worthwhile though i think NFS is dying or that's what i feel from shift...

zidine00

· #7 · Sep 22, 2009

Pc gaming in its entirety will never die, companies will most probably stop making pc games sooner or later, probably with the excuse its the pirates fault not ours or gaming is the devil or something like that, and developing for consoles due to sales slowly diminishing.

but look at it this way with no more pc games being made by big ass corporations, the indie market will have a chance, hence it wont die, or wont die soon.

but then again i havent bought (or aquired by other means, just clalification incase anyone thinks i pirate, which i dont, btw.) any new games for the past 2-3 years, if i remember rightly and havent been keeping up with the market so, like most of my other posts of mine this is probably BS.

Spyhop

· #8 · Sep 22, 2009

This again.....look, PC gaming isn't going anywhere. It's stronger now than it was 10 years ago. Where before you had PC games and console games that were for the most part mutually exclusive, now we have most major games spanning all major consoles and PC. Devs will always keep releasing for PC for 2 reasons:

1.) They already made the game. Might as well squeeze as much money as possible out of it by hitting as many markets as possible.

2.) If they don't develop for PC, someone else will fill the void.

Cid Highwind

· #9 · Sep 22, 2009

PCXL-Fan said:
On the flip side there is mod-ability though, no way i want to give up that privilege of pc gaming.

At this point I don't care about that anymore. I'd rather play games in their original way than not playing them at all. Last time I tried Oblivion I installed mods and the sky turned pink, so much for those 6 hours of downloading / installing.

Ironically, I recall having less problems when I didn't know a thing about PC games and hardware. It felt like console gaming, but nowadays since I've been tweaking the system and installing patches, it's a horror.

I miss the days of my Dreamcast, when I was actually playing games, rather than just talking about them and googling error codes. Still, PC gaming is this tempting thing to me. Having new GPUs and getting the best out of every game, playing in full HD at blazing framerates. Nowadays I just can't help but feeling still that it's more about the hardware than what the games actually do with it. nVidia vs ATi, a great battle to follow, but the power of these cards is so highly underused it's depressing.

The Moggle

· #10 · Sep 22, 2009

I see pc gaming reviving at some point but let's face it most people don't have high end gaming pc now. There gonna buy a cheaper console. But I do see potential for the pc.

Besides that's where games were originally designed

makotech222

· #11 · Sep 22, 2009

I miss the days of my Dreamcast, when I was actually playing games, rather than just talking about them and googling error codes. Still, PC gaming is this tempting thing to me. Having new GPUs and getting the best out of every game, playing in full HD at blazing framerates. Nowadays I just can't help but feeling still that it's more about the hardware than what the games actually do with it. nVidia vs ATi, a great battle to follow, but the power of these cards is so highly underused it's depressing.
__________________

I love the feeling of playing a high res, dx10 game at 120 fps, and high-quality sound and being fully immersed in the game. its such a wonderful feeling haha.

Spyhop

· #12 · Sep 22, 2009

The Moggle said:
I see pc gaming reviving at some point but let's face it most people don't have high end gaming pc now. There gonna buy a cheaper console. But I do see potential for the pc.

Are consoles really cheaper? People are going to buy a computer anyway. Decent CPU and memory requirements are easily met with most home machines nowadays, the only thing people need to add is a video card. Unless you insist on getting the absolute best, video cards are cheaper than consoles.

PCXL-Fan

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 22, 2009

Spyhop said:
This again.....look, PC gaming isn't going anywhere. It's stronger now than it was 10 years ago. Where before you had PC games and console games that were for the most part mutually exclusive, now we have most major games spanning all major consoles and PC. Devs will always keep releasing for PC for 2 reasons:

1.) They already made the game. Might as well squeeze as much money as possible out of it by hitting as many markets as possible.

2.) If they don't develop for PC, someone else will fill the void.

Good points, but still i wonder if the lack of exclusives could be a sign of incerasing weakness. PC gaming perhaps can be seen more and more as only playing second fiddle to the consoles. (besides mmorpgs and blizzard)

To zidine00
My question is towards high end big videocard gaming. Seems its mostly big videogame companies not indie projects with the capacity to create games utilizing these high end cards.

Exodus

· #14 · Sep 22, 2009

If it seems like PC gaming is dying right now, that's because the consoles are still newish. By the end of their lifecycles, PC games will be graphically superior, then the cycle will repeat when a new console comes out.

Also, as long as consoles are seem only suitable for "couch games," while PC for "desk" games, certain genres will always shine on PCs.

bobrocks95

· #15 · Sep 22, 2009

We need Duke Nukem Forever to revitalize PC gaming.

zidine00

· #16 · Sep 22, 2009

PCXL-Fan said:
To zidine00
My question is towards high end big videocard gaming. Seems its mostly big videogame companies not indie projects with the capacity to create games utilizing these high end cards.

whoops my bad.

Cid Highwind

· #17 · Sep 22, 2009

makotech222 said:
I love the feeling of playing a high res, dx10 game at 120 fps, and high-quality sound and being fully immersed in the game. its such a wonderful feeling haha.

I love the feeling of actually playing games, and that's what I've been lacking recently

Also, lying on the bed has its advantages, and from that distance you won't notice the resolution on my 24" that much anyway.

Adding to that, the PC has the biggest advantage in texturing memory. Unfortunately they get their games from the consoles, so you're looking at low detail resolutions which you are exposed to at high resolution. I have this feeling that nowadays the only reason to have an uber videocard is to be able to run the games with AA at high resolutions, and to be able to play these terribly unoptimized games by having horse power to compensate for failing devvers. There's not enough pay-off in PC gaming at this point because of all the console ports.

The Moggle

· #18 · Sep 22, 2009

Spyhop said:
Are consoles really cheaper? People are going to buy a computer anyway. Decent CPU and memory requirements are easily met with most home machines nowadays, the only thing people need to add is a video card. Unless you insist on getting the absolute best, video cards are cheaper than consoles.

yeah but thats what they don't want you to know

makotech222

· #19 · Sep 22, 2009

yeah the console ports are really slowing pc growth. and by growth i mean technological growth. theres hardly any pure dx10 games out for the pc at all. so far the dx11 games coming out are just a few effects added here and there.

OmegaDL50

· #20 · Sep 22, 2009

Some genres are usually done better on the PC due to the nature of thier control schemes.

For example a FPS with a mouse a keyboard, or titles such as the Sims 3 with massive content and expansions which is usually not found on a Console version.

There is also RTS games (StarCraft, Command and Conquer, Age of Empires)

And the mouse controlled isometric perspective RPGs (Baldur's Gate, Diablo, etc)

And then there is the strong modding community for many games which do things that are simply not possible on current consoles (Oblivion, Fallout 3, Neverwinter Nights)

Consoles may have the convenience of simply putting in the disc and playing the game without any meticulous setup, but people seem the forget that most of the time for a PC game one usually needs to get the setup once and their settings are saved and they can simply load the game and play it every time thereafter.

And considering this is a Emulation community, one must not forget that PC's are also capable of the best possible form of emulating classic consoles which have higher compability and better chances at running fullspeed compared to emulating console on another console.

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