Is PC gaming dying?

Discussion in 'Gamers Hangout' started by Cockles, May 28, 2008.

  1. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Exactly, Ryan - thank you. :) A gain in one doesn't have to mean a loss in the other. And in this case, it doesn't.
     
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  2. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Yeah but they don't have a kids version of Scarface and an adult version. Whilst they have a PS3, Xbox 360 and PC version of Pro Evo Soccer for example now put them in order of most sales on each format. That was my point and was backed up by that quote from EA so saying PC market if different to Console market as Michael said is wrong.

    I'm basically arguing about something I hope won't happen as I said PC is my platform of choice but even I can see the PC market is declining and PC self space in the big retailers is shrinking. Even multi-platform games I would say the PC in terms of sales comes in last.
     
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  3. BosonMichael
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    So people who enjoy playing with a controller while sitting on the couch will buy the console version, and people who enjoy playing with keyboard and mouse while sitting at a desk (and who enjoy the extra functionality occasionally offered by PC versions of games) will buy the PC version. But even if more people buy console games (which they do), how exactly does that mean that PC gaming is dying when PC gaming sales are increasing?

    Okay, okay, the PC is last in sales; nobody is disputing that. How does that mean that PC gaming is dying when PC gaming sales are increasing? This argument would be different if PC gaming sales were less than 1% of all gaming sales and the industry were in trouble... but it accounted for about 14% of all gaming sales in 2007, not counting sales through digital distribution channels - add that in, and you're at 25% of all gaming sales! How is it dying?

    EDIT: In truth, it's growing, according to this link from Feb '08:

     
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  4. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    More data, from here (bolding added for emphasis):

    In truth, PC games outsold Wii and PS3 games in the US, and that doesn't even count downloadable distribution:

    And this trend isn't just in the US... in fact, it's even better worldwide.

    Still convinced that PC gaming is dying?
     
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  5. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Michael there is no way that the PC games market makes up 25% of all sales. It's also for the reason you just said that simply PC versions don't sell anywhere near the amount of their console counterparts. Also Consoles are more accessible then PC's I would find it hard for anyone to say sales of console games are not outstripping PC games and are continuing to do so and will continue. Maybe dying is the wrong word to use about the PC gaming market but I think it will shrink in years to come. Anyone who says consoles haven't had a negative impact on the PC market is delusional.
     
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  6. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Okay, now the expert's opinion doesn't matter, either. If you don't agree with it, then just disbelieve, eh? Is that how it works? :biggrin

    I'm done fighting with an unarmed opponent. :rolleyes: Cheers! :wink:
     
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  7. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Sorry Michael your right do you want your rattle back?
     
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  8. BosonMichael
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    Sorry, I'm too busy holding the PC gaming revenue data. Looks like you could use it, however - you're not holding anything else. :twisted:
     
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  9. greenbrucelee
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    If PC gaming was dying then why would the demand for high-end gaming rigs and components be up?
     
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  10. Cockles

    Cockles Megabyte Poster

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    BM, why do you get so defensive if someone disagrees with you? Just read your last response to my last post, and I know you can certainly interpret text in a million different ways, but it just looks like you're coming across as a bit sarky and arrogant. Is that really necessary?

    Again, as I said, I'm not referring to people who are already hardcore PC gamers. You say that PC games are advertised through other means than TV, such as online. Well, if a person hasn't got a PC in the first place, they have pretty slim chances of seeing them ads, haven't they?

    BM, truth be told, if PC gaming is dying, thriving or God himself has a high end machine to play Crysis on, I don't really care, if sales are thriving, brill. As someone who is taking an outside glance at the market, it just seems to me that consoles are dominating the market at a trend that will eventually cause slowdown for PC game development in terms of originality or sub-standard ports being made. If I'm wrong in that assumption and figues show me otherwise, I can live with that. All I know for certain is that less and less people I know are buying anything to do with PCs and have moved to the Wii's, PS3's and 360#s of the world.

    Damn, what a healthy debate this has been? I might ask something totally controversial in a day or two, like Is Coke Better Than Pepsi? :D
     
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  11. greenbrucelee
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    Pepsi is a poor port of coke, just like the console version of half life was a poor port of the PC version :D <runs away before it goes nuts>
     
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  12. Cockles

    Cockles Megabyte Poster

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    Well I disagree, I have a load of statistics here that I just wrote down that say ........(hiding under desk) :D
     
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  13. greenbrucelee
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    LOL :D
     
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  14. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    I agree with what cockles is saying maybe PC gaming is going in another direction. As far as I see it there isn't as many PC games coming out these days and again I can't see how anyone can say that PC games sales like for like are behind their console counterparts by a mile.

    Platforms like Steam will maybe help to stem the decline but if you took away the MMORPG's and Sims I think the PC market would be in deep doo doo and the figures look very differently. I also think that some games that have come out on console have been shockingly ported to the PC without much effort. If there was more money in it then I think they would put more effort into it. I might be wrong about this bit but years ago wasn't it the case that games were ported from the PC to console and now it's the other way around?

    Consoles in a sense are probably easier to develop for as it's one platform, they make more money on games sales and I suppose piracy is less on consoles. Why is it that a lot of multi-platform console games don't come out on the PC? I admit that Capcom surprisingly are starting to release their games on PC but look at the Resident Evil 4 port as from what I read it was rubbish.

    If EA are stating that even the PS2 out sells the PC by thousands to one on the same games then to me that would say that PC gaming isn't doing fantastically.

    Anyways I think that this subject is getting a little heated so maybe it's time to call a truce :D

    PS it's Coke
     
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  15. Mathematix

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    This has been an interesting thread to follow - especially the interpretation of the statistics, which is a little shakey from all parties.

    1. Games drive the sales of platforms, not the other way round.

    If a platform has no games for it, it will not sell - or alternatively if the games are of poor quality, this will also cause the decline of the platform. An example being the Sega Saturn in the mid-90s not having the greatest title selection with the release of the Playstation 1 looming.

    2. Consoles are winning the race because of the selection of games available for them.

    Why would I bring this up as untrue after my first point? Well, because it's not the whole story. When you look into where the most advertised statistics are sourced, they are usually from Microsoft or Sony. Both of these are major players in the industry that are keen to have the public interpret the statistics in their favour. There are many way to interpret what makes one platform more successful than another, eg: online user base, number of hardware units sold, number of games sold, the ratio of the number of hardware units to games sold, the ratio of the number of users to games sold... the list goes on and on.

    3. PC/console ports are lazily developed.

    Somewhere else on the forums I recall clearly stating that the budget for a port rarely exceeds 1/3 of that for a title developed from scratch. I've worked on both games that have gone through the full development cycle, and those that have gone through porting to other platforms - it wouldn't be untrue to say that the effort invested in porting a game can end up to be just as demanding as a full development cycle, given the reduced budget and time to complete the project.

    4. Consoles are easier to develop for than the PC because it is a single platform.

    You might be surprised to know that this is generally untrue, bar maybe the XBox family whre Microsoft have made the determined effort to support developers both in terms of the quality of the SDK and actual developer support routes. Notoriously difficult platforms to develop for are the Playstation family of consoles.

    5. Steam will help stem the decline of PC gaming.

    Any platform that allows the user to purchase and download a game immdiately is most likely to keep any platform afloat. I used to hate Steam, but now I love it! :biggrin

    6. Different regions yield different sales.

    Yes, this is entirely true. When a project is being considered sales for the US, Europe and Japan, in particular, are usually forecasted. If a game is more likely to sell in one region more than another then marketing in focussed on that region to maximise sales.

    That about covers it for now.
     
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  16. Cockles

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    I agree, truce for all, lets all have a Coke :D

    Next week: Kentucky Fried Chicken Vs. McDonalds. Who will be left choking on the bone?
     
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  17. michael78

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    I've changed my mind it's Pepsi :biggrin
     
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  18. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Because I'm right. :)

    Not always... but this time, I am. :)

    Meh, call it what you want. Doesn't matter to me, really.

    Then... they're not a good target demographic. :rolleyes::biggrin

    Pfft. My parents just bought a $600 PC (necessary for non-gaming) that could play Crysis with the addition of a $100 video card.

    The problem is, Cockles, is that this debate has gone on for DECADES... and PC gaming isn't dead YET! I grow tired of debating the same things over and over.

    Coke *is* better than Pepsi.
     
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  19. Cockles

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    Well if you grow tired of debating it, don't do it then! As valuable as your input is old friend, I do value everyone elses thought's just as equally.
     
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  20. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    I never said they shouldn't give their thoughts. And you can disagree with me... but don't expect me to shut up about it. :)
     
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