"The console as we know it, in other words, has become somewhat redundant."

[Human Snorenado]

WELL THEN

http://m.ign.com/articles/2013/09/04/why-pc-gaming-has-exploded

[brob]

[Great Rumbler]

[Tasty]

PC's have been around longer than consoles, you could argue they've always been somewhat redundant.

Garbage article.

[Himu]

An IGN article? Really?

[Human Snorenado]

PC's have been around longer than consoles, you could argue they've always been somewhat redundant.

Garbage article.

Solid reasoning from the forum member most likely to cry themselves to sleep over the death of console/handheld gaming

[Tasty]

Nice one.

[tiesto]

Is the growth for PC gaming mainly centered in non-traditional markets like China, Eastern Europe, Korea... or is it also growing in the west/Japan?

[magus]

does the pc have puzzle & dragons? no? then we know who's losing

[Great Rumbler]

PC is saving us from the PAD money pit.

[Tasty]

it's cute the pctards think console/handheld gaming is dying at the tip of their swords and not due to the competition whose arrival actually lines up with the market decline.

Exactly.

[headwalk]

PC might have not caused the decline, but both new consoles are now dribbling at the teat. the big sell of the PS4 is "look how easy it is to dump your steam shit on here" and now they're getting in on the VR game despite the chances of the console shitting itself the first time it has to render at stereo 1080p.

[Himu]

To be fair, the vr machine should be usable on more than ps4 right?

[Human Snorenado]

it's cute the pctards think console/handheld gaming is dying at the tip of their swords and not due to the competition whose arrival actually lines up with the market decline.

I can see a viable future for relevant pc gaming in a tablet/phone world.  Can you say the same for consoles and dedicated handhelds? 

I don't particularly care who drowns the distinguished mentally-challenged fellow, as long as I get to piss on the body.

[Himu]

You do realize that a majority of the games that people are playing on pc these days are console ports, right? And if console gaming dries up, that means less console ports. Less console ports means less reason for people to play on pc. Which creates a smaller audience for indie games to be successful. Which results in even lower pc audience numbers.

This is not black and white. PC gaming is in this position it is now precisely BECAUSE they've made it easier to play big console titles. You're playing Saints Row IV, a game developed for console, right now, on your pc. PC gaming and console gaming are two of the same coin, and both feed off of each other. Anyone with sense has realized that by now. You'd come to terms with this if not for your pathetic system wars posturing. A game like Spelunky, or Guacamelee, or big ones like GTA are released on consoles first, then later on pc. Some pc titles, mostly the indie ones, and some of the big ones like Diablo III come to come to console because there is now an audience for that kind of thing.

Both audiences overlap and both platforms - pc and console - can't live without the other. If console gaming dries up, that very fucking second, pc gaming will be drying up along with it.

[Human Snorenado]

...I still get to see consoles die first and taste the tears of the console-tards, right?

[headwalk]

You do realize that a majority of the games that people are playing on pc these days are console ports, right? And if console gaming dries up, that means less console ports. Less console ports means less reason for people to play on pc. Which creates a smaller audience for indie games to be successful. Which results in even lower pc audience numbers.

This is not black and white. PC gaming is in this position it is now precisely BECAUSE they've made it easier to play big console titles. You're playing Saints Row IV, a game developed for console, right now, on your pc. PC gaming and console gaming are two of the same coin, and both feed off of each other. Anyone with sense has realized that by now. You'd come to terms with this if not for your pathetic system wars posturing. A game like Spelunky, or Guacamelee, or big ones like GTA are released on consoles first, then later on pc. Some pc titles, mostly the indie ones, and some of the big ones like Diablo III come to come to console because there is now an audience for that kind of thing.

Both audiences overlap and both platforms - pc and console - can't live without the other. If console gaming dries up, that very fucking second, pc gaming will be drying up along with it.

155,619   484,222       Dota 2
59,222   118,302       Total War: ROME II
43,167   57,381       Team Fortress 2
31,533   38,744       Sid Meier's Civilization V
27,918   28,020       Garry's Mod
23,579   59,594       Football Manager 2013
22,912   43,608       Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
20,983   31,280       The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
12,924   15,383       Borderlands 2
12,476   19,488       PAYDAY 2

console domination.

i mean, going through the steam top 100. maybe a fifth of them wouldn't be feasible without consoles to eat up the majority of the sales and two-thirds have little/no presence on consoles at all.

[Himu]

Here's the full list:

http://store.steampowered.com/stats/

A great amount of these games are console games.

My post mentions nothing of console domination. However, console games are a big part of the modern pc platform.

[headwalk]

Here's the full list:

http://store.steampowered.com/stats/

A great amount of these games are console games.

My post mentions nothing of console domination. However, console games are a big part of the modern pc platform.

going through the list, maybe a fifth of them wouldn't be feasible without consoles to eat up the majority of the sales and atleast two-thirds presently have little/no presence on consoles at all.

it'd be a big shake up and would surely cause a reassessment of giant content tourism titles. but who knows, the vacuum it would surely create might even be beneficial for the industry.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

PCs are always going to be a good investment for gaming.  Thanks to emulation, you have thousands of great games that you will never have time to play in your lifetime.

[Himu]

Here's the full list:

http://store.steampowered.com/stats/

A great amount of these games are console games.

My post mentions nothing of console domination. However, console games are a big part of the modern pc platform.

going through the list, maybe a fifth of them wouldn't be feasible without consoles to eat up the majority of the sales and atleast two-thirds presently have little/no presence on consoles at all.

it'd be a big shake up and would surely cause a reassessment of giant content tourism titles. but who knows, the vacuum it would surely create might even be beneficial for the industry.

Notice the trend. The games you posted that are for PC or made for PC are.mostly if not all known for the multi player. However most of the big releases on PC this year are console ports: Bioshock Infinite, Saints Row IV, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Tomb Raider. This doesn't mean console games don't have much presence on steam. They do, it is just that they're mostly single player titles and for that reason won't have the legs like say, DOTA. Look at that list the next time a big console port hits steam, like GTAV or some shit.

[AdmiralViscen]

Even if an individual game on the list is PC only, that publisher is likely still making money selling other games on consoles.

[headwalk]

Here's the full list:

http://store.steampowered.com/stats/

A great amount of these games are console games.

My post mentions nothing of console domination. However, console games are a big part of the modern pc platform.

going through the list, maybe a fifth of them wouldn't be feasible without consoles to eat up the majority of the sales and atleast two-thirds presently have little/no presence on consoles at all.

it'd be a big shake up and would surely cause a reassessment of giant content tourism titles. but who knows, the vacuum it would surely create might even be beneficial for the industry.

Notice the trend. The games you posted that are for PC or made for PC are.mostly if not all known for the multi player. However most of the big releases on PC this year are console ports: Bioshock Infinite, Saints Row IV, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Tomb Raider, Payday 2. This doesn't mean console games don't have much presence on steam. They do, it is just that they're mostly single player titles and for that reason won't have the legs like say, DOTA. Look at that list the next time a big console port hits steam, like GTAV or some shit.

total war, civ , garry's mod, and football manager are known for their multiplayer?

of all those games you listed, the only two to break 30k on launch day were bioshock infinite and payday 2. the first of which comes from a developer with a big PC lineage and i'd argue they could make a more focused experience for a third of the budget which would probably go down even better with PC pedants, the kind of experience which payday 2 is a perfect example of.

[Huff]

One console future.

Amazon

[Phoenix Dark]

i don't need an IGN article to tell me PC rock and consoles suck

[pilonv1]

Football Manager 14 is going to be so awesome

[Himu]

Even if an individual game on the list is PC only, that publisher is likely still making money selling other games on consoles.

That's a good point.

[Himu]

Head walk you're right on a lot of points. But you still won't concede that console games are still a big part of modern PC gaming appeal? For me it is because I can buy the game for cheaper and on a better platform. I'm not sure I'd play PC games nearly as much if they suddenly got less console games.

[Human Snorenado]

I think you're wrong in looking at them as "pc games" and "console games."

In the future, it's just gonna be "games"

[headwalk]

Head walk you're right on a lot of points. But you still won't concede that console games are still a big part of modern PC gaming appeal? For me it is because I can buy the game for cheaper and on a better platform. I'm not sure I'd play PC games nearly as much if they suddenly got less console games.

oh sure, but what i'm saying is that the console++ function is just another bullet point on a very long list. it's in bold, and to a not insignificant number is the reason to throw your kids' college money at a new titan or two, but i don't think its mandatory to the continued relevance of the platform.

i'm talking about the hypothetical here where the home console business goes south. as things stand, i agree that getting PC versions of multiplats is a big deal for the platform's increasing intrusion in to the mass market mindspace and it would be a major blow if for some reason that course is reversed.

i think there's a part of me which just wants to see what happens to the scattered talent should the AAA/ proprietary console model suddenly go away. they can't all go to mobile development, and i can't help but feel those who remain would be doing things more relevant to my claw wristed interests.  but that's an extremely egocentric view, more suited for bullish forum speculation than reality.

[thisismyusername]

Well, to be fair:

Provided you're not wild about jumping into exclusives like Forza 5 or Infamous: Second Son, it's looking more and more like you won't be left too far behind if you decide to skip the upcoming console generation altogether.

Is right. If you don't give a damn about platform exclusives, you're pretty much better off on PC outside of certain genres that are maybe slowly coming around on it (read: fighters, and possibly JRPGs?). Most third parties are porting things to PC now.

[Eel O'Brian]

I like them both. With PC, I get games for $20 4 months later. With Consoles, I get to trade in or sell shit after I'm done (or if I hate it) and partially fund the next game. For a cheap scavenger such as myself, it is the best of times.

[Himu]

I think a console is still required for any fan of japanese games.

[CajoleJuice]

football manager and total war are sega.  they ain't gonna be keeping their lights on by pc alone.

luckily, they've intelligently made major moves into smartphones/tablets.  so pc boys will still get their table scraps.

do you like any gaming?

(just joking around because i see you shitting on pc and shitting on the ftp garbage that supports a lot of mobile games)

[Tasty]

I think a handheld is still required for any fan of japanese games.

Fixed.

[Himu]

I think a handheld is still required for any fan of japanese games.

Fixed.

Consoles and handhelds, really.

[Human Snorenado]

Fortunately for me, Bethesda rpgs, arpgs and other time sink bullshit should keep getting made, and hopefully the Obsidian kickstarter turns out ok.

[Damian79]

155,619   484,222       Dota 2
59,222   118,302       Total War: ROME II
43,167   57,381       Team Fortress 2
31,533   38,744       Sid Meier's Civilization V
27,918   28,020       Garry's Mod
23,579   59,594       Football Manager 2013
22,912   43,608       Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
20,983   31,280       The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
12,924   15,383       Borderlands 2
12,476   19,488       PAYDAY 2

console domination.

i mean, going through the steam top 100. maybe a fifth of them wouldn't be feasible without consoles to eat up the majority of the sales and two-thirds have little/no presence on consoles at all.

You do realise that is missing a build of FTP games like League Of Legends which has like 2 million players at any one time.  Heck it doesnt even have guild wars.  And it is a bit disingenuous to post players playing online to what console players are doing without a list for consoles too.

[Damian79]

Oh.  My bad.

[Positive Touch]

I think you're wrong in looking at them as "pc games" and "console games."

In the future, it's just gonna be "games"

actually in the future its gonna be "no games"

because every publisher and dev that relies on console money (aka most anyone with a name worth remembering) is gonna go back to the days of skeleton crews working out of basements and dorm rooms

i think there's a part of me which just wants to see what happens to the scattered talent should the AAA/ proprietary console model suddenly go away. they can't all go to mobile development, and i can't help but feel those who remain would be doing things more relevant to my claw wristed interests.  but that's an extremely egocentric view, more suited for bullish forum speculation than reality.

i'd guess that a lot of people are gonna take their talents to more stable industries

[nudemacusers]

at least mac gaming is safe 

[thisismyusername]

because every publisher and dev that relies on console money (aka most anyone with a name worth remembering) is gonna go back to the days of skeleton crews working out of basements and dorm rooms

I actually... wouldn't mind that. It'd be like indies without the pretentious-smug-asshole of the 80's/90's.

[Positive Touch]

indies without pretention?  have you played any indie games from the past few years??

[thisismyusername]

Just two.  :'( Indies of this era don't have the "magic" that "AAA"/"indies of the 80's/90's" had for me.

If we go back to an era of Gauntlet (okay, maybe not that game) but more "game" focused games with a few smatterings of "movie" games, I'd be fine with that. Less fingers in the pie, the more I can keep track of stuff that I may/may not want to play.

[Himu]

I'd say Indie games are far less pretentious than AAA today. I have no clue what you're even talking about.

[thisismyusername]

I'd say Indie games are far less pretentious than AAA today. I have no clue what you're even talking about.

Phil Fish and Jonathan Blow. The whole "hoity-toity" high-art-for-arts-sake mindview that some indies have, rubs me the wrong way.

"Indie"/Garage Scene of the 80's/90's kinda reminds me of garage bands in the 60's/70's. It's hard to explain.

[Himu]

Like, those are only two guys. AAA game makers do the same shit with Bioshock and crap and are far more numerous. You just happened to pick the two most prominent indie devs. Congrats.

[thisismyusername]

Right but it isn't just them. There's this "culture" of "OMG INDIES ARE SAVING GAMING" going around when all I see are clones or 8-bit remakes of titles from the past to where I don't get that feeling.

My feelings are more that early 80/90's is a punk-garage-scene where you discovered new things while the "new indie movement" these days is like a tribute band. Terrible analogy and you probably won't get my feelings on it or understand but that's the way it feels to me.

If we can go back to the era where someone like a 14-16-year-old CliffyB makes a Jazz Jackrabbit and can get it published by a "small-mid" publisher, I'm for that. Indies right now struggle with getting their games out there and then when they do they have this community that is "hipster"ish in a "oh we played it before they sold out/got a publishing deal" type thing going on.

I just want a "hey there's this new game and it's kinda awesome!"-discovery type of thing. 

[Rufus]

The indie games that get the most attention from the press tend to be the ones with pretensions, with few exceptions, like FTL.

I just want a "hey there's this new game and it's kinda awesome!"-discovery type of thing. 

You can have that if you stop reading game sites and just look at the new releases on Steam.

[Tasty]

Right but it isn't just them. There's this "culture" of "OMG INDIES ARE SAVING GAMING" going around when all I see are clones or 8-bit remakes of titles from the past to where I don't get that feeling.

[Tasty]

The indie games that get the most attention from the press tend to be the ones with pretensions, with few exceptions, like FTL.

I just want a "hey there's this new game and it's kinda awesome!"-discovery type of thing. 

You can have that if you stop reading game sites and just look at the new releases on Steam.

Or recently funded Kickstarters.

[nudemacusers]

Right but it isn't just them. There's this "culture" of "OMG INDIES ARE SAVING GAMING" going around when all I see are clones or 8-bit remakes of titles from the past to where I don't get that feeling.

hahah incredible

[Himu]

Right but it isn't just them. There's this "culture" of "OMG INDIES ARE SAVING GAMING" going around when all I see are clones or 8-bit remakes of titles from the past to where I don't get that feeling.

Mountain Dew

[Great Rumbler]

actually in the future its gonna be "no games"

because every publisher and dev that relies on console money (aka most anyone with a name worth remembering) is gonna go back to the days of skeleton crews working out of basements and dorm rooms

something something Kickstarter

[Himu]

Rumbler, shut the fuck up. 

[Great Rumbler]

If KS is hugely successful now, you think it won't be when the major consoles makers are collapsed into a heap of rubble and 9/10 publishers are mobile-exclusive?

[Positive Touch]

when the nostalgia fumes dry up and the console money goes away, kickstarters gonna be a much harder sell

also
creating a studio whos entire future is based around the success of kickstarter

[MCD]

Right but it isn't just them. There's this "culture" of "OMG INDIES ARE SAVING GAMING" going around when all I see are clones or 8-bit remakes of titles from the past to where I don't get that feeling.

[Great Rumbler]

when the nostalgia fumes dry up and the console money goes away, kickstarters gonna be a much harder sell

Nostalgia fumes are going to be absolutely suffocating when consoles don't exist and 95% of games are pay-to-win mobile affairs. People are already desperate for types of games that don't exist anymore, and that's with a "healthy" games market.

[chronovore]

Like, those are only two guys. AAA game makers do the same shit with Bioshock and crap and are far more numerous. You just happened to pick the two most prominent indie devs. Congrats.

Not just prominent, but largely only known for being very vocal and even antagonistic.

There are plenty of success cases out there where the creators aren't trying to turn themselves into celebrities through loudmouthed contrarianism.