PC?
Bioshock 2: November 3, 2009
Left 4 Dead 2: November 17, 2009

I'm set. I'm a casual gamer and those two games are enough for me for a long time probably.

This:

Quote: Original post by Kwizatz
The PC platform relies almost entirely (not to say completely) on third party developers, getting them all organized must be a daunting task when none of them sees a reason not to be the main attraction/one in charge.

And this:

Quote: Original post by LockePick
I've come to realize that the reason PC doesn't have so much attention given to it at events like E3 is not because of the market downturn. It's not because of biased media. It's not because PC games are dying. It's not because no one cares.

It's because PC gaming doesn't require the attention.

When you look at console presence at something like E3, it's driven by a single manufacturer - Sony and its PlayStation family, Microsoft and its Xbox/LIVE family, Nintendo with the Wii and DS. Who gets to be the driving force for "PC"? Microsoft? Dell? HP? Toshiba? A consortium of the above?

There's no real upside for any of the platform integrators to pushing a "PC gaming" section at E3, and not enough upside for the money for Microsoft - especially considering that PC gaming is perfectly self-sustaining (the hype about PC gaming "dying" is complete bull).

Quote: Original post by ChurchSkiz
Because marketting upcoming PC games would just encourage the pirates. It's better to silently release the games to keep piracy numbers low.

Spain also kept a silence when transported a gold from America to Europe,but all the same all pirates were in Carribean sea[smile]

Quote: Original post by Driv3MeFar

Quote: Original post by ChurchSkiz
Because marketting upcoming PC games would just encourage the pirates. It's better to silently release the games to keep piracy numbers low.

That's some of the worst reasoning I've ever heard. Silent releases don't just reduce piracy numbers, they reduce sales numbers. Hurting your profits to reduce the number of people playing your game who wouldn't have bought it anyway is just stupid.

Sales? What are those? The goal is to stop pirates not make money.

Quote:
There's no real upside for any of the platform integrators to pushing a "PC gaming" section at E3, and not enough upside for the money for Microsoft - especially considering that PC gaming is perfectly self-sustaining (the hype about PC gaming "dying" is complete bull).

Alienware was there. Along with their outlandish and overpriced enthusiast machines. And a really sweet panoramic curved monitor.

Quote: Original post by Moe
Portal, World of Goo, Alien Hominid (before being ported to console).

Portal launched on both 360 and PC. World of Goo launched on both Wii and PC. Alien Hominid's PC version was a Flash prototype, which is hardly unusual.

So...not the best examples if you're arguing in favor of innovation on the PC.

Quote: Well just looking at the IGF, there are a lot of innovative games.

Well, that's mostly a product of them being independent games in the first place. The consoles were never friendly to independent developers. I think that with XNA in its current state, you'll see (and have already seen) a lot more innovative games as 360/PC releases.

Quote: Original post by Promit
I think that with XNA in its current state, you'll see (and have already seen) a lot more innovative games as 360/PC releases.

See: In The Pit.

Quote: Original post by Oluseyi
This:

When you look at console presence at something like E3, it's driven by a single manufacturer - Sony and its PlayStation family, Microsoft and its Xbox/LIVE family, Nintendo with the Wii and DS. Who gets to be the driving force for "PC"? Microsoft? Dell? HP? Toshiba? A consortium of the above?

huh.. Microsoft backs up PC's too(Games for Windows). they actually revolutionized pc gaming allowing for LIVE accounts/memberships, and allowing most of their exclusive games to go to PC's(Gears of War)and allowing for multiplayer between PC owners and 360 owners(Lost Planet,LP2).

i think developers do need to start making more exclusive titles for PC though, i mean without PC's we would not have the tools to make games.

[Edited by - DorianC on June 5, 2009 11:21:59 PM]

Quote: Original post by DorianC
huh.. Microsoft backs up PC's too(Games for Windows).

So Microsoft then has to run two shows at E3, one for a platform they don't completely control? Yeah, not. gonna. happen.

(Games for Windows is irrelevant branding, btw. It's just a marketing push for some high-profile titles to convince clueless consumers that it'll work with their computers. Most PC games don't have "Games for Windows" branding, and never will.)

Quote: and Personally ill rather make pc games than console games simply because of cost(PS3 Dev Kit i believe is $2000 i think, and the Wii's Dev Kit is $2000 even though its leaked on the internet http://fenopy.com/torrent/NINTENDO_Revolution_SDK_2_1_Wii___SYNDiCATE/NTAyOTYz/index.html)

An SDK (software) is not a devkit (hardware).

Quote: i think developers do need to start showing more respect for the PC and make more exclusive titles for it though, i mean without PC's we would not have the tools to make games.

It's about the bottom line, not touchy-feely "respect". More exclusive PC titles would be made if that wasn't equivalent, for established developers or publishers with licenses and equipment to target consoles, to leaving money on the table.

Quote: they actually revolutionized pc gaming allowing for LIVE accounts/memberships, and allowing most of their exclusive games to go to PC's(Gears of War)and allowing for multiplayer between PC owners and 360 owners(Lost Planet,LP2).

Ha! You should do stand-up. That's great: LIVE revolutionizing PC gaming. Now we can all register for useless accounts that exist for no reason and run extra crap on top of our games! They even tried to get us to pay just to play games online! LIVE on PC is a joke and should really just go away entirely.

Steam revolutionized PC gaming by pushing ahead digital distribution and by cutting out manufacturing and distribution costs which allow for games to be sold much cheaper. That encourages people to spend money across a wider selection of companies which is much healthier for the industry than the "only buy a couple games a year because they cost an arm and a leg and only support the biggest publishers" console model. They were even clever enough to get around retailer fury by having constant "sales" instead of dropping prices across the board.

So basically, PC gaming is doing great but Microsoft has very, very little to do with that anymore. They are doing a good job of turning consoles into PC's, though, so eventually everything is going to come full circle and they'll be important again.