PC Gaming dying...Steam says NO!!!

[Texashiker]

While steam might be getting more users and games, what the customers need is better quality products.

Developers need to move past the constraints of consoles and embrace the PC as a solid gaming platform. Gamers are being held back by the outdated technology of consoles. Where are the directx 10 and directx 11 games at. Where are the team based multplayer games like left 4 dead 1 & 2, where is the team based version of metro2033 or STALKER, where is the versus version of Dead Island? Why cant people play the infected zombies in games like dead island?,,,,, just to name a few examples.

PC gaming is not dead. But on the other hand, I have not seen any major leaps in games in almost a decade.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Developers are slaves to the money, and the money is unfortunately in console gaming because the majority of those users are either A, not too savvy with a computer, B, don't like a keyboard and mouse to game with, C, don't want the "hassle" associated with a computer and gaming on it - which to me covers my un-scientific no data gathering results

 

[HeXen]

While steam might be getting more users and games, what the customers need is better quality products.

Developers need to move past the constraints of consoles and embrace the PC as a solid gaming platform. Gamers are being held back by the outdated technology of consoles. Where are the directx 10 and directx 11 games at. Where are the team based multplayer games like left 4 dead 1 & 2, where is the team based version of metro2033 or STALKER, where is the versus version of Dead Island? Why cant people play the infected zombies in games like dead island?,,,,, just to name a few examples.

PC gaming is not dead. But on the other hand, I have not seen any major leaps in games in almost a decade.

Even IF devs PC exclusive only. You won't see better A.I...etc. Actually, it would be the same as what you see in exclusives like Hard Reset now.

But the gaming winds go back n forth. When the next consoles arrive, then we'll be right back on the PC gaming is dead threads..then the cycle gradually starts again.

 

[coloumb]

It's great and all but ... where is Episode 3? *sob*

That was my 1st thought. You'd think if they are making bank they could at least hire or put a team together to get Ep3 out the door already.

 

[Dankk]

Where are the team based multplayer games

Nuclear Dawn. Red Orchestra 2. I'd also suggest Section 8: Prejudice (even though that game is pretty much dead :'( )

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

How is RO2?

 

[CuriousMike]

Developers need to move past the constraints of consoles and embrace the PC as a solid gaming platform. Gamers are being held back by the outdated technology of consoles.

No.

PC Gamers are held back by the myriad of hardware on the market.
A developer could spend resources on ensuring all the DX11 hotness is in their game, or they can spend those resources ensuring the game actually runs on the other 95% of hardware out there.

Hardcore PC hardware is a particular niche; I'm not saying it's large or small. I'm just saying it doesn't match the numbers of people buying the $399 laptop at Wal-Mart or Target. Some of those people want to play PC games and expect a reasonable experience.

There are exceptions, where developers lead with the PC and push hardware. But it's a gamble, particularly on new IP.
Of the hundreds of games released each year on PC, how many are profitable?

Consider also the pricing pressures that developers are experiencing - how many weeks before triple-A titles are half off? BF3 was half off barely a month after release, and that's a triple-triple-A title. Batman Arkham City was recently pushed down to half off... twice... during Steams xmas sale.

There's a lot of juggling going on; it's naive to think a developer can think "We will only build towards the best hardware" or that they ever have enough time (money) to do that.

 

[Bateluer]

Man, I've love to tour their data center.

 

[Rvenger]

B, don't like a keyboard and mouse to game with

Xbox 360 Wireless controller for windows

I would have to say that most i (if not all titles) that are released on console and PC together have complete xbox controller compatibility without any calibration required.

 

[TheTrueScythe]

I love Steam and have had an account for a long time and i love that there prices are so low on sales that they practically give games away.

 

[HeXen]

that there prices are so low on sales that they practically give games away.

= high number count.:whiste:

 

[Texashiker]

No.

PC Gamers are held back by the myriad of hardware on the market.
A developer could spend resources on ensuring all the DX11 hotness is in their game, or they can spend those resources ensuring the game actually runs on the other 95% of hardware out there.

Have you checked the steam hardware survey lately?

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

Dual core cpu - 48.22%
Quad core cpu - 42.97%
Directx 11 - 31.43%
Drectx 10 - 48.24%
Dirtectx 9 - 4.29%

With directx 9 making up on 4.29% of the market, please to me why developers even release a Dx9 product?

Would it make sense to make a product targeted towards the majority of gaming systems, instead of a microscope minority?

The reason why developers use Dx9, is because consoles use Dx9.

The PC gaming should be years ahead of where we are today. But instead, we are being held back by outdated console technology.

 

[HeXen]

Have you checked the steam hardware survey lately?

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

Dual core cpu - 48.22%
Quad core cpu - 42.97%
Directx 11 - 31.43%
Drectx 10 - 48.24%
Dirtectx 9 - 4.29%

With directx 9 making up on 4.29% of the market, please to me why developers even release a Dx9 product?

Would it make sense to make a product targeted towards the majority of gaming systems, instead of a microscope minority?

The reason why developers use Dx9, is because consoles use Dx9.

The PC gaming should be years ahead of where we are today. But instead, we are being held back by outdated console technology.

that's a pretty limited survey of all PC gamers

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

The PC gaming should be years ahead of where we are today. But instead, we are being held back by outdated console technology.

What are the most current rumors on PS4/Xbox 720? Some rumors say 2012/13.

But even if it's 2015, the question is, yes, new consoles will allow more depth of game to be rendered on a console, but will game design still be unduly influenced in other ways, such as designing for gamepad instead of KB/M, and whatever other peripheral concerns there might be?

Battlefield 4/2143/BC3, whichever is the first to come out on the new consoles, will be one of the true telltale signs of how the gaming companies are going to handle this.

If getting new consoles doesn't let us evolve past the size of maps we've had since 2001, and the 64 player count we've had since 2001, what will?

 

[Texashiker]

that's a pretty limited survey of all PC gamers

Do you have a better survey?

The steam survey is better then nothing, and its better then speculating.

 

[Gothgar]

Nuclear Dawn. Red Orchestra 2. I'd also suggest Section 8: Prejudice (even though that game is pretty much dead :'( )

Just got Nuc Dawn in the indie pack


Have yet to play it though

 

[CuriousMike]

The Steam Survey is great... for users of Steam.

Is there a survey that shows what percentage of PC users have Steam?

If you showed me a stat that conclusively showed 25% of PC users have Steam installed, then I'd agree.

 

[Anteaus]

While I'll leave the opinions as to whether Steam is a good thing or not in regards to DRM, the great thing about statistics like this is that they are validated purchases. It's very difficult if not impossible to track a physical only copy of a game, therefore they build a presumption of piracy into their profit model. With Steam, I'm sure piracy happens but indirectly and these numbers only prove that contrary to the popular opinion of many developers, PC gamers are still a economic force. In addition, there is a residuals market with PC games that simply doesn't exist with consoles. Many old games are appearing on Steam and while the profits aren't much per unit, when you consider that many of these games have been out of print for almost 10 years and still sell more units than some new releases should prove to them that we are still a good investment.

I realize that DRM is a sensitive subject, but the more control they have over getting their product into the market the more they are going to invest in it.

 

[Golgatha]

The Steam Survey is great... for users of Steam.

Is there a survey that shows what percentage of PC users have Steam?

If you showed me a stat that conclusively showed 25% of PC users have Steam installed, then I'd agree.

I honestly don't know a PC gamer who doesn't have Steam installed. The pricing on some games is just so cheap that everyone I know (including myself) installed Steam even if they were kicking and screaming the whole time due to DRM. I hate DRM more than most, and I still don't agree with their policy on reselling games (i.e. you can't under any circumstances), but the pricing is so low on the games I buy from them that I really couldn't care less if I can't resell my games after the original purchase. Steam is the first company to "get it" when it comes to pricing merchandise which really is a long-term, glorified rental.

Companies selling unresellable DRMed goods at more than 50% of MSRP need to have a reality check on what those goods are actually worth in general. I have never and will never pay more than 50% of MSRP on gimped DRMed goods, and I expect a discount even if the goods aren't riddled with DRM due to the decreased cost of distribution and the disc space required for me to back up my purchases.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I honestly don't know a PC gamer who doesn't have Steam installed. The pricing on some games is just so cheap that everyone I know (including myself) installed Steam even if they were kicking and screaming the whole time due to DRM. I hate DRM more than most, and I still don't agree with their policy on reselling games (i.e. you can't under any circumstances), but the pricing is so low on the games I buy from them that I really couldn't care less if I can't resell my games after the original purchase. Steam is the first company to "get it" when it comes to pricing merchandise which really is a long-term, glorified rental.

Companies selling unresellable DRMed goods at more than 50% of MSRP need to have a reality check on what those goods are actually worth in general. I have never and will never pay more than 50% of MSRP on gimped DRMed goods, and I expect a discount even if the goods aren't riddled with DRM due to the decreased cost of distribution and the disc space required for me to back up my purchases.

This. If you want cheap games, Steam is the way to go. Occasionally the competitors will up the anti. This is how it should be.

 

[CuriousMike]

I don't disagree that Steam is a great way to get games cheap; I've invested a fair amount of work to ensure I know when those games go on sale!

I have no comment on DRM; as a legitimate purchaser of games who's connected to the net, I shrug.

I agree that 99% of hardcore gamers have Steam installed.

I think you're not thinking about the (large) population of computer users who buy their computers from Target, WalMart, Best Buy and have no idea what Steam is.

 

[Texashiker]

I honestly don't know a PC gamer who doesn't have Steam installed.

My step-son gamed for close to 10 years before I finally got him to install Steam. He mostly played MMORPGs like world of warcraft. 2 - 3 years later he has somewhere around 13 games in his steam account.

Then there are the halo kiddies who know nothing outside their xbox / live account.

From time to time I see people on various forum who post they will never install steam. They even go as far as boycotting all steamworks games. Over on the Y2K forums there were a lot of people saying they were going to boycott duke nukem forever if it was a steamworks game.

What gamers need is more programs like steam. I keep looking for Blizzard to introduce its own game management program.

I think steam is one of the greatest things for the PC gaming market. If you want a game that came out 2 or 3 years ago, its either amazon, direct2drive, greenmangaming, ebay or steam. Physical store like best buy and wal-mart have neglected the PC gaming market.

 

[KaOTiK]

CuriousMike, while you are right we don't have survey for the larger PC population out there we have to consider a few things.

The Steam hardware survey is the only large scale survey that is out there to judge anything on anyways. If the person is on Steam they are a gamer to some extent and not the I go to Walmart and buy the value pack jewel case games for $3 that have 101 games on it. Granted, retail stores do sell normal PC games, though that section is usually small and sad, nonetheless a lot of games, big name ones that attract the more casual person do require Steamworks now regardless if you bought it in the store. By no means is this to say that everything that plays more than casual games is on Steam, but it does give a higher chance.

In other words, it is the best we've got right now. Any person who considers themselves a PC gamer has Steam (minus the few who are dead set against it) and a good number of casual people who pick up main stream games will probably have it due to Steamworks. That is the target audience for a publisher, the person who will buy the game.

 

[HumblePie]

Xbox 360 Wireless controller for windows

I would have to say that most i (if not all titles) that are released on console and PC together have complete xbox controller compatibility without any calibration required.

Don't even need an Xbox controller. You can use a regular d-pad controller for the PC. Even titles that require an xbox controller like Fable 3 can be worked around with a normal controller. I did this for my GF so she could play Fable III through my steam account. Works perfectly.

 

[CuriousMike]

Any person who considers themselves a PC gamer has Steam

I totally agree.

What percentage of the overall PC gaming market that represents I don't know; I believe it's bad to assume Steam Users represent all PC gamers.
I could be wrong.