what would happen to pc gaming

[guidedbyechoes]

If consoles were no longer viable? Lets say the japanese market can't pull itself out of a slump and microsoft tries a new console that fails miserably. Would this greatly hurt or greatly help pc gaming? I just ask because so far nintendo's next gen effort is pretty lackluster and sony was reporting loses consecutively for a few quarters. And for the xbox I just had issues with their business model.

 

[AdamK47]

PC gaming is going strong. I can see missteps from the other side only helping.

 

[quixoticduck]

I think that competition is a good thing so idk... maybe it's less of a big deal nowadays but when I was a child there was a family computer, some kids aren't even allowed to install games on a family work computer so I'd hate it if consoles became so bad that they weren't an option (just thinking of the kids).

On the other hand at least it would mean that there would be less games which only come out on one console.

I love my old consoles but I haven't actually bought anything past the GC.

 

[quixoticduck]

Not sure if I exactly answered correctly. :|

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I think that competition is a good thing so idk... maybe it's less of a big deal nowadays but when I was a child there was a family computer, some kids aren't even allowed to install games on a family work computer so I'd hate it if consoles became so bad that they weren't an option (just thinking of the kids).

On the other hand at least it would mean that there would be less games which only come out on one console.

I love my old consoles but I haven't actually bought anything past the GC.

well in the just thinking of the kids. 500 for a console or 500 for a computer isnt a whole lot of difference. My idea was pc parts would become cheaper if more people were producing parts for the pc. Also console companies could make games for pc's.

And for less resource hungry stuff we have cell phones and tables that have as much power as some of the consoles we grew up with for the kids.

Biggest downside would be being able to play with your friends in the same room. It's kind of a pain to find room for 4 rigs at your friends house when you can just use your super fast internet and play with them.

 

[autoxerke]

Gamers are going to want to game regardless - if, for example, Microsoft fails with the XBox-Next because of stupid things like an always online requirement, it will be because gamers take their business elsewhere.

As resurgent (or always strong, depending on how/who you ask) as PC Gaming has become, PC could be even stronger if Sony doesn't take up the slack. Steambox is all speculation at this point, and handheld/mobile serves a different part of the gaming space. Personally I see the PS4 being a very strong contender to live side-by-side with serious PC gaming. MS better have something good up their sleeves...

 

[snickersnack]

If consoles failed I think the blockbuster AAA game market would go with it. They require huge budgets and I doubt there'd be enough pc gamers + console refugees to take up the slack. Now that wouldn't be the end of the world but I do think the hobby would end up losing a lot of mindshare. Things could look like the mid to late '90s again.

 

[Zenoth]

Well maybe it would give a viable reason for PC gamers to invest in better hardware if we were to get more PC exclusives that themselves would take advantage of said and so-called "far ahead than consoles" PC hardware. But then again... taking "advantage of PC hardware" probably only means better graphics, physics and larger maps with more clutter, but doesn't exactly mean the game will be fun, which doesn't have to be exclusive to any platforms.

Let me put it another way. Let's say developer 'x' wants to make game 'y', let's say that developer 'x' wanted to make that game on... say... PS4. Now let's say the PS4 can allow them to make the game on a technical aspect. Now let's pretend that the dev team actually doesn't "feel like it" and don't put any passion and devotion to their work. Now let's say the game is boring. Well, let's say that the game in question is instead developed only for the PC but the team works the same way, with the same general mood about the game, will it be better on the PC then?

A platform doesn't make a game good, the devs do that. What would it mean for "PC gaming" if consoles were to go poof tomorrow? Absolutely nothing specific beyond the technical aspects of the platform for which devs would now have to make games. Beyond that point there's nothing special or worse, it then falls under the devs' hands to actually make good and fun games. Of course most of this wouldn't apply to graphics whores around who can only think "BUT BUT... PC is the platform of Le Master Race! It IS always better!". Well I don't know, Minecraft looks like a game coming out of the late 1980's but it sold like hotcakes, and the Wii U's "next-gen" attempt is perhaps disappointing on the technical level but I'd rather play another Mario Brothers or another Zelda than trying a "brand new" COD on the PS4 with some crazy physics going on.

So the only other way I can put this is that it depends on games and developers (and their passion... and their resources, of course, which you guessed includes money as always) rather than on the platform. If we were to rely "only on" PC for gaming it wouldn't mean anything other than devs having to work on that platform, but they might still come up with COD7, God of War 9000, Sim City: Sim Your Financial Crisis 3000 Edition and Gears of War 13: LoL You Still Buy This Crap Ultimate Collection Pack.

 

[Martimus]

Entertainment needs to come from somewhere. Happiness is the one thing that everyone tries to attain, and entertainment is an act designed purely to induce happiness. If PC games make people happy where other games fail, then it will succeed.

 

[pontifex]

would we see some companies go under because their primary focus was on consoles? or would they have enough money to see it through and change over to PC?

 

[imaheadcase]

I think a better question is what would happen if game developers had to make own engine for game and not use open source material. Longer game development, but better games?

 

[kamikazekyle]

Assuming that consoles tanked for some reason (and disregarding the Valve Box), I doubt it'd help PC gaming much at all. Big AAA type games nowadays have tons of money dumped into them, requiring a huge install base. The only way you're going to get a massive install base on current computers that's roughly equivalent to the combination of Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 is to start churning out games that'll run okay on integrated graphics chips one or two generations old. Imagine what your average console gamer will say when they try to play CoD6 on an Intel HD4000 in their laptop and wonder why the hell it looks so crappy compared to their Xbox 360. Though maybe it'll wind up something in the middle: budgets will get a bit more sensible, PC-specific engines will run better than quick port jobs, and OEMs will put out reasonably priced and specc'd gaming PCs. Because, let's face it, most people that would be migrating to PC gaming don't know what a video card is, let alone would be willing to part and build their own PC.

And then there's the issues Zenoth mentions and headcase hints at: reuse of existing pre-ported engines, chunking in whatever assets they can on a reduced budget, and releasing Yet Another Call of Black Ops 17, cause that's all they can mange on their reduced budgets and install base.

Now if some companies manage to absorb the cost and put out some top-notch games that pushed the hardware envelope and nudged people to buy higher end computers or components, then there might be more of a shift. Which would probably continue until small form factor PCs with components in a suitable budgeterformance envelope became common place installed in the living room. And then you'd have 'consoles' again, though probably based around PC architecture. Then again, we're sorta-kinda getting that with the next gen, even moreso if the Valve Box is all it's cracked up to be.

I really do imagine that if the next generation of consoles bombed, publishers would continue making games for current generation consoles and focus more of their development teams to mobile/phone gaming with a freemium model. The mobile install base is huge and people plunk down big money on freemium game models on mobile platforms. Console gaming would become the reliable funder as companies save money by reusing existing engines, assets, and IPs and in turn using this to fund each successive mobile cash cow.

 

[Sleepingforest]

I think this is an interesting and relevant article. It's interesting to see what counts
as "gaming" and how the medium changes over time.

 

[moonbogg]

If consoles tanked, there would be PC only titles like there used to be back in the 90's and early 2000's. It would be good for PC gaming because thats where all the focus and development would be. Imagine every game being a true PC game like the old days? I'd love it.

 

[dagamer34]

What is the "Japanese market"? The hardware maker's origins have little to do with the software that runs on it (Western games run on Japanese hardware just fine). Besides, I foresee PC ports getting more attention as tessellation becomes more important, so that far more detailed models will exist for PC games to display at all times, rather than consoles showing lower levels of detail at farther distances (like current LOD, but to the extreme).

 

[tokie]

PC gaming is shit now.

All the big titles from yesteryear which were fun, innovative, and pushed the envelope have now been turned into money-printing machines where a new version comes out every 1-2 years and they put in all this microtransaction garbage.

I believe PC gaming peaked in 2004. The only genuinely good games I have played recently are Dota 2 (just an update of Dota which is pre-2004) and Mass Effect. Everything else is rehashed garbage with new skins that they try to charge $60 for.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

PC gaming is shit now.

All the big titles from yesteryear which were fun, innovative, and pushed the envelope have now been turned into money-printing machines where a new version comes out every 1-2 years and they put in all this microtransaction garbage.

I believe PC gaming peaked in 2004. The only genuinely good games I have played recently are Dota 2 (just an update of Dota which is pre-2004) and Mass Effect. Everything else is rehashed garbage with new skins that they try to charge $60 for.

I think the innovations will be coming from indie studios instead of larger companies making call of duty 42 future warfare.

 

[badb0y]

There's lots of good things coming out of Kickstarter.

 

[tokie]

I think the innovations will be coming from indie studios instead of larger companies making call of duty 42 future warfare.

It's a fact that indie companies cannot produce high quality graphics.

The sheer number of 3D modelers, artists, etc that are required for a modern game is ridiculous.

The days of indie developers creating games/mods like CS, Desert Combat, etc are over.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

There's lots of good things coming out of Kickstarter.

I think kickstarter and steam are doing some great things together. It seems like pretty much every game that does really well on kickstarter ends up on steam.

I think companies are gonna have to change the way the advertise as advertisement is a big part of the costs to produce a game. If more money was going to the devs then more headway could be made.

 

[HeXen]

PC's have ports for a reason, a loss of console sales would put us back to another recession for gaming like it was in the early 80's. I suspect that some of you were not around to experience that.
Despite what some prefer to think, PC's alone just don't generate enough revenue for developers to make very many triple A titles, investors at this point will get way too scared to even try if consoles fail...which would mean if consoles fail, so would PC's in that regard, likely would consist of Indie type titles until something brings the industry out of that recession like Nintendo originally did.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

PC's have ports for a reason, a loss of console sales would put us back to another recession for gaming like it was in the early 80's. I suspect that some of you were not around to experience that.
Despite what some prefer to think, PC's alone just don't generate enough revenue for developers to make very many triple A titles, investors at this point will get way too scared to even try if consoles fail...which would mean if consoles fail, so would PC's in that regard, likely would consist of Indie type titles until something brings the industry out of that recession like Nintendo originally did.

but on the other hand video gaming in general was not as widespread as it is now.

 

[HeXen]

but on the other hand video gaming in general was not as widespread as it is now.

True, but it won't fail because there is a demand and market for games, so if the next consoles fails because people dislike how they did things, that would immediately leave room for another company to create one that market analysis would then show what people don't want..guaranteed Apple or some other company will come in and take that cake, likely leaving PC's right where they are now for the most part. For a PC to take over consoles in that scenerio, it would basically have to be setup much like one so average joes can just plug and play out of the box.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

True, but it won't fail because there is a demand and market for games, so if the next consoles fails because people dislike how they did things, that would immediately leave room for another company to create one that market analysis would then show what people don't want..guaranteed Apple or some other company will come in and take that cake, likely leaving PC's right where they are now for the most part. For a PC to take over consoles in that scenerio, it would basically have to be setup much like one so average joes can just plug and play out of the box.

I think of myself as an average joe, but then some people still don't know how to copy and paste. Or match up the connections to hook up a pc.....