Is there some kind of shift towards pc gaming?

[Rheinmetall]

Is there really a tendency of traditional console gamers to gradually prefer, or re-invent pc gaming and the pc versions of games instead of consoles? I have noticed it in myself and I don't know if it is something that everyone is sensing in the air, or it is just me, and I want your opinion on that. My reasons for this change of habbits are two: economy and quality. A new big pc title costs around 10, or 15 Euros less than the same console release, and often the pc version of a game can support better image resolution. Of course there is the hassle of the DRM policies which seems as a big disadvantage for pc games- mainly because you can't trade the game once you buy it, but still I have the impression that pc gaming has become more "friendly" than it was in the past. For istance, allmost every game now supports the use of game-pad, and also games seem to be created with a bigger flexibility regarding the minimum requirements to play them. I remember back in the day quite a few times I had to return a game to the store simply because my old laptop couldn't play it at all. Now all laptops can play everything and even the newest games, at 800 X 600, or 1280 x 720 resolutions without problem. This wasn't the case in the late 90's and early 2000s. It was unthinkable to play a new game on your laptop.
So any thoughts from you guys?

 

[Baralak]

It's because of the technology. Sony and Microsoft want a 10 year console cycle, which is fine. the game devs are building for console, so while PC hardware advances, the stuff to run modern games is dirt cheap.

 

[DustyDrB]

I'm going that way. I'll likely be a PC gamer next gen, with perhaps a Wii U on side for its exclusives (though it has to meet my 12 game quota before I get one).

 

[Pink Gregory]

Physical releases for consoles are becoming more rare (at least in terms of new IP) because of almost satirical development costs, therefore certain companies have the monopoly, and as the well-informed gamer might discover, that means that many smaller studios (which often hold the more interesting games) don't have the chance of getting something out there; whereas distribution on the PC platform is considerably cheaper and easier.

In addition, I personally baulk at the reinvention of consoles as 'media centres' or whatever; remember when video game consoles were, y'know, for GAMES? I'm certainly not the only one feeling a little resentment towards that, but these business will go where the money is, can't blame them for using good business sense, but those are the consequences.

 

[Weaver]

Well, I never strayed from PC gaming so my opinion isn't worth a lot.

I will say though, the next console gen will be the first in a very long time where I don't pick up a console on or close to release day. I'm happy to wait a year or two; or just never get one if they all suck.

 

[StBishop]

I've gone the other way.

I swing though.

When I was a kid I was all about PC, I still had a PSx and played it with friends, but I preferred PC. Then in early highschool I got a PS2 and moved to that.
The last year of highschool and the year and a half following I was almost exclusively a PC gamer, selling almost my entire collection of console games, and then in 2009 I bought a 360 and haven't looked back. Until about 3 months ago when I started getting into indie games and MOBA's again.

I think I'll go back to console before the end of the year though. I just really can't be bothered with current gen gaming on PC.

In addition, I personally baulk at the reinvention of consoles as 'media centres' or whatever; remember when video game consoles were, y'know, for GAMES? I'm certainly not the only one feeling a little resentment towards that, but these business will go where the money is, can't blame them for using good business sense, but those are the consequences.

I honestly don't remember a time when consoles were exclusively for games.

I was born in 1990 and my first console was a PSx and I used it to listen to my shitty music so that my parents wouldn't have to put up with my horrible taste in music coming through their stereo. (S Club Seven, Five, Bewitched, Pokemon the First Movie soundtrack, anyone? No? I'm alone then...)

 

[Pink Gregory]

In addition, I personally baulk at the reinvention of consoles as 'media centres' or whatever; remember when video game consoles were, y'know, for GAMES? I'm certainly not the only one feeling a little resentment towards that, but these business will go where the money is, can't blame them for using good business sense, but those are the consequences.

I honestly don't remember a time when consoles were exclusively for games.

I was born in 1990 and my first console was a PSx and I used it to listen to my shitty music so that my parents wouldn't have to put up with my horrible taste in music coming through their stereo. (S Club Seven, Five, Bewitched, Pokemon the First Movie soundtrack, anyone? No? I'm alone then...)

Ah yeah, I forgot about that, PS2 being a DVD player and all that...

What I think I'm trying to say is that those other features weren't such a massive part of the marketing (although this was before Xbox Live/PSN, where constant marketing of the other features is possible), perhaps it's because of the broadening of the audience, pretty much trying to sell them to people who aren't particularly interested in video games; like the vast majority of Kinect-based titles, which is now where the money is, rather than in the actual games.

 

[Rheinmetall]

In addition, I personally baulk at the reinvention of consoles as 'media centres' or whatever; remember when video game consoles were, y'know, for GAMES?

Also telephones to make calls, watches to see the time, radios to hear radio stations etc. How much things have changed these last twenty years..

 

[Rheinmetall]

I've gone the other way.

I swing though.

I began as a home-computer user (ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64), before pc was invented. Then I stopped gaming for 8-9 years and I continued later as a console gamer (PS1, PS2, PS3 Xbox 360). Up until 2010 that I gradually became 50-50 pc/console gamer. Now I feel that I am 70-30 in favour of the pc.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

I grew up with consoles, but over time I ended up switching over to PC gaming more and more. Around the time I graduated from high school in '06 I was pretty much exclusively playing PC games. I think the main reasons I played fewer and fewer console games over time were...

1. I prefer keyboard/mouse over controllers. More precision and more keybinding options being the primary reasons.

2. Modding. On consoles I can play and enjoy a game, then once I beat it that's pretty much it. Maybe tool around with multiplayer for a while if that's an option, but I'm more or less done with it. On PC I can end up with potentially limitless numbers of playthroughs thanks to modding. Everything from aesthetic changes like improved graphics quality to full campaign conversions. It lets me get a hell of a lot more entertainment value for my dollar.

3. Connectivity. Everyone I know has a computer. Not everyone I know has an X-Box 360. Some have Wiis, some have PS3s, some don't have any consoles. But everyone has a PC. So I can chat with them on Skype or Ventrilo while playing my games, or play my games with them, regardless of their brand loyalties.

4. Prices. While the initial price tag of a PC might be rather off-putting, I find it to actually be pretty cheap. Not only do you get a gaming system for you money, but also something that you can browse the web on, do work, etc. That and the long lifespans of current console generations means that parts for a gaming computer that are sufficient to play anything on the market become dirt cheap over time. I upgraded my PC a few years ago to make it significantly more powerful than the current consoles, and didn't pay much more than the consoles themselves would have cost. And thanks to games typically being cheaper from the get-go for PC, and things like Steam sales, I end up recovering any cost losses in money saved from sales.

 

[Random Fella]

Well, I recently changed to pc gamer from the PS3, and I am enjoying it thoroughly

 

[Zaik]

Early in a console cycle, the console is being sold at a loss unless you're nintendo.

Late in a cycle the equivalent or better tech for a PC is so cheap it really doesn't make any sense to get anything else.

Since we're near the end, it'd obviously seem that way, yeah.

 

[Condiments]

I don't think you're mistaken in your assessment that PC is on the rise. With the prominence of digital distribution, massive multiplayer, and free to play games the sheer amount of ways to access good game experiences at low cost is something you can't get with consoles. Combine that with the fact that PC platform is far more indie friendly we're experiencing a renaissance of sorts. A lot more of my friends have been buying and building pcs, and downloading many of hit indie games like Minecraft, Day Z, Terraria, Amnesia, etc. I've also introduced them to older games through distribution services like good old games, where you can buy masterpieces for 10 bucks, and download it immediately.

Its a good time to be a PC gamer.

 

[TrevHead]

I'ld say it's probably because the consoles are so long in the tooth. That and the fact that consoles just aren't very indie friendly. The result is that more and more devs are moving away from XBLA to Steam

More gamers just want short but intresting games at a low price, Steam is increasingly looking more attractive for those ppl and I can't see it changing until console devs stop thinking they're still in 2005 with regards to they type of games ppl want to play and start copying more from steam.

PC gaming is quite cheap to do and steam is helping it to be more hassle free in regards to bugs, patches and especially finding new and intresting games.

With steam I can browse on its store page for 5 minutes and find many interesting underground games worth buying. XBLA's dashboard on the other hand is a total mess, with most ppl only using xbla to buy Fez or Trials HD which MS and the gaming media has hyped up just like they do with AAA titles.

 

[Signa]

Certainly as far as this site is concerned. Personally, 15 years ago, I didn't make distinctions on how I played my games. I was a gamer and played awesome titles like Jedi Knight, Ocarina of Time, and Final Fantasy III. The only difference was which games I could stick in which machine.

Nowadays, it's exactly as people say above. PCs are getting far better because consoles aren't really any different, just worse. What's worse, is it's a very profitable trend, so I don't think it's going away anytime soon. You're just going to be better off with a PC these days, unless you can't get by the initial startup costs.

 

[The Madman]

It's because of the technology. Sony and Microsoft want a 10 year console cycle, which is fine. the game devs are building for console, so while PC hardware advances, the stuff to run modern games is dirt cheap.

Bingo. The PC always gets a resurgence in popularity as consoles near the end of their life cycle and as the technology of the PC charges ahead while the prices become more manageable. It happens every time and this time is no exception!

 

[TrevHead]

It's because of the technology. Sony and Microsoft want a 10 year console cycle, which is fine. the game devs are building for console, so while PC hardware advances, the stuff to run modern games is dirt cheap.

Bingo. The PC always gets a resurgence in popularity as consoles near the end of their life cycle and as the technology of the PC charges ahead while the prices become more manageable. It happens every time and this time is no exception!

I would say that this time there is an exception, in that it's looking like console makers won't be able to make as big a leap with graphics in their next consoles, and thats When they get arround to doing it.

The main reason why 7 years ago PC gamers jump ship to consoles is for the games, however with the £20 digital distro game becoming increasingly popular that even Japanese publishers moving to steam at atleast some console games will be available on PC.

Uptill recently most (true) console genres have stayed on console (barre emulution) while PC devs jumped ship for console leaving only the PC with not a great many games worth playing besides crappy ports

 

[Space Spoons]

I don't really have a strong bias one way or the other, I just go where my friends go. My friends all had Xbox Live, so if I wanted to play with them, I had to follow suit. Nowadays, most of my friends are on Steam, and I am with them. Makes no real difference to me.