PC games going out?

[DemonicVixen]

Today i visited my local Gamestation store and to my horror they had no PC games at all. Not even one shelf dedicated to them. I know the numbers have been going down lately but it seems Wii, Xbox, PS3 and Nintendo have taken over. All i can afford are computer games. I have no other console. Every Game or Gamestation store i have visited in the past have only have one section or less dedicated towards PC games.

So my question to you Escapists is why are computer games so bad that they are dying out and why are the shops seeming to get rid of them from their shelves?

 

[Saris Kai]

1. The lowest common denominator of gamer culture are console gamers who wouldn't know a good game from a bad one if it kicked them in the face (looks at whats happened with the Wii). These people will buy crap so why bother making any better or more complex.
2. Its cheaper and easier to make console games because they are typically smaller and have less interactivity than PC games.

 

[geldonyetich]

Today i visited my local Gamestation store and to my horror they had no PC games at all.

Sorry had to do it.

Yeah, denial is that way.

It's not exactly that they're dying, it's more like they're migrating [http://dsob.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/the-death-strangulation-migration-of-pc-gaming/].

 

[koeniginator]

Steam.
http://store.steampowered.com/
You won't even have to leave your house anymore.
In fact, even if I had a choice, I would choose steam over retail.

 

[Pielikey]

Steam.
http://store.steampowered.com/
You want even have to leave your house anymore.
In fact, even if I had a choice, I would choose steam over retail.

I have to agree, Digital Distribution is the way to go for PC games nowadays.

 

[DemonicVixen]

PC gaming is in no way "dying".

They are just being moved out of stores. I recommend Steam for buying PC games

Yes, im installing that now...however, what the hell is it?

Also:

A lot of people buy online nowadays anyway.

I wish people would consider that there are some who are too paranoid to put card details online and so choose not to purchase online.

EDIT: Also, if you pay to download a game, what happens if the damn thing doesn't work? Can you send it back and get your money back via online? I think its easier to buy in a store, get a reciept and be able to take it back easily with no risks.

 

[Chaos Theory]

Pc gaming wont ever truly die, its sleeping....kinda like the Dragons under the sea ><

but seriously Pc gaming will allways be there.

 

[mikecoulter]

I'm pretty sure it isn't, as it is the platform that games are made. So it's to easy to create games for. And even if mainstream game sales did dip on the pc, the indie games would still shift like hot cakes.

[small]Oh hey, 2000th post... Woo?... I need a new hobby.[/small]

 

[SimuLord]

It's not that PC gaming is dying. It's that PC gamers don't need retail store ripoffs to get our fix, not when there's Steam, GOG, and even Sourceforge (for those delicious open-source delights). It's just a higher plane of gaming existence.

 

[fix-the-spade]

why are computer games so bad that they are dying out and why are the shops seeming to get rid of them from their shelves?

Between digital distribution, piracy and online retailers it is all but impossible for high street stores to compete on PC games.

PC gamers tend to be older than consolers, they also tend to want as much from their money as possible (as opposed to spending mummy's), so naturally they've abandoned the stores that have consistently ripped them off for the last fifteen years. The fact that no high street store does refunds on pc games anymore doubly buggers them, why pay double for the same level of service you can get from online?

High street games stores aren't for people who like to play games anymore, they're for people who know nothing about games to go and buy games for their kids...

 

[BlindMessiah94]

Yeah its not PC gaming that's dead.

Spoiler

It's Mac gaming

Also, before this starts a flame war, I am a user of the latter.

 

[NickCaligo42]

*sigh* No, just because a B-list multiplayer console shooter doesn't have dedicated server support doesn't mean PC gaming is dead or dying.

 

[Actsub]

MADE-UP CHART TIME

Why did you put Wii and Nintendo?

OT:Sadly, PC gaming isn't as mainstream as it used to be, and will be put out of its misery soon enough.

-PC Gaming
-Mainstream
-Ever

I think you're confused, PC gaming has never been mainstream.

Also, before this starts a flame war, I am a user of the latter.

HARRUMPH HARRUMPH HARRUMPH

 

[NeutralDrow]

Bah. My games certainly aren't going out of style.

Spoiler

Probably 'cause they're a niche market anyway, granted, but still.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

PC gaming is not dying... I hope. The thing is, less people are selling them. I don't know why... It's actually pretty disappointing that I can't find them anymore, but there's still Steam and some stores selling them. I don't know why because plenty of games are still being made for the PC and you can special order a lot of them if you ask the guys that work there. PC gaming is still the king of online.