Why do you think that people think that PC gaming is dying?

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

I don't think it's dying, it has a very good 3rd party support and a large library of games, but a lot of people think that this type of gaming is dying.

Any comments as to why people think that?

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Because consoles don't have the hardware complications PCs have and are generally cheaper so they have boomed in popularity and the amount of games that are released on them.

PC gaming is not dying, it's simply marginally less accessible.

So long as they keep releasing PC RTS games then it won't be anywhere near dead for me.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Because PC development is often tossed aside in favor of console development.

Developing for the PC isn't considered as "safe" as it is to develop for consoles. Piracy is several times higher on the PC than on consoles after all.

Well, I assume that it is. It certainly sounds plausible!

 

[Zarthek]

Mac gaming is finally truely coming alive!

The way I see computer based gaming, more hassle = reward.
Games may be harder to set up and get going (See Punching the Baby Seal of PC Gaming...) but then most of them have mods and editors, not to mention actually higher graphics if you've got a beast of a machine. But it is nice to just get a game, sit down on the couch, and have it work.. it's all about what you're looking for.

Edit:

Developing for the PC isn't considered as "safe" as it is to develop for consoles. Piracy is several times higher on the PC than on consoles after all.

Well, I assume that it is. It certainly sounds plausible!

Sadly this is true, at least I don't think I've seen torrent sites for the PS3 and Xbox 360, there was that Homebrew channel thing on the Wii but I think they got rid of that.

 

[Vampire cat]

Meh. I think we'll see PC picking itself up from the "ditch" it went into when the latest generation of consoles came, enabling online gaming with consoles. PC games tends to have a lot stronger communities, so I don't see PC gaming dying at all.

Gaming communities grow every day, this includes the PC gaming communities. I just hope more publishers will start releasing their tailored modding software for games again, so we may see some of the fantastic modded content that we get for many of the older games.

 

[Corpse XxX]

Cause pc gamers pirate so many games that it is not so profitable to make games for pc as it is for consoles.. Pc gamers are stepping on their own balls

 

[Rewold]

Ignorance makes weird statements.

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

The way I see computer based gaming, more hassle = reward.
Games may be harder to set up and get going (See Punching the Baby Seal of PC Gaming...) but then most of them have mods and editors, not to mention actually higher graphics if you've got a beast of a machine. But it is nice to just get a game, sit down on the couch, and have it work.. it's all about what you're looking for.

I find from experience that this is the case for me. I have a decent enough computer to run Oblivion for example, so what do you think I'm going to do first thing? Download mods! But you have to take the time to learn the details, install them, make sure nothing conflicts, optimize the settings so you can get a decent framerate, ect. I have a really busy life, and gaming really means if I have some spare time while I relax. A lot of times, it's just so much easier to sit on the couch and shoot something.

With this in mind, it's just more comfortable to sit however and use a controller from across the room. With a mouse and keyboard, you're restricted in how you can play for the average person and their computer room.

That of course is just one perspective and only one issue that effects who knows how many people (hopefully not just me lol). I don't think computer games are dying, it would be quite embarrassing if they were replaced by motion control games especially. And after using mods, I won't even touch my old 360 copy of Oblivion because it just can't compete.

 

[Ertol]

I don't think it is dying, I just think we are slowly moving away from exclusive games for any console or the PC. Maybe there are less games being made just for the PC, but I think there are still plenty of good games.

 

[Space Spoons]

Console are the more popular, cheaper and largely more socially acceptable alternative. These facts seem to point to the notion that PC gaming must be "dying", if only because console gaming is so much more "alive". Doesn't make it so. Thanks in no small part to the power of Steam, PC gaming has never been stronger.

To tell you the truth, if I had the money to maintain a high-end gaming PC, I'd probably have jumped ship a long time ago, myself.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I don't think it is dying, but it's pretty easy to see why people would think it is. Most of the big name games don't come out on PC, or if they do it's as less promoted ports (that sometimes come out months after their console brethren). Most stores barely sell PC games these days. Many previously PC heavy developers are focusing on creating console versions of their games.

Being a PC only developer these days just isn't really there the money is unless you're one of the big boys like Valve or Blizzard, so there's less visible support for the PC. This leads to the outward impression that it's dying. Look a little deeper, though, and you'll see it's still thriving on many levels.

 

[Jobbie]

People have been saying this with each generation of console gaming. PC gaming will never die. It serves as a beta in a lot of ways for future games that eventually make it to consoles.

 

[migo]

The real reason is World of Warcraft. If people spent $15 each month on a new game rather than the same one repeatedly, PC gaming would be thriving.

 

[Shycte]

Cause pc gamers pirate so many games that it is not so profitable to make games for pc as it is for consoles.. Pc gamers are stepping on their own balls

A syndrom I will from now call the Dragon Age 2 syndrom. Because it's your own damn fault PC-community*.

*[small]Only applies if you pirate games, otherwise you got screwed. [/small]

 

[Sir-jackington]

Because its viewed as the most "geeky"

 

[Asehujiko]

Cause pc gamers pirate so many games that it is not so profitable to make games for pc as it is for consoles.. Pc gamers are stepping on their own balls

downloaded game =/= lost sale fallacy. We've been over this a million times.

 

[migo]

Cause pc gamers pirate so many games that it is not so profitable to make games for pc as it is for consoles.. Pc gamers are stepping on their own balls

downloaded game =/= lost sale fallacy. We've been over this a million times.

Yeah, in fact buying a used copy is a lost sale, 100% of the time. The industry seems to understand this, but people don't.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Any comments as to why people think that?

Same reason that people think anything. They don't actually think, they just project their own perceptions into the future without taking any notice of the reality of the situation.

 

[beholdmycape]

Halo: combat evolved