I know PC game space is limited, but overheard a GS managers conversation

[Regs]

I noticed this at Best Buy now too. They consolidated all the pc games to two rows near all the other Windows Applications. Don't blame them considering half the games they carried were bad. I think it's easier and cheaper to publish a game on PC than the console when you think about it, so the PC shelves are usually filled with utter crap.

 

[Jschmuck2]

NNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Calculator83]

Originally posted by: Oyeve
So, I was at my local Gamestop the other day perusing the PC and 360 section. Not looking to buy but killing time as my GF was getting a haircut. Everytime I go to a Gamestop I notice the PC game section gets smaller and smaller. I usually only buy used console game from them and 99% of my PC games online as GS never really gets new PC games on launch day, or they just hide them until they sell more console games.


Anyway, I hear the manager talking to a clerk saying he needs to put up some advertisment crap up and they need some space. He tells the clerk to move the 2 meager shelves of PC games to the up level of the store. Those who frequent GS stores knows this means all the way up where they usually store old used game consoles or accessories that no one really looks for. The clerk stated that people won't be able to see the game titles on the box unless the bos is facing forward. Manger says to store them on the side as PC games dont sell anyway.


Thats when I interjected and tols the manager "maybe YOU dont think PC games sell but I would rather buy a PC version of a good game over any console, and one of the reasons PC games may not sell well is because of managers like YOU who shove console games down consumers throats and NEVER advertise PC games even if they are exclusive to the PC. Its only when it hits a console do you make all the space in the world for the game". Then I told him how much more business GSs would make if they even remotely advertised PC games more. I also told him that I don't buy PC games from GS even if they do carry it for the reasons I mentioned to him. I said I would rather give my business to an online retailer for PC game than a GS because of that mentality he stated.


I may have been an ahole, but it really pisses me off when crap like this happens. PC gaming is, IMO, far better on the PC than any console, and while I own console I only buy exclusive games for each system. And if a kick-ass console exclusive game makes its way to the PC chances are good I will buy the PC version.

STFU ,, all you hypocrites, we all know exactly why PC gaming is dieing, because Me and You, and millions of others like us, torrent them.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Calculator83


STFU ,, all you hypocrites, we all know exactly why PC gaming is dieing, because Me and You, and millions of others like us, torrent them.

Haha, no. I dont even have a torrent client on my pc. But, yeah, I am sure that's a factor. But I don't think PC gaming is dying. I have been hearing for nearly 20 years that PC gaming is dying. It's not, yet...........

 

[Ramma2]

You say PC games don't sell well because they're being put in the corner.

I say PC games are being put in the corner because they don't sell well.

The chicken and the egg.

 

[mindcycle]

The new DRM trend for publishers is SecuROM. Among other things, it's meant to kill (or extremely disable) the used market by imposing install limits. Who wants to buy a used copy of a game with a 5 install limit? You don't know how many installs are left, you don't want to go through the hassle of reactivation, etc.. I know I wouldn't.

As less used copy's are sold or are even in stores, the interest in PC gaming for the casual gamer who frequents places like gamestop goes away, thus they stop carrying PC games altogether.

Funny thing is, it's the publishers who will ultimately cause the "death" of PC gaming. I'm putting that in quotes because I don't think it wil every really die, just shrink. It's similar to what the music industry did, and is still doing. They'd rather punish their paying customers then adapt to the changing market.

 

[KMFJD]

Originally posted by: Calculator83

Originally posted by: Oyeve
So, I was at my local Gamestop the other day perusing the PC and 360 section. Not looking to buy but killing time as my GF was getting a haircut. Everytime I go to a Gamestop I notice the PC game section gets smaller and smaller. I usually only buy used console game from them and 99% of my PC games online as GS never really gets new PC games on launch day, or they just hide them until they sell more console games.


Anyway, I hear the manager talking to a clerk saying he needs to put up some advertisment crap up and they need some space. He tells the clerk to move the 2 meager shelves of PC games to the up level of the store. Those who frequent GS stores knows this means all the way up where they usually store old used game consoles or accessories that no one really looks for. The clerk stated that people won't be able to see the game titles on the box unless the bos is facing forward. Manger says to store them on the side as PC games dont sell anyway.


Thats when I interjected and tols the manager "maybe YOU dont think PC games sell but I would rather buy a PC version of a good game over any console, and one of the reasons PC games may not sell well is because of managers like YOU who shove console games down consumers throats and NEVER advertise PC games even if they are exclusive to the PC. Its only when it hits a console do you make all the space in the world for the game". Then I told him how much more business GSs would make if they even remotely advertised PC games more. I also told him that I don't buy PC games from GS even if they do carry it for the reasons I mentioned to him. I said I would rather give my business to an online retailer for PC game than a GS because of that mentality he stated.


I may have been an ahole, but it really pisses me off when crap like this happens. PC gaming is, IMO, far better on the PC than any console, and while I own console I only buy exclusive games for each system. And if a kick-ass console exclusive game makes its way to the PC chances are good I will buy the PC version.

STFU ,, all you hypocrites, we all know exactly why PC gaming is dieing, because Me and You, and millions of others like us, torrent them.

I do not torrent games, so kindly stfu and troll elsewhere...

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Here are some of the reasons why PC gaming is less popular in the U.S. than console gaming or at least reasons that I can think of:

1. In order to play PC games you need to have some minimum degree of computer literacy. As computers have become increasingly mainstream the percentage of the computer population that is composed of geeks has decreased. Many people wouldn't know what to do the minute they found out that they needed to install a driver.

2. In order to play PC games, at least first person type games, you need to either buy an expensive pre-built gaming rig or have some knowledge of computer hardware. The percentage of people with knowledge of computer hardware is probably less than the percentage that is computer literate. Is that $500 rig you bought at Big Box Store really going to run Crysis? What if it's necessary to (God forbid) open up the case and install RAM and a video card. And what happens if it's necessary to upgrade the power supply and how the heck would your average computer user know that he needs to upgrade the power supply in order to use his new video card. Who wants to put up with all of that hassle anyway?

3. It's possible that many PC gamers, at least myself, tend to latch on to one or two of their favorite games and play them almost exclusively which means that they won't feel a need to buy new titles anytime soon--your WoW players for example or your hardcore Unreal Tournament fans who avidly play a game that was released in 1999 (or 2004 in the case of UT 2004) to this day. Some PC games are just so good and so engrossing and offer so much custom content that they end up eating into sales. I buy an average or one-and-a-half games a year and mostly end up gravitating back to my favorite games (which is, of course, Unreal Tournament). Personally, I'm only interested in games of the highest game play quality and production value which might also be true for many other PC gamers. (Put a great big X through 95% of all the crap that's out there.)

4. Many PC gamers take pride in pirating games. (These guys aren't going to keep games on stores' shelves.)

5. Only a small percentage of non-MMORPG players seem to be at all interested in the real advantages of PC gaming--free downloadable user-made custom content, online multiplayer gaming, voice comm, game discussion forums, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or XFire. Most console gamers have no concept of the big advantages of PC gaming at all or perhaps they just don't have any interest in that. They truly have no idea what they are missing.

 

[FuryofFive]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

Here are some of the reasons why PC gaming is less popular in the U.S. than console gaming or at least reasons that I can think of:

1. In order to play PC games you need to have some minimum degree of computer literacy. As computers have become increasingly mainstream the percentage of the computer population that is composed of geeks has decreased. Many people wouldn't know what to do the minute they found out that they needed to install a driver.

2. In order to play PC games, at least first person type games, you need to either buy an expensive pre-built gaming rig or have some knowledge of computer hardware. The percentage of people with knowledge of computer hardware is probably less than the percentage that is computer literate. Is that $500 rig you bought at Big Box Store really going to run Crysis? What if it's necessary to (God forbid) open up the case and install RAM and a video card. And what happens if it's necessary to upgrade the power supply and how the heck would your average computer user know that he needs to upgrade the power supply in order to use his new video card. Who wants to put up with all of that hassle anyway?

3. It's possible that many PC gamers, at least myself, tend to latch on to one or two of their favorite games and play them almost exclusively which means that they won't feel a need to buy new titles anytime soon--your WoW players for example or your hardcore Unreal Tournament fans who avidly play a game that was released in 1999 (or 2004 in the case of UT 2004) to this day. Some PC games are just so good and so engrossing and offer so much custom content that they end up eating into sales. I buy an average or one-and-a-half games a year and mostly end up gravitating back to my favorite games (which is, of course, Unreal Tournament). Personally, I'm only interested in games of the highest game play quality and production value which might also be true for many other PC gamers. (Put a great big X through 95% of all the crap that's out there.)

4. Many PC gamers take pride in pirating games. (These guys aren't going to keep games on stores' shelves.)

5. Only a small percentage of non-MMORPG players seem to be at all interested in the real advantages of PC gaming--free downloadable user-made custom content, online multiplayer gaming, voice comm, game discussion forums, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or XFire. Most console gamers have no concept of the big advantages of PC gaming at all or perhaps they just don't have any interest in that. They truly have no idea what they are missing.

for those of us who dont want to pirate, were stuck with the dilemma of...is there a demo, if not, should we really buy this game

 

[WhipperSnapper]

My test for whether or not to consider buying a game is three-pronged: (1) Are people playing this game online? Does the game have high online player counts? Does it have a well-developed, active community? (2) Does the game have lots of downloadable custom user-made content that can be easily played online? (3) Are my online gaming friends from other games buying this game?