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PC gaming is not dying says Valve

I wish PC would get more attention from developers but I don't think it will ever die off. More and more it seems developers have to dumb it down for console audiences and PC gamers suffer because of that.
 
I don't think PC gaming is dying at all...

The industry has flip flopped.

PC games use to be the priority while consoles were 2ndary. Now it's flip flopped - consoles get priority while a pc version *might* be ported.
 
I wish people would stop trying to defend gaming whether it be on a PC or console. Fact is it's not going anywhere, and I don't know where all this animosity started, but I don't care for it.
 
We all knew that. The smart game developers know that. It's those developer who can't sell games that were crying that PC gaming was dead. Let's all give Valve, Blizzard, CodeMasters, Infinity Ward, Activision, Fraxis all a big round of applauds for "Keeping PC gaming alive" !sarcasm
 
It's surprising that PC games are not dying. Today I helped my dad pick out a computer at Staples, and we left with a budget Compaq. I opened the case to put my old 7950GT video card in it, and right away there was a problem with getting the card to actually fit in the case. There's like a weird metal thing at the back that prevents cards from fitting until you break that metal thing off. After breaking that off and putting the card in the slot, I look for a 4-pin power connector.... it doesn't even have one. Then I look at the power supply, it's rated for 218W max.

So basically all prebuilt computers are totally incapable of playing any games. The entire PC gaming industry is held up by a small group of enthusiasts who like to build their own computers.
 
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
It's surprising that PC games are not dying. Today I helped my dad pick out a computer at Staples, and we left with a budget Compaq. I opened the case to put my old 7950GT video card in it, and right away there was a problem with getting the card to actually fit in the case. There's like a weird metal thing at the back that prevents cards from fitting until you break that metal thing off. After breaking that off and putting the card in the slot, I look for a 4-pin power connector.... it doesn't even have one. Then I look at the power supply, it's rated for 218W max.

So basically all prebuilt computers are totally incapable of playing any games. The entire PC gaming industry is held up by a small group of enthusiasts who like to build their own computers.
Click to expand...

The cheap pre-built computer you bought at Staples doesn't allow much in the way of expansion. From that statement, you somehow have come to the conclusion that all computers built by any company are incapable of playing a video game.


 
Originally posted by: samduhman

We pc gamers know this but try to tell that to the army of console fanboys. Maybe they will listen to someone who should know.

Interview with Valves Doug Lambardi
Click to expand...

Why do you have to be a 'console fanboy' if you think PC gaming is not exactly at its peak? I grew up during the time when the PC market was at its peak and we're certainly nowhere near that point right now.
 
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
So basically all prebuilt computers are totally incapable of playing any games.
Click to expand...

So let me guess, you would also be surprised to find out that a 4 cylinder civic could not be upgraded to tow a 24' boat.
 
It's not dying. It's just changing. Whether or not that is a good thing has yet to be determined and probably depends on the tastes of the gamer. I'm guessing that it will take at least another year to really make an educated opinion about the quality of changes that the PC Gaming industry is going through.
 
Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
Originally posted by: samduhman

We pc gamers know this but try to tell that to the army of console fanboys. Maybe they will listen to someone who should know.

Interview with Valves Doug Lambardi
Click to expand...

Why do you have to be a 'console fanboy' if you think PC gaming is not exactly at its peak? I grew up during the time when the PC market was at its peak and we're certainly nowhere near that point right now.
Click to expand...

I was primarily a PC gamer for a LONG time and my focus has certainly shifted. What's knocked PC gaming back for me is the frustration I have run into when trying to play games, patches, driver updates, crashes, weird glitches, etc. Yeah, consoles arent perfect, they dont have mouse/keyboard for FPS titles, nor do they have the BEST hardware, but they're a unified design and have minimal issues compared to the plethora of things you run into with PC games.

There was a time I didn't mind monkeying around with that stuff on my PC, but I was also single and in college, or living with my parents. Now, I've got a kid, a house, a wife, a job, and much more responsibility... the time I DO get to play games, I dont want to spend fixing problems... I just want to play.
 
Originally posted by: rstrohkirch
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
It's surprising that PC games are not dying. Today I helped my dad pick out a computer at Staples, and we left with a budget Compaq. I opened the case to put my old 7950GT video card in it, and right away there was a problem with getting the card to actually fit in the case. There's like a weird metal thing at the back that prevents cards from fitting until you break that metal thing off. After breaking that off and putting the card in the slot, I look for a 4-pin power connector.... it doesn't even have one. Then I look at the power supply, it's rated for 218W max.

So basically all prebuilt computers are totally incapable of playing any games. The entire PC gaming industry is held up by a small group of enthusiasts who like to build their own computers.
Click to expand...

The cheap pre-built computer you bought at Staples doesn't allow much in the way of expansion. From that statement, you somehow have come to the conclusion that all computers built by any company are incapable of playing a video game.
Click to expand...

There was also a quad core 6600 available, but it had no PCI-e slot. I had an eMachines in 1998 that was rated for 150W. My friend's "performance" Compaq P4 didn't come with an AGP slot.
If your computer came from an oem, there's a 99% chance it can't play anything made in the past 5 years.

So let me guess, you would also be surprised to find out that a 4 cylinder civic could not be upgraded to tow a 24' boat.
Click to expand...
This isn't like trying to tow a boat with a honda civic, this is like buying a truck where the sticker specifically says it can tow a boat, then you try it and it doesn't work.

CS: Source requires a 1.2Ghz processor or better with a DX7 video card. That computer purchased yesterday far exceeds these requirements, yet it can't play CS: Source. That in itself isn't a big problem. The problem is that the computer can't even be upgraded to play this game. It has no power connector for the video card, and the power supply can't just be swapped out for a better one because it uses some wacky proprietary connector.
As a result of this inability to upgrade, a 4 year old computer can run circles around any computer you find in Best Buy or Staples. Where do most people shop for computers? Stores like Best Buy. Where does this leave 99% of computer owners? Completely unable to play games on their brand new HP computer.
 
You bought a budget PC. Expect budget components.

There are definitely companies capable of building computers capable of handling the new games even if some of them classify the 8600GT as a high performance card. Certainly you aren't getting the most high quality of components like a Corsair HX520, all solid capacitors on the motherboards, and softmounted hard drives, but you're getting it for a decent price and you don't have to put it all together yourself.
 
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
CS: Source requires a 1.2Ghz processor or better with a DX7 video card. That computer purchased yesterday far exceeds these requirements, yet it can't play CS: Source. That in itself isn't a big problem. The problem is that the computer can't even be upgraded to play this game.
Click to expand...

Maybe I missed it, did you say it didnt play? You just said that you couldn't upgrade the video card. Did you play it stock?

Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Today I helped my dad pick out a computer at Staples, and we left with a budget Compaq.
Click to expand...

Don't be mad because you\dad dumped money without researching the purchase.

 
Ive had no problem whatsoever upgrading the PC's Ive purchased from Best Buy. Ive swapped out video cards, sound cards, network cards, and even power supplies. (These were on three different computers)

The computer you purchased sounds like it was around 200-300 dollars. Guess what! Thats about what a Wii costs... As far as I know you cant upgrade a Wii. So why expect to be able to upgrade your computer from staples?

I know we would hope that the computer is more customizeable than a console, but some just arent made that way.
 
Originally posted by: Majes
The computer you purchased sounds like it was around 200-300 dollars. Guess what! Thats about what a Wii costs... As far as I know you cant upgrade a Wii. So why expect to be able to upgrade your computer from staples?
Click to expand...

Thats probably the most ridiculous comparison and reasoning I think I've ever heard.
 
Haha! The more I think about it the more I like the comparison.

You dont buy a 200-300 dollar computer for gaming. Even if youre planning on upgrading. But you do buy consoles for around that much.

Neither is really a platform that you would consider upgrading off of correct?

I know its out of the box, but its not that far fetched a comparison is it?
 
Originally posted by: Majes
Haha! The more I think about it the more I like the comparison.

You dont buy a 200-300 dollar computer for gaming. Even if youre planning on upgrading. But you do buy consoles for around that much.

Neither is really a platform that you would consider upgrading off of correct?

I know its out of the box, but its not that far fetched a comparison is it?
Click to expand...

You're equating price to the "upgradability" of something. I can build a computer for $300 and it will be able to play counterstrike source, and I will be able to upgrade it in the future if I so desire.
 
Yeah that makes sense.
Would be interesting to see how many computers being packaged at Best Buy or Staples for 2-300 bucks have the ability to upgrade.
My bet would be on zero.
 

This argument is still going on?

No branch of gaming is dying. PC Gaming has been changing recently though. Radically.

Valve is not a typical PC gaming company, hence their success. They've brought things like Steam (probably the most elegant DRM solution on the planet) to the table that PC gaming desperately needed.

PC Gaming is difficult for EA and Activision and the like to have success in because they suck at working with the platform.

That is all.
 
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
It's surprising that PC games are not dying. Today I helped my dad pick out a computer at Staples, and we left with a budget Compaq. I opened the case to put my old 7950GT video card in it, and right away there was a problem with getting the card to actually fit in the case. There's like a weird metal thing at the back that prevents cards from fitting until you break that metal thing off. After breaking that off and putting the card in the slot, I look for a 4-pin power connector.... it doesn't even have one. Then I look at the power supply, it's rated for 218W max.

So basically all prebuilt computers are totally incapable of playing any games. The entire PC gaming industry is held up by a small group of enthusiasts who like to build their own computers.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that wasn't a locking bracket?

It's pretty much guaranteed that if you buy a $350 computer, you're not going to get a gaming fiend of a machine. So long as you pick a cheap system that seems to have enough internal space for installation and a PCI-express slot, if you really want to convert it to a gaming machine you just choose a decent card and a new PSU if need be. For $150 you can probably throw in a 9600GT and a basic, no frills PSU that will support it.

If someone really doesn't want to go through the effort, I see $600-$700 PCs for sale at BB and Newegg all the time that have sufficient gaming power to play the majority of games out there well, albeit not at ridiculous settings.

You'd spend almost that much on a console and controllers anyway just about. My Wii was $250, the 3 extra Wiimotes $120, and the 3 extra nunchuks $60. It's slightly cheaper, but you're not going to be doing your school work on it or anything.
 
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