Is the PC loosing ground?

[Harrison]

This has been an ongoing discussion on many gaming forums for a long time now.

However these days long after the home computer wars, and now in the next gen console wars which contenders how long since caught up with the PC's hardware capabilities, we see a shift from PC to these.

Far from it. Have you seen the first DirectX 10 graphics cards for the PC? They blow any of the next generation consoles out for the water.

Also more recent graphics cards can output directly to HDTV via HDMI connector which is a great feature. And with DX10 it will easily be able to push the games at full resolution with no problems.

But I think the consoles and the PC have now reached a point where developers don't need to struggle with limitations of any current hardware platform to get the results they want. Hopefully this will show a switch from trying to show off the capabilities of hardware to concentrating on the actual game mechanics and gameplay. But we will see, as with any new generation of hardware the first thing a lot of users want to see is a demonstration of what their new hardware can do.

But the fact is that most developers and publishers rather these days work with the big consoles such as the X360, the upcoming PS3 and to a smaller degree the Wii (I still have to see more software coming for it).
Abandoning the PC market and its users, or publishing lesser.

It actually depends on the genre of game and the style of gameplay. Strategy games are always more likely to sell on PC than any console, same for many types of RPG, Flight Sims and some other genres. Also the MMORPG market is huge on the PC and nowhere near the same size on any console. They hope to change this with the networks in place on the new consoles, but only time will see if this does have any effect. Look at World of Warcraft for the best example.

Equally other genres like racing, platform, and action adventures are all better suited to console control than a PC keyboard.

Personally I don't think we will see much difference in the way people play games compared to recent years. The Wii may make more PC only gamers start playing some console games but I think the Wii will always be an addition to any existing gaming trends instead of replacing them.

[LowercaseE]

This has been an ongoing discussion on many gaming forums for a long time now.

However these days long after the home computer wars, and now in the next gen console wars which contenders how long since caught up with the PC's hardware capabilities, we see a shift from PC to these.

Far from it. Have you seen the first DirectX 10 graphics cards for the PC? They blow any of the next generation consoles out for the water.

Exactly. A decently spec'd PC blows away the 360 and PS3. My brother has an Xbox360 and he was amazed at me playing FarCry (an "older" game mind you) on my barely mid-level speced PC.

[Vangar]

The PC will always be better then any console, because you can quickly upgrade the parts to play the newest games on fantastic settings. The consoles however, will begin to date within the next few years.

[J T]

PCs **** me off with their constant driver-update-requiring setings-tweaking BSOD-ing online-registering spec-changing patch-releasing shizzle.

Give me a console that plugs right into my big telly easily and a disc that slots in and just runs any day of the week.

Also, playing PC games with real friends physically in the same room just doesn't seem to work too well, for me anyway.


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Disclaimer:
Post may contain exaggerations. If you don't like it, suck it.

[Harrison]

That is very true. PC gaming is really only for single player locally and mutiplayer over a network. Console gaming so directly geared towards multiplayer and works due to the TV normally being much larger than a PC monitor, the console directly supporting easy to use controllers and the location meaning you can all sit together on comfortable seats instead of at a desk.