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Denver, 11:38 AM
Wed Dec 2
62 posts in the last 24 hours
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08/13/09
I mean, seriously. Has anyone seen the PC games section in most Gamestops? You're lucky to get one hip-high, floor-standing shelf of PC games.
And the selection? Please. It's a few new release title sandwiched between casual gaming crap and games that didn't sell out three years ago.
Granted, I prefer to get a physical copy of my PC games, and still patronize Gamestop on occasion for this exact reason, but I now buy the majority of my PC games on Steam.
And don't get me started on the whole Gamestop pre-order/exclusive online content thing. It's stupid, gimmicky, and pisses everyone off. Nobody is not going to pirate the game because of some stupid pair of gloves or whatever you get for your character in a preorder.
08/14/09
08/15/09
As a PC gamer, I'm deeply aware of CD key issues. But if you have a non-Steam PC game that comes with a CD key, it's actually transferrable to another person. It's printed on the manual (usually).
Yes, I know that a big reason they stopped carrying used PC games was the problem with people selling the physical copy of the game while keeping the CD key.
What I don't appreciate is watching the PC gaming section in Gamestop shrinking to casual games and obscurity while they try and make it seem like they're a friend to PC Gaming.
08/13/09
GameStop doesn't give a shit about PC Games. Just look at any retail PC shelf in their stores - some of them are just ONE DAMN SHELF.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
But now that they've got Gamestop, the biggest peddler of used games, and after seeing them add SecuROM, how long is it till they devise a DRM scheme that will let people sell their PC games used? SecuROM will find some way restrict people who bought it in an equally hilarious and terrible way, and Gamestop will allow the resale of select PC games that adhere to their standards.
PC gaming doesn't have a secondary market because of people being able to keep their CD keys, a key being banned, all that fun stuff. But with the inclusion of whatever fancy SecuROM scheme, PC games will suffer from both used sales and, despite their best efforts, piracy isn't going away.
This is all gloom and doom speculation. It could be something as simple as Gamestop stocking more than an island of four year old PC games, but I'm pessimistic when it comes to PC games.
08/13/09
-What is the purpose of the Club may i ask?
-Well fine sir, the purpose is to get together smoke some "weed" and do nothing for an undetermined amount of time.
- Aahhh! Joly good show!
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
So that's why they accepted Lando.
08/13/09
Portable Computing
No longer are we sitting at our desks (unless you work in a cube or play WoW)... but people are taking their work, play, and finances either in the palm of their hand or in their murses.
I may be in the minority on this, (perhaps some mindless ravaging fanboi will jump out of the woodwork to attack me)... but this Consortium is fighting an uphill battle and they have their backs to the bottom of the hill.
PC gaming is no longer a good investment for many... the times just don't support this cause, seriously. Until we turn back the hands of time and find ourselves back in Reaganomics or Clinton era, I don't think anyone has the money to throw at these hefty machines.
08/13/09
Seriously this alliance is practically worthless and many of its members really don't give a flying fuck if PC gaming goes under. I mean what have any of its members done to promote PC gaming at all? Games for Windows live?!? Please.
08/13/09
Did Microsoft buy out Epic, Bioware, or iD, though?
No?
Then are you just complaining that these companies have made a choice on their own that favors Microsoft?
Yes?
Oh, ok.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
Honestly, the only Retailer that still has a decent amount of space dedicated to PC gaming is WAL-MART, and they shove them into some unassuming corner a few aisles down from the spectacularly showcased Console games with pretty little kiosks.
PC gaming really needs what the console has always had. It's extremely rare to see a PC kiosk at a game store. If they existed, I'm sure A LOT more people would be aware of PC gaming.
Instead, you have a large amount of people that don't even know that it still exists. Plenty of people in my school, when I tell them that I have Left 4 Dead on PC (or something like that) they ask me how on Earth I control FPS games on PC.
My sister was shocked to learn that one of my recent purchases was a PC game made in 2008 (Sins of a Solar Empire.) She had no idea that they still made games for PC.
My mom is the same way. Up until recently, she was under the assumption that PCs were FAR inferior to consoles when it came to technology and game-related processing.
The thing is, I don't blame either of them. You NEVER see PC games in public. Game magazines, websites, and TV shows consistently review the Console versions of just about every game that isn't an MMO. I haven't seen a single PC review of Left 4 Dead in a Multi-platform magazine. The PC version of a game is always listed last in advertisements. When a game comes out on 360 and PC, it is considered a '360 exclusive.'
The PC is treated like the unwanted stepchild of gaming, like it doesn't matter, like it isn't even part of the competition. Well I guess that's true seeing as there is no mainstream recognition that it is a serious gaming device.
This is why I wish that Valve would just take charge and start promoting the PC. I wish they could hold Press conferences at E3 alongside the big 3 console makers.
Anyways, the PC gaming alliance has already proven itself to be a silly bunch of companies who obviously aren't concerned with helping PC gaming. I think the last major entry to the club was the division of Sony that developed SecuRom.
/rant *sad face
08/13/09
The local Best Buy (I'm in Tempe, near Phoenix) has a larger PC section than any other section.
08/13/09
Also, the Gamestop has a "Games For Windows" kiosk. But it's hardly ever working and it houses a relatively crappy machine that makes the games look way inferior to 360 or PS3 anyway. Bug, or Feature?
08/13/09
At the best you'd get increased sales on the one game, but no bottom-line sales increase.
08/14/09
I meant more along the lines of just letting people know that PC gaming still exists.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
That, Dear Sir, is what we here in the Land of Reality call a 'Pipe Dream.'