Reason I hate PC gaming is because it became too expensive and inconvenient, its crazy, every 6 months to play a PC game to its best (as developer intended) you have to sell your soul to buy a new GFX card etc etc.

Long live consoles, I buy a PS3 or Xbox360, have it for 5 years and know any game I buy for that platform will work, no driver issues, no compatibility issues, gets patched as soon as there is an update, no worry about HDD space, no online cheating/hackers etc etc. Love it. I hope the next gen consoles (PS4 etc) will kill off PC gaming for good, there, I said it! :)

Zeuxis

Gunloc

PsycheDiver

There games are better anyways... (Gish, Aquaria, Gumboy Crazy Adventures come to mind)

Kirkpad

mikemil828

//I mean... cell phone games in JAPAN sell as many games as PC games....//

Seeing that the biggest genre for PC games in Japan are H-games, no shit. PC gaming popularity varies from country to country, for example PC gaming dominates in Korea, and is still a major player in the U.S.

mikemil828

You know if there wouldn't be such rampant piracy on PC maybe they'd be released simultaneously. Piracy is another issue, since they try to incite people to actually BUY the games, making them available with a timed-exclusivity on consoles is a way to lure eager players.

interstate78

Also what about the experimental attempts to allow cross platform gaming( Shadowrun and the 2 or 3 other games )

And don't forget that almost all of those games wind up playing BETTER than their console versions.

All consoles will be in 2 more generations are full on PCs complete with everyday usable OSs minus the ability to upgrade non storage media hardware. PS3 is almost there , 360 could get there with some changes to the dashboard and in 4 or 5 more generation nintendo might actually step up and do the same.

The only thing that keeps the division between console and PC in place is the belief that without the division one will cease to exist which as nintendo has proved will never be the case.

All graphics aside, the ability to cross platform play between PS3 360 AND PC is already there the only difference would be in what the player sees while playing not the background stuff that for the most part is the same on all three.

slapBOXmaster

Tuor

GhaleonUnlimited

demonwolf

No new pc games means, that gamers will stop buying hardware upgrades and companies like Nvida (700$ video card anyone?), intel, amd, MS & etc will lose lots of Billions $$$.

neojam

Knukleur

Irenicus-the one and only

Ixero

There is NOTHING good that can come of this, or any deal that gets Microsoft and their complete disregard for quality/reliability deeper entrenched into hardware design/manufacturing.

phloog

Irenicus-the one and only

infi

Diesel_Power

Zenji

bitnard

Also,

Akbar
Mothma '08!

Wookiee1

Show me one pirate copy of half life 2 and I'll show you a thousand pirate copies of cod 4.

EdwinJ85

Yes, god forbid you be prevented from doing loads of stuff that allows people to steal the IP of the guys who spend years/millions making our entertainment.

awesom-o-4000

SumDum_Guy

rennyf77

Why do you think they are forming an alliance with only hardware manufacturers? Honestly, wouldn't you rather put up with something anal that goes on at the software end? Doesn't it worry you that they basically grabbed all these hardware guys, with the goal of cleaning up PC gaming? Again, you've got Intel, AMD, ATI and Nvidia, all joining forces with Microsoft.

Do you like HDCP? What if these companies decide that they are going to place chips in video cards, processors, motherboards and the like to "combat piracy"? Next thing you know, you are physically unable to create a backup copy of a game you bought, or aren't able to install daemon tools/cracks to forgo the goddamn disc protection. I mean right now if you have a legit Bluray movie, and a drive, you can't watch it without a HDCP licensed monitor. Imagine if that works into gaming somehow.

Pugnate

I'm not paying. Ever.

Malmer

Interwebs

Gouki4u

Jaml

The largest PC hardware/software manufacturers banding together to make stuff work on their hardware?

Sounds a lot like the current console scene to me...

DeejayKnight

HAHAHAHAH!!!:D

Anyway very good news for PC Gaming.

TiKiMaN1

ReVivAL

rdldr1

hopelesshindu

Allen750

crapsh00t

"One sticker to rule them all"

ungerfield

Jest

I think a hardware, GPU solution for this would make more sense than a software emulation version. But it's not a bad idea. That being said, I don't think there's any way in hell it will ever happen.

Strangelove

It boggles the mind that the mere existence of PC gaming market would get someone's panties so badly in a bunch.

Unless of course... your daddy never bought you a gaming PC.

Just to annoy you bit more: PC will always be the superior platform, and you know it.

Melting_snowman

SPENCERG

Chewbenator

drifter13

JerrD74: ..drawing a blank

blackadvent

slickchris7777

In a perfect world I would be able to buy one PC and for a lower price, buy a software install that let's me play a certain consoles games on my pc. for instance...

I have a souped up pc and want to play 360 games. for 150 bucks I go pick up a software install that allows me to play the games on pc using 360 peripherals at least and then only need the game.

boy I hope thats the way of the future...

bwwardiii

weasl

homernoy

DevCo

ExtremeOne316

wicko

At the least, it will drive down PC hardware costs (like they already are), and it will be affordable for all you neck beard tech support types.

DevCo

homernoy

The PC was a CRUCIAL stepping stone to gaming as a whole, and future advancements will continue to help gaming, but only to advance console or simple/universal set ups, sadly. PCs have been replaced as gaming rigs. That is an inevitable reality.... they are still the home of hardcore gamer population, yet with more and more people playing games heading to consoles with the Wii and do-all videogame consoles, their populations will continue to dwindle.... but not completely go away...

I just think it is slightly silly that companies whose microchips and graphic processors and consoles are making millions from console gaming are continually going back to the PC population. I may be wrong, but I believe that in the long term, I will be vindicated.

Now... if they united to provide the "unified single console" of the NEXT generation that doesnt rely on disk technology, pure processing power that is decade-ish future-proof, and easily usable, then, again, newsworthy.... going back to PC gaming is not NEWWWWWs.

hopelesshindu

RAM keeps getting cheaper and cheaper. You don't need a stupid $200+ CPU, quad-extreme, unlocked multiplier chip to game. 2Gb RAM + $130 CPU could be standard in PCs and not raise costs. A 500W PS, if made well (which Dell and other companies really don't slack in their quality in PS, it's just they are usually lower power) is all a decent gaming rig would need.

Haha,.. Microsoft goes into PC hardware sales in the form of a "gaming rig" outlet with wholesale parts from AMD, Intel, and nVidia... Xbox anyone?

Ken

The point is it's dicouraging game developers from making PC exclusive games.

So please stop!

Diesel_Power

And come on PC brethren,... stop pirating!

Ken

KanoBlade

Heyyou27

Sailorcancer

homernoy

My conclution; if you used your nerd to make you bank, you are likly a PC gamer and will always be one. If you used you nerd to grow a neck beard and lord your computer knowledge over users for 14 dollars an hour, you are probably a Consol Gamer (but secretly wish you could afford a new "Gaming Rig").

DevCo

AURELIUS

NitrousO

I think the point is more that many DRMs are literally harmful to your computer, most notably Starforce. DRM-free software has its benefits, and it's not as if hackers haven't been able to crack any and everything anyways. I'm by no means arguing in favor of piracy on any level, but it's like these companies are punishing the people who are actually buying the games through the shoddy DRM progrmas, while pirates have free reign with a hacked copy.

Strangelove

Also I think Jashin is correct about the piracy. Im willing to bet its a select few people who pirate a lot at least thats the way it is for me (none of my friends do it except for one guy).
@Neolibertarian: I think you probably hit the nail on the head, its the cost of high end game machine. My graphics card alone costs as much as my PS3 did.

NitrousO

Find that out first hand did we? There would be no DRM if there wasn't pirating on a large scale. I hate DRM, but I accept it due to the fact devs feel more comfortable releasing games on the PC that way. If there were a non intrusive solution to pirating, would you still call it DRM, just because you couln't pirate it?

homernoy

ghnvt

Don't give me that bullcrap! Thts the same Bs every pirater says.

Guess what DRM is in your cell phone, your satelitte, or digital cable box, and mircosoft is watching you on your XBL account.

Is your tinfoil hat too tight my friend?

Diesel_Power

Only if they stop fucking up my PC with DRM.

And FYI piracy doesn't hurt sales nearly as much as they would have you believe, if you want an example of that check out Galactic Civilizations 2 and Sins of a Solar Empire, both entirely lacking in DRM to prevent piracy.

Morberis

These days, consoles are the best deal in terms of price/performance over time.

When the first MMO comes out on console (Age of Conan? The new Blizzard MMO?), then PCs will be just like Macs for gaming: marginal.

Neolibertarian

NitrousO

<----- hardcore PC gamer.

Diesel_Power

LittleBigPlaneteer

Jashin

darthnader

EvaUnit02

I'm still rocking Windows XP on a system that I built some years back ... AMD 3500+, 2 Gigs PC3200 RAM, BFG GeForce 6800GT OC 256MB DDR3 RAM, 2 x 74GB Raided 10000rpm raptor harddrives. It works okay, but it can't play anything new worth a damn.

dead_red_eyes

Maybe this means they'll stop pricing themselves out of the market hardware-wise. Hell, if they just realised cheaper games would discourage piracy...

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

invictus

Man I don't get this hate for PC games by consol gamers, Like its some sort of competition. There are tons of awesome games for the PC. I just don't get why anyone wants to see it die as a game platform.

Freekarrtt

muu

Athest

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on the consoles. I have a Wii and a 360 myself, but I'll still welcome a new reign of the gaming PC with open arms. Multiplayer just isn't the same.

ArtemisFei

Strangelove

homernoy

Unite to dominate the console market... THAT would make news.

hopelesshindu

@amost:

I don't begrudge console gamers their systems; they're great, fantastic, etc. I played on consoles long before I touched a PC and I'll continue to game with them. But (and it is a big but): there are a lot of things you can't do with a console that are possible with a computer. Fanmade game mods, more elaborate control possibilities, mouse-based menus, and so on. There are whole genres that are by and large missing from the gaming mix.

This is not meant to be a flame. Consoles are great--they do some things better than PCs, for certain. I, for one, just miss having a surplus of great games on my PC.

Shevek

boopadoo

Black-Dog-Howls

Scioptic

Garro

gamadaya

Goodlord I hope not

Hopefully this means I'll be able to use my stupidly expensive Computer for more than just WoW and Crysis!

Freekarrtt

Jmontilla2786

Now don't get me wrong, I'm certainly a console gamer.

But if these three start working a little too closely together, gaming PCs will end up being consoles.

Part of the charm of PC gaming is that it gives you a choice regarding your own computer.

If the three biggest players in their respective parts of the PC gaming market work together to make their competitors incompatible with the software (and they can; together, these three can effectively ransom the whole computer gaming industry), we'll end up with glorified consoles.

Folks; scary shit like that is why proprietary software and closed hardware designs and conventions was NOT a good idea in the first place. I know some of you 'mericans loves their capitalism, but THIS here is why we should never have left large monopolistic entities control such large parts of the market.

Guizzy

bob-e

amost

TOCATL

Tale

Moonshadow101

J-Fro

Katorok

Harmatia