Why the hate for the consoles?

[Warspite2]

PC gamers brought this onto themselves.

There is only one major reason for game industry moving away from the PC market and towards the consoles. Piracy. I've read somewhere almost 90% of games for PC's are being pirated. So what there are more PC's out there than consoles, when the companies can't make money on their games, because people copy them instead of buying them.

On the other hand, piracy is much less common on consoles, especially the new generation - and virtually non-existent for PS3 (their encryption scheme has yet to be hacked, despite almost 2 years on the market).

I was always a big PC fan. I kept building/upgrading mine at home with latest hardware for over a decade. I hated consoles as an inferior, overpriced machine. It all changed when I got a PS3 almost a year ago. I bought it because I knew Blue-Ray is going to take over sooner or later, and didn't care that much about games.

But soon enough, I realized that a console has many advantages to a computer, especially as far as Multiplayer games are concerned. First of all - I can play everything on my big-screen, and not have to worry about resolution compatibility, or keeping my PC rig next to the TV. The whole GUI is much sleeker too, and fits more with the whole home-theater theme. And I can play while laying down on my couch, instead of sitting at the desk.

Finally - exclusive titles, like Uncharted, Grand Tourismo, Eye of Judgment, GTA4, can only be found on a console, and not PC.

I believe that is the direction the market will be heading in. You can see how much money is being made on console games. At the very best PC users can expect mediocre ports a year or two later, if that. Sure PC's still have the edge as far as strategy games go - but for how long? I already have a wireless keyboard, with a touchpad for my PS3. I'm glad my favorite game (Civ), is making it onto my favorite system. Hopefully more will follow.

I really don't know why people say this. It has been said for years that the gaming industry is moving away from PC and into consoles. This is simply not the case. We have major titles hitting the PC lately. Just wait, just wait until SPORE is released not to mention the Sims 3. Also, ever heard of a company called Stardock? Those exclusive titles you mention, I personally don't have any interest in them. Then the PC exclusive titles are much stronger. Console games are like fast food. They are there for a quick gaming session and they have very short shelf life. This is why the gamestops and other local video game stores have tons of pre-owned console games. This is because they have about a week of gameplay in each game then the game is basically beat and brought to the store for a trade in. The PC literally has YEARS of life in many games, Civ4 being one of them. I can play Civ4 for years not to mention galciv2 and others like it. Serious gamers are not going anywhere and as long as we are here, there will be tons of new PC games. This all said, I am very happy to see a version of Civ coming to the consoles. Maybe it will create a new crowd for strategy games with consoles instead of first person shooters.

 

[Thrallia]

the 360 you all praise as better and cheaper than a PS3 doesn't come with a HD drive so how can you compare. Do i really save any money buy the time i put a HD drive on it? no, not really.

um...Actually the 360 Pro has a hard drive and is cheaper than the 40GB PS3, and the 360 Elite has a hard drive and is cheaper than the 80GB PS3.

I cant even express what a joke my anticipation level went into the toilet.
Console? What a joke! I have xbox360 and ps3 and pc and who the hell
would want to play it on damn console specially multi player. Sid you lost
a huge fan my man... Redeem yourself with civ 5 for pc only!

try playing the demo before you bash the game, will you? bashing it and then not trying it out when you can do so for free smacks to me of being prejudice against your own system

Well, while I am going to get a console (ps3) my main problem with them is- Priority. Almost no good strat games and few good western RPGs. These are the games I like but are not very high on the priorities list for the programers for Consoles. Too many sports, racing, fighting, FPS for me. I am not 14 anymore and fancy graphics only do so much for me (the PC has the BEST graphics anyway...if you are into that).

I would be a very happy person indeed if Strat and RPG games got the attention on consoles that they are given on the PC. But these type games arent " for the masses" thus they are VERY few and far between. I doubt this will change any time soon.

then I would recommend getting a 360 instead. More RPGs(of all origins) and most/many of the RTS games coming out for the PC are coming to the 360 either at the same time or later. LOTR:BME2, C&C3, C&C3: Kane's Wrath, Universe at War, Supreme Commander, and the list goes on of RTS games scheduled for 360 release. Meanwhile the PS3 is not scheduled for a single strategy game of any kind other than CivRev.

 

[Schuesseled]

RTS on a console, that's jsut silly, xbox should leave them on the traditional PC, more TBS for consoles.

 

[Thrallia]

why? it doesn't take away from the PC version, just spreads the love to another audience I can't afford to upgrade my PC to the point where it can play these new RTS games(newest RTS I can play is Empire Earth II and Warcraft 3)

 

[Civfan333]

RTS on a console, that's jsut silly, xbox should leave them on the traditional PC, more TBS for consoles.

what about Tom Clancy's Endwar? World in Conflict? CoC Tiberium Wars? all pretty good RTS's (well, I hope so for Endwar)

 

[Schuesseled]

what about Tom Clancy's Endwar? World in Conflict? CoC Tiberium Wars? all pretty good RTS's (well, I hope so for Endwar)

i would hate to play C&C on a console. Much easier on the pc with the mouse and keyboard shortcuts.

 

[warpstorm]

I am very biased, but I think the new radial system in CNC3:Kane's Wrath is the best implementation of an RTS on a console yet. (I do prefer a mouse and keyboard for RTSs though).

 

[mlc82]

I really don't know why people say this. It has been said for years that the gaming industry is moving away from PC and into consoles. This is simply not the case. We have major titles hitting the PC lately. Just wait, just wait until SPORE is released not to mention the Sims 3. Also, ever heard of a company called Stardock? Those exclusive titles you mention, I personally don't have any interest in them. Then the PC exclusive titles are much stronger. Console games are like fast food. They are there for a quick gaming session and they have very short shelf life. This is why the gamestops and other local video game stores have tons of pre-owned console games. This is because they have about a week of gameplay in each game then the game is basically beat and brought to the store for a trade in. The PC literally has YEARS of life in many games, Civ4 being one of them. I can play Civ4 for years not to mention galciv2 and others like it. Serious gamers are not going anywhere and as long as we are here, there will be tons of new PC games. This all said, I am very happy to see a version of Civ coming to the consoles. Maybe it will create a new crowd for strategy games with consoles instead of first person shooters.

I agree with this guy. The reason many of us long-time PC Gamers get upset when a loved PC game series goes console, is because it'll almost certainly lead to us old fans getting dumbed-down games in the future. It's all about the money, and sadly now that the game industry has gone the same way as music and Hollywood (bowing to their corporate, bean counting overlords), creativity has pretty well gone out of the window as it is- pretty much every mainstream game coming out now, even the high ranking ones, are just the same old games we've been playing for years with better graphics each time around.

I have a bad feeling personally that, if Civ Revolutions ends up being a big hit on the consoles, Civ V for PC with then end up coming out with a "New Streamlined Interface!" to make the game "More Accesible to New Players/People Who Aren't Interested in 4x Games!". Who knows what that'll consist of, but I'd bet that us old Civ fans will quickly be forgotten if the almighty dollar seems to point toward a dumbed down, easier game cashing in a larger amount of sales. Just look at the Total War series if you need clarification, and compare the last two (Rome and Medieval 2, without any mods) to Shogun and Medieval 1- The graphics are prettier, and the challenge is pretty well gone.

Plenty of other game series went the "Streamlined!" route as well, off the top of my head I can think of:
Deus Ex- with the horrible DX: Invisible Wars that rightfully bombed

Rainbow Six Series- from squad based tactical shooter to Call of Duty 2 in vegas

The Elder Scrolls series with Oblivion- (Yes I know, many people love it, I don't think it's a bad game after 4 gigs or so worth of mods, but it's still more of an action game with stats than "RPG")

I could probably think of plenty more if I dug around in my mind

On the piracy issue, I've yet to hear companies such as Firaxis, Stardock, MatrixGames (excellent wargaming indie company), or others creating games (as someone else said) that have years of playability behind them, howling and screeching about piracy. It seems mainly to be coming from developers creating games that have maybe a week's worth of play time to them, and then after getting a "Game of the Year!" award for having pretty graphics, won't be remembered when the next game just like it with better graphics comes out. No wonder no one wants to plop down $50-60 for that. Add in the same developers then deciding to punish their legitimate customers with intrusive DRM method copy protection, and no wonder they're losing sales at the rate they are.

 

[grommit5]

um...Actually the 360 Pro has a hard drive and is cheaper than the 40GB PS3, and the 360 Elite has a hard drive and is cheaper than the 80GB PS3.

my bad, should have been more specific, I was referring to high def not hard drive, as in bluRay

 

[lucashp]

also, console gamers dont want world of warcraft...

Actually, I use to play WoW on the PC.

Got to level 34. got bored.

If, however if it returned to the ps3 I would pay for it online.

 

[Thrallia]

I'd love to play it on my 360...if I didn't have to pay a monthly fee on top of my XBL membership(which I actually have yet to pay for, thanks to my trial membership cards)

 

[Qpla]

On the piracy issue, I've yet to hear companies such as Firaxis, Stardock, MatrixGames (excellent wargaming indie company), or others creating games (as someone else said) that have years of playability behind them, howling and screeching about piracy. It seems mainly to be coming from developers creating games that have maybe a week's worth of play time to them, and then after getting a "Game of the Year!" award for having pretty graphics, won't be remembered when the next game just like it with better graphics comes out. No wonder no one wants to plop down $50-60 for that. Add in the same developers then deciding to punish their legitimate customers with intrusive DRM method copy protection, and no wonder they're losing sales at the rate they are.

Well, if a really awesome game with new ideas would come out for the PC it would still probably be pirated since, you know, it's free.

 

[oodabay]

I didn't read every thread, so if someone already mentioned it, I apologize for the redundancy. I do not own a console, but my brother-in-law does. We are both fans of CIV IV and he mentioned the one disadvantage of a console over a PC is his inability to download mods.

 

[azzaman333]

Well, if a really awesome game with new ideas would come out for the PC ppl would still pirate it because "Why to pay for a game when you can download it from the internet by pressing one button"

I know people who pirate the yearly EA sports titles because they feel the games are cash cows and that even if they pirate it its not going to cause too much financial harm to the monster that is EA. However, games such as Audiosurf they will fork out the $10 because it isn't a ripoff and its supporting a small developer who made an original game.

And anyway, from my experience, if people pirate a game they were never going to buy it in the first place, so its certainly not losing any sales from them.

 

[Smidlee]

um...Actually the 360 Pro has a hard drive and is cheaper than the 40GB PS3, and the 360 Elite has a hard drive and is cheaper than the 80GB PS3.

Actually Wal-Mart now has a special on PS3 that you get a free $100 gift card. Since I can buy both gas and groceries at Walmart this is the same as cash to me. So for now PS3 seems to be cheaper than 360. Plus the fact PS3 can play Blu-ray ( plus no cost to play Rev online) that's a pretty good deal.

 

[Thrallia]

as long as you don't care about being able to play any of the hundreds of great PS2 games, then yeah...its a good deal(or about not having to install the game on your hard drive to get the same performance that I can get on my 360...)

 

[Smidlee]

as long as you don't care about being able to play any of the hundreds of great PS2 games, then yeah...its a good deal(or about not having to install the game on your hard drive to get the same performance that I can get on my 360...)

The reason why 360 doesn't install games is the fact not all 360 owners have a HDD. HDD loads faster and a lot quieter than continue spinning a DVD X12 the speed.
By the way that would be also true if you got a 360. As far As I know 360 doesn't play PS2 games either.

 

[LordRahl]

as long as you don't care about being able to play any of the hundreds of great PS2 games, then yeah...its a good deal(or about not having to install the game on your hard drive to get the same performance that I can get on my 360...)

Having to read from DVD drive = longer loading times.

 

[Thrallia]

The reason why 360 doesn't install games is the fact not all 360 owners have a HDD. HDD loads faster and a lot quieter than continue spinning a DVD X12 the speed.
By the way that would be also true if you got a 360. As far As I know 360 doesn't play PS2 games either.

true, it doesn't...but it never has, Sony removed that feature and didn't bother publicizing it as much as they did when they called themselves 'the only console with full BC'. So now, no one knows that they can't play their PS2 games on their PS3 if they aren't an informed consumer(which is most people)

Having to read from DVD drive = longer loading times.

you would think so...but if you read the reviews for all the games that require hard drive installs on the PS3 and don't for the 360, the 360 either loads faster still, or barely loads slower(like, barely noticeably)

 

[grommit5]

true, it doesn't...but it never has, Sony removed that feature and didn't bother publicizing it as much as they did when they called themselves 'the only console with full BC'. So now, no one knows that they can't play their PS2 games on their PS3 if they aren't an informed consumer(which is most people)

i don't think you give the average computer/console user enough credit. i can't think of a single person i know that didn't realize the current PS3 version was not backwards compatable.