The PC is Dead

[dbzero]

Remember that prediction not too long ago?

 

In the 80s when I got my first personal computer it was still something of a novelty. 
 

Then the 90s came along and it was the golden age for PCs. Lots of games and you had all sorts of magazines about PCs and mags like Computer Gaming World and PC Gamer-I really liked the European version.

 

Then suddenly PC sales fell off a cliff. Companies like Microprose, Janes and others went out of business.

 

Consoles like the XBox and Sony PlayStation took off and it was predicted by pundits the PC would soon be dead.

 

Today it seems as if the PC is having something of a renaissance. I was waiting a video today and apparently business is really booming and CPU sales is really hot. Don’t have the numbers of sales.

 

I have noticed though that when I do go to stores the PCs and laptops section is bare. I was tempted to buy the last MSI gaming laptop as my current one is pretty old.

 

I’ve also been pricing out a new desktop system even though my current one is still adequate. I don’t see the PC dying anytime soon and while I recently got an XBOX just to play Madden I can’t imagine myself not having a powerful gaming desktop and laptop.

 

Seems like amongst the younger generation there is a contingent of pretty dedicated PC enthusiasts and on YouTube you see lots of young blood pumping PCs.

 

A lot of the games I played in the past like Command and Conquer are being remastered to take advantage of newer hardware.

 

Some of the old stuff I’d like to see remade or remastered:

 

1. Medieval Total War 3

2. Command and Conquer Generals

3. B-17 The Mighty 8th

4. Star Fleet Battles

[19//Moach]

Gotta keep in mind that most PC gaming adepts don't normally get their gear out of store shelves anymore.  Most of this stuff comes straight off the internets these days...

 

Anyways, as a PC game developer myself, I strongly believe that until something truly better comes along, the PC will never die.  Even if a replacement ever comes up - It'll have to be, by definition, just a more advanced kind of PC.

 

Any computer device which cannot be used exactly as a PC, with all the flexibility it entails, will never become a viable replacement for the old desktop.

 

Media types love to blurt out the latest "revolution" that's gonna be "how everyone does things from now on" -- Yet I cannot think of any one case in history where such a claim was actually proven right when the "future" then came along.

 

 ---

 

There is also the crucial fact that, as we all know, the maistream gaming industry has followed Disney down the path of corporate decrepitude. Most big-budget publishers have little to no clue of what real players actually want in a game, and instead shove billions of bucks into advertisement to try and convince them they got something. Most often, they really don't...

 

That's why anyone who gives a damn about the games they play, (not just play games to pass the time when not doing something else) chooses the PC as the natural platform.  Since it's much easier and cheaper to develop for desktop, that's where you find the games made by people who don't have to kowtow to some boss from a sales department.

 

 

 

Also, I don't think PC game sales has ever actually dropped - It may have become proportionally smaller compared to modern consoles, but that's no real indication of player preferences, merely a symptom of what's being offered. 

 

Most big-budget game companies seem to be ran by the kind of people who decide their investments based on "trends" they apparently read about in airline magazines. If some pundit goes around spouting prophecy that "this is the new big whoop" - Then all the big money goes into that, and the PC gets left for "old news".

 

I reckon this is an aftershock of the ".com boom" - when enough instant-millionaires made it big that now a whole generation thinks the only way to do business is to constantly try and outguess the next upcoming revolution... Seems they forget that people also expect things they buy to actually be any good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by 19//Moach

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I never really worried that PC gaming would vanish. Even in its darkest years when consoles were surging in popularity, the most innovative titles usually released on Windows.

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

While the gap between PC and consoles has narrowed over the years the PC is still King of the hill in gaming. Especially in simulator where every bit of performance is needed and use of peripherals is extensive. 

 

PC won't die and consoles have their place as well. Owning and using both I can get best of both world and as a bonus the PS4 is a very good BluRay player. 

[ST_Catchov]

No. The PC is not dead.

[messsucher]

I thought these "PC is dead" talks died a long time ago.

[Trooper117]

I'll never own an X Box or Play Station... there, I said it!

[CanadaOne]

10 minutes ago, raaaid said:

 

 

photorealism killed games i used to play to evade reality not to see more of it

 

There is some truth to that. I heard something like that about movies for kids where the animation was too lifelike and it freaked the kids out a bit. A cartoon should be a cartoon.

 

"Right, Fred? Right, Barney!"

[Trooper117]

Kids need to be freaked out... it's the law.

[dburne]

Yeah based on the inability for most folks to be able to secure a 30xx video card so far I am pretty sure the PC is alive and well.

[56RAF_Roblex]

I must admit there is a certain attraction to the idea of having a Console that is guaranteed to run my favourite games with no crashes and no arguments about video settings and which card is best.  The games are written to get the most out of a known hardware set.   I would still need a PC for the other things I do but I would not have to keep chasing the latest hardware quite so often.

[dbzero]

Interesting points brought up by many here. One thing I didn’t think of was the potential impact COVID might be having. I’ve definitely noticed that before COVID hit I could got to the local target and see electronics like PS2s and Xboxes in stock. Now it’s empty.  It’s been like that for months. Same with the gaming laptops and accessories. It’s like that all around my area. All stores sold out.

 

When I checked online it was the same and I ended up having to buy a refurbished XBOX off eBay. Things may have eased online but the stores were still barren last time I checked.

 

The profit motive driving everything is different. You didn’t see DLCs galore back in the 90s. Also when a game was released it generally wasn’t in beta state and once done it was done. Now some sims seem like they are in a perpetual state of development. 
 

Wether that’s a good or bad thing depends IMO. BOS/IL2 may be in what is a constant state of development, but it has been fleshed out with great content and I can play lots of single mission and campaigns so I’m good with it.

 

In other cases the profit motive has gotten out of hand. EA Sports comes to mind. The franchise mode on many games like Madden suck and the targeting of minors towards micro transactions is coming under fire as online gambling.

 

I’m not a soccer person but I’ve heard similar complaints about EA FIFA Soccer game too.

 

But since it’s the only NFL licensed game many of us put up with it.

 

Perhaps the only thing that will kill the PC is a massive cyber attack or power shortages- which already happens here where I live. 
 

The reasons behind that are complex, but could be something many even in the developed world may encounter sooner than people think.

 

I have a solar array and good solar rechargeable battery. It will run a gaming laptop for hours, but my desktop with 800watt power supply is a different story.

[LukeFF]

8 hours ago, dburne said:

Yeah based on the inability for most folks to be able to secure a 30xx video card so far I am pretty sure the PC is alive and well.

 

Very much so. A friend of mine was able to get through Nvidia's store page about an hour ago today before it crashed and was able to purchase a Founder's Edition 3080. Not long afterwards, Discord was filled with posts of pissed-off gamers not able to complete their transaction.

 

Yes, indeed, the rumor's of the PC's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Edited October 1, 2020 by LukeFF

[Trooper117]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

Yes, indeed, the rumor's of the PC's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

 

Yes, probably started by people who have no idea or even the will to apply themselves to owning and upgrading a pc... only capable of pew pewing from their consoles.

(that's my impression of course because I can't be arsed to own a console)  

[4driano]

The Rock is dead.

 

[JG7_X-Man]

Very interesting comments. Certainly not dead, but will always compete with consoles - forever!

 

One of my IT managers only games on consoles. His logic is one not talked about but talked about a lot!

 

"I don't want to spend all day tinkering with PC performance issues just to do the same at home on my time!"

"With a console, it's literally plug and play - when I have graphic issues, upgrading my TV fixes the issue 100% of the time. "

Edited October 1, 2020 by JG7_X-Man

[Reggie_Mental]

I used to be a console addict and used to say 'What's the point of PC gaming?'

 

Until I became aware of the few very niche flight sims and combat flight sims available and what they could do.

 

Now I say 'What's the point of console gaming?'

 

 

I look upon the imminent release of the PlayStation 5 with complete disinterest.

[messsucher]

1 hour ago, Reggie_Mental said:

I used to be a console addict and used to say 'What's the point of PC gaming?'

 

Until I became aware of the few very niche flight sims and combat flight sims available and what they could do.

 

Now I say 'What's the point of console gaming?'

 

 

I look upon the imminent release of the PlayStation 5 with complete disinterest.

 

The point of console gaming is to sit comfortably in your sofa and play a video game.

[unlikely_spider]

10 minutes ago, messsucher said:

 

The point of console gaming is to sit comfortably in your sofa and play a video game.

My son is sitting on the sofa playing Fortnite on PC as we speak

Edited October 3, 2020 by unlikely_spider

[messsucher]

7 minutes ago, unlikely_spider said:

My son is sitting on the sofa playing Fortnite on PC as we speak

 

Yeah, I know, PCs can do that, mine do that too, and yet they say PC is dead. Go figure

[unlikely_spider]

9 minutes ago, messsucher said:

 

Yeah, I know, PCs can do that, mine do that too, and yet they say PC is dead. Go figure

Yeah, it couldn't be simpler now since everything uses the same inputs and peripherals. HDMI to TV from video card, Xbox controller hooks directly to USB, etc etc

[dbzero]

It will be interesting to see how the port of FS2020 does on the XBOX. 
 

Depending on what you’re into games on both the PC and XBOX can be a mixed bag. I bought Madden on both the PC and XBOX last year. Madden in some way looked a little better to me on the PC, but when I tried to play online there were only a few players on the PC version online and even after 5 minutes couldn’t find a match.

 

On the XBOX there were tens of thousands of players online and getting matched up took less than a minute.

If it wasn’t for Madden I probably wouldn’t own any console. 

[fiddlinjim]

On 10/3/2020 at 9:56 AM, dbzero said:

It will be interesting to see how the port of FS2020 does on the XBOX. 
 

Depending on what you’re into games on both the PC and XBOX can be a mixed bag. I bought Madden on both the PC and XBOX last year. Madden in some way looked a little better to me on the PC, but when I tried to play online there were only a few players on the PC version online and even after 5 minutes couldn’t find a match.

 

On the XBOX there were tens of thousands of players online and getting matched up took less than a minute.

If it wasn’t for Madden I probably wouldn’t own any console. 

I bought and tried a console and ended up selling it on ebay, using that kiddie controller rather than a Hotas  seemed ridiculous.

[dbzero]

PC sales are on fire:

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/09/canalys-q3-pc-shipments-hit-fastest-growth-in-a-decade.html

 

FS2020 is also causing the prices of joysticks and HOTAS to skyrocket. They were already doubling in price soon after FS2020 came out.

 

A Thrustmaster TFlight could be had for $49. A couple of weeks ago they were over $100. I checked Amazon today and they are over $200. 

 

[messsucher]

3 minutes ago, dbzero said:

PC sales are on fire:

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/09/canalys-q3-pc-shipments-hit-fastest-growth-in-a-decade.html

 

FS2020 is also causing the prices of joysticks and HOTAS to skyrocket. They were already doubling in price soon after FS2020 came out.

 

A Thrustmaster TFlight could be had for $49. A couple of weeks ago they were over $100. I checked Amazon today and they are over $200. 

 

 

Oh darn, need to buy both things and more. What a worst time ever to come back to flight simming!

[dburne]

1 hour ago, messsucher said:

 

Oh darn, need to buy both things and more. What a worst time ever to come back to flight simming!

 

Watch out for the scalpers.

I loath scalpers.

 

[Jaws2002]

"The PC is dead".....right....

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2020 by Jaws2002

[BinakZaino]

The "PC IS DEAD" it's the favorite fantasy of Sony, since their huge success with the PS2 15 years ago they have been dreaming about being the only platform and console in the market, after Nintendo's Game Cube they suggested they should do like SEGA and drop from the console market.

 

Obviously they have been wrong. Of course, they have the most successful console of the market but it is far from being the dominant one, Nintendo has total control on handhelds, mobile games create great revenue and the current fight between Steam, Epic, GOG and other stores show that PC gaming is good and strong.

[dburne]

Yeah right just look at all these expensive new GPU's that folks can't keep in stock.

PC is very much alive and well.