Next five years belongs to consoles ; Mark Rein

[SAJ]

Thoroughly depressing read if you're into gaming on the PC.

"To be honest, and I'm going to cast a small pall on the industry here, I don't think you're going to get much higher until the next generation of consoles," Rein told CVG when asked what we can expect from DX 10 beyond what we're seeing in Crysis

.

"Publishers are generally putting their money where the highest return is, and in the past that's been on consoles and I think that's still the case. So if you build the game that's a really super amazing high-end game, how do you make all the money you could make from that game, because it'll be too high end eventually to be on PS3 or Xbox 360"

"I don't see people going way, way over what these consoles can do because then they can't sell the game... they have to dumb the games down for the consoles. Consoles will pretty much define what the next five years of games look like on the PC"

In short,; no matter how good PCs get, the market will be limited to what the PS(3)60 duo can manage, as developers and publishers will need to ship on consoles to recoup costs.

Link: CVG

Bah!

 

[Cormeh]

"Exclusives" on consoles are such to sell units. I reckon that the majority of them wind up on the PC sooner or later.

I don't favour either to be honest, I like my consoles and PC just the same. It's also a good point to remember that PC gaming is at a big transition right now, with Vista, DX10 and Windows Live for games entering the fray.

On the flipside, all three major consoles are sparring for that top spot in sales sector, so the word "exclusive" is being thrown around everywhere right now.

(But what's hilarious is the console that's winning doesn't have half the graphical power of it's competitors. )

 

[CptStern]

well to be fair Epic makes games that are best suited for consoles: twitch shooters ..if they dont make a single pc game in the next 5 years I wont have missed much ..probably Ut2008, ut 2010, UT2011, Gears of War 2: This time with more Grimness (120% more testosterone/79% less story), Gears of War 3: the Homoerotic wars

I'd also like to point out that every single game Epic has ever made for consoles with the exception of GoW was a flop ..they couldnt give away copies of UT/UT2 for xbox as they were crappy buggy boring affairs that were frustrating to play. they should just stick with building engines ..their stuff is pretty but imo ultimately shallow

 

[VictimOfScience]

What is really stupid all around is the focus on pushing graphics as the be-all, end-all of gaming in the future. Hopefully the Wii and the DS will show people that you don't need to have crazy horsepower to have a crazy gaming experience; you need creativity. :|

 

[Qonfused]

well to be fair Epic makes games that are best suited for consoles: twitch shooters

How are twitch shooters best for consoles?

 

[StardogChampion]

How are twitch shooters best for consoles?

We demand a reply Stern.

 

[Asknoone]

It's a shame Mark Rein doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm no PC facist, and probably play consoles more than I do PC, but I'm used to hearing Rein's bull by now.

 

[CptStern]

because of the very nature of consoles in terms of accessibility, broad audience and simplistic gameplay that appeals to casual gamers as well as hardcore gamers ...casual pc gamers arent likely to have a nvidia 8800gtx, but that doesnt matter with consoles

 

[Qonfused]

Mm, I thought you were implying that the gamepad would be better for fast paced, twitch shooters than a mouse and keyboard. Moving on...

<_<

 

[Pulse]

The main reasons I remain dedicated to PC gaming is because of the broad multi-player aspects and mods that come by the barrel full following a game's release.

I'd much rather save up money for an upgrade rather than spending money on a console.

 

[Qonfused]

Yeah same. You get a whole different world when you game on the PC. It's a closer feeling of community.

 

[CptStern]

Mm, I thought you were implying that the gamepad would be better for fast paced, twitch shooters than a mouse and keyboard. Moving on...

<_<

but then that would make me retarded ..which I am not

 

[Qonfused]

I have my doubts.

 

[CptStern]

perhaps you are the one who is retarded then

 

[Qonfused]

 

[Pulse]

Yeah same. You get a whole different world when you game on the PC. It's a closer feeling of community.

There's that too, besides us PC gamers can browse porn and finish off projects whilst we are awaiting the next round in CS.

Let's see YOU do that console lovers

 

[Warbie]

I thought some of you guys would be pleased. 5 years of not having to upgrade your rig (or at atleast not as much as usual) would be a nice change. The way developers constantly make pc games for hardware that isn't out yet sucks donkeys! It's been going more and more in this direction in recent years and, shock horror, pc gaming has been suffering (hugely imo) as a result. Hell - 5 years of no new hardware with developers actually having to rely on making decent games would do pc gaming more good than anything I could think of - at the moment it's shite.

 

[CptStern]

well epic isnt the only game company around ..there'll always be a game that push people to upgrade, but that's their choice ..as the Valve survey clearly proved, some people are content using machines that are nowhere near top of the line ..you dont NNED to have the latest greatest video card with each game that comes out ..crysis for example is playable on a onboard video card (according to benchmark testing at Maximum PC) ...so those that say "you have to spend x amount of dollars every 6months to play games" is overgeneralising

 

[Warbie]

Yet when so much of the attraction of modern pc games derives directly from the visuals (this is where 90% of the effort seems to be after all), playing on low settings kind of defeats the point. Crysis is going to be poo without the bells and whistles a meaty rig will bring.

We're not getting the Baldur's Gates, Syndictaes, Fallouts etc any more. Even modern rts are extremely demanding. Valve are the only company I rate that still makes pc games that are keeping it real.

 

[CptStern]

Yet when so much of the attraction of modern pc games derives directly from the visuals (this is where 90% of the effort seems to be after all), playing on low settings kind of defeats the point. Crysis is going to be poo without the bells and whistles a meaty rig will bring.

but graphics do not make the game ..if it's poo on low settings then it's poo on high settings only a lot prettier

We're not getting the Baldur's Gates, Syndictaes, Fallouts etc any more. Even modern rts are extremely demanding. Valve are the only company I rate that still makes pc games that are keeping it real.

because devs/publishers know that graphics sell ..regardless if it's pc or consoles

 

[KagePrototype]

but graphics do not make the game ..if it's poo on low settings then it's poo on high settings only a lot prettier

I don't think that's strictly true; playing with awesome graphics can really help enhance the experience. I can't imagine playing something like Oblivion or STALKER on low settings and having anywhere near as much fun as having everything cranked up. It's practically the only reason Doom 3 got any good reviews, for example.

 

[VictimOfScience]

It's practically the only reason Doom 3 got any good reviews, for example.

Such was the case with Gears of War as well. If it hadn't looked so tremendously awesome then maybe reviewers would have noticed everything else that was severely flawed/lacking.

 

[Gray Fox]

Playing at more then 10 fps can also really enhance the experience. I played Fear Combat at college, and it was actually fun.

 

[Asus]

but graphics do not make the game ..if it's poo on low settings then it's poo on high settings only a lot prettier

Funny yet so true. hehe
To the quote you responded to I was going to say something to the effect of "Well, who's fault is that? The people making the game!

 

[Cormeh]

There's that too, besides us PC gamers can browse porn and finish off projects whilst we are awaiting the next round in CS.

Let's see YOU do that console lovers

Who plays CS on a console?

Pwnt, lol

 

[Pulse]

Who plays CS on a console?

Pwnt, lol

Anyone with an Xbox :|

 

[CptStern]

I don't think that's strictly true; playing with awesome graphics can really help enhance the experience. I can't imagine playing something like Oblivion or STALKER on low settings and having anywhere near as much fun as having everything cranked up.

but if that's all you knew it would be perfectly acceptable ..I mean remember how good HL looked when it first came out? but today it looks somewhat boring in comparison to all that's out there ..the gameplay is exactly what it was when it first came out yet I dont think it would sell as much as did had it been released today ...but that's just public perception ..it doesnt mean the game is any less fun it's just that our standards are a lot higher now. If we perceive a game to be graphically inferior it inevitably instills in our minds that the game isnt enjoyable or at least not as enjoyable as a game that has state of the art graphics ..we all fall prey to this (myself included) it's just the nature of the gaming biz mostly due to how rapidly things change

It's practically the only reason Doom 3 got any good reviews, for example.

agreed, that's all it really had going for it

 

[Warbie]

Such was the case with Gears of War as well. If it hadn't looked so tremendously awesome then maybe reviewers would have noticed everything else that was severely flawed/lacking.

Other than co-op being good fun and multiplayer being one of the most enjoyable and team focussed games i've played in years, I agree


I think graphics play an increasingly bigger role in how much we enjoy video games these days - they don't have to be great, but they do have to be good enough (and on low settings they rarely are).

 

[Laivasse]

I thought some of you guys would be pleased. 5 years of not having to upgrade your rig (or at atleast not as much as usual) would be a nice change. The way developers constantly make pc games for hardware that isn't out yet sucks donkeys! It's been going more and more in this direction in recent years and, shock horror, pc gaming has been suffering (hugely imo) as a result. Hell - 5 years of no new hardware with developers actually having to rely on making decent games would do pc gaming more good than anything I could think of - at the moment it's shite.

Yet when so much of the attraction of modern pc games derives directly from the visuals (this is where 90% of the effort seems to be after all), playing on low settings kind of defeats the point. Crysis is going to be poo without the bells and whistles a meaty rig will bring.

We're not getting the Baldur's Gates, Syndictaes, Fallouts etc any more. Even modern rts are extremely demanding. Valve are the only company I rate that still makes pc games that are keeping it real.

Both these posts are right on the money. The pointless emphasis on utilising the very latest technology in every PC game that comes out has alienated massive amounts of people and, I agree, really flattened PC gaming as a result. Among the many people I know, loads own both consoles and PC's, a few of them have used their PC for gaming, and roughly noone has ever had a cutting edge rig which is capable of displaying newer games in their full glory. As such, with the attitude that devs seem to take towards developing for PC, there has never been any point for these friends of mine to shell out full RRP for games which they aren't going to see at their best.

It doesn't really matter if you can just about play Crysis on a lower end system. All the hype about the game is directed towards the DX10 bells and whistles, not because it's really expected to bring anything new to the table in terms of gameplay. If you're having to play it on a system that can't exploit that, then there's no getting around the fact you're missing out.

The only problem with what you're saying (in the 1st post), Warbie, is that I think it's not something to be pleased about. There might be less pressure for PC gamers to constantly upgrade, but there's also just less point in being a PC gamer generally. There are no Baldur's Gates, Syndicates and Fallouts coming out any more because the draw of the lucrative console market is such that fewer companies want to waste their time and resources making quirky, demanding (and essentially better) games which are PC exclusives. PC titles now need to possess cross-platform appeal or else they're not worth making. Similarly, games that are overly quirky or complex risk having those elements curtailed for fear of alienating the casual gamer. I see this trend as a homogenising force for gaming, and it's not a good thing.

To be clear, I think there are unique console-only games which are fantastic (Katamari et al), but it's a different breed of uniqueness to that which we used to get from our treasured PC exclusives that never would have went down well on console. I want both to continue to exist in the spectrum of gaming, but I feel like the appeal of the PC as a gaming platform is withering worse now than ever.

 

[Noobulon]

my feelings were pretty much summed up by someone on Evil Avatar:

It is fine with me... PC gaming's worst enemy is the constant upgrading of hardware that very few people are willing to invest in. I think it is time to just put a hold on the technical advancement of games for a bit, and start trying to do something (anything) interesting with the hardware that is there.

 

[Warbie]

but there's also just less point in being a PC gamer generally.

Which, sadly, is exactly how I feel. My gaming mouse and keyboard were hung up last year and I have no intention to upgrade again.

To be clear, I think there are unique console-only games which are fantastic (Katamari et al), but it's a different breed of uniqueness to that which we used to get from our treasured PC exclusives that never would have went down well on console. I want both to continue to exist in the spectrum of gaming, but I feel like the appeal of the PC as a gaming platform is withering worse now than ever.

... and it's such a damn shame. I agree with your post, this is a catch 22 situation with pc gaming suffering as a result. The exclusives have gone and taken innovation and creativity with them. Of the decent games that do arrive, most seem to hit the pc as an after thought (Bioshock). Even 'pc games' like Mass Effect have jumped ship (10 years ago none of us would believe a flagship Bioware game could launch on a console without a pc release in sight).

Perhaps pc gaming does need to die before it can become great again? We need people making games for pc gamers and the hardware they can afford.

 

[Asuka]

This guy is a idiot. Simple as that.

 

[ríomhaire]

To people taking about PC games putting an emphasis on new hardware: These game are the type of games that put graphics over gameplay and in my experience they are complete crap. They're not worth what they charge for the game, not to mention a new graphics card.

 

[SAJ]

I thought some of you guys would be pleased. 5 years of not having to upgrade your rig (or at atleast not as much as usual) would be a nice change. The way developers constantly make pc games for hardware that isn't out yet sucks donkeys! It's been going more and more in this direction in recent years and, shock horror, pc gaming has been suffering (hugely imo) as a result. Hell - 5 years of no new hardware with developers actually having to rely on making decent games would do pc gaming more good than anything I could think of - at the moment it's shite.

Yeah, I was thinking this through today and I ended up pretty much where you're at on this issue.
It will be a good thing to have the constant upgrade treadmill slow right down for a couple of years, lets just hope it wont kill the industry all together in the process.

Graphically, we are in a good place right now, a lot of the visual "holy grails" that we all wished were standard in games for many years, have become -or are fast becoming- just that; standard.
It has been a tough time for the industry as well, with higher visual fidelity comes massively increased production costs, which in turn has seen a large number of developers go belly up. So you have fewer devs with bigger budgets, playing much safer sticking to sequals and franchise tie-ins, it's no wonder then you have most gamers wondering where the innovative and quirky games have gone.

If a couple of years of technical stagnation can give the industry some stability and confidence, then perhaps we could see some quirky and risk-taking games on the PC again.
I really hope so, I don't want to turn in my mouse+keyboard for a console controller just yet.


I noticed a lot of people wailin' on ol Mr Rein, but I posted his comments because I thought he made a lot of sense, not because of who he is. For instance...

One reason for this, he said, is that the gulf between a high-end PC and a low-end PC is bigger now than it's ever been, and the low-end has been anchored while the high end just gets higher "and it becomes less and less economically viable to do the super high-end stuff

..this makes perfect sense to me when describing how difficult it is trying to get funding for a PC based title.

He does throw us a bone at the end though..

"That's the value to me of the PC, that the source content we have is still really high resolution, much higher than we can show on a 512MB machine. You can use that content on the PC, you can express it in higher resolutions and higher frame rates and turn on more effects. I think that's what you'll see, PC games where we turn it up higher."

 

[lePobz]

It's so frustrating having spent over 1000 GBP on a top gaming rig to have games that use hardly any of the potential of the system. I know, i've been there before. It's why now I leave my PC to manage the web/IM/music whilst my gaming has moved to the sofa and my 40" HDTV. Consoles are the way forward. At least you know that your game has been made to get the most out of the hardware thats available... which in the case of the current-gen consoles, is really quite a bit.

 

[Uriel]

NEVA!

It's been said before, and it's been proved wrong before.
*hugs PC

I wuv your Dell XPS

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I found him half decently respectable in opinions until this crap.

 

[Tamer17]

Umm..Console games put the emphasis on gfx too.

Sick of all those "pc gaming is dead" statements.

 

[Geogaddi]

I really hope that the shittiness of DX10/Vista will push developers towards OpenGL. I'm running Ubuntu Linux and the only reason I need to dual Boot XP is for games. (Well I don't really need to, since Cedega can emulate most of them, but I do anyway.)