How the PC is making consoles look out of date

[tupperware]

10 year old kids don't buy gaming PCs and therefore don't buy many PC games. They get consoles for Christmas. Kids (under 18) are the biggest consumers of video games and the market reflects that.

Most 10 year old kids probably couldn't handle the most advanced PC games anyway.

Great point. It's cheaper for mommy and daddy to go to Toys R' Us and pickup the latest and greatest console for a few hundred that the kid has been begging for all year because of all those shooter commercials he sees on TV. They'll buy the computer later for his homework assignments.

Theogt.. do you contest the fact that things with more capabilities and abilities usually cost more?

The PC is more expensive than consoles, but it plays the games at higher qualities and has boatloads of added value through everything else it can do to boot.

Don't want all that quality? Buy a lesser powered GPU. It's also the pinnacle of customization and options. Spend as little or as much as you want.

If xbox wants to release a proprietary accessory for whatever feature or ability they want, they can, and they price it as they want. There are only a handful of manufacturers who make the same accessories (Madcatz, etc) to price battle with.

The PC? Want a new HD? New GPU? There are dozens of manufacturers to choose from. Might not be the simplest route for the casual PC gamer, but it is a superior route.

If you like to be pigeon holed by technology that's your choice.

 

[theogt]

10 year old kids don't buy gaming PCs and therefore don't buy many PC games. They get consoles for Christmas. Kids (under 18) are the biggest consumers of video games and the market reflects that.

Most 10 year old kids probably couldn't handle the most advanced PC games anyway.

Yeah, children play more video games than adults.

Great point. LOL.

 

[tupperware]

Yeah, children play more video games than adults.

Great point. LOL.

And children usually don't have the ability to realistically compare two platforms to see which is better, they scream and kick for what they see on TV.

When is the last time you saw a TV commercial showing off a PC gaming system?

Yeah that's right.

Anyway, can you give some examples as to why you think console gaming is superior rather than just quoting numbers and what you believe other people think.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Yeah, children play more video games than adults.

Great point. LOL.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6303325.html

FEBRUARY 2011 US GAME SALES
OVERALL DOLLAR SALES
Total software: $637.4 million (-8%)
Non-PC software: $601.4 million (-4%)

Yup, about 5% of games sold were on PC. The other 95% were on consoles. PC gaming is a very niche market, largely because it can't compete with the value of consoles.

You can't look at HARDWARE sales, because many people will spend $1000 on a PC and never use it for gaming. LOL @ the idea of comparing "consumer PCs capable of gaming."

and because new games like DragonAge2 are already available for torrent, you can download it in 10-12 hours free or pay $50. The way I see PC Gaming making a comeback in single player games is offering games alot cheaper than on consoles, but then that causes other problems.

If DragonAge II was $25 on the PC people may say, ill just go buy it and not take the risk of torrenting, but at $50 its alot more like yeah ima just go ahead and download this.

 

[theogt]

And children usually don't have the ability to realistically compare two platforms to see which is better, they scream and kick for what they see on TV.

When is the last time you saw a TV commercial showing off a PC gaming system?

Yeah that's right.

I'm sure the average 12 year old knows quite a bit more about the gaming world than the average 30 year old.

But nice try.

Anyway, can you give some examples as to why you think console gaming is superior rather than just quoting numbers and what you believe other people think.

Go back and re-read the thread.

 

[Phrozen Phil]

I watch this debate with some interest, as my son is involved in selling these gaming platforms at a local electronics outlet. He noticed that sales of the cheapest X-box were great during the Christmas season, but questioned the choice that parents made in that regard. He tried to point out that the low storage capacity of that model of X-box created problems, as the kids ran out of storage capacity quite quickly. Parents were simply looking at the lowest price, without considering the pitfalls of compromising functions like storage.He suspects that there will be many "trade-ins" and movement of those machines as dissatisfaction grows.

The debate as to which platform or PC related evironment is superior will rage on, but it occurs to me that we might be moving to the "One Device" that we can watch broadcast programs, make calls, do business, participate in social networks, play high quality games, store information online, and do other electronic activities that we haven't considered. Is our smart phone going to be that "do it all" device?

 

[YosemiteSam]

I watch this debate with some interest, as my son is involved in selling these gaming platforms at a local electronics outlet. He noticed that sales of the cheapest X-box were great during the Christmas season, but questioned the choice that parents made in that regard. He tried to point out that the low storage capacity of that model of X-box created problems, as the kids ran out of storage capacity quite quickly. Parents were simply looking at the lowest price, without considering the pitfalls of compromising functions like storage.He suspects that there will be many "trade-ins" and movement of those machines as dissatisfaction grows.

The debate as to which platform or PC related evironment is superior will rage on, but it occurs to me that we might be moving to the "One Device" that we can watch broadcast programs, make calls, do business, participate in social networks, play high quality games, store information online, and do other electronic activities that we haven't considered. Is our smart phone going to be that "do it all" device?

That and your PC. The smartphone has limited graphics and processing power. At home you will use your PC on the move, your phone.

 

[Dallas]

I watch this debate with some interest, as my son is involved in selling these gaming platforms at a local electronics outlet. He noticed that sales of the cheapest X-box were great during the Christmas season, but questioned the choice that parents made in that regard. He tried to point out that the low storage capacity of that model of X-box created problems, as the kids ran out of storage capacity quite quickly. Parents were simply looking at the lowest price, without considering the pitfalls of compromising functions like storage.He suspects that there will be many "trade-ins" and movement of those machines as dissatisfaction grows.

The debate as to which platform or PC related evironment is superior will rage on, but it occurs to me that we might be moving to the "One Device" that we can watch broadcast programs, make calls, do business, participate in social networks, play high quality games, store information online, and do other electronic activities that we haven't considered. Is our smart phone going to be that "do it all" device?

Stick to the topic please or face the full wrath of our ambulance chasing lawer friend.

Your points are clear but since they are not OT, I can bash you incessantly over it.

 

[Hoofbite]

And children usually don't have the ability to realistically compare two platforms to see which is better, they scream and kick for what they see on TV.

When is the last time you saw a TV commercial showing off a PC gaming system?

Yeah that's right.

Anyway, can you give some examples as to why you think console gaming is superior rather than just quoting numbers and what you believe other people think.

XBOX Live.

End of discussion.

 

[YosemiteSam]

XBOX Live.

End of discussion.

You are saying XBOX Live is better than PC gaming, but why?

/Open Discussion

 

[theogt]

Stick to the topic please or face the full wrath of our ambulance chasing lawer friend.

Your points are clear but since they are not OT, I can bash you incessantly over it.

As a general matter, whether they're off-topic or not is irrelevant. If he makes a statement and inference is required based on the thread topic, I would think you'd want to make such inference correctly. Maybe not -- irrational actors make prediction a difficult task.

 

[Hoofbite]

You are saying XBOX Live is better than PC gaming, but why?

/Open Discussion

Does it really matter what I say?

If I were to say that XBOX Live gives me the ability to chat with friends who are playing the same game or different games there would be replies about how you could do that on PC.

Play little mini games........oh you could do that with PC.

Watch Netflix with friends online.........surely somehow you could find a way to do that with a PC.

Watch live sports events with friends who live across the country.

Like I said, people are too committed to the idea that consoles are being touted as a replacement for PCs. They aren't.

PCs are great at a lot of things but in terms of being gamer friendly, they don't compare to consoles. If they did, you wouldn't have consoles. There would be no demand for consoles if PC gaming was even close to the same level.

Now, there are definitely genres of games that are better suited for PC but when talking about the big picture, console gaming is better than PC gaming.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Does it really matter what I say?

If I were to say that XBOX Live gives me the ability to chat with friends who are playing the same game or different games there would be replies about how you could do that on PC.

Play little mini games........oh you could do that with PC.

Watch Netflix with friends online.........surely somehow you could find a way to do that with a PC.

Watch live sports events with friends who live across the country.

Like I said, people are too committed to the idea that consoles are being touted as a replacement for PCs. They aren't.

PCs are great at a lot of things but in terms of being gamer friendly, they don't compare to consoles. If they did, you wouldn't have consoles. There would be no demand for consoles if PC gaming was even close to the same level.

Now, there are definitely genres of games that are better suited for PC but when talking about the big picture, console gaming is better than PC gaming.

This post was full a win until you slipped in a piss poor opinion right at the end.

 

[Hoofbite]

This post was full a win until you slipped in a piss poor opinion right at the end.

Well, you were asking for my opinion so...........

 

[TheCount]

Does it really matter what I say?

If I were to say that XBOX Live gives me the ability to chat with friends who are playing the same game or different games there would be replies about how you could do that on PC.

Play little mini games........oh you could do that with PC.

Watch Netflix with friends online.........surely somehow you could find a way to do that with a PC.

Watch live sports events with friends who live across the country.

Like I said, people are too committed to the idea that consoles are being touted as a replacement for PCs. They aren't.

PCs are great at a lot of things but in terms of being gamer friendly, they don't compare to consoles. If they did, you wouldn't have consoles. There would be no demand for consoles if PC gaming was even close to the same level.

Now, there are definitely genres of games that are better suited for PC but when talking about the big picture, console gaming is better than PC gaming.

So what you are saying is that it is in fact NOT the end of the discussion? :laugh2:

PC's are perfectly fine as far as their Gamer Friendliness. Consoles may simplify the process, but a scientific calculator can do math just like a simple one, perhaps even better if you need or want the extra functions.

 

[TheCount]

Kids (under 18) are the biggest consumers of video games and the market reflects that.

Where'd you find that stat?

Last I heard, the average gamer is in their early 20's, if not older.

 

[arglebargle]

Where'd you find that stat?

Last I heard, the average gamer is in their early 20's, if not older.

My guess would be that that young age might be the console average. The PC average is considerably higher.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

My guess would be that that young age might be the console average. The PC average is considerably higher.

Runescape, Happy Town, all those younger games etc; and there players beg to differ.

 

[arglebargle]

Runescape, Happy Town, all those younger games etc; and there players beg to differ.

No, even with those factored in, the average age is much higher. Lots of old farts playing PC games. I know this from personal experiance....