Posts Tagged ‘piracy’

Support PC Games Before They’re Gone

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May 2009

27

Digital Piracy is killing the PC gaming industry. Most gamers who pirate software are either unaware or uncaring to the repercussions of their actions. Unfortunately, if it isn’t stopped, the PC platform as we know it may be doomed.

 

Let me describe a great deal of gamers I know: Core gamers who play 10+ hours/week, primarily multiplayer (Counter-Strike, Starcraft, Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2, World of Warcraft) and rarely buy new games. That’s not to say that they don’t play new games. They just pirate them.

 

To a game developer, a core gamer playing 10 hours a week (often 20 or 30) might sound like a dream. These are perfect targets for new game sales. However, for most single-player only titles, these are the types of people who will say “there was no point to buy it since it was such a short game.” and, “maybe game companies shouldn’t come out with [expletive removed] games.” Others complain about DRM issues: “if I buy a game, I should be allowed to install it on as many computers as I want.” And lastly, some just blame the developers for letting it happen: “Why bother paying [non-multiplayer games]? I understand that companies might [lose sales], but come on… they know their market, they’re choosing to release their games via PC and without any kind of REAL security or reason to make us buy it, it’s their fault.”*
*Quotes taken from core gamers posting on an internet forum

 

So what are the repercussions? The core game Demigod saw over 80% of their player base (over 100,000 users) playing the game illegally. And an estimated 92% of casual game Ricochet Infinity players were pirates. Additionally, many developers are turning to other platforms like the Xbox 360, and some of the PC’s biggest developers (Valve, Crytek) are no longer developing on the PC exclusively. Peter Molyneux said that PC games are “in tatters” and Cervat Yerli of Crytek noted that “PC Gamers that pirate games inherently destroy the platform”, and “similar games on consoles sell factors of 4-5 more.”

 

There are still a number of AAA PC titles (most of which are FPS or MMO titles), and the platform still has far greater revenues than any other platform. Will PC gaming be gone tomorrow? No. But there are a number of signs that the day is coming.

 

Gaming isn’t like music where there are thousands of artists, many of whom are able to create albums in a few weeks in a studio. Development teams for top-tier titles often have tens or hundreds of employed staff and work for months or even years to create a new title. If core gamers don’t support the PC games that are released, we can look forward to a) decreased quality as dev teams downsize and b) decreased quantity of quality titles on the PC.

 

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7 Reasons PC Games Are Dying

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May 2009

05

myst 7 Reasons PC Games Are DyingI started playing interactive computer games 20 years ago on the Apple Macintosh with The Manhole, Cosmic Osmo and Spelunx. Through a dozen systems (NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Jaguar, Dreamcast, Playstation, Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Xbox 360, Playstation 3) made by a half-dozen manufacturers, the personal computer was one of the few constants as a gaming platform. Since 1998, I have played games exclusively on the PC (running some version of Windows). So why is it that a constant, easily accessible** and innovative platform with the easiest controls** is on its last legs?
*There are far more people with computers than consoles.
**Playing first person shooters and real-time strategy games is infinitely easier using a keyboard and mouse.

 

Here are 7 reasons that I can think of:

 

1) Digital piracy is rampant. It’s pretty difficult to stay afloat when 80% of the people playing your game didn’t even pay for it. Come on, PC gamers. It’s no wonder developers flock to the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 where it’s much easier to control piracy.

2) Rise of portable computers and the deemphasis on hardware performance for portability. Consumers no longer care as much about getting the best possible computer as it really no longer matters. To run basic internet and media applications and to do word processing, CPU and video card requirements are minimal. Which brings us to the next issue:

3) No hardware standardization. It’s difficult for PC game developers and publishers to create games that appeal to all gamers without any baseline for computer hardware specifications.

4) Xbox 360’s cannibalization of the market. You wonder how many console developers might have been producing PC games if the Xbox 360 wasn’t around. Microsoft has produced a gaming platform that is truly easy to develop on, but one which unfortunately has cannibalized some of its own audience.

5) PC versions come out after console game releases. Some of the biggest titles in console history were also released on the PC. The problem? Sometimes it can take 3 years to port a game over (see: Halo 2). GTA 4 and Halo 2 both had low PC sales due to a) late PC platform releases and b) the aforementioned Xbox 360 cannibalization of the PC customer.

6) Digital distribution numbers aren’t released. Digital distribution is the best way I can think of to save PC gaming. But right now it’s a duopoly (Valve + Direct2Drive), and very little sales data is released. Greater competition will breed innovation and an increased value to consumers.

7) Windows Vista. Windows Vista just wasn’t a good gaming platform. It registers significantly worse framerates and there were constant driver issues. Rumor has it, though, that Windows 7 will be “great for games”.

 

Windows gaming is in serious trouble. Digital distribution, Windows 7 and the PC Gaming Alliance’s efforts to standardize PC hardware requirements and bring more console games over to the PC will help, but it may be too little, too late. It’s sad thinking about the most robust gaming system coming to a close. The next two years will be the greatest test for PC gaming, as Blizzard will be releasing Diablo III and Starcraft II, and I’m sure we’ll see some big Valve titles coming soon. If PC gaming doesn’t see a renaissance now, it’s all but over.

 

Why do you think PC games are dying, and what do you think can be done about it?

 

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