Gartner Says PC Will "Cease to be Important Game Platform"

[JamesD]

Research firm Gartner has a dim view of the PC gaming market.
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/pc-game-industry-revenue-records,24923.html#xtor=RSS-998

[JamesD]

"...
While Gartner is one of the biggest tech researchers around, its claim about PC games seems a bit off. Multiple other sources suggest that PC is the new top dog when it comes to actual market share.
..."

[atarian63]

would not surprise me, seems fewer and fewer use it for gaming at least in my circles. Though I would say steam and emulation seems to be growing

[Andromeda Stardust]

The console versus PC rift has been going on since the 80s. Nothing new here except for the addition of mobile devices into the mix.

[Algus]

As long as consoles get a mouse and keyboard for strategy games

[Keatah]

smells of a paid-for pet project. Somebody trying to move and shake the industry. Shake this!

[SoulBlazer]

A lot of articles I've read online, and a lot of friends I've spoken to about the PC market, feel that we're actually entering a new 'golden age' for PC gaming. There are several reasons for that: console burnout and people wanting to game on cheaper and simpler machines, the success of crowdfunding (like Kickstarter) to bring in new games onto the PC, the huge rise of online gaming markets such as Steam and GOG to bring in added exposure, companies continuing to make PC versions of console games so as not to lose that market share, and a growing gap between consoles and PC's, meaning there are some games that more then ever are suited best for a PC.

[ianoid]

Analysts are making guesses about the future.

 

I wouldn't write off the PC market so quickly. Since it's hard to imagine a generation of consoles from the major players after this one, I'm not sure what else there is to think about aside from PC based 'platforms' and 'marketplaces'.

 

Note that I'm 99% console gamer. I look forward to Steam's moves toward my couch.

[BydoEmpire]

There have been "Death of the PC Platform" articles for the many years... but this is really odd timing and seems counter to everyone else. With Steam, Origin, Kickstarter, web, etc this is probably the most hopeful the PC market has been in a long time.

 

 

 

A lot of articles I've read online, and a lot of friends I've spoken to about the PC market, feel that we're actually entering a new 'golden age' for PC gaming. There are several reasons for that: console burnout and people wanting to game on cheaper and simpler machines, the success of crowdfunding (like Kickstarter) to bring in new games onto the PC, the huge rise of online gaming markets such as Steam and GOG to bring in added exposure, companies continuing to make PC versions of console games so as not to lose that market share, and a growing gap between consoles and PC's, meaning there are some games that more then ever are suited best for a PC.

That pretty much sums it up.

[AtariLeaf]

A lot of articles I've read online, and a lot of friends I've spoken to about the PC market, feel that we're actually entering a new 'golden age' for PC gaming. There are several reasons for that: console burnout and people wanting to game on cheaper and simpler machines, the success of crowdfunding (like Kickstarter) to bring in new games onto the PC, the huge rise of online gaming markets such as Steam and GOG to bring in added exposure, companies continuing to make PC versions of console games so as not to lose that market share, and a growing gap between consoles and PC's, meaning there are some games that more then ever are suited best for a PC.

But PC's certainly aren't cheaper gaming alternatives. Quite the opposite. If someone would want to play the games that are coming out on the next gen of consoles I'd think they'd need to spend some serious bucks on a proper rig, certainly a lot more than a ps4 or xbox one. Wouldn't they?

[cimerians]

[Austin]

Yeah, I call BS.

[Skarrj]

A lot of articles I've read online, and a lot of friends I've spoken to about the PC market, feel that we're actually entering a new 'golden age' for PC gaming. There are several reasons for that: console burnout and people wanting to game on cheaper and simpler machines, the success of crowdfunding (like Kickstarter) to bring in new games onto the PC, the huge rise of online gaming markets such as Steam and GOG to bring in added exposure, companies continuing to make PC versions of console games so as not to lose that market share, and a growing gap between consoles and PC's, meaning there are some games that more then ever are suited best for a PC.

. Still feel like the mid to late 90s were the golden age. Quake, unreal and diablo.......memories.

[Gamemoose]

But PC's certainly aren't cheaper gaming alternatives. Quite the opposite. If someone would want to play the games that are coming out on the next gen of consoles I'd think they'd need to spend some serious bucks on a proper rig, certainly a lot more than a ps4 or xbox one. Wouldn't they?

I think that it's a misconception that you need to drop a ton of cash for a decent PC gaming rig. Also people seem to forget that it's likely you're going to do more with your PC than just games. Email, music, movies to doing your work on it, if you look at the PC as a multipurpose device the cost doesn't seem all that much.

[BydoEmpire]

. Still feel like the mid to late 90s were the golden age. Quake, unreal and diablo.......memories.

The 90s were the pinnacle of PC gaming, certainly ("PC" meaning "IBM compatible," not counting Commodore, etc). I wouldn't say we're entering a golden age of PC gaming, but the platform is looking more viable than in the last 10-15 years.

 

As far as it being cheaper, don't forget to factor in the cost of the games. Steam and GOG.com have made PC gaming simply dirt cheap, almost on par with mobile. For better or worse, the days of me buying $60 games are over (except the occasional Atari Age release ).

[xenomorpher]

The 90s were the pinnacle of PC gaming, certainly ("PC" meaning "IBM compatible," not counting Commodore, etc). I wouldn't say we're entering a golden age of PC gaming, but the platform is looking more viable than in the last 10-15 years.

 

As far as it being cheaper, don't forget to factor in the cost of the games. Steam and GOG.com have made PC gaming simply dirt cheap, almost on par with mobile. For better or worse, the days of me buying $60 games are over (except the occasional Atari Age release ).

 

Exactly. Plus you save even more if you build a rig yourself. You don't have start out with the latest and greatest. However, with the money you save with Steam sales and GOG, you can use towards an upgrade. There are a ton of build guides and ideas on several sites. The one thing that PC gaming will have an edge over consoles is user created mods for games. The only game I can think of that let you install mods on consoles, without doing anything "shady", is Unreal Tournament 3 for PS3.

Edited November 4, 2013 by xenomorpher

[toptenmaterial]

I finally gave in recently and bought a new laptop. It has a feel that a tablet just doesn't. Don't count computers out yet.

[Reaperman]

I thought that PC's lost some relevance starting back in the win95 & early 3d-card days, but have really been getting it back thanks largely to the steam service.

I find that PC is now an easier platform to game on than console--at least ps3/360 consoles with their PITA updates.

[+Gemintronic]

PCs aren't personal computers anymore. They're steam boxes to run MMOs and sports like Starcraft and LoL.

[Keatah]

gartner is full of shit.

[AtariLeaf]

nice big bowl of bran will clear that right up

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

Pfffft ! Been hearing about the PC gaming dying since the original NES debut. Seriously, from cheaper games, Steam , GOG, upgradability, genres that appear more or are better on PC to MODS, Indie Gaming and improved integrated graphics the whole "PC gaming is doomed" argument is getting old, enough already. PC gaming is not going anywhere anytime soon PERIOD lol.

Edited November 8, 2013 by OldSchoolRetroGamer

[JamesD]

You have to wonder if the guy predicting that gets money from Microsoft or SONY.

[Keatah]

No need to wonder, there's all sorts of payoffs going on in "journalism" everyone knows that.

[Gregory DG]

Same old song and dance...