PC Games is all the rage. Almost every other year, it comes around. PC gamers have been playing them for decades. PC games almost define the term “core gamers.” In some circles, they still are
The tale of the eternal non-dieing PC gaming is actually a case study in modern common sense and critical thinking. The most influential and profitable business in the gaming industry is dead because of one simple factor. PC gaming is losing its grip on the market, and companies that cater to this niche are hemorrhaging money. So, just what is it that is killing PC gaming? PC gaming’s future is clear – away from dedicated game consoles and into open source gaming platforms, where the lion’s share of development funds will go to the gamers.
PC gaming’s decline can be traced back to two major events. The first was the development of cheap and affordable game consoles. The second was the migration of PC gamers to gaming PCs that can be accessed by renting or buying a computer. The change in the gaming market prompted PC gamers to migrate from the expensive and bleeding-edge consoles to PCs that offered them a better and more affordable gaming experience.
PC gaming’s decline also can be traced to the arrival of several new competing consoles. When Wii and Xbox were first introduced, there was little doubt that they would shake up the gaming industry. The arrival of these competing consoles signaled the death of PC game sales. PC’s ability to provide great graphical detail and textures quickly turned it into a budget option. Suddenly, PC gamers were left with the question, if not now, when will they get their fix of the gaming pie?
As with anything else dying, we get introduced to better, cheaper alternatives. We get better graphics, more control, faster response time, and the ability to do more things than ever before. The rise of cloud computing and other virtualization technologies has resulted in us moving away from our PCs and towards much less expensive and much more powerful consoles. So why is pc gaming’s decline so alarming? Why is it that the once vibrant gaming industry is now dead and fading into oblivion?
PC gaming’s decline is being hastened by the emergence of several online gaming platforms such as Valve Corporation, Play-logic, Uplay, and Microsoft. These companies have brought a revolutionary change to how video games are played across multiple platforms. By bringing these interactive platforms to the internet, they are beginning to threaten the exclusivity enjoyed by gaming consoles. The removal of unnecessary costs from the equation has led to lower pricing and greater availability for consumers. With all of this going on, it is no wonder that many analysts now predict that the PC gaming market is dying quickly. I don’t think it will happen anytime soon either, but it is clear that something is changing in the future.
I believe the PC gaming industry will not be dying soon because of the rising importance of social interaction. Social interaction has always been one of the major draws to PCs, which have enabled gamers to bond with each other far better than console-based consoles ever could. With the introduction of social interaction to gaming platforms, it only seems natural that the PC will continue to grow in popularity. The dying PC will grow into the next generation of consoles that we all know and love. It would seem that the social interaction enjoyed by PC gamers will not only live on but will thrive into the next generation of consoles.
What do you think about this prediction? Do you agree that it is just another one of those fads that will surely die out, or do you think that it is something that will actually live on? PC games would have a very bright future ahead of them. They are highly in demand, and they are the new wave of interactive entertainment. The future for PC gaming would look much brighter than any other time in the past. PC games would continue to evolve into even better games as developers try to produce games that will give the best experience possible to their players.