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Steam hits 12 million concurrent users.
- Thread starter Archie
- Start date
They probably are. The most popular PC games aren't AAA multiplatform games for the most part, they're exclusive PC games that have a low baseline hardware requirement and don't scale that high.
No. Even if they included competitive multiplayer modes in HL3, it'd be a totally different type of game which doesn't really compete with CS. Counter-Strike has survived for 15 years on just three main releases because there has yet to be any real replacement for it. I'm sure another Valve competitive shooter would hurt CSGO's numbers a little, but not to any degree that would warrant Valve avoiding working on a single player sequel to Half-Life.
They don't seem to be worried about that, they already are introducing competitive matchmaking to TF2.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
I agree. I bet a lot of people when they think of PC gaming they think it's the high end graphics cards and AAA games and FPS and pixelz and whatever other words are associated with that but the reality is (and again this is my speculation) the vast majority are people playing on their laptops or shitty PCs on med or low settings. Playing what they can for the cheap prices they got the game.
Knowing that, would you say that is "PC Gaming"? Is there only one kind of PC gaming. Is the kind I'm describing sustainable? Etc... I'm not saying it's not I'm just saying it's interesting to think about.
I can't see the current data, but last month apparently 4% of people had GTX 970s, and I think usually ~15% of people have PS4-level GPUs or better.
Ricerocket
Member
I believe they have something new in mind and will use it to push what they have planned ahead like they did with Steam from the start. Steam started out rough and terrible but hey, you had to play HL source on it.
I don't think there is. A big part of the growth and exposure of PC gaming in recent years is that more people are playing these AAA games on their PCs again. It's important to not let the gigantic numbers of those huge PC games like LoL and DOTA2 overshadow this new growth in mid to high end PC range, there is a reason why we see more of those console publishers returning to PC, putting their PC releases out with the console versions - because it's big enough to be an important market for them and that's thanks to that growth.
I'd say "PC gaming" is more diverse than ever, it caters for those people playing on low end systems and laptops with lots and lots of great games, but there is also a large and growing market for the mid - to - high end AAA games.
It's also important to remember that as the consoles age, cheaper and cheaper PC hardware is able to surpass the console equivalent settings of games. That's what helps the sustainability of that side of the market.
It's not a new thing and it has sustained so far.
According to the steam surveys almost half PCs are around or above console hardware.
serikson45
Banned
Of course it's sustainable. As people's computers become more powerful naturally, they can play more games without buying dedicated hardware (consoles). In this day and age it's about all-in-one devices. That's why you see the rise of pc gaming and mobile numbers. It goes hand-in-hand with the overall shrinking of the dedicated console and handheld market.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
I just mean from a AAA perspective when I ask if it's sustainable because like I said most of the PCs playing the games are probably not very good and most of the games being played were probably purchased maaaad cheap on some big sales or something.
Just guessing. There's no doubt it's sustainable from a non-AAA perspective. It's no different to an app store to me, just with better games and whatnot.
I think at this point it's safe to say it is sustainable, it has been going on for what, 6-7 years now and still growing. It'd be a reasonable argument back when PC gaming was apparently 'dying' in 2005-2007 and it was showing signs of picking back up (when in reality, it was just that AAA segment of the market that was being referred to as 'dying'), but we're in a VASTLY different market to then.
Felix Lighter
Member
AAA games are released more consistently on PC now, than ever before. They sell millions of copies. These questions you have are based on your gut and hunches while actual hard data exists to refute you guesses. AAA big publisher releases typically sell more on console, no doubt but PC sells more than enough to justify the dev time investment.
Mass Effect
Member
The rate of growth for Steam continues to impress.
They do. It's in the OP.
They also use to show how many people were in-game (any game) total. Guess not anymore.
Except not really
They do. It's in the OP.
They also use to show how many people were in-game (any game) total. Guess not anymore.
Except not really
Handheld shrinked because of Mobile, pc ain't doing anything to Console business, XBox and Playstation are stronger than ever.
Now Mobile is a real threat, handheld market is in danger.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
PC gaming is attached to the PC industry to me and the PC industry has been trending downward in general the last little while.
Though I'm sure eventually steam will come to mobile devices and whatnot...
serikson45
Banned
Good point, I would say that is entirely up to how long each console cycle is. PC gained a lot of high-end momentum at the end of last generation because of how long the cycle lasted.
High-end pc seems to be in an even better position this generation because of how underpowered these consoles are. Integrated graphics even has a shot to possibly catch up to PS4 this time around.
Felix Lighter
Member
Yeah, never mind. It's probably dying.
What makes you say that?
There was a pretty big dicussion in the steamspy ToZ sales thread yesterday about the difference in revenue from digital vs. physical and there was some pretty goo posts decribing how much devs/pubs really earn from physical releases compared to digital where they get a guaranteed 70%
fluffydelusions
Member
I think he is referring to those shitty prebuilt desktop pcs you can find at like bestbuy or whatever...those have been reported on the decline since forever while gaming hardware rises.
MutonCommander
Banned
Impressive, go Gaben! Even more so because game consoles are also doing very well so Steam doesn't seem to have taken a hit from the new generation of hardware. It used to be that PC gaming would diminish in popularity during the first few years of a console generation as gamers flocked to shiny new hardware. This doesn't seem to have happened at all this time so I wonder how much more popular Steam will become once gamers grow tired of the PS4 and the Xbone.
ashecitism
Member
That was the plan years ago, but seems like they're skipping it in favor of VR.
serikson45
Banned
You left off Nintendo, which was the real powerhouse last gen. The fact that 3 healthy platforms turned into 2 helps my point.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
It's going on Twitch... http://www.twitch.tv/streaminc
Doge is hosting some sort of techno rave. I feel old.
BoosterDuck
Banned
Great maybe devs should update their games so they work on modern systems *COUGHrockstarCOUGHtecmoCOUGHcapcom*
-Pyromaniac-
Member
PCs have just been selling less and less every year the last while. I think the last IDC numbers had it at a 5% drop YoY. Don't get me wrong it's still a shitton of PCs being sold (we're talking 100s of millions) but it's something to consider I guess.
Everybody is on a PC cycle like mentioned above. The amount of people dropping their PCs will only rise as time goes on, probably at a faster rate each and every year. I think IDC actually increased their forecast froma 3% drop to 5% for the year. I don't see that trend stopping any time soon.
Even me who has a PC that I built and have upgraded myself multiple times a year, I honestly think this will be my last time ever doing it. I'll probably get a laptop next and then eventually by the time that cycle is over everyone will have moved to mobile. Plenty of years out but if I'm at that point I imagine most people are well beyond it.
Some of the top bought PC games of the year are Witcher 3, GTAV, Ark, Rocket League, and Dying Light. You're not going to be playing those on a toaster.
A lot of different people play PC games, from those that only play LoL, DOTA2, CSGO, or any other MMO, to those that have great hardware and get the most out of it. I would say that's no different from the person who buys only NBA2k and COD every year and nothing else on the consoles. The kind of user that doesn't even realize the Playstation store exists. There are casual users and power users.
Crimsonclaw111
Member
Capcom games don't work on Windows 10? I've had no issues on 8.1.
Anything prebuilt is dying faster than ever and that's not even weird.
And PC hardware is harder to equate as new PCs of course so steam numbers would be one of the better ways of measuring an installbase of PC gamers.
PC overall sales are dropping over the years. Gaming PCs and gaming components are selling more and more.
Just take a look at NVIDIA last year finantial results.
*Sigh* You realize that thread you're citing was a troll thread? If not, congratulations, you fell for it.
Look, you yourself just said we're talking tons of PCs. The number of those PCs that are gaming class has been going up every year. And why the hell would you upgrade a PC multiple times a year, anyway?
BoosterDuck
Banned
I'm talking about games with outdated DRM like Dark Void and Lost Planet.
I really enjoy king of the hill. Framerates can get a bit tough tho, for me anyway!
Wasteland is also fun although it misses a end game.
And then you have all the milsim servers that are fun, but you need right mods and ideally need to be in a clan.
When you are discussing PC numbers, don't look at boxed sales which are getting heavily eroded by tablets and smartphones.
Enthusiast hardware sales have massively increased over the past decade, and look to continue to do so. Steam 'active account' numbers and concurrent user records continue to be broken. These are relevant statistics.
PetriP-TNT
Member
The "but AAA games cannot be played on toasters" argument is absolutely nuts. There's a huge audience for games that don't need high end rigs to play and there's a constant stream of new games that don't require high end rigs. When people upgrade their toasters to toasters of 2017, they suddenly notice thousands and thousands of older games that they couldn't play on their old toaster.
I am betting that many, MANY companies have a rather healthy cash flow coming in just from having the old catalogue available. PC games don't expire*. Old games don't go away when new ones launch. Some of the most popular games are 5 to 10 years old. I bought a bundle made of games released in early 90's just a few weeks ago and I have a rather high end rig.
* Well MMO's do or there are DRM's that cannot be gotten around, but that's up to the game maker to decide.
I am betting that many, MANY companies have a rather healthy cash flow coming in just from having the old catalogue available. PC games don't expire*. Old games don't go away when new ones launch. Some of the most popular games are 5 to 10 years old. I bought a bundle made of games released in early 90's just a few weeks ago and I have a rather high end rig.
* Well MMO's do or there are DRM's that cannot be gotten around, but that's up to the game maker to decide.
MutonCommander
Banned
This is all true but more and more people buy current AAA games as well. So what does that tell us?
Vigilant Walrus
Member
I noticed the spike in the Old Republic Games. I looked at how Jedi Knight Academy was doing - over 2200 people in the game! watt! instantly bought! Time to own some noobs online with double bladed saber>
3 bucks; http://store.steampowered.com/app/6020/ (also for KOTOR2 and Outcast)
3 bucks; http://store.steampowered.com/app/6020/ (also for KOTOR2 and Outcast)
Considering an i3 and 750ti have went toe to toe if not beating the ps4 in head to head comparisons I fail to see what this would be indicative of
PetriP-TNT
Member
People like video games on their Personal Computers because PC gaming is more accessible than ever?
7 million for sure. There are hackers everywhere in that game. That one guy just shot me to the head like within one millisecond. R-e-p-o-r-t-e-d
The more significant number is surely from old grandmothers who have Steam running in the background without their knowledge.
MutonCommander
Banned
Yes!
