-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
What's up with player counts in PC games?
- Thread starter taoofjord
- Start date
Sportbilly
Member
So they're fickle OR they're utterly dedicated. I wonder why...
paperspace
Member
⁣
fluffydelusions
Member
Isn't it kinda silly to argue numbers when the only ones we have are for PC? We have no idea concurrent numbers on console unless it's shown in game which isn't too common or if we have a stats site for a game like battlefield.
SeeNoWeevil
Member
MvC has been out a few days and is already at a paltry 2k. If you're in Europe that's probably a fraction of that. DOA. SFV is the same, probably about 800 players in the whole of Europe at peak hours. Tekken is following pretty much the same sort of numbers as SFV did at the same time. Dead.
Turn crossplay off in SFV if you want to see how dead fighting games are on PC.
But you're usually able to find games rather quickly on console. One would that means for players.
fluffydelusions
Member
You don't have to convince me that fighting games are more popular on console but at least we are getting them on PC nowadays compared to years ago.
There are a huge number of issues at play here, but allow me to give you an illustration:
Right now, this very moment, there are ~250 people playing Tribes 2 online, across roughly a dozen servers. This 16 year old game still has a community, and is still possible to play, thanks to fan patches and dedicated servers.
Every game that comes out, for those ~250 people, is competing with Tribes 2, the community built around it, and the years of history wrapped up with it.
There will still be people playing Tribes 2 when EA shuts down the servers for Battlefield 1.
Right now, this very moment, there are ~250 people playing Tribes 2 online, across roughly a dozen servers. This 16 year old game still has a community, and is still possible to play, thanks to fan patches and dedicated servers.
Every game that comes out, for those ~250 people, is competing with Tribes 2, the community built around it, and the years of history wrapped up with it.
There will still be people playing Tribes 2 when EA shuts down the servers for Battlefield 1.
CountAntonius
Member
Fighting games are in their infancy on PC. The more we get the better they will do.
Bry0
Member
This is what makes pc special. EA shut down Battelfield 2 servers, but thanks to a community project there are many full servers you can still play on with working ranks. Console games are very flavor of the month. Pc communities tend to stick around for a really long time.
Bolivar687
Banned
The number of people buying dedicated graphics cards to play console ports is incredibly small. For a game to achieve console type numbers on PC, it needs to run on integrated graphics, mobile laptop GPUs, and the outdated cards that make up the great majority of systems out there.
Optimus Lime
(L3) + (R3) | Spartan rage activated
This is something that I always find interesting in these threads. People are making statements about the distribution of players across platforms, generally, using incomplete data sets due to the private nature of PS4/Xbox player counts. The assumption seems to be that if a game's player count is low on the PC, it is because all of the players are actually on one of the consoles, when there is often no evidence to suggest that this is true.
Of course, we know the numbers for BF1/TF2 - and of course, their populations are console based. But, these results are not necessarily replicated in all titles across all genres.
paperspace
Member
⁣
fluffydelusions
Member
Survey of GPU's on Steam which includes integrated cards. Nvidia 1060 is the most popular card (I own it as well). Integrated GPU's aren't even in the top 10.
http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/videocard/
The most popular integrated GPU is the Intel HD Graphics 4000 which accounts for 1.58%.
Complistic
Member
Pc players aren't into buying the same game every year.
Zepp Twofist
Member
PC gamers play games that get long term support. Either from the developers or mod communities. Games that are just dumped on the market and don't have any support for either disappear, and that is how it should be.
dr_rus
Member
Around 12 million AIB units sold per quarter isn't exactly "incredibly small number".
fluffydelusions
Member
Around 12 million AIB units sold per quarter isn't exactly "incredibly small number".
I think it's also worth noting that the decline in desktop PC is that prebuilt crap you find in retail stores...yeah that stuff has been on decline for a while and for good reason...it's mostly junk.
Standards are higher on pc. EA and activisions rep on pc has been awful for quite a while. They have treated the pc player base like shit one too many times. Unfinished, buggy, poor support, removing features from future games, dumbing down, etc.
There's also way more games on PC with active communities. People don't stick with what they are spoon fed, and actually branch out to try new things. Some of the reasons people have listed are pretty decent, some of them are not.
Fighting games are another topic, but the genre it self is one of the most hardest and least popular out there. There's so many fighting games, but they are spread across multiple platforms.
It's because its the superior version. Less input lag, Looks better, and has overall better connections. A huge(which is small compared to other genres of game) player base doesn't make the PS4 version automatically win. I have never had an issue finding a match in T7 period.
There's also way more games on PC with active communities. People don't stick with what they are spoon fed, and actually branch out to try new things. Some of the reasons people have listed are pretty decent, some of them are not.
Fighting games are another topic, but the genre it self is one of the most hardest and least popular out there. There's so many fighting games, but they are spread across multiple platforms.
It's because its the superior version. Less input lag, Looks better, and has overall better connections. A huge(which is small compared to other genres of game) player base doesn't make the PS4 version automatically win. I have never had an issue finding a match in T7 period.
dr_rus
Member
Decline in PC shipments is wholly attributed to smartphones and tablets eating up this market. But you can imagine what PCs these were if they can be successfully substituted by an iPad.
TheRedSnifit
Member
Phones, maybe. But tablets, yes a few years ago. But look at the current tablet market. Sure some people are buying them, but most current Android tablets are pretty bad. And people seem content with older iPads that do what they need.
Windows is actually stealthily eating Android and iPads lunch right now. Any recent TV or movie I've seen that features a tablet device has either been a Surface or similar style tablet PC. Even recent anime that showcases tablets has the Windows interface when PCs were always represented as OSX.
And why not buy them. One deal I saw today that stood out was a Lenovo 10" 1920x1200 screen, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, and an Atom x7-Z8750 running Windows 10 Pro. For $200, why get a more limited device?
Poimandres
Member
This is what I love about PC multiplayer. Server browsers make all the difference in the world. I'm currently addicted to Halo 2 multiplayer and it's absolutely glorious!
Phatosaurus
Member
It released starved of content, anecdotal or not, I've seen at least 50 people completely stop playing the game and go back to playing different FPS games instead. Myself included.
On top of that, if you look at YouTube content creators that have historically made a name for themselves with Battlefield content, then you'll frankly not find many recent uploads regarding BF1.
Yes, they may well have high daily players on console but they've definitely dropped off a lot.
The fact that they've dropped so much on PC should be the real eye opened as Battlefield has always been a popular title on PC in the past.
That's due to product placement by Microsoft. Windows tablets are really, really, really poor when compared for the same usage cases as an iPad or even an Android tablet, from poor and underdeveloped touch interface, to poorly implemented internet browsing solutions (try watching Youtube on a Windows tablet), to severe lack of good eBook clients, to even basic stuff like a reliable operating system that can go to sleep and not drain it's entire battery within a day.
Usage cases for Windows tablets exist for more niche and specific scenarios, like artists who want to use a desktop program on the go or business people that need more productivity. Even a lot of times when used on TV, they are simply used for decoration (product placement), the hosts use iPads instead, since they are faster, more reliable, and easier to use.
dr_rus
Member
There are quite a few places in the world where tablets sales haven't even began to peak. In the US and EU sure, tablets are in decline as people generally prefer either "phablets" or still use their old tablets (I know I still use my Nexus 10 and iPad 4). But worldwide there are still quite a few markets where PCs are being pushed by touch devices.
fluffydelusions
Member
Yeah I have an iPad Air 2 and have no reason to upgrade to whatever new they even have out. I don't even keep track anymore cause the air 2 is great at everything still. Back in the day when tablets were sorta in their infancy it was exciting to get the latest and greatest but now no real need tbh.
bonesmccoy
Banned
BF1 was particularly crushing. I really enjoyed that one. But right around the 1st expansion I, and I guess a lot of other people, just stopped playing.
I think these games would be better served by adopting a different revenue model on PC. Sell the game for cheaper, but include a market place to keep money coming in and fans engaged. Release map/mode updates for free, or include a '1 party = everyone' system.
I think these games would be better served by adopting a different revenue model on PC. Sell the game for cheaper, but include a market place to keep money coming in and fans engaged. Release map/mode updates for free, or include a '1 party = everyone' system.
Didn't COD still outsell PUBG and CSGO?
On PC? No LMAO, not even remotely close.
paperspace
Member
⁣
tearsintherain
Member
Not even close. According to steamspy its sold ~500k copies total, and afaik Steam is the only way to play the game (well, I guess there is a seperate Windows 10 store version too which has its own matchmaking etc, but I remember at launch literally one guy waited hours to find a match and got a refund).
By contrast its sold over 10m copies I believe on console, at least by Activision's financial reports.
People just flock to a few games on PC. If you wanna play Overwatch, PUBG, CS:Go, and a few others than PC is awesome. If you wanna play other games its a bit more tricky.
I still play Titanfall 2 a few times a week on PC and queue times are 1-2 mins for attrition, but as you said can be insane for any other game mode. Battlefield 1 is still pretty popular though.
petethepanda
Member
It's such a bummer to see how far Battlefield has fallen on PC. (Though as one of the seemingly many people who haven't really fallen in love with the last few entries, I suppose it's not surprising.)
Yeah, I don't really agree. It's an amazing game and the WW1 setting is fantastic. It does suck PC numbers are lower I guess.
Oo I stand corrected
For PVE content like raids on the PC are great. For example I would expect that the PVE part of Destiny 2 will be loaded with people and the PvP part will be not be that popular.
POn PC PVP its not such a great environment, especially with FPS. Too much real or imaginary cheating going on that it's not worth it. On the PC there is a lot more chances of mods, exploits, cheat codes, extra monitors, macros, and specialized haptic devices. On the console its a much more normalized/standardized environment. If you are there for competition its a better place to be. Additionally finding friends (new ones at least) is easier on the console because it has an overarching system in place. PC not so much.
POn PC PVP its not such a great environment, especially with FPS. Too much real or imaginary cheating going on that it's not worth it. On the PC there is a lot more chances of mods, exploits, cheat codes, extra monitors, macros, and specialized haptic devices. On the console its a much more normalized/standardized environment. If you are there for competition its a better place to be. Additionally finding friends (new ones at least) is easier on the console because it has an overarching system in place. PC not so much.
We have our "buy the same game each year" cases too, although usually they are games free of DLC bullshit. I mean:
The last version always get daily peaks of 70k players all year long except when we are close to the next release. And even then (i.e. now) it still gets over 50k players.
That's not counting whoever may keep playing the older versions. With all of them we may be talking of >90k peaks on any regular day according Steam Charts. 2016 alone had a 10k peak today.
KonradLaw
Member
I think running it through Battle.net is a stroke of genius. This game will be huge on PC
KonradLaw
Member
Well, he did say "to play console ports"
Last time I've heard there are about 70 mln of truly hardcore pcgamers, which was defined by people who spend 1000 dollars on single upgrade. And there's a lot more than can run modern games decently. But I don't see them playing a lot of console ports. PUBG was built with PC in mind. If people don't accept compromises in graphics enough to spend so much money on upgrades, they sure as hell won't support compromises in gameplay.Even looking at multiplats, it's very telling that R6 Siege has ten times the players on PC than the last three Call of Duty games combined. The audience just has different tastes
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
http://store.steampowered.com/stats/
It is super clear now... PUBG, Dota 2 and CS:GO ate up all the competitive players. See the dropoff from CS:GO to Team Fortress 2. This shows that PC players tend to cluster around a small group of titans.
Maybe we PC gamers have a stronger herd instinct than other platforms?
It is the non-competitive players that herd together.
Hardcore players tend to stick around with games for longer.
KonradLaw
Member
Considering a lot of huge competitive titles aren't on Steam, like World of Tanks, LoL, Overwatch or Hearthstone I'm not sure it's wise to make that judgement.
RedAssedApe
Banned
What games are we talking about? Because I dont know that they particularly care which platform they sell on as long as the games continue to sell somewhere.
They probably hate all these people who dont play anything else. Lol unless of course they spend money on micro transactions
Evolution of Metal
Member
That post is 100% about Call of Duty, but even this game fits just half of the theory.
Yeah Steam or otherwise, it's basically a small group of juggernauts taking the lion's share of PC players. This suggests we might cluster harder than console players.
Darkstorne
Member
Yeah, I can see that. But I do wonder if that's because we have a much broader range of game genres to play, with MOBAs and strategy games like Civ also having huge player bases and no real presence on console. So I think shooters are just much more popular on console, while PC players gravitate to a wider range of games, leading to less players in the shooter genre hence consolidation towards a few specific games.
Hahha. What's with the shitty attempts at PC shade these days? They're getting worse.
These games never had a big audience on PC. If you think Titanfall 2 or Battlefield 1 had a chance of being juggernauts on PC you have absolutely no clue about the PC community and market. These games are for console players.
Battlefield 1 has 85k on PS4? Damn! CS:GO is only above 500.000 concurrent players 5 years after release.
Not to mention the biggest online game in the world League of Legends with 7+ million concurrent players, or PUBG, WoW, etc. ¯\_(ツ_/¯
What a patheticly misleading title and OP.
Try harder really.
These games never had a big audience on PC. If you think Titanfall 2 or Battlefield 1 had a chance of being juggernauts on PC you have absolutely no clue about the PC community and market. These games are for console players.
Battlefield 1 has 85k on PS4? Damn! CS:GO is only above 500.000 concurrent players 5 years after release.
Not to mention the biggest online game in the world League of Legends with 7+ million concurrent players, or PUBG, WoW, etc. ¯\_(ツ
_/¯What a patheticly misleading title and OP.
Try harder really.
CerebralTiger
Member
Thankfully Tekken 7 has a pretty active userbase so it worked out pretty well
When distributed across multiple regions, 4k ccu isn't a lot, especially for a fighting game where low latency is important and you'd prefer to play against players from your own or nearby regions.
icecold1983
Member
pc gamers seem to not want games too mechanically difficult anymore which sucks because a good arena shooter is still the best kind of online fps for me. and no law breakers is not a good arena shooter