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[dLMN8R]

But anyway was Orange Box really such a huge success?

Considering that Team Fortress 2 has a huge online community, that Half-Life 2 sold more than 4 million copies as of the time that Episode One came out last year, and that those 4 million people are certainly *NOT* running to the PS3 and 360 to play the sequels in droves, I don't see it as being too far-fetched to say that Orange Box was very successful on PC.

Unless there's millions of gamers out there who simply don't care about following up on the sequel to Half-Life 2/Episode One, despite the sequel having identical PC requirements....

 

[KevinCow]

Maybe PC gamers should get a clue that their PC that they bought 1-2 years before the 360 ever came out isn't going to match the 360's power, but if you've built a PC since the time that the 360 came out or later, you'll easily handle games on the 360's level of quality.

Every single hardcore PC game out in 2007 - Crysis, BioShock, Unreal Tournament 3, STALKER, World in Conflict, and more - every single one of them followed the same rule. Get a PC in the last year, you're rocking on high details. Get a PC in the last 1-2 years, you're good to go on medium details. 2-3 years? Low/medium is fine. And for every single game except for Crysis, you're good even with a 6800GT that's nearly 4 years old on low details.


But wait, there's more.


Go take a look at Diablo 2's requirements. I dare you. Notice something funny? The minimum requirements for Diablo 2 - the absolute bare minimum requirements - were for a 3 year old system. And that's for a freaking 2D game that came out when 3D was first starting!

Rose colored glasses. Every single person bitching about game requirements has them, and needs to become aware of them.

Well that's all perfectly fine, and if they're happy with me not buying their product then all the more power to them. I'm not interested enough in PC gaming to bother building a gaming PC, but if games were able to run on my piece of shit then I might get some here and there.

As of now, I'm good with indie games for my PC fix.

 

[dLMN8R]

That's just as absurd as saying "well that's all fine and dandy if they don't want to make XBox games anymore! I hope they're happy with me not buying their 360 games!"


Feel free to stay with the old generation, but don't bitch about it when it's your choice not to keep up with technology. Especially when 2-3 year old hardware can still handle today's games fairly well, but a 3 year old XBox or PS2 won't even load the title screen of a 360 or ps3 game.

 

[bill0527]

2 reasons:

1. Piracy
2. World of Warcraft

/thread

 

[Teknopathetic]

"2 reasons:

1. Piracy
2. World of Warcraft

/thread"



Read. Articles.

 

[evlcookie]

Would be nice to know steam sales and every other digital distribution.

$910m aint bad for retail sales, and wow at WoW, nearly every "current" US subsciber owns a copy of BC, great job blizzard.

 

[No Means Nomad]

2 reasons:

1. Piracy
2. World of Warcraft

/thread

This post clearly doesn't take into account pirates in World of Warcraft.

 

[Danj]

Steam: ruining retail figures since November 2004.

Call of Duty 4 is only #4 on that PC chart because the Steam version is 150% more expensive than the retail version, I reckon.

 

[AstroLad]

Would be nice to know steam sales and every other digital distribution.

$910m aint bad for retail sales, and wow at WoW, nearly every "current" US subsciber owns a copy of BC, great job blizzard.

Yep, DD is going to kill Sales-Age. I'd imagine it troubles NPD to a certain extent as well on the software side. It's common to say that DD will never achieve mainstream acceptance, but for PC gaming we're already seeing that the NPD data doesn't really tell as much (as NPD admits). Same went for Warhawk as well, so it's not far off in the console space either.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

HEY EVERYBODY PC GAMING IS DEAD LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Prime crotch]

Is anyone reading the article? They're talking about how PC gaming is leaning towards digital distribution.

And yes consoles have always sold more, that's one of the advantages of having a gaming only system and there's shitloads of them these days.

 

[Teknopathetic]

"Is anyone reading the article? They're talking about how PC gaming is leaning towards digital distribution."


It's evident that very few really are.

 

[Xrenity]

I still expected Orange Box to be in the Top 10. Why isn't it in there? I wouldn't expect steam-sales to outsell retail copies by such a large margin.

And I also don't get why people still buy/play WoW. I quit after 3 months. Had a great time with it, but at level 47 I got bored with it.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Lack of a $ sign in title really makes shit more interesting than it is. I'm sure Valve's own nonsense more than made up for the difference on steam, much less every fucking else on there.

 

[Kabouter]

It's a shame there is no good data on online sales.

 

[MickeyKnox]

So do people just not read the OP when replying to threads anymore or what?

 

[bungiefan]

Steam is where it at. Retail pc games can die for all I care.

I think I bought 3 or 4 retail PC games in 2007... (two of which were MMO CEs) and nearly 20 on Steam, a few via other DD.

Retail shouldn't completely die, especially in regions like my state, where broadband isn't available to most of the towns, and most broadband ISPs have a usage limit and charge you extra for going over it. I'm on an ISP that doesn't actually have a usage limit, but they decided to cap my speed to about a 6th of what the service plan says it is supposed to be. People here aren't going to buy via digital distribution if they have to spend days on the download, or have to pay $5 to the ISP for every GB of download the game does just being delivered through such a method. The ISPs don't seem to be tolerant of this distribution method yet...

 

[Randy Lanzarote]

I'm guessing that Steam do not release sales figures for the games they offer on their service?

 

[MickeyKnox]

I'm guessing that Steam do not release sales figures for the games they offer on their service?

None of the digital distribution services provide numbers.

 

[Jive Turkey]

So do people just not read the OP when replying to threads anymore or what?

You talk as if people ever did.

 

[Bidermaier]

Since i switched to PC as main plataform for my games i only have stepped into a retail store to buy Gears of War.

Steam and Metaboli are a perfect combination. I couldn't be happier.

BTW: World in conflict is coming soon to metaboli!!! \o/

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

All in together now, bu bu but digital downloads!

Spoiler

The overall number is actually pretty decent, it's too bad so few titles are actual blockbusters. At retail, that is.

 

[poovine]

Steam for the motherfucking win. Brick and mortar PC distribution can wither and die for all I care, I wish every PC game were available via Steam.

I just hope Blizzard never goes online distribution only. Their game manuals are just too good.

 

[IzumiK]

I just hope Blizzard never goes online distribution only. Their game manuals are just too good.

And Collector's Edition.

 

[spwolf]

when in 2010 most of the games are on consoles, some people will get their head out of the sand...

 

[Walshicus]

I'm loving reading all the posts that completely misinterpret what this article is trying to say.

Last time we had a thread like this I'd just come home from spending an age searching every game shop in town to find a copy of the Supreme Commander standalone expansion. And I was quite dismissive of the platform's future and present impact as a result; after all I still remember the time when we had a dedicated shop for Amiga games in my town, and when GAME and Electronics Boutique were 50% PC software, only to be down to barely two shelves out of twenty now. And you [rather unfairly I still think] banned me for it.

But I suppose if you dismiss all these Sims expansion pieces of crap from the mix, or Steam downloads, then you might as well dismiss half the Wii library or XBLA/PSN/Wii Ware [when it comes out] sales revenues. And that's just stupid.

I still think the PC market is unhealthily concentrated on a few games and that developers will find it hard to bring new properties profitably to the market though.

 

[Vaporak]

when in 2010 most of the games are on consoles, some people will get their head out of the sand...

They already are. There's 5 or 6 console platforms compared to one PC platform in case you hadn't realized.

 

[Fuu]

I welcome digital distribution, I'll buy way more PC games when this becomes the norm.

And before posting, at least read the bold parts in the OP, people.

 

[IronicallyTwisted]

I'm not convinced Steam (or digital distribution in general) makes up for slow sales in the PC world.

 

[Walshicus]

I'm not convinced Steam (or digital distribution in general) makes up for slow sales in the PC world.

We won't really know that until we get figures for it. I suspect it goes some way to negating the apparant decline - though I'd imagine the fact remains that PC sales haven't been subject to the same level of growth as console sales.

 

[chico]

pc gaming is dying a slow and painful death...

 

[Haunted]

For shame, US gamers, for shame! Wait, Steam and digital distribution not incorporated in these numbers? Alright.... I blame Microsoft for the (alleged?) decline of PC gaming in the US, anyway.

PC still reigns supreme here, though. Germany represent!

pc gaming is dying a slow and painful death...

Since about 20 years, yes. :lol


Also: Some people should read this sentence again

"As we've seen from a number of our studies, the PC continues to be a top platform in terms of total game playing time, so I don't think this slight decline in retail sales is anything more than a reflection of a shifting of distribution channels"

 

[Dunlop]

I don't think healthy means what you think it means.

:lol

I wonder how many lives WOW has contributed to totally fucking up.

Addictive personality and/or Low self esteem + WOW = Game Over

 

[Cryect]

I just hope Blizzard never goes online distribution only. Their game manuals are just too good.

Not sure about that! The good game manuals died like a decade ago. Then again there probably is something to be said about games that required a 100+ page manual to explain to you how to play.

 

[Gattsu25]

Jesus Christ. It's no wonder GAF is filled with assholes who think that PC gaming is dying...they're all illiterate gits.

Then again there probably is something to be said about games that required a 100+ page manual to explain to you how to play.

Have you played Warcraft 3? That game didn't need a huge manual but they went the extra distance and made sure the manual was substantial

 

[Valtor]

Is there any place where we can get steam sales figures? Does Valve usually release them? I'd like to know how well Orange Box did on PC...

 

[Gattsu25]

Is there any place where we can get steam sales figures? Does Valve usually release them? I'd like to know how well Orange Box did on PC...

No. Not for Steam or any other digital distribution service

 

[Haunted]

Jesus Christ. It's no wonder GAF is filled with assholes who think that PC gaming is dying...they're all illiterate gits.

QFT. Tekno should be more liberal with the banstick on uninformed fuckers dropping unfunny one-liners.

 

[Tobor]

Yep, DD is going to kill Sales-Age. I'd imagine it troubles NPD to a certain extent as well on the software side. It's common to say that DD will never achieve mainstream acceptance, but for PC gaming we're already seeing that the NPD data doesn't really tell as much (as NPD admits). Same went for Warhawk as well, so it's not far off in the console space either.

NPD and Gamestop, both are living on borrowed time.

 

[Walshicus]

QFT. Tekno should be more liberal with the banstick on uninformed fuckers dropping unfunny one-liners.

Unless that gets applied to ALL systems, I don't see that as even remotely fair. Why should PC gamers get special consideration?

 

[Victrix]

For my part, I buy the majority of my PC titles either online, or via download.

My PC/console purchases last year were slightly higher on the console end I think - but only if you combine 360, DS, and Wii purchases, and only slightly in total.

Be interesting to see how many people are buying online/download services only, they need to start tracking that.

The Witcher is a good example - I know a lot of people ordered the import(ant) titties version online via gogamer or elsewhere. Didn't that sell over a million?

 

[MickeyKnox]

Unless that gets applied to ALL systems, I don't see that as even remotely fair. Why should PC gamers get special consideration?

:lol

There's no "special consideration" here, discussing a PC gaming topic on GAF is like a couple guys trying to talk about a subject while sitting in a room filled with parrots that don't stop making noise, noises that happen to sound a lot like words but are in fact completely devoid of reason, logic or comprehension since it's just noise coming from a fucking bird. Problem is the room is getting way too crowded and the people can't be heard over the incessant squawking, flapping and awkward imitation of human speech.

 

[Walshicus]

:lol

There's no "special consideration" here, discussing a PC gaming topic on GAF is like a couple guys trying to talk about a subject while sitting in a room filled with parrots that don't stop making noise, noises that happen to sound a lot like words but are in fact completely devoid of reason, logic or comprehension since it's just noise coming from a fucking bird. Problem is the room is getting way too crowded and the people can't be heard over the incessant squawking, flapping and awkward imitation of human speech.

And how does that not apply to the Console Wars?

 

[Jenga]

And how does that not apply to the Console Wars?

birdfights


also, why doesn't NPD include digital distribution to sales?

 

[PistolGrip]

wait

Age of Empires III sold 259K ? hmm

As we've seen from a number of our studies, the PC continues to be a top platform in terms of total game playing time

I believe they count free/flash games with this number.

unless spore and starcraft 2 are released 2008 may be an even worst year for PC gaming.

 

[MickeyKnox]

And how does that not apply to the Console Wars?

The Console Wars have no people and all the parrots have down syndrome.

 

[Jenga]

starcraft 2


this may be a worst year for PC gaming.

what

it's fucking starcraft 2. No games could come out this year and all the industry would need is starcraft 2

 

[PistolGrip]

what

it's fucking starcraft 2. No games could come out this year and all the industry would need is starcraft 2

Did you misquote me on purpose???

I wrote:
"unless spore and starcraft 2 are released, 2008 may be an even worst year for PC gaming."

 

[TunaLover]

I blame next-gen consoles

 

[Jenga]

Did you misquote me on purpose???

"

duh