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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Is PC gaming part of the MS ecosystem?

psrock on 16 July 2013

I was just reading Gaf, and I came upon a a poster claiming that  PC gaming was part of the MS ecosystem because of Windows. I used to think that way too, but with Steam and FACEBOOK doing their own thing, I don't see what PC gaming has anything to do with MS anymore. 

So what you guys think. 



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DucksUnlimited on 16 July 2013

Not sure I understand the question. Windows is very much associated with PC gaming, and is obviously owned by MS.



VGhippy on 16 July 2013

Well Microsoft does produce a lot of PC games, like Age of Empires, Mechwarrior and Microsoft Flight, and they do have Games for Windows Live exclusive to several games like the Arkham Asylum/City series so you have to use it just to play them (even if you buy them on Steam). Obviously the entirety of PC gaming is not part of the MS ecosystem, but they are still reasonably large players.



psrock on 16 July 2013
VGhippy said:
Well Microsoft does produce a lot of PC games, like Age of Empires, Mechwarrior and Microsoft Flight, and they do have Games for Windows Live exclusive to several games like the Arkham Asylum/City series so you have to use it just to play them (even if you buy them on Steam). Obviously the entirety of PC gaming is not part of the MS ecosystem, but they are still reasonably large players.

Games for Windows is  really small part of PC gaming unless proven otherwise. Even Sony makes PC games.



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ishiki on 16 July 2013

well they make directx API. Even Xbox isn't that big of a part of the MS ecosystem, PC gaming even less. So to your question IDK.



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sth88 on 16 July 2013

MS benefits from the PC gaming market as a whole, if for no other reason than that most people choose Windows for their gaming computers. And correct me if I'm wrong, but my impression is that a lot of games are PC-only. Yes, I know, it's possible to play PC games on a Mac, but it requires jumping through extra hoops that aren't an issue when you just get a PC, and naturally most people will just want to get into their games faster and with less hassle or additional purchases/downloads.



Jaywood2010 on 16 July 2013

Yes. They allow even some of their 1st party games to be released on PC. Fable, Project Spark, IloMilo etc Also think about Windows Live and them launching it with Gears of War a X360 exclusive.




       

KHlover on 16 July 2013

No, not really IMO. Of course Windows is the OS most games are optimated for and all games use DX, but that's about it. MS blatantly ignores PC gaming. If anything, PC gaming is part of the Steam and Origin ecosystem. All MS really does is collecting royalties.



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room414 on 16 July 2013
kowenicki said:
Go look at the STEAM stats and tell me it has nothing to do with MS. How are all these PC gamers playing these games... Through windows of course.

Come on man! This is trying too hard.

Microsoft fan nonsense.  

Microsoft doesn't see a dime from the vast majority of pc games. People already have windows on their pcs regardless if they're buying games or not.



                                
Zkuq on 16 July 2013

All MS does to be a part of the PC gaming ecosystem is develop DirectX so developers can't go anywhere else because they're used to it and as far as I know, it actually works. Other than that, they don't really do much.