Steam survey is skewed towards active pc gamers, even more so towards those who like to compare their system against the rest. So if anything I would assume that the actual average pc is less capable than the Steam survey suggests.

It would be more interesting to see what the average pc is of people that play demanding games on Steam, but I guess they keep that data private to sell to game companies. So blame me and many others for playing The Witcher 2 on a GT230m that they abandoned global illumination for the 5%. (or whatever small percentage of high end hardware gamers)

Since you suddenly decided that some people are "non-pc gamers" so they can't use factual data, I was curious how did you reach that conclusion. I'd claim you are not a gamer so your opinion is worthless, but that would be an equally meaningless statement.

Anyway, since you don't have an answer to that let's get back to your question. If you think that a survey should be 100% correct you don't know what a survey (or a scientific research for that matter) is. It is there to give you an idea and it does. Very useful data that evidently developers  are looking into.

Steam has a lot of very low end PC owners on it. Hell, some people are still using Windows XP. A better indicication are gpu sales and then if you look at high end game surveys e.g Star Citizen. The majority of people in that game are (500k) running with top end i5's or i7's, and enthusiast graphics cards. Combine this with the magic of graphics options and you can cater for all users. To cap the high graphics so much smacks of a broken engine....which lets be honest, is highly likely considering how bad the Witcher 2 engine was for performance.

"I'd claim you are not a gamer so your opinion is worthless, but that would be an equally meaningless statement." which is exactly what I knew the desired outcome of that answer would be and I'm glad I wasn't wrong.

"Anyway, since you don't have an answer", no that's you now making it about what was said earlier, lets really not deliebrately try making it all about that because I challenged others for using a database as an end all to be all result, I'm sorry but it's just not, I don't see PC gaming sites like PC gamer constantly posting Steam HWS data 99% of the time, I see more thought put into it than just falling back on that one database and equaling it as if it covers every single PC gamer.

yeah I'm well aware of it's purpose but to you guys you look at it and instantly think all PC gamers are on low end hardware, that's the issue with that database is that it doesn't cover users not opted in, users not using Steam etc, even then after that no one bothers to start trying to account for those not in the database which is what I find really lazy when people instantly resort to the Steam HWS as an end all to be all "PC's are low end dealz with it" answer.

But hey that's none of my business because I don't know what a survey is, didn't answer a question that wasn't the main point and don't know nearly as much as you do.

Star Citizen is kinda a go to game for people with high end PCs though, it is more of a benchmark, so it kinda skews the results by itself. You can make a graphically OK game and cater to pretty much 90% of the people or you can spend millions to cater to the top few million players which will probably buy your game anyway. I'm not saying this was CDPRs reasoning, but it makes sense for a medium sized studio.

Ha yea, don't you love the PC price talk always.  As you said some people (an insane amount) spend so much on phones each year.  

To those of us with decent pc's plan on that expense.  It's not like we randomly spedn $1,000 one day on pc upgrades.  We plan on it for months.  We cut expenses in other areas to budget it.  If it means having the same phone for over 2 years, I'm fine.  I don't pay a single dime for any subscriptions such as Xbox Live, PSN, or whatever things those consoles have.  that saves me a like $50 a year or more.  PC I purchase at discounted prices.  thought console games do tend to be half price a month after release these days if you wait.  

When upgrading, a person doesn't have to puchase a new tower, new monitor, new keyboard, new mouse, new power supply, new hard-drives and any other periphial (headphones, mic, controllers, ect)  i can use what I currently have.  So detract that from my final cost.  to a new builder they need to purchase all of thos eand it can make it seem duanting.  But when you don't, that when you can afford to splurge if you want and get that graphics card that has the extra oomph if you want.

Oh and lets not forget the most basic thing.  Everyone needs a computer anyway.  So consider that part of the price.  If you want that computer to be a laptop or a pathetic tablet, that's your choice.  I chose to spend that "need money" on a desktop.  i can use my phone for any "to go/mobile" stuff i may need.

Btw, last time i upgraded was right aroudn when Guild Wars 2 came out.  Sometime around then.  My PC is still better than the PS4, and I didn't go overboard at all.

The question was about your condescending "non pc users" attitude which  you seem to think give you an advantage in discussions. You don't seem to get it, carry on.

Nobody thinks that all PCs are low end. But they are the minority. Vocal sure, but close to meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

I am definitely convinced that you don't know what a survey is because you are still talking about the "issue" that it doesn't cover every single being on the planet.

I don't think pointing out there being non PC users gives me an advantage, there's nothing wrong in pointing out that people don't game on PC and being able to spot them, you think it's wrong for me to spot my stepdad out for not being one who knows how to use PC's/phones and yet a few times he's gabbed as if he knew about them until I stepped in to correct him, what's wrong with that?.

You straight off the bat went with Steam HWS like it literally was the very and only end all to be all answer, truth is it isn't and you'll argue till the cows come home that it is, it's really not and you don't account for what I said before about people who opt out, people not on Steam but instead you went into a defensive mode and decided to focus on me pointing something out and instead of answering first you went straight for the throat, sorry if I don't see you being any more civil.

"Nobody thinks that all PCs are low end. But they are the minority. Vocal sure, but close to meaningless in the grand scheme of things."

Apparently a lot of people do, appartly if we go only by Steam HWS there's lots of low end to be had, what's the grand scheme of things?.

"I am definitely convinced that you don't know what a survey is because you are still talking about the "issue" that it doesn't cover every single being on the planet."

Sure lets keep focus on that and maybe you'll win from irking someone to death, I already said I know but again you are basing your answer as if the survey is end all to be all but sure lets roll with your answer because at this point I can't be bothered to deal with two different people acting in the same manner.

ok let me ask you two questions.

1) What spec of PC do you think would be required to run the witcher 3 as it was originally showed, before the downgrade?

2) Take an educated guess as to how many PC gamers will have these builds.

My answers would be

1) atleast an i7/GTX970

2) the minority

Therefore, for the majority who dont have that, wont be disappointed by the 'downgrade' since they were not going to be able to play it at the higher setting anyway. When people bought expensive PC's that money went to hardware manufacturers, CD projeckt got nothing and therefore they dont owe it to you to make software that justifies your hardware purchase.

If you think it looks pants then fine, but most gamers know it runs as good as it can be on their hardware.

You speak as if PC gamers will just buy the game and most will set it to ultra and it will run ok because 'it looks pants' anyway. Thats not how it works.

A German website reported:

+ resolution on PS4 better (1080p)
+ better textures and more color intensity
PS4 > Xbox1