Consoles are this eras PCs

[richardhutnik]

Gaming today on the PC, for MOST people, is something they do incidently with their PCs, because they have the devices. There is a dedicated hard core following that will be into PC gaming in a BIG way. These are usually techie geeks who do their gaming on PCs, and it is a way to prove their geeky manhood. They are like guys who own these modded sports cars they pimped out. These individuals make up probably around 20% of the total PC gaming market. Of course, you get college keeps who will play games like World of Warcraft. But, for most people, they aren't buying a power PC to play it. The game just has to work on their computer and they play.

Now consider the average person. Outside of some Flash games they find on Web, or maybe Yahoo or MSN Zone, these individuals will go to consoles for gaming. It is easier, and has less headaches. The Wii is particularly appealing to such people, because they get to do more casual stuff on it. It is a way to get friends together and play, and get some laughs.

What the PC is fighting a battle against is piracy, which kills sales, and also it being an unstable platform where you write code, and some person out there can't run it, because of issues with their PC. It is pure potlock with them. Like, how in the heck am I able to run Civ 4 for my laptop like a dream and EVERY expansion for Civ 4 on it, EXCEPT Beyond the Sword. Why? How about the disk protection doesn't work with my version of my laptop's BIOS. And you will get a shio type who tells you, "Stop being a moron. You can update your BIOS and get it to work". It is the same mentality of the people who play Madden and tell you to practice, just when you want the AI to run plays for you. In other words here, why do I have to do this, just to play games? I want to play. If it is going to be work, how about you PAY me to do it? People do stuff like this for a job.

So, it is here now. Most people will put up with less raw capabilities, and features and "coolness", if they can get something to work the first time, and work. Maybe not great, but still work. And this is why consoles show growth greater than PC gaming.

Oh, one can reach for stats of "But China is growing". Yeah, developing nations where the only chance you get to play games is in computer centers that people will pay to play. They are versions of arcades from the past, with people too poor to own their own devices. If places can run pirated games on their machines, they will. Or, they will have free online games people can play and do with, ad supported. Places like this generally fold up shop in North America, unless in a MAJOR metropolitian center. And, in North America, they also have videogame systems. Gee, what a shock!