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Forums - PC - Microsoft Reaffirms Commitment To PC Gaming

Black Fist on 27 September 2010
zarx said:
Black Fist said:
Foamer said:
Black Fist said:

If we realistically think about it, there is no point in MS supporting the PC when they have a console to sell. Unless the rumors that existed back in 08 are true, and the next Xbox will be part of Windows 8 and not a physical console.

Actually, there is a very good reason for MS supporting PC gaming- the vast majority of it is done on Windows and Windows and its Office and developer ecosystem is the cash generator for the company. Losing significant market share there is far more detrimental to the company than the prospect of losing out on licensing fees for 360 sales if people buy them for the PC instead. With Apple slowly moving into contention with an OSX Steam client, many games going cross-platform to the Mac with Steamplay, and the iphone absolutely wiping the floor with Windows-based smartphones, there's a real danger that the current small and steady  slippage could become something much larger.

I still say there isn´t.

Windows is their biggest selling product, sure, anyone agrees with that, but, at the end of the day, Windows is an OS, not a gaming platform. It will sell regardless of MS supporting games for it or not.  i said this back in 06, and i say it again, MS need to decide between Game for Windows or the Xbox, because it doesn´t make sense to have it both ways when it comes to games.

As it is, the Xbox lives on Halo, Fable and Forza alone (not talking about Gears, as it is 3rd party). Now imagine Halo and Fable going to the PC (Fable III is already there, Halo I and II were released there). Who in their right mind would buy a console to have one game alone (Forza)? To tell the truth, there is real reason to buy a 360 at this point (i bought mine in 07, when it was the best thing ever, i would never buy it in this day and age), much less if those games go to the PC as well. Exclusives are extremely important, and when i mean exclusives, i mean going to ONE patform only.

Microsoft are losing market share all over the place, they can't afford to lose gaming on windows. Which they are now apple are realising there is money to be made and steam is migrating. 

There is room for both PC gaming and xbox gaming. There are plenty of people that prefer consoles for gaming just as their are people that prefer PCs. The key to supporting both is to gather some first and second parties that not only bring multiplats for PC/Xbox but also craft exclusives tailored to each platform.

Just because you don't see the need for an Xbox now doesn't mean everyone doesn't their are millions of people that enjoy gaming on the 360 who wouldn't care if most of the games were available for PC. And by the way Forza is one of the franchises that would work well on PC, with a nice multi-monitor setup would be great (not that I could afford one lol). 

Oh and there are other things than just ports that Microsoft could do to support PC gaming. Like upgrading or scraping GFWL. Improving Direct X and making windows more game friendly, they did do a bit of work with win 7 and Direct X 11 but more could be done. 

Microsoft is losing market share by the second, that´s true, and that´s because, at this point, Microsoft is just a pathetic company, with bad decisions left and right. If not for the years in the computer business, they would have closed doors long ago. The only way to save Microsoft from obivion (and they are on their way there) is to fire everyone and start over. Steve Ballmer (MS´s CEO), Phil Spencer (head of Microsoft Game Studios) and Don Mattrick (basically the head of the XBox) need to go. Since Peter Moore left the company (former head of the Xbox) and went to EA (now head of EA Sports), the Xbox is a piece of crap.

As for PC gaming vs Xbox....

When you have a superior versions vs a inferior version, what are you going to choose? And let´s not forget about PC piracy. And, when choosing to buy a console, what are you going to get? The one that has all multiplatform games and then some (Sony or NIntendo) or the one that has all multiplatform games and nothing more to call their own? Without exclusives, a console is nothing more than an empty shell, it has no identity.

The problem is Microsoft´s moronic way of thinking. If you put a game in two platforms, you will sell double. So, it´s just a  matter of time until they figure that, if you put a game in three platforms, you will sell triple; in that day, MGS games will start to go to the PS3 (Halo would sell tons on the PS3 too). That Microsoft to you, they only see money, they only care for money, they have no pride in what they do.

EDIT: This post has been moderated. -d1



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zarx on 27 September 2010
Black Fist said:
zarx said:
Black Fist said:
Foamer said:
Black Fist said:

If we realistically think about it, there is no point in MS supporting the PC when they have a console to sell. Unless the rumors that existed back in 08 are true, and the next Xbox will be part of Windows 8 and not a physical console.

Actually, there is a very good reason for MS supporting PC gaming- the vast majority of it is done on Windows and Windows and its Office and developer ecosystem is the cash generator for the company. Losing significant market share there is far more detrimental to the company than the prospect of losing out on licensing fees for 360 sales if people buy them for the PC instead. With Apple slowly moving into contention with an OSX Steam client, many games going cross-platform to the Mac with Steamplay, and the iphone absolutely wiping the floor with Windows-based smartphones, there's a real danger that the current small and steady  slippage could become something much larger.

I still say there isn´t.

Windows is their biggest selling product, sure, anyone agrees with that, but, at the end of the day, Windows is an OS, not a gaming platform. It will sell regardless of MS supporting games for it or not.  i said this back in 06, and i say it again, MS need to decide between Game for Windows or the Xbox, because it doesn´t make sense to have it both ways when it comes to games.

As it is, the Xbox lives on Halo, Fable and Forza alone (not talking about Gears, as it is 3rd party). Now imagine Halo and Fable going to the PC (Fable III is already there, Halo I and II were released there). Who in their right mind would buy a console to have one game alone (Forza)? To tell the truth, there is real reason to buy a 360 at this point (i bought mine in 07, when it was the best thing ever, i would never buy it in this day and age), much less if those games go to the PC as well. Exclusives are extremely important, and when i mean exclusives, i mean going to ONE patform only.


Microsoft are losing market share all over the place, they can't afford to lose gaming on windows. Which they are now apple are realising there is money to be made and steam is migrating. 

There is room for both PC gaming and xbox gaming. There are plenty of people that prefer consoles for gaming just as their are people that prefer PCs. The key to supporting both is to gather some first and second parties that not only bring multiplats for PC/Xbox but also craft exclusives tailored to each platform.

Just because you don't see the need for an Xbox now doesn't mean everyone doesn't their are millions of people that enjoy gaming on the 360 who wouldn't care if most of the games were available for PC. And by the way Forza is one of the franchises that would work well on PC, with a nice multi-monitor setup would be great (not that I could afford one lol). 

Oh and there are other things than just ports that Microsoft could do to support PC gaming. Like upgrading or scraping GFWL. Improving Direct X and making windows more game friendly, they did do a bit of work with win 7 and Direct X 11 but more could be done. 

Microsoft is losing market share by the second, that´s true, and that´s because, at this point, Microsoft is just a pathetic company, with bad decisions left and right. If not for the years in the computer business, they would have closed doors long ago. The only way to save Microsoft from obivion (and they are on their way there) is to fire everyone and start over. Steve Ballmer (MS´s CEO), Phil Spencer (head of Microsoft Game Studios) and Don Mattrick (basically the head of the XBox) need to go. Since Peter Moore left the company (former head of the Xbox) and went to EA (now head of EA Sports), the Xbox is a piece of crap.

As for PC gaming vs Xbox....

When you have a superior versions vs a inferior version, what are you going to choose? And let´s not forget about PC piracy. And, when choosing to buy a console, what are you going to get? The one that has all multiplatform games and then some (Sony or NIntendo) or the one that has all multiplatform games and nothing more to call their own? Without exclusives, a console is nothing more than an empty shell, it has no identity.

The problem is Microsoft´s moronic way of thinking. If you put a game in two platforms, you will sell double. So, it´s just a  matter of time until they figure that, if you put a game in three platforms, you will sell triple; in that day, MGS games will start to go to the PS3 (Halo would sell tons on the PS3 too). That Microsoft to you, they only see money, they only care for money, they have no pride in what they do.


I won't really touch the first part here, I don't think this thread is the place for that discussion. If you wan't to make a thread about it then I will gladly discuss it with you.

at the start of this gen most of the games were pc/360 and the 360 still sold fine. Then for the last 3 years or so far fewer games from Microsoft were brought over to the PC. Games like Fable 2, Gears 2, Forza 3, Halo wars etc and Mass effect for a time were kept as 360 exclusives. This didn't seem to have a major impact on 360 sales or really game sales. This suggests to me going the other way won't make a major impact on the 360. And I think microsoft are realising that and realising that they are losing out by not supporting PC gaming. There is clearly enough difference in the demographics of both platforms that there is room in the market for both.

I don't think Microsoft will ever move to SONY consoles etc, they are trying to push their own platforms with their support. There is little benefit for them to publish games on other platforms, there is far more money in the platforms them selves (XBL and windows). They have invested a very large amount of money into getting a foot hold into the console space and I think their support for PC gaming suffered a bit. I think they have the money and the need to support both. 

That is my opinion on the matter anyway.



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