what about cell phone video games?  they're video games, and this is "vgchartz" as in video games.  cell phones have video games, too.

and what about online video games people play on their web browsers?

why are there no special sections for each of those on vgchartz? 

I was very delighted to see a thread like this posted, and would like to give the op a great big hug :)

NPD Group did a study, titled Gamer Segmentation II, (posted by Gamespot last month), where they interviewed 11, 638 gamers and comprised them into 6 different segments to represent how the overall market buys and plays their games. 

Out of the gamers NPD Group interviewed, 33% were identified as "Avid PC Gamers" who purchased an average of 5.6 games a year and gamed on their PC an average of 13.6 hours a week.

The next largest group, defined as "Secondary Gamers" represented 22%, with the PC being the main platform for 2/3 of them (the other third occupying consoles).

Coming in third, the "Avid Console Gamers" represented only 20%, and in last place, also occupying only consoles, was the "Heavy Gamers" which represented only 2% of the gamers interviewed.

 The other two groups were the "Mass Market Gamers" (15%) and the "Casual Kid Gamers" (8%). Both categories gamed on a mix between consoles and PCs.

The news item can be found here:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173525.html

I'd also like to address the issue of cost-effectiveness with a console over a PC. While it is quite possible to spend upwards of $3k on a highend system, it is also very feasible to still get a powerful machine for under half that. In fact, if you include the cost of, let's say a brand new HD-TV and other components for your console, it's very possible that a PC could cost less than what you would pay for such other premium items for you console maching.

 PC titles also support a magnitude of settings one can adjust based on the performance of their system (AA, AF, in-game settings, etc).

But then again, I'm not on some crusade trying to convert all console gamers to PC's. However, like the op and several other members have stated, I'd just like to see PC titles garner the same limelight as titles from almost all other platforms.

I think PC games are ignored by console gamers because it's too complicated for them to get everything going. Most (read: MOST, i'm a console gamer too and hardcore PC gamer) lack the knowledge to build a PC or even optimize the games to run them right on their current system.

Also, most have the utterly false idea that PC gaming is super expensive, but a gaming level PC costs you less than $1000 USD... and if you have a TV with PC input... well, you don't need a monitor anymore. And you can do lots of things with that PC, you are not paying $1000 just for games.

I agree that the PC version of Halo was better than the Xbox version. If you follow what reviewers tell you then why even bother playing games or forming an opinion of your own?

 agreed but at that price even home made you have a low level or not high life expectancy system.... and just the tower.... you can't expect to have a 5 year lasting system with 1000$... so for gamers who like cheap long term investment consoles stay the best for them.... 

me I made a home made 2500 bucks computer 6 years ago and I didn't pay the tax on the component.... and it was just the tower it didn't last 4 years before I started to feel my PC to really be behind the average recomended configuration.....  and my combo HDTV XB costed me about the same price you are right on that.... but hey it's a 40" 1080p.....   

no wonder i'm broke all the time though lol 

Hmm, maybe I'm not too bright, but I don't think a $1,000 computer could run the most graphic intensive games.  I have a 2 year old computer and I just had my first game that I deemed unplayable on my computer.  Dirt.  I downloaded the Demo pumped and I might as well have been watching a slide show because my fps must have been low teens.  So I would honestly like to know this computer that runs Dirt well for less than $1,000. 

 Second, everyone already has a computer that gets on the internet, runs applications, etc.  These require low processing power, unless you are utilizing a high end editing program.  So for most consumers, spending $1,000 on a gaming computer is essentially only going to get you the gaming portion.  And some minor efficiencies on programs you already run.  Thus, it's like PS3 at twice the price minus blu ray.  So cost is the number one reason.

Multiplayer is the number two reason.  Multiplayer is pretty much on-line only for the computer.  This means that A.  Your friends have to have a gaming computer to play, and B.  If your friends physically come visit you, you can't play with them.  I know that you have all those random battles but I have much more fun playing my actual friends. 

people who spend more than $1000 on a PC are kidding themselves. You can spend less than half the price, have a PC that lasts for half the time, and save money in the long run (especially since you don't need to replace every bit of it. If you buy your components one or two steps below top of the rung you can save a lot of money. It might last a year less but you save money in the long run.

my current pc costa s much as a ps3 costs and it has been adequate for 4 years now. my next pc will last about hte same and have BETTER graphics then the ps3 cause of the stuff put inot the pc and guess what it will cost bout the same as a ps3 as well. but you say playing on 1080i on a HDTV is georgous well guess what at the highest resolution on a pc its georgous as wel with higher framerate as well.

I'm probably the last person people would expect to stick up for the PS3 but if you're buying a new computer at the same price as the PS3 and expect it to play all the new games coming in the next 5 years with high resolution and high framerates you're kidding yourself.

Like eating, little and often is the keyword for upgrading the PC, it doesn't need to be top-of-the-range to play the greatest and best games, and when you upgrade it doesn't need to be the best.

The key to budgeting for a PC is to spread it out over the years.

0) Build it yourself if you can, as it's cheaper.

1) When choosing a motherboard you make sure it will be supported for a few years.

2) Buy a decent but not the highest rated CPU - for games it isn't as important as the GPU.

3) Buy a good GPU, near the Top, but NOT the top. The few extra frames and 16x AA isn't really worth the money 8800 GTS is good enough, even the 8600 if your on a tight budget and have a 19" Screen

4) Get 4 GB of ram, it's not something to hold back on if your getting Vista, (I recommend dual booting with XP)

5a) if you are on a budget, just stick with your old 19", in a couple of years those nice 24" Wide screens will be cheap, they already have dropped a lot in price.

5b)If you live alone use the your HD Screen as your monitor and arrange your setup accordingly

6) with all the money you save from not getting top of the range now in a couple of years use the money to upgrade the CPU and GPU and even a 24" LCD if you wish.

PC should have it's own forum there are loads of PC gamers on this site, and more will be attracted if they had there own place.

There is an impressive list of games that are coming out for the PC, as well as an extensive library of existing games. There is also alot of questions about buying, maintaining and configuring PC's that have been asked on the forum it makes sense for these questions to have a place to go. It would take very little effort to create and be very welcome :)

I'm a PC Gamer (since 1991) I know I would like it.