This is sad. Really sad. Console gamers in understanding PC gaming maturity is just in the low end of the spectrum. While the OP has a point that PC gaming will continue with MMO and RTS alone there is far more to the scene than that.

Console gaming is focused around notable publishers. There are hundreds of development studios/teams/companies that exist, but they all have to go through a publisher because of solid state medium, cost of license for said machine and agreements for the license. The fallacy is the perspective the console game uses in seeing the PC market. The Console gamer only looks at the the big publishers who deal in both PC and Console. That's all they are trained to see because it's a small picture.

The truth is that PC gaming isn't reliant on Big Publishers because Digital Distribution has become the norm for a majority of the games. That's right if you look at ALL the games that ALL the PC companies release, which is a massive undertaking because there is no centralized publishers. You will find that said Big Publisher games only constitute 10%(ok it's fudge number that i'm pulling out of my arse, in fact it could be vasly lower) of the PC games. Though to be fair those 10% are some serious big budget games.

PC gaming is very healthy, not because of Big Publishers, but in fact that it's an open development system that everyone uses that has no restrictions or strangle hold licenses. The small developers who make games many of you will never hear of. Will get practicly all the money for each copied sold. Instead of only receiving a tiny royalty and part of the production costs.

If in theory that console gamers(the negative ones) were right at all the Big Publishers pulled all their funding from PC games you know what would happen. Nothing. It would lead a vacuum that would be soon filled by some of thousands of small PC developers. I don't know if any of you realize, but EA was tiny company once that filled and grew with the market.

Finally yes, the PC market of gaming could survive on MMO if all the rest of the above didn't exist. The MMO market is massive. Every PC player will play an MMO if it appeals and the cost is set up right. And I will agree that the monthly subscription model sucks. It's gong to take time, but Googles model of income will probably become standard. Heck Google will probably be a big part of it.

FPS? :D

The RPG market is 100x bigger on consoles simply because of Japan.  You also need to count handhelds in that since the DS is pretty much making 90% of all RPGs now.  But even if you don't count handhelds, the console market still has way more.  Ever since the mid-90s, that's always been the problem, consoles have had more content.  It wasn't always better than stuff coming out on PCs, but there was more of it.  It was in the late 90s that PCs started to decline in quality (mostly only a few good games a year) and consoles really took over.

Its not about your perception of how an RPG (or any other genre) plays.  Its about how the games sell.  Even RPGs made for PCs primarily like Fallout 3 sell better on consoles.

Also, there are strategy games on consoles.  Many of the first strategy games, such as Advance Wars/Fire Emblem and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, were on consoles.  And their series are still ongoing, with many MANY others appearing all the time, both small-time turn based strategy games based in Japan such as Utawarerumono or big time games such as Disgaea and the various Mysterious Dungeon spin-offs.  Whereas some of the PC strategy series are dying, such as Age of Empires.

The genres PCs control is FPS, MMO and Simulation.  But even then, consoles are picking away at those markets.

Two things that will keep PC gaming alive for many years: Starcraft II and Diablo III. These two titles will get me soooooo many hours of gaming!

While I don't feel 2 games are enough to keep any platform, even PC, going, this does provide a good example of the strength of PC.  Unlike a console or handheld, PC is a 'platform' that plays games secondary to its initial purpose (work, browsing the web, etc).  In that way, even if one year a gamer can't find anything good on the PC, they aren't going to go out and sell it for a new gaming console.  They'll most likely just use it for school/work until a game they like comes out.

Heck, I've been playing other games for about 6 years waiting for something I want on PCs to come out.  And in about 2011, it looks like that's going to happen (SW: Old Republic and Diablo III).

I disagree. Like i said.. ME and DA are the recent installments that shows why RPGs are better on PCs. Dragon Age even got smacked around abit because you could clearly tell it was a PC game first, and console game second. And since im not counting DS, the 90% RPGs only released in Japan does little to affect my point of view. And imo its not about how the game sells, its Gameplay vs Gameplay. You said so yourself. You said that PC has FPS, MMOs an Simulations, for what reason? Not because they sell better on PCs vs Consoles, but because they have better gameplay, and controls being on of the key points, i.e RPGs plays better on PCs due to the share number of keys available.

That however dosen't make the console version unplayable or not worthy of a purchase, but for an enhanced experience to enjoy the game without "restrictions", PC would be the main platform.

And as for Stratagy.. i disagree. Consoles have nothing on PCs when it comes to Strategy games. Even if they are on consoles, and even if consoles have games only released on Consoles. They PC still ranks superior when it comes to share numbers of games, aswell as how they play out.

You're talking about your personal opinion of why you think certain genres of games play better on PCs (mostly all of them apparently).  This thread, and the original points brought up, were that PC dominated certain genres and only needed those genres to survive.  Neither is true, as console games are heavily invested in those genres and many of those genres, console games sell way better than PC (such as RPGs).

Your personal opinion on PCs being 'superior' aside, you need to look at the big picture.  Just because you like games on PC doesn't mean they are selling well or better on PC.  Because they aren't.

You have said so many wrong things I don't even.... first, there are literally HUNDREDS of RPGs coming out on PC every year, HUNDREDS!

Second, we are strictly talking about PC vs Consoles (domestic consoles). Handhelds are a different beast and doesn't come into equation. If you want to pit it with something, go do a Handhelds vs Mobilbe phones, which makes more sense.

Third, MMO is NOT a genre!! MMO is the technology! There are MMOFPS, MMOAdvs and, you guessed it, MMORPGs, which is are from the RPG GENRE! All MMORPGs are RPGs.

Fourth, PC has by far the greatest lineup of RPGs. And in recent times it has become even more evident. Let's compare the best RPGs of 2008 between platforms:

PC:
WoW: Wrath of the Lich King
Fallout 3
King's Bounty: The Legend
Mass Effect
LoTR Online: Mines of Moria
Warhammer Online
The Witcher Enhanced Edition
Mount & Blade
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
Sacred 2
Atlantica Online
Everquest 2: The Shadow Odissey
Pirates of the Burning Sea

Xbox 360:
Fallout 3
Fable 2
Tales of Vesperia
Lost Odissey

PS3:
Fallout 3
Valkyria Chronicles
Eternal Sonata

Wii:
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Dungeon
Monster Lab
Tales of Symphonia: DotNW

PC has freaking more good RPGs released in 2008 than all consoles combined. Hell just look at it:
Best 2008 RPG: Fallout 3 (I don't personally agree, but most seem to believe this)
Best 2008 MMORPG: Warhammer Online
Best 2008 RPG expansion: Wrath of the Lich King
Best SRPG: King's Bounty (even won a few GOTY awards)
Best Combat: Mount & Blade (so true, by far the most refreshing combat in years)

PC also got an improved version of Mass Effect, an improved version of The Witcher (2007 RPGOTY), a great F2P MMORPG in Atlantica Online, and a decent ARPG in Sacred 2.

Finally someone mention Mount & Blade as well as King Bounty. I have wasted many hours on those two games.

It should be noted that EA is moving away from consoles to do more PC stuff.

In short... PCs don't have to worry about their gaming dieing.