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If you're a PC gamer, there's an 83% chance that you use Steam. And if you use Steam, you probably frequent gaming sites for your news and articles. So 83% of us PC gamers couldn't give a shit.
And as great as some of those mags were, that era is dead. Why pay £4-5 for a magazine when it takes three seconds to get on a website for free?
And as great as some of those mags were, that era is dead. Why pay £4-5 for a magazine when it takes three seconds to get on a website for free?
PC gamers are the first gamers to transcend into Digital only media, hence the downfall of words printed on paper for PC gamers. I mean why would you read your words from paper when you get your games from the virtual ether?
Oh. News. Right.
Someone regurgitating the common knowledge that most retailers don't favor PC anymore? CLEARLY NEWS.
Someone regurgitating the common knowledge that most retailers don't favor PC anymore? CLEARLY NEWS.
One look at the PC gaming section in the major B&M stores is a good indication that the "general public" doesn't care either.
Yes, I understand that the "real PC gamers" have moved to digital downloads where they can continue to erode digital rights, but they aren't the "general public".
Yes, I understand that the "real PC gamers" have moved to digital downloads where they can continue to erode digital rights, but they aren't the "general public".
£4-5, Chrome? PC Gamer, last I checked, was £6 an issue. PC Zone was, too.
I stopped buying gaming magazines because, well, I rarely learnt anything new from them. Sure, the fun articles were good but I couldn't justify £6 a month on them!
PC gaming is *not* dying. It is changing form and I think it's going to become (in the next 20 years maybe) an almost-completely digital platform. It's where a lot of PC gamers get their news, it's where a lot of us buy our games (either ordering a physical copy or purchasing a digital version), we often have to connect to the internet to play our games or at least activate them and so forth.
I stopped buying gaming magazines because, well, I rarely learnt anything new from them. Sure, the fun articles were good but I couldn't justify £6 a month on them!
PC gaming is *not* dying. It is changing form and I think it's going to become (in the next 20 years maybe) an almost-completely digital platform. It's where a lot of PC gamers get their news, it's where a lot of us buy our games (either ordering a physical copy or purchasing a digital version), we often have to connect to the internet to play our games or at least activate them and so forth.
Steam says Hi.
PC Gaming isn't dead. The role of a retailer though as a intermediary between developer and consumer is.
PC Gaming isn't dead. The role of a retailer though as a intermediary between developer and consumer is.
I'm a little confused. So because their magazine is floundering, that means PC gamers are a dying breed? I don't get how they got from point A to point B here.
I wouldn't say this is a trend unique to PC gaming, or gaming at all. A lot of printed news is dying nowadays. Magazines, newspapers, auto traders, are all doubtless taking huge hits due to the proliferation of the internet and all the information it has to offer. In the time it takes me to pay for and receive my copy of "Generic PC Games Magazine", I could have checked Destructoid, Kotaku, Joystiq, Gamefaqs, and several important developers' Twitter accounts hundreds of times over to get overwhelmingly more information than a single magazine could ever hope to provide.
So again, failing magazine =/= fewer PC gamers. Someone needs to adjust their strategy here to fit in with the times, something PC gamers have always been willing to do.
I wouldn't say this is a trend unique to PC gaming, or gaming at all. A lot of printed news is dying nowadays. Magazines, newspapers, auto traders, are all doubtless taking huge hits due to the proliferation of the internet and all the information it has to offer. In the time it takes me to pay for and receive my copy of "Generic PC Games Magazine", I could have checked Destructoid, Kotaku, Joystiq, Gamefaqs, and several important developers' Twitter accounts hundreds of times over to get overwhelmingly more information than a single magazine could ever hope to provide.
So again, failing magazine =/= fewer PC gamers. Someone needs to adjust their strategy here to fit in with the times, something PC gamers have always been willing to do.
With the advent of Steam, I find myself spending more money on PC games than I did before. I imagine this is the case with many PC gamers too, so though I do sometimes frown when the PC section is absent from my local GAME, ultimately I think PC games will always been a huge gaming medium.
As quickly as the PC market moves with new products and technologies, by the time you get a magazine its news has been on the internet for weeks. It's no surprise, sadly.
@JamnOnTheOne
The "general public" gets their games from www.popcap.com or www.facebook.com and to a slight degree iTunes.
And for boxed games the "general public" usually goes to WalMart or Target rather than GameStop. Those two retailers regularly carry games such as the Sims or World of Warcraft.
The "general public" gets their games from www.popcap.com or www.facebook.com and to a slight degree iTunes.
And for boxed games the "general public" usually goes to WalMart or Target rather than GameStop. Those two retailers regularly carry games such as the Sims or World of Warcraft.
PC mags aren't what they used to be, and have a hefty price tag for poor and quickly outdated content. I used to consider myself a PC gamer but in the last few years 90% of my gaming time has been on consoles. This is mainly due to that the majority of games these days are multiplatform and development was built around console controls, which don't quite feel right to me on a PC. Plus I prefer relaxing on the sofa when gaming, rather than sitting at a desk.
First of all, the PC "section" at pretty much all the Gamestops in my area suck. They're usually just one wire rack tucked away in a back corner of the store, and there's nothing there but copies of WoW and The Sims 2/3 and all the various expansions. Wal-Mart & Target have better PC game selection. Hell, even Costco does.
I've bought more PC games in the past year than I have in the past 10 years because of Steam. I think I've only paid full price for one game, Fallout 3 at launch. But with Steam's insane weekend deals and other various sales they run throughout the year.
So yeah, I'll take cheaper games (if you look for the deals), not having to keep up with discs, manuals and cases, and being able to install my games on any computer I want, whenever I want. Add the fact that I can get my hands on some hard to find classics, and you've got the perfect storm for the death of brick and mortar, at least when it comes to PC gaming.
I've bought more PC games in the past year than I have in the past 10 years because of Steam. I think I've only paid full price for one game, Fallout 3 at launch. But with Steam's insane weekend deals and other various sales they run throughout the year.
So yeah, I'll take cheaper games (if you look for the deals), not having to keep up with discs, manuals and cases, and being able to install my games on any computer I want, whenever I want. Add the fact that I can get my hands on some hard to find classics, and you've got the perfect storm for the death of brick and mortar, at least when it comes to PC gaming.
Well, paper magazines are an outdated mode of communication. In addition, brick-and-mortar retailers are an outdated mode for the transfer of capital.
Conclusion: PC gaming may not be dead after all, but magazines and traditional game stores will cease to exist within fifteen years (conservative estimate).
Conclusion: PC gaming may not be dead after all, but magazines and traditional game stores will cease to exist within fifteen years (conservative estimate).
For the price of one of these mag, I can get 1-5 games on Steam. The choice is really really easy. For the $10CAD is cost here, I bought:
Stalker, Mount & Blade, Freedom Force 1,2 and all the x-coms
Stalker, Mount & Blade, Freedom Force 1,2 and all the x-coms
According to the media hasn't PC gaming been "on it's last legs" and "dying" for 15 years or so now? Do people actually pay attention and believe this reoccurring story?
A dying breed? Hehe Jim are you Peter Molyneux's bro?
I don't buy pc magazines anymore because they're 1/5 articles and 4/5 store catalogues stapled together.
Nobody needs to pay £5 these days to find out something a month later.
I don't buy pc magazines anymore because they're 1/5 articles and 4/5 store catalogues stapled together.
Nobody needs to pay £5 these days to find out something a month later.
I work for a medical publication and we're going through tough times, therefore people must not be going to the hospital anymore!
BTW i have to admit, that i hate steam because i don't get any box, or wallpapers, or anything for my money, and there is no better feeling than watching over your legal games on your desk, or waiting for the courier to arrive with the pack :) So i'm probably one of the rare kind of people who prefer retail over digital copy release ignoring the fact that we all get the same product for our money.
the U.S. game magazines don't do a good job and are heavily biased to those that pay them more money to review certain games. developers are also paying off game reviewers for a good review sometimes. the reviewers have also acknowledged that they sometimes don't even play the game. the way it is now, you might as well find some blogger who reviewed the game and be done with it.
Every PC gameer needs to understand (I count myself as one too) that the end of PC gaming in the retail market greatly stagnates the potential growth of PC gaming as a whole. Without that growth potential, PC versions of games just won't get made as often.
While I'm not sure you should care about the magazine side of it, not being able to even buy a PC game at Wal-Mart or even Gamestop stores is certainly a turning point for PC gaming. I just can't see it being a good turn either. Potential loss of sales, new customers and retail exposure in general is going to stagnate the growth of PC gaming (it already has, in fact). Publishers and even Developers see this and support for the platform can do nothing but decrease.
While I'm not sure you should care about the magazine side of it, not being able to even buy a PC game at Wal-Mart or even Gamestop stores is certainly a turning point for PC gaming. I just can't see it being a good turn either. Potential loss of sales, new customers and retail exposure in general is going to stagnate the growth of PC gaming (it already has, in fact). Publishers and even Developers see this and support for the platform can do nothing but decrease.
PC Gaming is not dying. Why then would consoles, handhelds and even mobilephones become more and more like a PC ?
Also true what ppl above said about print media. It has its advantages, thats why i still buy my favorite magazine monthly. But that maybe because im last gen. I could read game news on the toilet with my Droid. Which uses a Linux OS. Which is a PC OS.
Also true what ppl above said about print media. It has its advantages, thats why i still buy my favorite magazine monthly. But that maybe because im last gen. I could read game news on the toilet with my Droid. Which uses a Linux OS. Which is a PC OS.
It's sad that the biggest thing that's causing PC gaming to "die" is so many people thinking it's on its way out.
Well it will be harder now that EA is also deciding to stop retailing partnerships. I bought Counter-Strike: Source on retail for the sake of it, I love to have the game with me even if I cannot enter the code twice.
@Clarke
"And for boxed games the "general public" usually goes to WalMart or Target rather than GameStop. Those two retailers regularly carry games such as the Sims or World of Warcraft."
...And in it's B&M heyday there were rows of PC games at these same stores. My local Walmarts carry roughly 10 boxed titles and then an array of jewel case "value games". The Targets carry similar titles though with a larger children's edu-tainment section.
Sims and WoW do not a PC game section make.
"The "general public" gets their games from www.popcap.com or www.facebook.com and to a slight degree iTunes. "
I agree with the facebook comment, but you don't "own" games through facebook. iTunes is not PC gaming.
"And for boxed games the "general public" usually goes to WalMart or Target rather than GameStop. Those two retailers regularly carry games such as the Sims or World of Warcraft."
...And in it's B&M heyday there were rows of PC games at these same stores. My local Walmarts carry roughly 10 boxed titles and then an array of jewel case "value games". The Targets carry similar titles though with a larger children's edu-tainment section.
Sims and WoW do not a PC game section make.
"The "general public" gets their games from www.popcap.com or www.facebook.com and to a slight degree iTunes. "
I agree with the facebook comment, but you don't "own" games through facebook. iTunes is not PC gaming.
Honestly, have you seen how much Future Publishing charge for their PC magazines nowadays? I swear they're more expensive than the budget games they review. I was flicking through PC Gaming the other day and I just thought, they're basically telling me things I already know from websites (complete with updates).
I don't mind Edge and GamesTM so much because they offer long articles and discussions that don't really have a place (yet) on the web, due to the blogging nature of game sites...but again, everything else they offer is just a step behind and doesn't justify the price. It's a far cry from when I religiously relied on magazines like Amstrad Action for my gaming needs (which cost next to nothing every month).
I don't mind Edge and GamesTM so much because they offer long articles and discussions that don't really have a place (yet) on the web, due to the blogging nature of game sites...but again, everything else they offer is just a step behind and doesn't justify the price. It's a far cry from when I religiously relied on magazines like Amstrad Action for my gaming needs (which cost next to nothing every month).
Why would I, or any PC gamer, use anything but their PC for their news? These magazines were great in the days before the internet caused mass dissemination of information, but now they have limited physical space, much of which is filled with advertisements for manufacturers. I'm surprised other rag makers aren't saying the same thing: video game mags were entertaining in the early to mid 90's, but at this point most of them are tools, sucking on the teet of the industry for their free review copies.
Retailers as a breed should be dying. Heaven forbid PC gamers use online services that aggregate reviews, give cheaper prices, offer games on release day. If you're a packrat and you like to hold onto boxes -that's fine, although packaging for all games is rather pathetic and trash-worthy unless it's something notable like a special edition with bells and whistles.
Looks like retailers are getting in their last fighting words before On-Live inevitably fails only to open up the gates for a better direct download service.
Retailers as a breed should be dying. Heaven forbid PC gamers use online services that aggregate reviews, give cheaper prices, offer games on release day. If you're a packrat and you like to hold onto boxes -that's fine, although packaging for all games is rather pathetic and trash-worthy unless it's something notable like a special edition with bells and whistles.
Looks like retailers are getting in their last fighting words before On-Live inevitably fails only to open up the gates for a better direct download service.
@Chrome:
I'm buying GamesTM every month because it's a fucking good magazine, and it's only something like £3 a month on sub. Their opinions align far better with mine than any website out there, and the content is top drawer.
It's all about creating content that other outlets can't or won't replicate.
I'm buying GamesTM every month because it's a fucking good magazine, and it's only something like £3 a month on sub. Their opinions align far better with mine than any website out there, and the content is top drawer.
It's all about creating content that other outlets can't or won't replicate.
The reasons why PC gaming magazines are dying (the internet) and why retailers like gamestop like them less (Steam, and PC gamers are less interested in the used game business, where stores like gamestop make a lot of their money) are so obvious, and the "PC gaming is dying" thing is so utterly played out I'm having trouble not thinking the original post is basically trolling.
Hey, I hear a bunch of newspapers are failing, that must be because their subscribers are all dying out, right? Not because of the internet.
Hey, I hear a bunch of newspapers are failing, that must be because their subscribers are all dying out, right? Not because of the internet.
Every PC Gamer has, by default, a limitless high-definition PC magazine right in front of their noses with full motion video and interactivity. Also, there's Steam like others said. This has all been said - now I've said it as well. All that matters is the dev's perception (and that is not great of course)
Well, most companies have written off the pc community because their games will get pirated to hell and back. It's kinda hard not to avoid making pc games when the only way to really publish is through steam and even then the games are hacked. Magazines are the byproduct of a past era, they are being replaced by places like destructoid and kotaku.
More like the gaming Industry will try everthing to destory pc gaming. People ask why people hate big companies. people wonder why pc gamers hate console gaming.
I blame the mainstream media they like to lie every year about pc gaming dying.
then you have mircosft, sony and game devs trying their best to destory pc gaming with their garbage.
yea 11 000 game devs have went bankuprtand counting because of them consoles.
oh one more thing if pc gaming ever dies gaming as whole will die!
I blame the mainstream media they like to lie every year about pc gaming dying.
then you have mircosft, sony and game devs trying their best to destory pc gaming with their garbage.
yea 11 000 game devs have went bankuprtand counting because of them consoles.
oh one more thing if pc gaming ever dies gaming as whole will die!
I don't know about the rest of you but when i do buy a retail pc game i just get it online cos its cheaper.
well pc gamers are going to pull the entire retail into the ground because we all will just go DD
oh yea we have free games too
oh yea we have free games too
Honestly I can't remember the last time I bought a PC game in a physical format. Why the hell would you drive to your local GameStop to peruse their store mess for some worthwhile PC games and have to deal with their usual BS if you could get the game without leaving your seat, access it from your desktop, and get way better deals? I bought the Orange Box and Half Life 1 for around 12 bucks that way.
as a recent convert to PCfagism myself I have to say that Steam is fucking awesome, I doubt PC gaming is dying
Print Media in general is being replaced by the internet its idiotic to claim this has anything to do with a decline of PC gaming. The PC gave us the internet why would we waste tim with magazines?
"i just get it online cos its cheaper."
WoW, first time i need to be proud of my country because almost all games sell exactly the same price as steam sells them. So yeah, i have to stay with my previous statements :)
WoW, first time i need to be proud of my country because almost all games sell exactly the same price as steam sells them. So yeah, i have to stay with my previous statements :)
I don't think it's a deathknell for PC gaming, just PC gaming in a retail environment. PC gamers buy online by nature, they don't go to the store. So, it sucks for the publisher because they won't get the cross-shopping of someone picking up a game, seeing the magazine and buying that as well. They'll take a hit because only people who want the magazine will take the effort to buy it individually.
Nothing that people haven't already said but I love the image in my head of steam. With the metacritic feature it's like looking at the back of the box and having every publication's review printed right there. What more do you need to know?
Maybe a link to top 10 technical issue forums so you don't end up buying Saints Row 2 for PC :(
Maybe a link to top 10 technical issue forums so you don't end up buying Saints Row 2 for PC :(
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