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Zeno Clash is easily one of the most bizarre games in recent memory. Who better to talk about the state of weirdness in gaming than its developer? Speaking with Eurogamer, ACE Team had some concern to voice on the matter.

"I don't know whether it was because most people had already played Zeno Clash on PC, or that the console game launched a year later, but we definitely had much stronger sales on PC than on Xbox 360," says Carlos Bordeu.

"PC players are maybe more open to trying weird games -- games that aren't so mass market. But I don't know that I'd put it as harshly as PC gamers are smart and console gamers are stupid."

In this specific case, I think it's a little of column A and a little of column B. Price is definitely a factor too, as is promotion, which has been good on PC (Steam sales). At any rate, I applaud ACE Team for making unusual games -- clearly not enough studios are. (Have you seen Rock of Ages!?).

PC crowd "more open" to weird games [Eurogamer]








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33 comments | showing # 1 to 33
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bruceleethree's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:04
bruceleethree
Console gamers are stupid. They like easy hardware and easy simple games. Like Halo, GoW, COD
CheeseBurger's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:08
CheeseBurger
I love Weird games, and i love Zeno Clash because it mixes weirdness, and patriotness... yeah, i'm from Chile just as the Ace Team lol
OmegaSentry's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:09
OmegaSentry
I personally didn't know this was on Xbox 360, otherwise I would have gotten it when it came out.
DH Lawrence's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:11
DH Lawrence
Anybody here have the joy of playing Giants: Citizen Kabuto from way back when? That was some weird shit, too..
WarZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:11
WarZombie
I think it has more to do with advertising, although PC gamers do respond more to weirdness as well. Unless you were really looking forward to the console port, I doubt many people knew about Zeno Clash for 360.
jettpack's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:14
jettpack
HELL YEAH WE'RE DOWN WITH WEIRDNESS. fucking loved Zeno Clash.
Klarden's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:20
Klarden
Well, while i don't think weirdness was a major factor with this game, i do think that "weird" games would sell better on PC. Well, if you don't live in Japan, of course.
Also, Steam now becomes a perfect Indie platform. For example, Deadly Premonition i loved, maybe, would be received much better (with a proper port) if released for 15$ on Steam.
JFF's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:25
JFF
Digital distribution is worldwide on PC, Live still is very restrict.
Besides, consoles are realy mainstrain focused.
Adam11's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:28
Adam11
I think it's an issue of marketing, I think people just don't know the game is available on xbox live. I knew about it b/c I read stuff like Destructoid and am on atlus' mailing list but I bet a lot of people just don't even know it exists. I bought it the minute it came out but I haven't really played it yet.
Occams electric toothbrush's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:32
Occams electric toothbrush
I adored Zeno Clash but then again I adore all things weird.

@bruceleethree: Eh, 6.4/10
Malakym's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:37
Malakym
I already own the pc version, was going to purchase the Live version as well, but I just couldn't stomach the controls of the demo.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:42
Xzyliac
I'm gonna say something and probably get a lot of flack for it but when it comes to attention you have a lot stiffer competition for attention on consoles than you do on PCs.

If you're an exclusively console gamer most of your info, no matter how varied your sources are, is getting funneled and feed to you. So it's harder to find those weird little titles. However I can punch some random set of words into Google, put "game" at the end of it, and come up with some game PC game fresh and ready for the downloading. It's much broader.

Now is that a bad thing? As long you're enjoying yourself no, it isn't. That's what videogames are about. Enjoying yourself, havin' a good times. I don't care if you're playing Zeno Clash, Deadly Premonition, Katamari Damacy, Call of Duty, Halo, or Final Fantasy. It's totally irrelevant at the end of the day as long you're enjoying yourself.

However I will say that one of the reasons titles like Zeno Clash get so much face time from PC gamers is because exclusively console gamers are kind of stuck in a bubble and that makes it hard for any developer or publisher without a big name and giant budget to break through to them. Hard, but not impossible. PC gamers have the simultaneous advantage of tight knit communities and a broader information spectrum.
Klarden's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:42
Klarden
@Matthew Blevins
yeah, Valve several times pointed out, that when the game gets a special low price, it sells for several weeks after the price went up again. So, while dev/publisher gets slightly less on each copy when the price gets "special", they win in a long run getting free publicity. Free weekends are also much cheaper and easier to do for dev's than demos, and usually represent the game better
Daxelman's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:46
Daxelman
@Matthew Blevins: Console Games are as simple as can be. And that's not bad thing. The less time I spend sitting in a menu getting a game to only to have it crash because I don't have the latest version of DirectX even though I do (Hello Company Of Heroes), the better.

I'm not saying PC Gaming isn't easy. Building a PC was relatively easy, and most games I own play relatively well, but the simple fact that I have to check system requirements for every game I'm buying makes Console game better in the "I just wanna play games" department, which is where most people and a shit load of gamers fall into.

When I buy a A 360/PS3/Wii, I know that, unless peripheral based, I'll able to play every title that is branded with the PS3/360/Wii logos. I don't have that kind of Security with my PC. Will I be able to play Brink with this build? What will I need to get/do to make sure I have the best experience out of Rage possible?

The GFWL vs Steam thing doesn't make it any easier, especially when they cross paths. I buy SF4 on Steam, but I have to have GFWL to play online? The hell? I thought that was what Steamworks was for?

Both consoles and PC's have their ups and downs, such as console lack of dedicated multiplayer servers, incredible online deals on games such as what Steam does, or not having to buy a $800+ TV to do 3D gaming. To say one is clearly better than the other is to be incredibly jaded. I can understand having one or the other, I'm currently PC only myself, but that doesn't mean I miss my console experience. I sure as hell miss BlazBlue, I'll tell you that.
Klarden's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:54
Klarden
@ Daxelman
I never really understood the problem with system requirements. Well, okay, i did in 2003. When i wanted to play SH3 with a very shitty old build. Since then, i never ever had problems with games on PC. My current build is 3 years old. To play games on PC for the last 3 years you simply need to have a "build that can play Crysis". If it does, you can play everything else. Maybe not on highest settings, sure. But PC gaming is not about playing games on highest settings, right?

But still, as you said, there is no point in restricting yourself to one platform. Some things are better on consoles, some on PC. Digital distribution, as of now, is better on PC
Neroisonfire's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 17:54
Neroisonfire
I loved this game on PC. Won't buy it again on 360, but to that Bruce troll: it was way easier than all of those games on the harder difficulties.

I think the game would fare well on PSN too btw. PSN needs more titles like this.
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 18:08
Monodi
I was going to buy this but the gameplay style didn't interest me that much. I dunno, mabe I will check it out.
Bennyishere's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 18:11
Bennyishere
I loved Zeno Clash on the 360. I think it's simply Steam that made Zeno Clash sell more on PC. There were little to no ads, and the little picture they put up to promote it was confusing and unappealing. Many people won't buy 1200 point games out of spite. Also many console players are casual and probably never even look at the marketplace.
Trebz's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 18:31
Trebz
Well, I was down with Zeno Clash, so I'll be down with any other weird stuff ACE Team decides to throw at us.

Having bought my PC copy during the recent Steam summer sale, I'm sure a lot of Zeno's sales came from said sale. On Steam, games like these can sell more copies because Valve so frequently lowers the price of games. If Microsoft doesn't do that, then there's more incentive to buy it on the PC.
RWarrior1CO's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 18:36
RWarrior1CO
A game like Zeno Clash, in my opinion, would work better on a console. Precision aiming isn't as much of a necessity, as you're punching people for the most part. You also have to move with a lot of finesse, so that makes an analog control stick preferable. And of course, there's rumble. If I smash some freak's face in I want to feel it.
bustaballs's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 19:26
bustaballs
I played through Zeno Clash and loved it. And yes, console exclusive gamers are just willing ignorant people who enjoy simple games. If you play exclusively on a console, you're anything but hardcore. Consoles have plenty of good and fun games but rarely do they have any depth or learning curve. Elder Scrolls games and Monster Hunter Tri are a couple of minor exceptions.
Sæglópur's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 19:45
Sæglópur
I love a lot of console games and own every console this generation, but yes, the majority of console tards are big twats.

And Zeno Clash was awesome on Xbox 360, as well ass PC, so Xbox 360 twats have no excuse whatsoever.
Ujn Hunter's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 19:47
Ujn Hunter
I'm waiting for it to drop to $10.
runtheplacered's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 21:32
runtheplacered
@Matthew Blevins,

You really don't want this. It's been tried before and you're not seeing it mass-marketed for a reason. It makes your precision turn to complete shit.
runtheplacered's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 21:34
runtheplacered
^^ I should note, that if you are absolutely hell-bent there are ways of doing it yourself that don't look too hard. Google around and I'm sure you can find videos.

I really wouldn't bother though, if I were you.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 22:55
HarassmentPanda
I would much rather have played this on 360, but I pre-ordered it for $10 on PC a year before the 360 version came out. Had I known a 360 version was coming, I would have waited. I certainly wasn't going to buy it twice.
Thanatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 23:01
Thanatos
Exclusively console playing gamers are casual, sure, just as PC-only gamers are.

Own all systems, play all games, not care about silly labels like hardcore and casual, win at everything.
Blitzard's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/29/2010 23:16
Blitzard
"PC players are maybe more open to trying weird games -- games that aren't so mass market. But I don't know that I'd put it as harshly as PC gamers are smart and console gamers are stupid."

Indeed. Being a PC gamer makes you automatically smarter anyway =).
Nickosha's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/30/2010 00:08
Nickosha
"Exclusively console playing gamers are casual, sure, just as PC-only gamers are. "

Except, for example, when they own a mid to high end PC for gaming. I don't think that's very casual at all.
Thanatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/30/2010 02:51
Thanatos
@nickosha

Why? Owning a pc in itself isn't hardcore, building one is easy. And missing out on all the great games consoles offer seems pretty casual to me.
mighty_marcos's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/30/2010 07:44
mighty_marcos
pc gamers are not usually griefing 12 year old little shits, they are 30 something griefing little shits. That would explain the difference in openess. Also if you cannot teabag in a game, the console player does not really pay attention to it.
Klammy's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/30/2010 09:18
Klammy
Haha mighty_marcos, too bad I'm 17 and seen far less immature players on PC then I've seen on consoles. My game play experience from consoles games consist of teammates killing me over a weapon they wanted and cussing me out over a game they won. Most PC gamers are very respectful, and have great sportsmanship compared to consoles. I'm sorry, but your comment is pure fiction.
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