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[IMG News]

In a recent interview with Gamasutra id Software's John Carmack once again discussed the state of PC gaming in an industry increasingly dominated by consoles. Carmack notes the PC's corner on the MMO market, citing World of Warcraft as the force driving game sales on the PC.

Historically, the real value of PC has been in connectivity, and in modification… but the latest generation of consoles is encroaching on that territory with all the options you’ve got on current consoles, the connectivity and the add-ons and things you can get there.

But on the other hand, if you look at what’s really successful on the PC -- like World Of Warcraft, that’s an insanely successful product. It’s like a train driving all the PC sales numbers altogether on gaming.

Just in terms of games that you sit down and play in the console mode, the PC probably doesn’t have a huge amount of differentiation, and that’s unlikely to change.

But the different areas where the PC is still standing on its own is MMOs, and a lot of casual games are interesting, too. The people that sit down to play games are predominantly playing them on consoles -- at least, higher-end games -- but the PC still has a strong enough margin to make games, and we continue to support it.

For the rest of the interview click on the link provided below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[dojoboy]

I think the thing for why I currently prefer computer games is the connectivity (also the fact that the strat games that interest me - until CivRev - are not on consoles) regarding multi-tasking at my Mac.  A lot of my gaming involves several opened applications and a game running in window mode.  Once consoles can do this efficiently, I could become a console-man; however, I feel more effective sitting at a computer desk than lounging on a couch/recliner with the Wii wand & numchuk.

[G-News]

dojoboy, on November 27th 2007, 05:42 PM, said:

I think the thing for why I currently prefer computer games is the connectivity (also the fact that the strat games that interest me - until CivRev - are not on consoles) regarding multi-tasking at my Mac.  A lot of my gaming involves several opened applications and a game running in window mode.  Once consoles can do this efficiently, I could become a console-man; however, I feel more effective sitting at a computer desk than lounging on a couch/recliner with the Wii wand & numchuk.

Interestingly enough, with this statement, Carmack kind of contradicts his earlier statements about Apple missing out on gaming.
If PC gaming is really declining that much, then Apple probably really shouldn't bother commiting itself to gaming. At least not Mac gaming.

[TalonComics]

I stopped playing WoW in April and haven't looked back since. I'm a casual player and it's much easier just to turn on a console and play a game than to sit in front of my computer and play. The biggest draw for consoles over computers is the ability to play with a group of friends in the living room. There's nothing like rocking out with Rock Band on the PC and I can't imagine there ever will be.

[clocknova]

TalonComics, on November 27th 2007, 01:27 PM, said:

I stopped playing WoW in April and haven't looked back since. I'm a casual player and it's much easier just to turn on a console and play a game than to sit in front of my computer and play. The biggest draw for consoles over computers is the ability to play with a group of friends in the living room. There's nothing like rocking out with Rock Band on the PC and I can't imagine there ever will be.

I'm just the opposite.  I can't imagine ever wanting to play a video game with other people.  For me, gaming is and always will be a solitary endeavor, or at least an anonymous one.  And I just can't get into a game sitting on my sofa staring at a TV.

[dojoboy]

clocknova, on November 27th 2007, 01:51 PM, said:

I'm just the opposite.  I can't imagine ever wanting to play a video game with other people.  For me, gaming is and always will be a solitary endeavor, or at least an anonymous one.  And I just can't get into a game sitting on my sofa staring at a TV.

Pretty much the same here.  But, youth are odd folk.  

[bobbob]

G-News, on November 27th 2007, 11:24 AM, said:

If PC gaming is really declining that much, then Apple probably really shouldn't bother commiting itself to gaming. At least not Mac gaming.

As an individual platform, PCs are doing OK. It's stupid to compare this single platform vs. all consoles.

From 2006:

Quote

According to the survey, 39% of all households use PCs for playing video games - this group makes up the vast majority of the 48% of households that have any sort of video games hardware. For comparison: 30% of households in Canada and 37% of households in the U.S. have some form of console based game hardware.