It's no secret that PC gaming has been hurting lately.  There are less PC-specific titles anymore, and franchises that were built for PC exclusivity (Half-Life for example) are going platform independent and are being released for consoles as well.  Why?  Because there aren't as many PC gamers as there used to be and the cost of game development keeps going up.  Therefore to recoup the money spent on development publishers are forced to make console versions.  It's sad actually...I've been a PC-gaming stalwart since middle school.  I still believe today that, in general, I have way better gaming experiences behind a PC than I do across the room from a TV.  Take F.E.A.R. for example - F.E.A.R. on the PC?  Engrossing and scary.  F.E.A.R. on my 360?  Cheesy and overdone.  There's just something about being a few inches from your monitor with a keyboard, mouse and headphones playing a game that is unlike any console gaming experience.

So then, PC gaming is dead.  Right?  No.  At least I don't think so.  PC gaming will never die in my opinion, instead it will just have to evolve.  The #1 reason why people abandon their PC as a gaming machine and instead turn to consoles is the cost.  Now I'm not trying to incite an argument here but it's true - you can spend $400 on an Xbox 360 or you can spent $1500 on a gaming PC.  Of course there are caveats, for instance if you take the cost of the high definition TV you'll need to get the most out of your console the overall cost is much higher.  Still, at the most basic level, console gaming is viewed as being a cheaper alternative to receive basically the same content.  What that means is that for PC gaming to become relevant again the entrance cost has to be significantly lower.  I'm happy to say that this change is already being made.

diceLogo DICE is one of my favorite developers of great PC games, particularly the Battlefield franchise (Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Vietnam, Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142).  For their next game though, they're making a light-weight game that will be completely free and it will run inside of a web browser.  That means that if you have a computer that is even remotely modern you'll be able to play what they're calling Battlefield Heroes.  Sure the graphics aren't at Crysis-level, but if they successfully migrate the gameplay elements that have made the Battlefield series so great over the years into this game then it'll definitely be a hit.  Of course DICE isn't the only developer making this move.

idlogo Ever heard of Doom?  Yeah, that Doom.  The mother of all first person shooters.  Well id Software, the development firm behind Doom as well as many other classic franchises (Quake, Wolfenstein) have decided to re-release one of their most successful games ever for browsers: Quake 3.  Quake 3, in case you never played it, is a multiplayer FPS that used to be the standard when it came to PC shooters.  Now you'll be able to play it in your browser for free.  Even id Software, one of the most traditional PC developers, has realized that it's time for a change and this proves it.  Besides, show me a computer built in the last 5 years that can't run Quake 3!  You can't.  So what that means is that basically anyone can play it, and they'll want to of course because it's a great game and it's free.  How do they make money then?  Well if there's one thing Google has taught us it's that the way to make money on the internet these days is through advertising.  Both Battlefield Heroes and Quake Live (the tentative name for the re-release of Quake 3) will be ad supported.  I just wanted to make a quick post about this because I've been thinking about it a lot lately.  I'd hate to live in a day where I can't sit down behind a computer and play a game.  After all, that's what really got me into gaming in the first place.  I'm very excited to see what happens in the PC gaming industry over the next 5 years...it's a fun time to be a gamer!

Now Playing:
Tears for Fears - Mad World