I ran into a very cool and interesting discussion in the forums of a popular gaming magazine. Console and PC fanboys were arguing over a 15 page forum debate. The big question that I have brought to these forums is:

With the impending release of the Next Generation Consoles (I.E. the Playstation 3 by Sony and the Xbox 2 by Microsoft), will their arrival severely cripple the PC game industry, to the point that the entire industry may collapse?

It is a well known fact that consoles are much more popular than PCs in terms of gaming. This could be for many reasons; they are cheaper than gaming PCs, they are much more portable, and even the oldest 80s-vintage TV can run them. In my opinion, I think the consoles are going to have a serious impact on PC gaming-whether or not it is negative or positive I am still not sure yet...I am asking you guys your opinions on this topic.

A decent video card nowadays (9800 Pro/5900 Ultra +) costs as much as a console. Consoles have lifespans of about five years or so. So while computers need updating at about every 3 or so years (and thats if you want to deal with a subpar system, a lot of people update every year or so), console gamers can keep their system without spending any more money (not counting games/controllers) for a longer period of time, and still have the top of the line console.
In conclusion, updating a computer every three years is bound to cost roughyl 500-1000 dollars. Updating a console every FIVE years costs 150-200 bucks.

All I know is that consols are a huge part of American mainstream life as a kid/teenager , as they probably are in other countries as well. So I dont know...so many possibilities.

To me PCs are expensive to keep up to date on gamming standards and can have alot more problems than a console, but you can do so much more with a pc and theres always easy customization.

i've ranted enuff
Discuss.

Hey man, i really dont thing the next gen consoles will eliminate PC gaming because they actually use the same technology. Gaming consoles push the limits of the current technology and are not upgradable where as computers use the same technology and can be upgraded.

Secondly, with recent advancements in computer graphics and the release of the first ever physics chip to be used on the first computer physics card, pc gaming is going no where. These advancements might actually make the pc games better than consoles b/c of the fact that they can hold more part and more power to the unthinkable

Overall, this is a debate that wont be won until the next gen systems are released and we see what happens

my guess is that you will see a consolidation between the console and computer gaming industries. When you think about it, the XBOX and the PS2 are already "just computers". XBOX uses ATI graphics cards and it has a hard drive, it can go online, etc. Look at the PS2, it has USB ports for crying out loud! You will see game consoles start to resemble computers more and more. I have not seen the PS3 but I assume it is going to be more and more like a computer. You will start to see playstation keyboards and mice because there are many games that require those to play (world of warcraft). A controller is simply not enough. Once the keyboard and mouse are added, what you have is basically a cheap comptuer.

Computers have the capability to run EVERY console game on the market. Computers are faster, they have better graphics capabilities, and have many more options. The only problem is that there are many games that are developed specifically for the PS2 or XBOX and are not ported to PC until later.

Remember too that compturs are also getting cheaper. You can get a very good computer (that is like 3-4 times faster than a playstation) for about 300 now. Now that LCD TV's and Plasma TV's are so popular, people will start using their TV as a computer monitor (I know many people doing this now). So, it is similar to having a game console plug into the TV.

As you can see, game consoles are becoming more like computers and computers are also getting cheaper and can plug straight into TV.

I seriously don't think PC gaming's going to die out. Not for the next 10 years I think. Maybe more, who knows?

I've never even purchased a console in my life. I'm sure many people out there or down here (where I'm from) haven't, either. I quite like PC games. Suppliers here tend to charge exorbitant prices for PS2 games in comparison to PC versions.

The Sims for example, costs $42 (Double Deluxe) for a PC Version. You pay about $30 for the PS version and it's only the Original, without the other expansions that's included in Double Deluxe.

What's the point of buying a PS when you have to pay even more? I'd rather spend the money to upgrade my PC.

Just some thoughts. Situations might differ in other parts of the world.

People were probably saying the same thing about the Playstation 2 coming out.

If you notice, the consols keep doing things that make them more and more like computer games. Online multiplayer is obviously the most obvious and it automatically began with pay to play.

So, I think Halo 2 is like.. what.. 7 dollars a month? In 5 years, that's $420. I'm sure the prices are only going to keep climbing.

Most online games are still not pay to play games, with the exception of World of Warcraft and the Everquest series.

Also, the aspect of playing and interacting with many, many users (rather than just a few with consol games) is what keeps me coming to PC games. I love Diablo II. I love Warcraft III.

I'm probably going to get Guild Wars when it comes out.


My XBOX, however, sits there collecting dust.

PC, my heart is yours.

Pc gaming will not disapear in my point of view.
You state that consoles are cheap. The starting price of the next gen consoles will be high, I guess about 800 dollars or some like that.
Most of the games will be ported because that is pretty cheap. lots of games are not well playable on a console like the sims.
also a pc will not dissapear, the functionallity is to huge. And as long as there are pc's, games will also be available.
The producents of videocards shall also push to keep creating games that push the limit of their top line graphic cards cause people are willing to pay 500 bucks for them so they can play the newest games at the highest resolution.
So no pc gaming will not dissapear..

PC gaming, die? With newly developed Video Cards, monitors and Pentium 6 Processors in development for public use, WITH hundreds of game companies, big and small AND the unlimited possibility of the internet. PC games die out? I think not!

Microsoft makes an average profit from its gaming pc department, and you can't forget Steam powered, epic games, and all the Japanese RP- well, that's more Ps2 when you think of it! PC games will only die when the CPU systems/MAC systems vanish and the hundreds of PC companies decide to give up a billion dollar investment

So my point? PC games are here to stay as long as the CPU exists... from the basic Snake game to the new, high aged online Matrix games!

Okay, here goes:

I think that yes, the PC hardware required to play the top-of-the-line games is getting quite ridiculous. To play the big hits, you're going to have to drop a good 300 and up every year. But, let's compare PCs with Consoles

Property -- Console -- PC
Price -- 200 once -- 300 a year
Games -- limited -- unlimited (with better upgrades and such too)
Life -- 5 years, max -- unlimited, but needs upgrades
Reliability -- very -- not

What else am I missing? Either way, it depends on what you as an individual want. If you want a game system that will last forever, and you have money to spare, do PC games. If you want something that's reliable and relatively cheap, grab a console. Or if you have extra money and want both, get both.

I don't think PC gaming will ever die, but I believe that it will eventually stall to a halt, because people aren't going to want to spend a thousand bucks a year for the latest 5gajillionMB gfx card, or the 5gajillionGhZ processor, and so PC games will get fewer and fewer enhancements, because nobody will buy the hardware they need for better enhancements. Then is when console gaming will rise, as it's cheaper and you need to upgrade a lot less.

I'll always have both though, regardless of how little I get to upgrade my compy. Believe me, you do NOT want to see the results of a Run>Dxdiag on this.

This post has been edited by Johnny: Apr 16 2005, 06:02 AM