Bethesda doing it again on Nov.11th?

[Firestormalpha]

Huh, whaaa...? So basically they're taking a console game and making minor tweaks for PC use? Used to be things were the opposite.

[Raistlin Majere]

In the good old days...I think I'll finally become a console convert. Makes no sense to buy a million component upgrades, especially if it's basically the exact same game as on console

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally Posted by Firestormalpha Huh, whaaa...? So basically they're taking a console game and making minor tweaks for PC use? Used to be things were the opposite.

That was when PC gaming was alive.

[Firestormalpha]

The major downer being that the world of homemade mods is going to disappear for TES. I don't see xbox live or PSN making a way to upload 'free' mods.

[Raistlin Majere]

Which might just be enough to make it a lesser game compared to the previous two. I don't mind playing the OC once or twice, but the mods are what keep me coming back years after as well

[SpiritWarrior]

Well, Oblivion was kinda similiar. It was clearly a console-first and PC-last game. That said, I would wager Oblivion got more PC love in terms of tweaks and patches than Skyrim will when released. Wait and see.

Trust me, there will be no shortage of mods for PC despite the dwindling numbers. Not yet, anyways. There are still enough PC gamers around - many of them in denial that the market has dried up - to dole out the custom content.

Now, with the next ES title things might be different. I wouldn't be surprised if the title after Skyrim is released on consoles only tho. Or, the one after that one. It will happen eventually so enjoy your mods while you can. Many games whose earlier incarnations were originally on PC, now skip the PC platform altogether in their sequels. It's just not profitable especially in harsh economic times.

[Kakero]

Soon we'll have to use controller to play these console ports because these so called pc version is not optimised enough to play with kb+m.

Just look at the latest dungeon siege 3 for the pc version. Another console port but you'll get more out of it by playing it with a controller.

[SpiritWarrior]

Yeah, controllers for PC are actually pretty cheap. I have one, just for playing ports, like Marvel Ultimate Alliance or Bully. Great thing is, we're not tied to a proprietry gamepad like consoles are.

[Albromor]

Originally Posted by SpiritWarrior That was when PC gaming was alive.

PC Gaming is very much alive and has moved significantly to digital downloads. Steam and G.O.G. sales are very, very healthy. So much so that companies like Amazon.com have begun offering digital PC downloads.

An associate of mine who is an avid PC gamer works at a local Gamestop said that due to companies like Steam, Gamestop has decided to phase out the PC aspect which if anyone who walks into one of their stores can readily see.

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally Posted by Albromor PC Gaming is very much alive and has moved significantly to digital downloads. Steam and G.O.G. sales are very, very healthy. So much so that companies like Amazon.com have begun offering digital PC downloads. An associate of mine who is an avid PC gamer works at a local Gamestop said that due to companies like Steam, Gamestop has decided to phase out the PC aspect which if anyone who walks into one of their stores can readily see.

Well, a change in how games are distributed does not equal the market being very much alive. It just means the existing stuff has been made available for download as technology allows us to deviler bigger files digitally.

GOG for example, was unheard of 2 years ago. With higher internet speeds becoming more mainstream, enabling a person to stream a movie or download games, they picked a prime time to launch their site. But this has nothing to do with whether new PC games are created. It is just another way to buy a game, like getting a pizza delivered or picking it up. Downloading an old game from GOG or Steam is great business for them - but says more about their success and profits than it does about the uncertain future of this platform.

Besides, Steam and other companies are already moving into the console market this year. When they do, I can bet you will still see more shelves dedicated to console discs than you do PC games (my local Gamestop and EBgames have a single shelf for them alone, and they are arranged upright like library books as opposed to facing out).

I can count on one hand the amount of PC games I played/looked forward to this year. A few years back, when Ironworks was younger, there was an influx of games being released monthly. I am sure you feel the same when you count your own games now in comparison. The frequency of games released on this platform has severely declined. But it has increased on current consoles today. We can debate it back and forth - hey, I don't like it either - but by researching and observing the market you will come to the same conclusion.