Valve's Newell: PCs Have A "Perception Problem," Blames Vast Console Conspiracy
A lot has been said about the troubles that PC gaming has had over the last few years, but Valve's Gabe Newell is having none of it. Despite other companies moving away from the platform or treating the PC as an afterthought, Valve's main development remains on the PC. At a press conference, Newell stressed that PCs are still the best place to find new technology and innovation. He also explained why the "PC crisis" is exaggerated and over-reported.
Is there a crisis in PC gaming? No. But there is a perception problem... Only now are organizations such as NPD beginning to track alternative revenue streams ... and discovering billions of previously unacknowledged spending on PC gaming.
NPD has only recently started tracking sales such as MMO subscriptions or downloads from Valve's Steam. Since then, the picture has been a bit rosier for PC gaming. As for why the media isn't changing the story, Newell dons a tin foil hat and answers,
As all of you know too well, the three of the major console holders spend millions of dollars each month on PR teams to seed stories to the contrary.
I kid, I kid. He's basically right - once Microsoft shifted its gaming focus to making the Xbox a success, there hasn't been a unified force nearly as big as any of the console manufacturers to serve as a booster for the PC platform. At the same time, the success (to different degrees) of all three major console manufacturers is more than just good press. All three companies have to be doing something right, and offering something PCs just weren't giving people, whether that's waggle, plastic guitars, or an excuse to buy a giant HDTV.
Valve: No PC Gaming "Crisis" [Next Generation]
Dawdle
Posted to Video Games on 31 May 2008
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: conspiracy theory, crisis, gabe newell, pc, sales, valve
If I could chat to anyone in the games business, it would be the man whose behind the two best single-player games ever [HL1 & 2] and a driving force behind the best Multiplayer game [CS].
I have nothing but respect for the genius of Gabe.
He's right PC games are generally better than console games, even now I find PC versions superior to 360 versions. Luckily I have a powerful PC so I can scale comparatively.
To be honest, if it weren't for the 2 or 3 console exclusive games I HAVE to have (MGS4, for instance), I'd sell my PS3 and my 360 and use the money to build a monster gaming PC, because most of the games I like are available (and better) on PC.
Whoo generalizations. Lemme have one!
No way, console games are WAY better!
Now that that's out of the way, a conspiracy theory? Really? I love the Half Life series (thanks to their console ports) but I have to question that bit of paranoia there. I certainly believe there was an exaggeration from message boards to the effect of "PC being dead," but then the Boards also believed that Wii Fit would end gaming forever.
Yes, the NPD has failed to track a lot of information... like how many Virtual Console and XBLA games are downloaded... As well as PC information. They're not the only ones. The Neilson ratings are also only just now turning to things like iTunes downloads, DVR, and streaming video to check for TV show ratings.
Anyway, that's my rant. I'm off to snuggle my consoles.
Excuse my ignorance, but what the heck are "alternative revenue streams"? Sorry, but I don't speak corporatese (/pet peeve). Does that include dumb people who fork over money to torrentz scam sites?
Randle - The "conspiracy theory" is just me having a bit of fun at his wording. He's right that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo throw a lot of money around trying to convince people that their platforms are doing the best, but his statement makes it sound like the console makers and the media are working together to bring PCs down, which doesn't seem entirely accurate.
Alex - I believe "alternative revenue streams" refers to any money spent on games that isn't your traditional, "I bought this game in a box from a store." That would include digital downloads from legitimate sites like Steam or Direct2Drive, subscriptions to MMOs like World of Warcraft or Age of Conan, and any transactions within a game, like buying map packs in a shooter or property in Second Life.