4 + 8 + 89= 101 = WTF!

Is my math wrong or have the math God's decided to have some fun?

to the poster below. Ya you wish despite of negative things about pc gaming. Its still going to continue. Mass effect is one example and not just a port either. They beefed it up too

It's now too easy to pirate games on the PC compared to consoles. While the PC is still making money you have to look at the games that are raking in the all the cash, MMOs. Casual gaming is moving away from the PC to consoles and so are the games companies because they believe it's easier to make money.

Only those hardcore uses are still using the PC as their primary gaming platform. I've stop playing games on the PC because it just costs too much money to keep up to date. Crysis would require me to spend about €1000 on hardware and about €120 on a Vista upgrade because I would want to play with DX10. Then I have a look at how many other games are out there that I play? TF2 is about the only other game, but my Laptop can play that with a couple of settings turned down. It's just not cost effective, before there were lots of games coming out that would be worth playing, now they will come out on the Consoles; plus most games are designed primarily for that level of performance and the PC is more of an after thought coming out a couple of months later.

Now from Microsoft perspective it makes more sense to stop gaming under Windows as they make more money from the Xbox! I think the whole DX10 only on Vista is part of that. They have more control over everything and can make a serious about of cash off Xbox Live. Where or how will MS make money of the PC gaming industry?

Right now, PC is a great choice. Assuming you have a PC, you need only ~$150 to have better graphics than a $599 console.

Still play games on the PC and the last console I owned (Nintendo, Atari 2600 before that) was fun, but the next gen came out a few weeks later and I could not "upgrade/return/exchange" + a few extra bucks.

I've wanted to play Heretic II a few times, but for some reason it has a 25% chance of running properly on XP. Never found and explanation.

Seems like the choice is buy a new console vs buy a new vid card and both platforms suffer from the "can't take it with you, sometimes" syndrome.

Then there is "quality" arguments, that for me were cemented by Oblivion:
PC/Console problems...fixed in a week on the PC.
Draw distance/image quality: PC's texture packs and the side by side comparison even at default, no contest.
Add ons: Get what Bethesda gives you for purchase vs some of the teriffic user created mods out there.

If I know I'm going to get screwed, eventually, I'd at least like to say I somewhat enjoyed the experience, eh?

Lol great poll. Now lets go over to www.teamxbox.com and ask the same question.

Or I know lets go to a Ford enthusiast forum and ask them if they drive Chevy's.

There's nothing like just popping in a xbox360/ps3 game and instantly jumping into the game on my big screen hdtv.

That was in the good ol' days. Most PS3 games of late require mandatory installs. Some of them taking 20 min or more. Moreover consoles are now requiring patches to fix issues that once plagued PC games only. Prime Example? GTA4 for the PS3.
The one benefit of owning a console for gaming is now gone. The benefit of so called popping in a game and playing right away? Go back to the days without installs and patches and console gaming would be the choice for me, otherwise its a PC without the power...

I just got the Orange Box for my new computer. Portal was fun, but I had to cheat a little. I'm no Gordan Freeman.

Counter Strike seems to have done alright:

"Counter-Strike, first released in 1999, is the world's number one first person multiplayer game, generating over seven billion player minutes per month and having sold over "nine million retail copies worldwide"

PC gaming seems alive and well to me:

"And after one year of service in China, "Kart Rider" has attracted 140 million registered users and 800,000 concurrent users."

I still maintain that with the possible exception of driving games, and the Wii, anything can be done better on the PC. I won't argue that it usually costs more for the priviledge though.

Like Mr. Lombardi said:

"So we're almost what, mid-way through the console lifecycle now? So yeah, over the next two years the story's going to come back that the PC is bigger, things like Left 4 Dead and Spore, the id titles are going to come out and everybody's going to be like, "Wow, those console titles are looking kind of crappy."

I couldn't even imagine trying to play Team Fortress 2 with a gamepad on a 360.

*shudder*

does not make any sense or what you trying to prove. Enthusiast means its for those people that enjoy the platform. It is the same thing people modifying their cars and trucks. Furthermore Consoles does not classify a enthusiast platform as it is as simple as it can be. Again that link does not make any sense at all

As an Excel junkie/business analyst, I found option 3 irresistible. I play Valve games and RTS's. There are still some things, I feel, that see better release on PC. RPG's belong on consoles, however, and that's where I play them for the most part.

I just got back from a LAN party filled with LOTS of sign language and last second saves. Trackmania (free), COD4 ($40), and lots of hi res, 60min FPS good times were had.

Console may have it's place, but I'm still holding out. :D

Yes, but the game I play the most HoMM3 was released in 1999.

No cheese option?

Yes, mostly EQ2 and CS. But I do play a few others sometimes as well.

pc gaming with a good video card is awesome. I just put together a new rig with a EVGA 8800GT and it's better than ever. And I'm in my mid 50's.
Never grow up:-)

At least the pc's games installs pretty quick and patches are painless. I just like the fact that PC's its a true multitask monster. And i am excluding retails because they don't put value in their pc's that you buy.

Not since Tribes-2.
Shazbot, I used 2 kick serious butt in that game!

If Garagegames makes a comeback, I shall again.

Oh yeah, Vivendi and Irrational suck so bad, they screw up a wet dream!

I don't think Microsoft will ever abandon windows because its MS. Xbox and xbox live there just tapping into other businesses same goes with the zune and now wants to taps into the automotive field. Windows in your car. MS is becoming a hybrid company for everything. Also don't forget windows 7 will be coming out in 09 or so.

Pc's as in general are thriving. the hardware business is becoming very interesting in terms in advancements. I am starting to get into virtualizations and stuff and that is pretty darn sweet. Consoles does not interests me as a multimedia device. Pc's can be the ultimate multimedia device and then some.

Pc's deserves more than these %$@ ass companies all cater to $$$. Which is why i am not surprised that open source and freeware is on the rise. Very interesting to see what the future will hold for pc's.

Furthermore, I also have noticed that Linux is becoming more noticeable this time around. Before it was a joke but now thats not to be laughed at anymore

this poll is desperately in need of additional detail.... how many hours and perhaps a level of hardware.

FreeCell counts given it's obscurity.

most of my favorite games (2142, CnC3 etc.) i play on the PC exclusively...only the games that absolutely need a controller to be fully enjoyed i play on the PS2 or 3

been always playing games the majority of the time on my PC...

but i think there should be an option for no, i play games on a console :)

This poll is irrelevant. This is a pc enthusiast website. In the past year, I found myself reaching for a console because if their more diverse software selection. There's nothing like just popping in a xbox360/ps3 game and instantly jumping into the game on my big screen hdtv.

Nope. 4 reasons: games are too expensive, constant upgrades too expensive, don't like the anti-social feel of it, not enough time.

I disagree with #5

This is a bad poll... the demographics of the response base bias the results tremendously in favor of PC gaming.

I've been playing games on my PC for around 20 years now...

I will skip the next gen consoles because i find that pc's are alot more useful than consoles. why?? because Can you run virtualizations,raid configurations,multiple intense apps all at once on a console?? no. And to add more to that assault you can even game on top of that. mods,user base community such as steam.

Not to mention Freeware/open source software is on the rise which adds another benefit to pc's

I don't play games, period... But if I did I would definately put money into a graphics card and not a console... Though I kind of got bored with gaming sometime in my mid teens (mid nineties). I have tried it a couple of times since though and I do find a game I like every now and then but I just can't bring myself to waste all of that time on something that doesn't give anything back (but waste of time)...

Just imagine how much I learn from sitting in front of my computer and using it for self education (like reading close to everything on TR) compared to ya'll gamers who spend three days trying to complete some task in a game! Who'll get the most out of it in the long term?

(Oh, sorry, does Solitaire and Hearts count? In that case I play every now and then while doing other stuff on the rest of my desktop).

not much these days. nv and ati have screwed me for the last time. my ps3 is providing my fun, browsing, and everything multimedia these days.